Short answer: Shopify POS Lite is included with Shopify’s paid plans and is generally enough for pop-ups or occasional in-person sales with basic checkout needs. POS Pro is an optional paid upgrade for each eligible retail location that adds more advanced tools for staff management, inventory, customer profiles, reporting and omnichannel workflows. Shopify currently lists POS Pro at US$89 per location per month when billed yearly; confirm the price and availability for your country and billing term before subscribing.
This guide compares the official feature descriptions and pricing checked on October 15, 2026. We have not independently tested the software and do not present this as a hands-on review. Shopify plan prices, payment rates and feature availability may vary by country and can change.
Shopify POS Lite vs Pro: at a glance
| POS Lite (included POS features) | POS Pro (paid location add-on) | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Pop-ups, events and smaller operations with straightforward in-person sales | Permanent retail locations with more staff, inventory workflows or omnichannel needs |
| Price | Included with a Shopify paid plan; the Shopify subscription and payment fees still apply | US$89/month per location billed yearly on Shopify’s US pricing page; regional and billing terms can differ |
| Staff | Basic POS access; limits and permissions depend on the Shopify plan and staff setup | Unlimited POS staff access with roles and permissions, subject to current Shopify plan rules |
| Inventory | Core product and checkout workflows | More retail inventory tools, including inventory counts, purchase orders and low-stock alerts |
| Customer and reporting tools | Simple customer profiles and basic in-person selling | Richer customer profiles, retail analytics and additional customereling tools |
| Limitations | Does not include the full advanced retail toolkit | Added recurring cost per location; some underlying features also depend on the Shopify plan, region, hardware and payment setup |
What POS Lite includes
Shopify describes basic in-person selling as part of every paid Shopify plan. Lite is suited to accepting in-person payments for a simple operation, capturing basic customer information and handling supported returns at the original purchase location. It can be a reasonable place to start if a business sells mainly online and only occasionally uses a card reader or POS device.
“Lite” does not mean the entire Shopify subscription is free. The store still needs a Shopify plan, compatible hardware and a supported payment setup. Review the plan and transaction fees that apply to your country and sales channels.
What POS Pro adds
POS Pro is designed for stores that need more structured retail operations. Shopify highlights features such as staff accounts, roles and permissions; inventory counts, purchase orders and low-stock alerts; richer customer profiles; retail analytics; and omnichannel selling tools. Exact access can depend on the Shopify plan, location and regional availability, so verify the feature list for the account you intend to use.
The important cost unit is the location. A business with several locations should multiply the current per-location charge and compare it with the value of the tools each location will use.
Who should pay for POS Pro?
POS Pro may make sense if:
- Several employees need different POS permissions or access controls.
- Staff need purchase orders, stock counts or low-stock workflows.
- The store sells both online and in person and needs more advanced retail or customer tools.
- Retail reporting and customer profiles will be used regularly enough to justify the location fee.
Stay with Lite for now if:
- In-person sales are occasional, such as markets or temporary events.
- One or a small number of staff can use the basic workflow.
- Current inventory and reporting needs are already met.
- The added monthly cost per location is greater than the operational value you expect.
Costs to include in your decision
POS Pro is only one line in the total cost. Include the Shopify subscription, the number of POS Pro locations, payment processing and any hardware or third-party apps. Shopify’s listed POS Pro rate is US$89 per location per month billed yearly on its US pricing page at the time of this update. Taxes, currency, monthly billing options, plan eligibility and local payments can change the final amount. Read the current Shopify POS pricing page before deciding.
Frequently asked questions
Is Shopify POS Pro included with Shopify?
Shopify paid plans include basic POS features. POS Pro is an additional paid upgrade for a location, unless it is included in a particular plan or offer. Check the current details for your plan and region.
How much does POS Pro cost?
Shopify currently lists POS Pro at US$89 per location per month when billed yearly on its US POS pricing page. Pricing and billing options may vary by market and change over time.
Does POS Pro include staff permissions and inventory tools?
Shopify lists staff roles and permissions, inventory counts, purchase orders and low-stock alerts among POS Pro’s features. Confirm which capabilities apply to your plan and location in Shopify’s current documentation.
Can a small shop use POS Lite?
Yes. Lite can suit a small shop or seller who needs basic in-person checkout and does not need the advanced staff, inventory or reporting tools. Start with the workflows you actually use, then upgrade if there is a clear operational need.
Bottom line
POS Lite is the sensible starting point for occasional or uncomplicated in-person sales because it comes with a paid Shopify plan. POS Pro is worth evaluating when a store will actively use its additional staff, inventory, customer and reporting features at each location. Compare the annual cost with the time saved and workflows improved; do not upgrade simply because the feature list is longer.
If your decision is whether Shopify is the right storefront platform at all, compare it with other options in our WooCommerce vs Shopify guide and ecommerce platform comparison. These cover the broader store-platform decision; this page focuses on Shopify’s in-person POS tiers.
Official sources
- Shopify POS pricing and feature comparison
- Shopify guide to identifying POS needs
- Shopify POS staff management
- Shopify POS permissions documentation
For more practical store guides, explore our ecommerce articles and Shopify guides.
