The core difference comes down to hardware. SoftPOS lets merchants accept payments using a smartphone or tablet, with no additional equipment needed. Traditional POS, on the other hand, relies on a dedicated terminal.
There's also a difference in how payments are accepted: SoftPOS is designed for contactless payments via Near Field Communication (NFC), while traditional POS terminals can handle both contactless and chip-and-PIN transactions.
Key Differences at a Glance
Hardware: SoftPOS runs on a smartphone or tablet you already own, while traditional POS requires a dedicated terminal.
Payment methods: SoftPOS accepts contactless payments only, whereas traditional POS supports both contactless and chip-and-PIN.
Cost: SoftPOS avoids the upfront hardware investment and ongoing maintenance costs that come with traditional POS systems.
Data and analytics: SoftPOS provides real-time transaction data, giving merchants better insight into their sales as they happen.
Mobility: Because it runs on a smartphone, SoftPOS lets merchants take payments away from the till, i.e., at a customer's table, a market stall, or a pop-up shop.
Which One Is Right for You?
It is rarely an either/or decision – it's about matching the tool to how you actually do business. Both solutions have their place.
SoftPOS shines when flexibility matters most. If you're running a food truck or a market stall, you can take payments right where your customers are, without lugging a terminal around. Delivering goods or services on-site? Close the sale the moment the job's done, instead of chasing an invoice later. Pop-up shop or seasonal event? Get up and running in minutes, with zero hardware to rent, ship, or return. Even for established retailers, SoftPOS is a natural fit as a backup or overflow terminal during busy periods.
Traditional POS still earns its place for high-volume, fixed-location businesses that need chip-and-PIN as standard, tight integration with tills and inventory systems, or hardware built to withstand a full day or constant, heavy use.
And you don't have to choose just one. Many of our merchants run SoftPOS alongside their existing POS setup, using it to add mobility during peak hours, extend payments beyond the counter, or simply as a low-cost way to test contactless acceptance in a new location before committing to more hardware.
Wherever and however you sell, there's a Paynt solution built to keep up.