POS Comparisons

Shopify POS vs Heartland Retail: Which POS Is Better? (2025)

By Mauricio • Dec 4, 2025 • 3 min read

When comparing Shopify POS vs Heartland Retail, you’re looking at two distinct approaches to retail point-of-sale technology. Shopify POS, rated 4.5/5, offers Retailers already using or planning to use Shopify for eCommerce. Meanwhile, Heartland Retail, rated 4.1/5, provides Retail stores wanting integrated payments. Let’s dive into the details to help you make an informed decision.

Quick Comparison: Shopify POS vs Heartland Retail

FeatureShopify POSHeartland Retail
CategoryRetailRetail
Starting Price$89/month (POS Pro)Contact for pricing
Rating4.5/54.1/5
Target BusinessSmall BusinessSmall Business to Mid-Market
Pricing ModelSubscriptionQuote-based
Free TrialYesNo
Free VersionYesNo
Best ForRetailers already using or planning to use Shopify for eCommerceRetail stores wanting integrated payments

Shopify POS Overview

Shopify POS seamlessly connects your online and retail stores, allowing you to sell anywhere. It syncs products, inventory, and customer data between your online store and physical locations.

Shopify POS is offered by Shopify Inc. (founded 2013) based in Ottawa, Canada. The system focuses on Retail, Pop-up shops, Markets, Omnichannel sellers.

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Key Features:

  • Unified inventory
  • Customer profiles
  • Staff management
  • In-store analytics
  • Product management
  • Gift cards

Heartland Retail Overview

Heartland Retail is a point-of-sale and payment processing solution for retail businesses. Part of the Heartland family, it offers inventory management, customer loyalty, and integrated payments.

Heartland Retail is offered by Heartland Payment Systems (Global Payments) (founded 2001) based in Jeffersonville, IN. The system focuses on Retail, Specialty Stores.

Key Features:

  • POS System
  • Inventory Management
  • Customer Loyalty
  • Payment Processing
  • Reporting
  • E-commerce Integration

Feature Comparison

Shopify POS Features:

  • Unified inventory
  • Customer profiles
  • Staff management
  • In-store analytics
  • Product management

Heartland Retail Features:

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  • POS System
  • Inventory Management
  • Customer Loyalty
  • Payment Processing
  • Reporting

When comparing features, Shopify POS stands out with Best-in-class eCommerce integration, while Heartland Retail differentiates itself with Heartland integration. Your choice should depend on which features align better with your specific business requirements.

Pricing Comparison

Pricing AspectShopify POSHeartland Retail
Starting Price$89/month (POS Pro)Contact for pricing
Pricing ModelSubscriptionQuote-based
Price RangeMid-rangeMid-range
Free TrialAvailableNot available
Free VersionYesNo

Shopify POS offers a free version, which is great for testing or small operations. Consider the total cost of ownership including hardware, processing fees, and add-on modules when making your decision.

Pros and Cons

Shopify POS

Pros:

  • Seamless eCommerce integration
  • Beautiful interface
  • Strong brand recognition
  • Extensive app store
  • Great for omnichannel

Cons:

  • Best with Shopify eCommerce
  • POS Pro needed for key features
  • Transaction fees without Shopify Payments

Heartland Retail

Pros:

  • Heartland ecosystem
  • Integrated payments
  • Retail focus
  • Customer loyalty tools

Cons:

  • Custom pricing
  • May require Heartland processing

Who Should Choose Shopify POS?

Shopify POS is ideal for Retailers already using or planning to use Shopify for eCommerce. The system is particularly well-suited for Retail, Pop-up shops, Markets, Omnichannel sellers.

However, Shopify POS may not be the best fit for Restaurants or businesses not doing eCommerce.

Who Should Choose Heartland Retail?

Heartland Retail is ideal for Retail stores wanting integrated payments. The system is particularly well-suited for Retail, Specialty Stores.

However, Heartland Retail may not be the best fit for Restaurants.

Our Recommendation

Both Shopify POS and Heartland Retail are solid POS solutions, but they excel in different areas. Choose Shopify POS if you’re Retailers already using or planning to use Shopify for eCommerce. Choose Heartland Retail if you’re Retail stores wanting integrated payments. Shopify POS has a higher user rating (4.5 vs 4.1). Also, choose Shopify POS if you want to start with a free version. We recommend trying demos or free trials of both systems before making your final decision.

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Written by

Sarah Martinez

Restaurant Technology Editor
Verified Expert

Sarah Martinez is a Restaurant Technology Editor with 8 years of experience covering the hospitality industry. She has interviewed hundreds of restaurant owners and published extensive research on POS adoption trends. Sarah previously served as Senior Editor at Restaurant Business Magazine and is a regular speaker at the National Restaurant Association Show.

Former Senior Editor, Restaurant Business MagazineNRA Show Speaker (2021-2024)Published in Nation's Restaurant News
Expertise:
Restaurant TechnologyFood Service OperationsPOS Pricing AnalysisIndustry Trends