Shared sales scenario (example)
- $25,000 monthly card sales · $35 average ticket
- 75% in-person · 10% keyed · 15% online
- 36-month comparison term
POS Quote Decision Pack
Put two POS quotes on the same receipt.
A lower card-present rate can still cost more once keyed and online payments, transaction fees, software, add-ons, hardware, setup, and cancellation costs are counted. Enter both offers with the same sales and payment mix, mark anything not in writing as unresolved, and track what each seller promised in the worksheet.
Your entries stay in this browser · estimates are not merchant-services quotes
Quick answer
Enter the same monthly card sales, average ticket, and payment mix for both quotes, then add each seller's written rates, software, hardware, and contract costs. Judge the lower card-present rate only after keyed, online, and monthly fees are counted.
Worked example
Default form inputs (illustration only)
Quote A and Quote B below match the pre-filled fields in the calculator. They are generic examples, not current vendor pricing. Replace every value with your written quotes.
36-month planning totals (example)
- Quote A: $32,089 total · 3.57% effective rate (36-month total ÷ 36 ÷ monthly card sales, upfront costs included)
- Quote B: $36,533 total · 4.06% effective rate (36-month total ÷ 36 ÷ monthly card sales, upfront costs included)
In this example, Quote B has lower percentage rates but higher in-person and keyed per-transaction fees, plus higher software, add-ons, annual fees, and upfront costs.
Use one sales scenario
Line up both quotes before you judge the rate.
Split sales by how the card is accepted. The remaining 75% counts as in-person card sales. Mark any field the seller has not put in writing as unresolved. It will not be treated as zero.
Lower estimated 36-month costLower estimated total
Quote A costs about $4,444 less over the term, counting only costs in writing.
Estimated transactions714
per month at a documented average ticket
Unresolved calculator fields0
Excluded from totals, not counted as zero
| Cost view | Quote A | Quote B |
|---|---|---|
| In-person processing / month | $541 | $549 |
| Keyed processing / month | $98 | $99 |
| Online processing / month | $141 | $137 |
| All processing / month | $780 | $786 |
| Recurring total / month | $869 | $975 |
| Upfront + exit costs | $799 | $1,450 |
| Monthly equivalent | $891 | $1,015 |
| Effective cost vs. sales | 3.57% | 4.06% |
| 36-month estimated total | $32,089 | $36,533 |
Example inputs are generic, not current vendor quotes. Planning estimate only. Calculated rows use documented fields only; unresolved fields show as n/a and are excluded from totals. This does not model every interchange category, debit routing, rewards/international card treatment, chargeback, PCI, gateway, tax, financing, hardware replacement, gift-card liability, or negotiated rate. Use the worksheet below for contract, data-export, and demo evidence.
Contract, data, and demo worksheet
Track what each seller actually put in writing.
These rows are not calculated. Mark a row only when the seller gives written proof or shows it in a live demo. Leave gaps unresolved instead of assuming the best case.
Quote A0 documented0 partial0 blocked15 unknown
Quote B0 documented0 partial0 blocked15 unknown
Decision rowPriorityQuote AQuote B
IdentityVendor, processor, and reseller legal namesRecord every party on the agreement, not just the device brand.Must-have
IdentitySupport owner and escalation pathWho fixes a frozen register, deposit mismatch, or cancellation request?Must-have
PaymentsCard-present rate and per-transaction feeEnter in the quote calculator when documented.Must-have
PaymentsKeyed, card-on-file, and online ratesSplit by how cards are actually accepted.Must-have
PaymentsDebit, rewards, international, and invoice ratesMark unknown if the quote is silent.Important
RecurringSoftware, add-ons, and annual feesPrice the exact tier and integrations you need.Must-have
HardwareHardware ownership, lease, or financing termsSeparate purchased gear from processor-locked equipment.Must-have
HardwareReplacement, return, and warranty obligationsInclude spares and event-day backup plans.Important
ContractInitial term, auto-renewal, and notice windowCalendar the renewal and cancellation dates.Must-have
ContractCancellation and early-termination costDo not assume zero without written proof.Must-have
DataSample export for products, variants, and inventoryRequire CSV or API samples before signing.Must-have
DataCustomer, gift-card, sales, tax, and order exportsMap nontransferable fields before migration.Must-have
DemoRush-hour workflow demonstratedUse the same basket for every vendor.Important
DemoOffline or outage scenario demonstratedDisconnect during the demo and reconcile after.Must-have
DemoRefund, void, discount, and split-tender testedScore only what was shown or documented.Important
Rule: a blocked must-have is not canceled out by a low processing rate. Print this worksheet with the quote comparison and attach each seller's written answers.
Only have one written offer?
Estimate that single quote first.
Translate one rate sheet into monthly cost, effective percentage, and a three-year total before you ask a second vendor to bid.
After the comparison
Save the result, mark the gaps, then verify.
Print or save the result and worksheet, highlight every term the seller has not put in writing, and check current official pricing only after both quotes use the same assumptions.
Save the result
Print the comparison with the shared sales, payment mix, contract term, and worksheet visible.
Mark unresolved fields
Do not replace missing rates, fees, ownership terms, or cancellation language with a favorable guess.
Verify current terms
Use the official links below as starting points, then rely on the written quote for your exact account.
Before the demo ends
Six costs and risks that rarely fit in the headline rate.
Attach the written answers to the quote. If a seller will not document a material term, leave it unresolved rather than assuming the favorable answer.
Payment mix
Ask whether keyed, online, invoice, card-on-file, rewards, and international cards use different rates.
Contract
Record the term, automatic renewal, cancellation window, early termination fee, and equipment return rules.
Hardware
Confirm whether every register, printer, scanner, kitchen display, router, and payment terminal is bought, financed, leased, or loaned.
Software
Price the exact inventory, staff, loyalty, online ordering, reporting, payroll, accounting, and multi-location features you need.
Support
Get support hours, escalation path, replacement-device policy, offline behavior, and expected response during an outage.
Data exit
Require a sample export for products, variants, customers, gift cards, sales, taxes, and order history before signing.
Scenario starting points
Match the quote to how your business runs.
Each guide links back to this tool and the demo scorecard. Start with your business type, then run both written quotes on the same sales.
Bakery or café guide
Day-to-day questions on comparing quotes fairly, what happens during an outage, and what the contract says.
Open guide →Small retail or gift shop guide
Day-to-day questions on comparing quotes fairly, what happens during an outage, and what the contract says.
Open guide →Food truck or mobile seller guide
Day-to-day questions on comparing quotes fairly, what happens during an outage, and what the contract says.
Open guide →Open the demo scorecardData export checklistClover contract checklist
Official pricing starting points
Replace every example with your written quote.
Pricing pages were checked August 24, 2026. They are direct official links, not active affiliate links. Plan requirements, promotions, negotiated rates, hardware, taxes, and reseller terms can change.
Square
Capture the exact software tier, payment rates, transaction fees, hardware terms, and contract that apply to your account.
Check Square pricing
Direct official pricing link. No active partner commission is attached.
Shopify POS
Capture the exact software tier, payment rates, transaction fees, hardware terms, and contract that apply to your account.
Check Shopify POS pricing
Direct official pricing link. No active partner commission is attached.
Clover
Capture the exact software tier, payment rates, transaction fees, hardware terms, and contract that apply to your account.
Check Clover pricing
Direct official pricing link. No active partner commission is attached.
Build a workflow-first POS shortlistSquare vs Clover operating modelSquare vs Shopify POSSquare vs Toast
Before you decide
Common questions
Why compare POS quotes on the same sales scenario?
Processing cost scales with volume and ticket size. When both quotes use identical monthly card sales, keyed share, online share, and contract term, you can see which offer costs more in total, not only on paper rates.
What does "mark unresolved" mean?
If a seller has not put a rate, fee, or hardware term in writing, toggle that field unresolved. The calculator excludes it from totals instead of treating a missing number as zero.
When should I use the true-cost calculator instead?
Use the true-cost calculator when you only have one written offer. Use this comparison tool when you have two proposals to normalize on the same sales and payment mix.
Are the pre-filled quote fields real vendor prices?
No. Quote A and Quote B are generic examples loaded in the form so you can see how the math works. Replace every field with your dated written quote before deciding.