Heartland Retail vs. Shopify POS

While the Heartland Retail user interface isn’t the most intuitive we’ve come across, it isn’t difficult-to-use by any means. The main POS dashboard is accessed via an iPad or Android app or via a browser (if you want to use a desktop computer to run your POS).

Both the tablet and desktop interfaces follow a fairly typical design. A top-of-the-screen menu links to dedicated areas for processing sales and payments, reporting, inventory management, customer relationship management, employee permissions, and so on.

Keep in mind that Heartland is best-suited to an iPad or Android tablet set-up. Alternatively, you can run the software using a computer browser. At the time of writing, we are not aware of an offline mode.

"It's mobile and in the cloud so we have access anywhere and anytime."

"Reports are entirely customizable and there are several metrics to choose from."

"It's easy for my seasonal employees to use, but not remarkably more or less than any other POS."

Both the register and back-office dashboards are simple and easy-to-use. The register interface, which is accessed via an app (compatible with Android and iOS mobile devices and tablets), follows a typical block format, with a checkout area and customizable grid menu for including discounts, popular add-on-items, recommended products, and so on.

Admin tasks, such as adding products and setting staff permissions, are done through the browser-based back-office. Like the register dashboard, the backend interface follows a standard layout and is very easy to navigate.

"My overall experience with the POS software has been extremely positive."

"Shopify POS is our main POS system for a large retail space. Easy to use and train all staff."

"Easy to set up and define products for sale at a physical store."

Heartland doesn’t disappoint when it comes to features. It definitely ranks as one of the most feature-rich platforms we’ve reviewed, especially on the analytics and reporting front. It is recommended that Heartland be used with an iPad, but it’s also possible to run the software on an Android tablet (depending on the software version) or through a browser on a desktop computer.

Retailers will have access to an array of tools for managing inventory, organizing vendors and retail buyers, running advanced reports, storing customer details, setting employee permissions, and more.

In regards to the POS system itself, features include email receipts, gift cards and loyalty program discounts, a customer-facing display, and a mobile app.

Finally, enterprise users have access to price lists and customizable products, purchase order allocation, user interface training, training accounts, and the API.

As a slight negative, it’s also worth pointing out that advanced analytics are not available on the lowest-priced “Plus” plan, although limited reporting functionality is included.

Shopify POS has an extensive set of features. Small and medium retailers will find everything they need and more. All the essentials, including product management, integrations with third-party tools, payment processing, iPad and Android compatibility, barcode scanning, and analytics are included. Shopify also has some interesting additional functionality, such as “buy online, pick up in store” and “email carts” (to allow customers to browse in store and buy online) that aren’t offered by competitors.

The one downside is that some of the advanced features, which many retailers will nonetheless consider essential, are only available on the top-tier plan. These include staff permissions, minor stock adjustments (to account for damaged items, for example), and most automation features.

When it comes to integrations, Heartland doesn’t perform as well as some other solutions we reviewed. The integrations library isn’t terrible, but there could be a lot more on offer. What’s more, use of some integrations incurs extra costs.
We would like to point out, however, that if you are happy with the broader feature-set of the POS solution and the integrations library does meet your needs, then the limited number of options to sync with third-party apps is unlikely to be an issue. Judging from user reviews, Heartland also seems very responsive to requests for new integrations.

On the ecommerce front, BigCommerce, Shopify, Magento, and WooCommerce are all supported. Sales integrations include Salesforce, Mailchimp, and Annex Cloud. The main accounting integrations are Quickbooks and Oracle Netsuite. Unfortunately, a connector for Xero isn’t provided.

Another downside with the integrations library is that Heartland isn’t compatible with any “intermediary apps” like Zapier or Kosmos which would provide access to a large range of third-party tools.

Shopify offers literally thousands of ecommerce integrations. Around fifty or so are designed exclusively for Shopify POS (the others integrate with the ecommerce platform directly).

Shopify Payments, which is the built-in payments processor for Shopify POS, is compatible with over one hundred third-party payment solutions, including Paypal, Skrill, Worldpay, and many others. The only downside, as already mentioned, is that Shopify charges an extra percentage for each sale when you opt for an alternative to its native processor.

The majority of integrations built exclusively for the POS system are related to either customer loyalty (Smile, Rewardify, Swell, etc.), marketing, or payroll and staff management.

Keep in mind that Shopify’s native ecommerce tools sync with the POS system very closely, so you can access a range of apps, in categories such as accounting, inventory management, order fulfilment, analytics, customer support, third-party marketplaces, and more, through the central Shopify dashboard. The tight coupling of both systems means that you essentially have access to the entire Shopify integrations library through your POS.

One final point to keep in mind is that most integrations are with third-party apps and tools, so you will have to pay extra to use them.

A short introduction to pricing ~100 words Heartland offers three plans. The “Plus” plan is $80/month per register, the “Professional” plan is $160/month per register, and the “”Enterprise” plan is priced on a custom basis. Heartland stipulates that it integrates with a variety of payment processors but doesn’t publish payment fees on its website, so it’s likely that you will be able to use your preferred payment processor but may have to pay additional fees.

While Heartland isn’t as inexpensive as some other solutions we’ve reviewed, it’s important to keep in mind that users are getting access to a pretty extensive feature-set.

We were also pleased to see that most functionality is available on the entry-level plan, with the exception of API access. If you opt for Heartland, you won’t be compelled to move onto a higher plan because certain essential features are lacking.

We think that Shopify is hands-down one of the best solutions on the market when it comes to price. Smaller retailers will struggle to find a more inexpensive alternative with the same third-party compatibility, support package, and number of features.

Shopify POS is offered as part of its ecommerce packages, and three options are available - Basic Shopify at $29/month, Shopify at $79/month, and Advanced Shopify at $299/month. The advanced package allows for fifteen user accounts. An enterprise plan, called Shopify Plus, is also available and is offered on a custom pricing model.

Retailers also have the option to upgrade to the Shopify POS Pro plan, which will cost an extra $89/month per store. This allows for unlimited numbers of staff and registers.

Card processing fees also vary depending on the plan size. They start at 1.7% for in-person sales on the “Basic” package and go down to 1.5% on the Advanced one.

The only downside, and the reason we didn’t give Shopify a full 10/10 for “value for money” is because an extra 1% per sale (2% on the basic plan) is charged when using a third-party payment processor.

Heartland offers a solid support package with email and live-chat services available on the basic plan from 8 AM to 9 PM EST. The mid-tier plan also includes phone support, and the enterprise plan has an “Elite” customer service package with a faster response time guaranteed.

Onboarding packages are included on all plans with the option to upgrade for more one-on-one time.

Overall, the help and support package provided by Shopify is very excellent. Users have access to 24/7 customer service via email, phone, and live chat. Extensive documentation, particularly in regards to onboarding, is provided. Notably, Shopify has taken the time to develop “migration” tools to enable retailers to transfer product and customer information from previous platforms.

Shopify also has one of the largest active communities on the web, to which you can pose questions that might not be appropriate for the customer service team.

On the negative side, Shopify doesn’t offer any one-on-one onboarding training for new customers. That said, due to the platform’s popularity, it’s easy to find independent Shopify experts if you need help getting set up.

Heartland Retail is one of those rare beasts - a point-of-sale solution that is genuinely suitable for retailers of all sizes, from mom-and-pop stores to enterprise chains.

It has an excellent set of features, one of the best analytics dashboards we’ve seen, and is reasonably priced. While there are cheaper alternatives available, it’s unlikely that you’ll have access to the same number of features.

The support package is also excellent, with onboarding and data-migration options for new users.

The one big downside is the limited integrations library, so be sure to check that you have access to all the connectors you require before subscribing.

Shopify is one of the web’s leading ecommerce solutions. And it’s easy to see why. It offers an extensive feature-set at an extremely competitive price-point.

Retailers should understand a few key points, however, when it comes to Shopify’s proprietary point-of-sale-system, Shopify POS.

First, it is not available as a standalone solution. If you already have an ecommerce store and are looking for a POS system that will integrate with it, you will need to opt for an alternative. Second, you will have to use Shopify’s in-house payment processor, Shopify Payments, if you don’t want to pay extra fees on top of those charged by the provider.

If you are looking for a complete POS and ecommerce solution, however, then Shopify POS is 100% worth considering. You can take advantage of a free trial, free hardware returns, and an excellent support package when getting set up.