Talech vs. Heartland Retail

Talech is a cloud solution with two separate interfaces - the browser-based back office, and the terminal display which is accessible on an iPad or similar tablet device.

Both are fairly easy to use. They’re not the most intuitive we’ve come across, but they’re by no means the worst.

The terminal follows a typical design, with a pop-up sidebar with tabs to areas for processing sales, checking past orders, running reports, and accessing customer details. The checkout page is equally straightforward, with visual product icons and options to split payments, add discounts and gift cards, use store credit, and more.

The back office, which is also accessible from the tablet display, features a horizontal banner menu with links to dedicated dashboards for analytics, inventory management, employee settings, customer accounts, and support.

The interface is perfectly suitable for users without any previous experience using a point-of-sale system. What’s more, Talech offers a number of onboarding and training packages.

"Easy to use many choices to choose from equipment-wise and their support is amazing well worth it."

"Makes it easy for customers to check out faster."

"Easy to navigate, fairly straightforward."

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."

Talech offers a broad selection of features. With the possible exception of the integrations library, users will have all the functionality they need to run a smooth, customizable point-of-sale system, manage their employees, and keep track of sales and performance metrics. A mobile app, and multiple hardware solutions, are available.

Talech also offers several features that set it apart from other solutions, including customer self-order kiosks, “house accounts”, and 24/7 support. Most plans allow for an unlimited number of users and products.

Inventory management tools include variable-priced products, stock tracking, automated low-inventory alerts, barcode scanning, and supplier management.

In terms of sales and orders, the checkout terminal enables users to add discounts, split payments, exchange items, process gift cards, and email and text receipts. The analytics tools are equally comprehensive, with the option to download auto-generated reports and employee timesheets.

Finally, it is also possible to store customer details and track activity through the customer management dashboard.

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.

Talech doesn’t perform overly well when it comes to native integrations.

Most syncing options are made possible through OneSaaS, a third-party app that allows users to connect with platforms like QuickBooks, Xero, Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, and others. Using OneSaas, however, may incur extra costs depending on your plan. A handful of kitchen display screen (KDS) integrations is provided.

Talech is also compatible with most payment processors via gateways like USAePay, Ingenico, and Elavon.

For most retailers and other businesses, this integration kit will be sufficient. If, however, you want to build a fully-synced tech stack that connects with all your apps, then you will likely need to look elsewhere.

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.

Talech is among the more competitively-priced solutions that we’ve reviewed. This does come with a few caveats, however.

The “Starter” plan is $29/month and allows for five users and one hundred products. Features are significantly limited on this package and users don’t have access to advanced reporting, loyalty options, or integrations. The mid-tier “Standard” plan, which costs $69/month, will be necessary for most businesses. All but a handful of features are included in this package. The “Premium” subscription, which comes in at $99/month, provides access to all features, including inventory alerts, advanced checkout options (like split orders), and automatic gratuities.

All of this in mind, potential users should be aware of a few “hidden” costs. Additional devices cost an extra $29/month on all plans. On the “Starter” and “Standard” subscriptions, use of gift-cards is $19/month and you’ll have to pay $49/month for ecommerce features (although they are offered free of any extra charges in the “Premium” package). Integrations may also incur extra costs.

Finally, there is a dedicated enterprise option which runs on a custom pricing model.

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.

Talech scores highly for “help and support”, with a 24/7 phone and email service for all users. Additional training for new subscribers is also available, including a “Getting Started” package and help for restaurants when first uploading their menus.

Reviews of support from existing users are generally very good.

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, we were very impressed with Talech. It’s a reliable, feature-rich solution that’s suitable for businesses of all sizes. Whether you’re responsible for a one-person cafe or a chain of large retail outlets, you’ll find everything you need to run an efficient point-of-sale system.

The main issues to be aware of are the additional costs for extra devices, which may be a problem for restaurants in particular if they require multiple registers, and the limited integrations library. Remember to sign up for a free demo before purchasing a subscription.

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.