A point-of-sale (POS) system is what you use to take card payments at an event — bake sales, gala check-in, merch tables, concessions, festivals, silent auctions, ticket booths, and the like. For nonprofits and small groups, the right pick usually comes down to three things: transaction fees, what the hardware costs (or whether you even need any), and how often you'll actually use it.
What to Look For
- Per-transaction fees — usually 2.5%–3.5% + a fixed cent fee. Small differences add up at high volume.
- Hardware cost — some readers are free, some are $50–$300+. If you only run two events a year, free hardware matters more than a slightly lower fee.
- Offline mode — outdoor events, gym basements, and church halls all have spotty Wi-Fi. Being able to queue transactions matters.
- Nonprofit pricing — a few processors offer discounted rates for registered 501(c)(3)s. Always worth asking.
- Reporting — clean exports for treasurers, board reports, and tax-deductible receipts to donors.
- Tipping prompts — handy for concessions and bar service, awkward for raffles and donations.
The Options
Square — The default for a reason. Free magstripe reader, low-cost tap-and-chip reader (~$50), no monthly fee, and a polished app. Strong for events because you can hand a phone to a volunteer and they'll figure it out in five minutes. Standard rate is around 2.6% + 10¢ in-person. Excellent offline mode. Works well for merch tables, concessions, and ticketing.
Stripe (with Stripe Terminal) — Best if you already use Stripe online and want unified reporting across your website donations and in-person sales. Hardware costs more (a Stripe Reader M2 is ~$59, the BBPOS WisePOS is ~$249), and setup is more developer-flavored than Square. Rates are competitive (around 2.7% + 5¢ in-person). Overkill for a once-a-year bake sale, great for organizations running events plus an online store.
PayPal Zettle — Free reader, ~2.29% + 9¢ in-person rate, integrates with a PayPal business account. A solid Square alternative, especially if your supporters already pay you via PayPal. Smaller third-party app ecosystem than Square.
Clover — More of a "full restaurant/retail POS" — heavier hardware, monthly software fees, often sold through a merchant services rep. Worth a look only if you're running something closer to a permanent operation (thrift store, café, regular concessions stand) rather than occasional events.
SumUp — Cheap reader (~$39), no monthly fee, simple app. Less common in the US than Square or Zettle but a reasonable budget pick, especially for groups outside major metros.
Givebutter — Not a traditional POS, but worth knowing about. Givebutter has a free in-person mode where donors tap or scan a QR to give from their phone, plus integrations with card readers for events. If your "POS" is really "collecting donations at a table," this avoids the merch/retail framing entirely and keeps everything inside your fundraising platform.
Eventbrite / Zeffy / DonorBox at the door — For ticketed events or pure donation tables, sometimes the right answer isn't a POS at all. A QR code linking to a donation page or ticket checkout (with Zeffy being notable for charging $0 platform fees to nonprofits) can replace a card reader entirely and put the cost on the donor as an optional tip.
Quick Recommendation
For most nonprofits and one-off events, Square is the default — free reader, no monthly fee, fast volunteer onboarding, and reliable offline mode. If you already run donations through Stripe or Givebutter online, extend that into in-person with their terminal/reader options so your reporting stays in one place. For pure donation tables (no merch, no tickets), skip the POS entirely and use a QR code to a Zeffy or Givebutter page. Always confirm current fees and nonprofit discounts directly with the vendor — pricing changes more often than you'd expect.
Going Bigger
POS systems handle the cash flow of an event, but the underlying costs — venue, equipment, staff, programs — are usually what determine whether the event is even worth running. Foundation grants can underwrite the program side so that whatever you raise at the table is actual upside, not just covering expenses. Most small nonprofits and community groups don't realize how much grant funding fits exactly what they're already doing.