What Are the Types of POS Machine?

When buying a POS machine, you need to know which types of POS machines are there, and what are their advantages and disadvantages? This article will answer these questions for you.

Ⅰ. By means of communication

(1)Fixed POS machine

The advantages are as follows: 

1. It is easy to upgrade and maintain the software; 2, network dialing mode, its dialing speed is fast; 3. POS transactions are easier to clear.

The downside: 

It requires wired operation, and guests need to pay at the cashier.

Applicable to the merchants of integrated reconstruction projects.

(2) Wireless POS machine

Advantages are: 

1, wireless operation, free form of payment place; 2, small volume.

The disadvantages are: 

1, the communication signal is unstable; 2. Data is easy to lose; 3. High cost.

Applicable to the type of merchant who collects money at the guest's residence.

Ⅱ By means of printing

(1) Thermal POS machine

The advantages are fast printing speed, no noise when printing, low cost of supplies.

The disadvantage is that the purchase order has a short shelf life and is easily affected by the environment. Applicable to general merchant types.

(2) Needle the POS machine

The advantage is that the purchase order is kept for a long time and is not easily affected by the environment.

Disadvantages are: printing noise, high consumables.

Applicable to general merchant types.

(3) Set POS machine

The advantages are: long shelf life, not easy to be affected by the environment, beautiful appearance.

Disadvantages are: the highest cost of consumables; The printing speed is slow.

Applicable to hotels, department stores, and other large businesses.

Ⅲ By machine model

(1) Handheld POS

Small size, easy to move, can operate quickly with a single key, do not have to memorize and input multiple article numbers.

(2) Desktop POS machine

The volume is larger than handheld POS, and the functions are more complete than handheld POS.

(3) Mobile phone POS machine

According to the operation mode, it can be classified into mobile phone external device card reader and mobile phone POS machine.

(4) Mobile phone external device card reader

The advantages are: 1, easy to carry; 2, small volume; 3, low cost.

The disadvantages are: 1, need external equipment; 2. Slow data transmission; 3. Slow arrival time; 4. Low credit card limit.

(5) POS for mobile phones

The advantages are: 1, do not need external equipment; 2, convenient, portable; 3. Able to transfer money between banks; 4. Fast delivery time; 5. Large credit card limit; 6, high safety performance.

The disadvantages are: 1, no printing bill function; 2. High cost.

Ⅳ By operating system

(1) POS machine in Windows system

Windows Embedded system is based on Windows XP, which is used by most POS machines in the market.

Advantage is: the system is universal, and the computer is close to easy to use.

Disadvantages are: the system is poor stability, poor security, high development cost.

(2) Android POS

It is usually based on Android system for POS applications to carry out in-depth optimization, which represents the highest level of POS industry system.

The advantages are high stability, no crash, no blue screen, low development difficulty, strong software compatibility, wide function expansion.

The downside: as a new system, the penetration rate has yet to be improved.

(3) Other systems

It is usually an embedded system developed by each manufacturer.

The advantages are low cost.

Disadvantages: system stability, poor compatibility.

Ⅴ By card performance

(1) POS machine with magnetic card

Magnetic cards are low-cost, easy to use, and easy to manage, but their security risks are becoming increasingly prominent.

(2) Brush contact IC card POS machine

Long time contact, easy to cause poor IC card contact, not easy to read data.

(3) Brush non-contact IC card POS machine

The difference between an IC card and a magnetic card lies in the different data storage media. An IC card has a large storage capacity and high security. A CPU card has a data processing capability and long service life.

Ⅵ By Use

(I) Financial POS machines

Mainly used in UnionPay commercial system, commercial banks, local credit cooperatives, and other banking systems.

(2) Non-financial POS machines

Can be widely used in all sizes, all types of members, chains, franchise stores; Catering and entertainment enterprises, car maintenance centers, cosmetics stores, tourist attractions, and other fields.

Ⅶ By User

(1) Dual public POS

To public take money is to queue up in the bank to fill data to make money, the rate is high, corresponding to with public account, deal with formalities complex.

(2) For private POS machines

For private withdrawal, money can be withdrawn from automatic teller machines with low rates, corresponding to personal accounts and simple procedures.