Overview
SpotOn at a Glance
What is SpotOn?
SpotOn is a US-based company that offers advanced, customizable POS solutions. These are designed for smaller businesses in the hospitality, services, and retail industries.
SpotOn focuses on streamlining workflows to improve efficiency and make your workplace more productive. It offers a wide range of features to help you do this, along with powerful hardware for payment acceptance, customer management, and more.
SpotOn features
You’ll have access to a wide range of powerful features if you use SpotOn’s POS system. Here are a few that stood out to me:
Powerful reporting tools that enable you to generate custom reports based on anything from sale types to labor costs or the success of loyalty programs
Restaurant management tools including a menu builder, a table layout view, and the ability to manage multiple locations
Review management so you can view and respond to reviews from multiple platforms from your SpotOn dashboard
Loyalty program features that make it easy to create, manage, and tweak customer loyalty programs to encourage repeat purchases or visits
Online ordering so that food-service businesses can provide a smoother, more streamlined service to their customers without costly commissions
Integrated marketing tools that enable you to send branded emails, targeted discounts, and more to prospective customers
Labor management software with two-way sync to POS to streamline employee scheduling, tip distribution, and even payroll prep
If you want to find out more about SpotOn and its industry-specific features, sign up for a free consultation and chat with a member of the sales team.
SpotOn hardware
SpotOn offers a wide range of proprietary hardware options, including handheld payment terminals and a two countertop point-of-sale devices that feature an optional customer-facing display, a payment reader, and a receipt printer.
These devices were one of the things I was most impressed about when I was testing SpotOn. They enable you to accept all types of digital payments and boast wireless WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity. The cloud-based system ensures all data is always in sync, backed up, and accessible.
Is SpotOn Safe and Reliable?
SpotOn is a dependable POS system that’s backed by top-notch security, including industry-standard encryption and strong access controls. It also receives excellent reviews across the web.
On Trustpilot, for example, it receives 4.2/5 stars, which is among the best I’ve seen for a POS platform. It’s also fully accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) with an A+ rating, which speaks volumes about the quality of its service.
How SpotOn Works
SpotOn offers a variety of custom POS solutions, along with advanced hardware and user-friendly software. I found the user interface super smooth and easy to navigate, and the central dashboard provides quick access to the tools and features you’ll use regularly.
How to Get Started With SpotOn
To get started with SpotOn, head to the company website and sign up for a personalized demo. If you decide to go ahead with SpotOn, the team will help you put together the perfect system for your business, including the right hardware and the most appropriate software subscription.
For restaurants, SpotOn sends an in-person installation team to deliver and set up your system. They also offer training for your staff. The onsite team handles everything to get you set up for your next shift.
For a basic retail setup, your hardware will be shipped directly to your mailing address, and to set it up you just have to plug it in and follow the prompts. You’ll also need to set up your software by adding your business and payment details. Business-specific information like menus and loyalty programs also need to be configured, and you can install custom integrations if required.
I found it very easy to get started with SpotOn POS, and the customer service team supported me every step of the way. You shouldn’t have any issues getting started, and if you do, the help center contains loads of excellent resources.
SpotOn Customer Service
SpotOn offers 24/7/365 phone and email support. You may experience short hold times if you contact the support team by phone, but I had no issues getting through. The team is friendly and knowledgeable, and you’ll be connected with a specialized team member who’s equipped to deal with your specific problem.
On the self-help front, there’s a comprehensive knowledge base with hundreds of informational articles, tutorials, and video guides. You’ll also have access to a range of learning resources and an informational blog on the company website. I found these very informative and useful, and I’d recommend checking them out.
How to Cancel or Pause a SpotOn Subscription
You can cancel your SpotOn subscription at any time by emailing or calling the customer service team. If you use their $0 upfront program to finance your hardware, you may be responsible for paying off the remaining amount if you cancel within the first year.The SpotOn support team will be able to advise you on the process.
Is There a SpotOn App?
The SpotOn mobile app is available for free on Android and iOS. I found its functionality a little limited as it's constrained to payment processing. This enables you to accept both cash and card payments through a mobile device, but little else.
SpotOn Pricing
SpotOn offers simple, flat & transparent pricing with financing & capital options. That means no long-term contracts. SpotOn’s subscription fees are month-to-month and cancelable at any time.
Their payment processing fees are designed to keep costs down at $1.99% and $0.25 per transaction on most cards. Hardware options vary and can be combined based on restaurant size, operational complexity, and operator needs. Financing is available to get business owners started with $0 upfront costs.
The SpotOn platform fee starts from $0/month and includes email marketing, reporting, review management, and access to SpotOn Capital to apply for and manage a loan. Various other features and software are available for an additional monthly rate.
Because of the variety of software it offers and the flexibility of its systems, its best to speak with the sales team, who can help you put together the right package for your business and provide the most competitive price.
What Can You Do With SpotOn for Free?
SpotOn doesn’t offer any free services.
SpotOn Alternatives
Price
Custom Quote
Starts at $14
$99 - $289 per month
From $0.00 - $165 per month
Mobile Compatibility
iOS, Android
iOS, Android
iOS
Android
Cloud-based or on-premises
Cloud-based
Cloud-based with offline mode
Cloud-based
Both
Compatible Credit Card Processors
✔
✔
✔
✔
SpotOn vs Clover
Clover POS is one of the world’s most popular systems, and like SpotOn, it’s suitable for businesses in any industry. It includes some of the most powerful features I’ve seen, like advanced inventory management, and offers a wide range of hardware options.
SpotOn is great, especially if you’re looking for a plug-and-play retail option that’s easy to use, and SpotOn outperforms Clover when it comes to restaurant services.
SpotOn vs Lightspeed
Like SpotOn, Lightspeed offers versatile POS solutions for both retail and hospitality-based businesses. It has a wide range of hardware, along with features like inventory management, that SpotOn lacks. However, you’ll need to sign up for a long-term contract with Lightspeed, which means that SpotOn is a better option if you want to try a new POS with more flexibility.
SpotOn vs Toast
Toast is a food industry POS system that can be used with any Android-based hardware. It doesn’t offer any retail or service-business solutions, which SpotOn has, but it’s a cost-effective option for restaurants and cafes of all sizes.
Both platforms offer excellent customer service and have a range of industry-specific features. I’d recommend Toast if you’re looking for a leading POS for your hospitality business, but SpotOn is better for businesses in any other industry.
Bottom Line
SpotOn is a powerful POS system provider that offers solutions for businesses in a wide range of industries. It’s easy to get started with, and the customer service team will help you put together the perfect system for your business, taking into account your budget and business needs.
Another big plus with SpotOn is its user interface, which I found intuitive and easy to navigate. It can become a little expensive for larger businesses that require multiple integrated features, and the mobile app could be better, but there’s little else not to like.
Overall, I’d recommend having a chat with the SpotOn team if you’re looking for a user-friendly POS solution that you can customize to your exact needs.