Open Source Point of Sale

Open Source Point of Sale is a self-hosted web POS for operators who want checkout, inventory, and back-office tasks in one free system. It is best suited to businesses able to run its PHP and database stack. The breadth is appealing, but the visible footer requirement and server upkeep are material trade-offs.

Overview

The system reaches beyond the register: it combines sales with stock control, receivings, expenses, cash-up, gift cards, rewards, and restaurant tables. Multi-location support and permission-controlled user accounts give it room to serve more than a single till. That range makes it a credible fit for retail and food-service operations, but the self-hosted approach places installation and ongoing server care with the business.

Open Source Point of Sale uses MIT terms with an additional requirement to keep its visible footer signature on every page. That is a notable constraint for customer-facing use or businesses that need fully branded pages.

Key features

Sales, stock, and tax

Stock management covers items and kits, with an extensible list of attributes. The sale register logs transactions and supports quotations, invoicing, and VAT, GST, customer, and multi-tier taxation. These capabilities suit operators with varied catalogues or tax rules, though businesses should ensure the available workflow matches their specific selling needs.

Operations and customer tools

Receivings, expense logging, and cash-up support routine store administration, while gift cards, rewards, and restaurant tables extend the system into customer retention and food-service use. It can print or email receipts, invoices, and quotations, and generate and print barcodes. Barcode scanning is supported, but hardware support is third-party, so device compatibility and procurement remain the operator’s responsibility.

Users, reporting, and integrations

Multiple users can be assigned permissions, and reports cover sales, orders, expenses, and inventory status. MailChimp integration and SMS messaging are also among its features. Optional Google reCAPTCHA can help protect the login page from brute-force attacks; the project describes the software as GDPR ready, a label that does not replace a business’s own compliance responsibilities.

Pricing

The Open Source Point of Sale plan costs nothing. It provides the software under MIT terms, including the visible-footer condition. There are no paid tiers in the stated plan, so the trade-off is not a feature cap but the obligation to host and maintain the system yourself and retain the signature on every page.

This model fits operators who value control and can manage a server. It is less attractive to businesses that want a managed service or need to remove the product branding.

Platforms

The software is web-based and supports Linux, macOS, and Windows in a self-hosted setup. Its server requirements are PHP 8.2 to 8.4, MySQL 5.7 or MariaDB 10.x, and Apache 2.4. That stack gives technically capable operators flexibility in where to run it, but it is a concrete setup and maintenance commitment rather than a turnkey hosted POS.

Security patches cover versions 3.4.2 and later; earlier versions are outside that support boundary. The security policy says vulnerability reports receive a response within 48 hours and confirmed vulnerabilities are patched within a few days, depending on complexity.

Who it's for

It is a sensible candidate for independent retailers, multi-location operators, or restaurants that want sales, stock, and operational tools without a subscription fee and have the capacity to run PHP and a supported database. Businesses that cannot maintain their own server, require vendor-supported hardware, or need a footer-free customer experience should consider other options.

Pros and cons

Broad operational coverage: Sales, stock, receivings, expenses, cash-up, gift cards, rewards, and restaurant tables sit within one system.

No software charge: The free MIT-licensed plan avoids a recurring software fee.

Multi-location and permission controls: These support operations with multiple sites and staff roles.

Self-hosting adds responsibility: Installation and server maintenance fall to the operator, who must also meet the stated PHP, database, and Apache requirements.

Footer signature must stay visible: The licensing condition limits branding control across every page.

Hardware support is third-party: Businesses should not assume their peripherals will be supported directly.

Alternatives

Loyverse is worth considering for businesses that prefer a freemium POS across Android, iOS, and web; its free POS plan has 31 days of sales history, while unlimited history costs $5 a month.

RetailPOS is another free, open-source self-hosted option, with Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows platforms and no monthly fees.

uniCenta oPOS may suit teams looking for a freemium POS with a BASE subscription at £72 a year.

eHopper is a freemium alternative with Android, iOS, web, and Windows support, plus free trials.

Erply is a paid option for businesses considering a listed Growth Plan at $1,000 a month, with three stores and unlimited users.

PHP Point of Sale offers a paid Shopify syncing app at $29 a month and a free trial.

Posnic POS is a freemium alternative with a free community edition and desktop source under AGPL-3.0-only.

GoFrugal Retail is a paid alternative with free trials.

For a broader comparison, see Retail POS Software and Point-of-Sale Software.

Verdict

Choose Open Source Point of Sale if you need a broad retail or restaurant toolkit, want to avoid a software fee, and can take responsibility for hosting it. Its main advantages are operational range and multi-location support; its main drawbacks are the required footer signature and the technical burden of maintaining the server.