Best POS for Repair Shops: What to Compare in 2026

The best POS for a repair shop is the one that runs your repairs and your sales in one place: a real repair ticket, parts that come off the shelf when they go on a job, devices tracked by IMEI, and customer updates that go out from the ticket. After that, compare how it runs on the devices you have, what still works when the internet drops, how the price grows with your team, and how easy it is to try and to leave. Below are the 10 things worth comparing, the questions to ask in a demo, and a scorecard you can fill in for each system on your list.

Why a general POS is usually not enough

A general retail POS is built to sell a product and print a receipt. A repair shop also has to take a device in, record what is wrong with it, hold it for days, order a part, tell the customer when it is ready and stand behind the work with a warranty. When the POS does not do that, the repair lives somewhere else: a paper ticket, a spreadsheet, a group chat. That is where devices get lost and customers call to ask "is it ready yet?"

So start your comparison with the repair, not the register.

1. A real repair ticket

Check how fast the counter can check a device in, and what the ticket holds:

• Device type, brand, model and the problem, picked in a few taps
• The passcode or unlock pattern, saved on the ticket
• The customer's signature on the screen
• Photos and notes, including internal notes customers never see
• A working parts checklist before you start
• Statuses that match how your shop works, such as waiting on parts or ready for pickup

In a demo, ask them to check in a cracked iPhone screen from start to finish and time it.

2. Parts and inventory tied to the ticket

When a part goes on a repair, it should come off your stock count. Ask whether the system suggests the parts a job usually needs, warns you about low stock, and lets you order from suppliers with purchase orders. If you sell accessories too, the same inventory should cover both.

3. Devices tracked by IMEI, and buybacks

Phone shops buy, refurbish and sell used devices. Look for search by IMEI or serial number, a device history, and a buyback flow that turns a trade in into stock you can sell, with its grade, cost and warranty.

4. Customer updates from the ticket

Every "is it ready?" call costs time. Check that you can tell a customer their device is ready with one tap, send repair details or a receipt by text or email, remind them about a balance, and send appointment reminders. Ask whether texts are included in the plan or cost extra.

5. The devices you will run it on

Some systems are built for a desktop computer and work on a tablet through a browser. Others are native apps for iPhone and iPad. Think about where your team works: the counter, the bench, the back office. Ask which devices are supported, whether there is a web version for the office, and which receipt printers and barcode scanners work with it.

6. What works when the internet drops

Offline support varies a lot between systems, so ask exactly what still works. Can you look up repairs, customers and prices? Can you take a payment? Can you close the register? A clear answer is better than a vague "offline mode".

7. How the price grows

Repair software is priced in different ways: per location, per user, by number of tickets, or by feature tier. Before you compare monthly prices, write down:

• How many people will log in, now and in a year
• How many locations you have or plan to open
• Whether a plan caps tickets or invoices each month
• Whether the price shown is monthly billing or a yearly price shown per month
• Which features you need are paid add-ons on the plan you are looking at

The cheapest price on a pricing page is often the yearly price for the smallest team.

8. Your team: PINs, permissions and time

Each employee should sign in with their own PIN, so you know who did what. Ask whether you can control what each role sees and does, such as refunds, discounts and reports. If you also track hours, check whether time clock and scheduling are included or need another app.

9. Language and reports

If your customers or your team speak Spanish, check that the whole app works in Spanish, not just the receipts. For reports, ask for the end of day report, sales tax, sales by employee and repairs by technician, and check that you can see them on your phone.

10. Trying it, moving in and getting help

Ask how long the free trial is and whether it asks for a credit card. Ask how you bring in your customers and inventory, usually from a spreadsheet (CSV) file, and how you would get your data out if you ever leave. Finally, ask what setup help is included and how support is reached.

Questions to ask in every demo

1. Check in a cracked screen for me, from walk in to ticket printed.
2. Show me a part coming off inventory when it goes on a repair.
3. Find a device by IMEI and show me its history.
4. Send the customer a ready for pickup text.
5. Turn off the Wi-Fi. What can I still do?
6. What would I pay for 3 employees at 1 location, billed monthly?
7. How do I import my customers, and how do I export them?

Scorecard: compare up to three systems

What to check	System A	System B	System C
Repair ticket with passcode, signature and photos
Parts come off inventory from the ticket
IMEI search and buybacks
Ready for pickup text from the ticket
Runs on the devices you have
Clear offline limits
Monthly price for your team size
Ticket caps or paid add-ons you need
Whole app in Spanish (if needed)
Free trial length, credit card or not

Where SpotsPOS fits

SpotsPOS Repair is a native iPhone and iPad app with a Web Portal for the office, in English and Spanish. A repair ticket takes the device, the problem, the passcode, photos and the customer's signature, and parts come off inventory as they go on a job. Devices are tracked by IMEI with buybacks built in, and customer notifications go out from the ticket. On iPad, the Repair Board shows every open repair as a card you drag from status to status.

When the internet drops, repairs, customers, sales and inventory saved on the device stay readable; taking payments and closing the register need a connection (offline mode). Plans are set by employees and locations: Starter is $45 a month for 1 employee, Essential $74.99 for up to 3 and Pro $89.99 for up to 10, with Enterprise for chains of 4 or more locations. The free trial is 14 days and does not ask for a credit card. See pricing.

Comparing specific systems? We put SpotsPOS side by side with RepairDesk, RepairShopr and Square, with prices as each company lists them. If you are looking at an iPad first setup, read about our iPad POS for repair shops.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best POS for a repair shop?

The one that handles repairs and sales in one place: repair tickets, parts tied to tickets, IMEI tracking and customer updates, on the devices your team uses, at a price that fits your team size. Try two or three with your own repairs before you decide.

Can I use a regular retail POS for repairs?

You can sell with it, but many retail systems have no repair ticket, device check-in or repair status. You would track repairs somewhere else, which is where devices and updates get lost.

How much does repair shop POS software cost?

It depends on how the system charges: by location, by user, by tickets or by feature tier, and whether you pay monthly or yearly. Compare the price for your real team size and billing, and check for ticket caps and paid add-ons.

Does repair shop software work offline?

It varies. Ask exactly what works without internet: looking up repairs and prices, taking payments and closing the register are often handled differently.

What should I ask for in a free trial?

Check in a real repair, sell a part, find a device by IMEI and send a pickup text. Ask how long the trial is and whether a credit card is needed to start.

Want to try it with your own repairs? Start with SpotsPOS Repair, free for 14 days.