Comparison hub
Open-source POS products solve different problems. Some are ERP modules, some are web apps, some are long-running restaurant systems and some are local-first counter systems. Start with the operating model, then test the feature list.
| Buyer need | Best products to inspect | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Free local POS that can run offline | Posnic, uniCenta, Floreant | These options are closer to the counter and can be tested without committing first to a broad cloud suite. |
| Open-source POS with a PHP/MySQL web stack | Open Source Point of Sale (OSPOS) | OSPOS is a web-based point of sale application written in PHP with MySQL as the back end. |
| POS inside a larger ERP plan | Odoo POS | Odoo POS is a browser-based point of sale application inside the wider Odoo business suite. |
| Restaurant-first open-source POS | Floreant POS, Posnic restaurant mode | Floreant is restaurant-focused; Posnic is a stronger fit when retail, restaurant and future cloud sync all matter. |
| Open source plus commercial support path | Posnic, uniCenta, Floreant, Odoo | Check what is free, what support costs, whether the source is current and whether the upgrade path fits your business. |
| Developer-controlled custom project | Posnic, OSPOS, uniCenta, Floreant | Start by reading the license, build process, repository activity, data model and extension path. |
Each page is written as a decision guide, with Posnic compared against the real shape of the alternative.
Load the same 50 products, 10 customers, tax settings, payment modes and receipt printer into each product before deciding.
Turn off Wi-Fi during a sale, return, stock receipt and day close. A POS that fails this test can fail during peak billing.
Export sales, products, customers and stock. If the data cannot leave cleanly, the software is not really under your control.
Use official sources when you verify competitors, because pricing, edition boundaries and release details can change.