How much does a POS system cost in Kenya?
The cost of a POS system in Kenya is the software plus whatever hardware you add. The software is usually a monthly fee or a one-off licence; the hardware can cost nothing, if you use a device you already own, or well over KSh 100,000 for a supermarket with several fully equipped tills.
Because the two parts are priced so differently, work them out separately, then add them up over a year or two. That is the only fair way to compare one offer with another.
Software: monthly subscription or one-off licence?
A subscription spreads the cost over time and usually includes updates and support; a one-off licence costs more on the first day and less afterwards. Neither is cheaper for every shop: it depends on how long you will use the system and what each price includes.
| Monthly subscription | One-off licence | |
|---|---|---|
| When you pay | Every month | Once, up front |
| Cost on the first day | Low | Higher |
| Updates | Usually included | Sometimes extra, or only for the first year |
| Support | Usually included | Sometimes a yearly support fee |
| If you stop using it | You stop paying | The money is already spent |
| Suits | A new shop, or one that wants to try before committing | A shop that has settled on a system and prefers one payment |
To compare the two, add up two or three years of the subscription and set it beside the licence plus any yearly fees for updates and support.
What Wave POS costs
Wave POS is paid monthly by M-Pesa, from KSh 1,500 a month; pricing shows what each plan includes. If you would rather pay once, you can buy it outright with a single payment, priced by quote: ask for a quote. Either way there is a 14-day free trial with no card needed, and when the trial ends your products, sales and settings stay as they are.
How much does POS hardware cost in Kenya?
POS hardware costs from nothing, if you use a device you already have, to several tens of thousands of shillings per till. The table below gives rough 2026 price ranges. They are a guide only: prices vary by brand, supplier and town, and between new and refurbished equipment.
| Item | Rough price range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| USB barcode scanner | KSh 2,500–8,000 | Cheaper ones read ordinary barcodes; 2D models also read QR codes |
| 58 mm thermal receipt printer | KSh 3,500–8,000 | Narrow receipts; enough for many small shops |
| 80 mm thermal receipt printer | KSh 6,000–15,000 | Wider and easier to read; common in supermarkets |
| Cash drawer | KSh 5,000–10,000 | Usually plugs into the receipt printer |
| Barcode label printer | KSh 10,000–25,000 | Prints your own barcode and shelf labels |
| Android tablet | KSh 12,000–35,000 | A light till for a counter or a small shop |
| Basic laptop or desktop | KSh 25,000–60,000 | A till that also suits back-office work |
Treat these as rough figures, not quotes. Get prices from two or three suppliers, ask what the warranty covers, and keep the receipt for repairs.
Thermal printers need no ink, but they do need thermal paper rolls of the right width. Buy them in bulk from a stationer once you know how many you use in a month.
Can I start with a device I already own?
Yes. A cloud POS that runs in a web browser works on the laptop, desktop, tablet or phone you already have, so your first hardware bill can be zero. Add a scanner and printer once you know you need them.
A sensible order for a small shop:
- Start with the device you own, and search for products by name.
- Add a USB barcode scanner when typing starts to slow the queue.
- Add a receipt printer when customers ask for receipts, or when you want your KRA PIN on them.
- Add a cash drawer when you handle a lot of cash, and a label printer if many of your goods have no barcode.
Wave POS runs in Chrome on Windows, macOS, Android and ChromeOS computers and tablets, and on phones. It works with USB barcode scanners and with 58 mm and 80 mm thermal receipt printers, and the cash drawer opens for cash sales. Wave POS does not sell hardware, so you can buy from any supplier you trust; setting up POS hardware covers what to look for and how to connect it.
Worked examples: what a shop might spend
These examples use mid-range figures from the table above. Your own numbers will differ with the brands you choose and where you buy.
A small shop in Thika with one till
- Laptop the owner already has: KSh 0
- USB barcode scanner: KSh 4,000
- 58 mm thermal receipt printer: KSh 5,000
- Hardware total: KSh 9,000, plus the monthly software fee.
A mini-supermarket in Nakuru with two tills
- Two desktop computers at KSh 40,000: KSh 80,000
- Two barcode scanners at KSh 5,000: KSh 10,000
- Two 80 mm receipt printers at KSh 10,000: KSh 20,000
- Two cash drawers at KSh 7,000: KSh 14,000
- One barcode label printer: KSh 15,000
- Hardware total: KSh 139,000, plus the software.
For a shop with several tills, hardware is usually the larger cost in the first year. For a one-till shop using its own laptop, the software may be the main cost, which is why the pricing model matters most to small shops.
What hidden costs should you ask a POS vendor about?
The price on a vendor’s website is rarely the whole cost. Ask every vendor these questions, and get the answers in writing, before you pay:
- Installation and set-up. Is there a fee to install the system or to load your products? Can you import your product list from Excel yourself?
- Training. Is training for you and your cashiers included? Is it in person or online, and what does a second session cost?
- Updates. Are new versions included in the price, or sold as upgrades?
- Support. How do you reach support (phone, WhatsApp, a ticket in the app), during what hours, and is it included?
- Per-till, per-user or per-branch fees. Does the price go up with each extra till, cashier or branch?
- Data export. If you leave, can you take your products, customers and sales with you in Excel or CSV, without paying?
- Payment charges. Do M-Pesa prompts or other payment services carry their own fees, and who sets them?
- Hardware tie-in. Must you buy printers and scanners from the vendor, or will standard ones from any supplier work?
Write the answers side by side and add up each vendor’s cost over two years. How to choose a POS system has a fuller checklist.
How Wave POS answers these
- Set-up. There is nothing to install: a till is any computer or tablet with Chrome. You can import your products from Excel or CSV yourself.
- Plans and limits. What each plan includes is on the pricing page.
- Support. From inside the app, with support tickets, and on WhatsApp.
- Data export. Products export to Excel or CSV, and every report exports to Excel, CSV or PDF.
- Hardware. Standard USB barcode scanners and thermal receipt printers, bought from any supplier.
- M-Pesa prompts. These go through the shop’s own ZetuPay account, so check ZetuPay’s own charges with them.
How can you keep POS costs down?
Keep POS costs down by starting small, buying hardware only when a real problem calls for it, and choosing software you can leave without losing your records.
- Use the free trial to test the system on your own device with your real products before you spend anything on hardware.
- Buy one scanner and one printer first. Check that they work with the system before buying the same models for every till.
- Choose an 80 mm printer only where receipts are long or queues are busy; a 58 mm printer is enough for many small counters.
- Protect what you buy. A UPS or a laptop with a good battery keeps selling through a blackout and spares the equipment from power surges.
- Count the cost over two years, not just the first month, before you sign anything.