TSG’s 2025 Directory of POS Providers, sponsored by Global Payments, includes 5,500+ vital business data points on more than 215 of the world’s point-of-sale (POS) providers. Notable entries include Global Payments (51K establishments served), Clover/Fiserv (140K Clover Retailers), Lightspeed (165K client locations), Shopify (100K+ Shopify POS users), and Toast (140K+ restaurants served).
The Directory includes metric categories per listed provider, including geographic and market size indicators, payment processing affiliations, POS hosting models, and more.
The data reveals several standout insights among POS providers:
- 13% of POS providers are publicly traded companies or subsidiaries of publicly traded companies – nearly seven of every eight POS providers listed in the Directory are private companies.
- 41% of identified POS Providers offered an “all-in-one” solution or a point-of-sale solution that is a comprehensive hardware/software solution (Clover, Toast, etc.).
- 39% of providers identified within the Directory offered unattended/kiosk solutions, and 16% offered SoftPOS solutions, highlighting a shift beyond traditional card-present deployments.
- 12% of providers with identified processing affiliations market their POS platforms as processor-agnostic, highlighting flexibility to integrate with providers across the industry.
- As cloud adoption accelerates, 78% of providers in the Directory offer at least one product with a cloud-based hosting model, while only 5% still market on-premise deployment.
- 50% of providers market their ability to support surcharging functionality within the POS. 30% of the total providers listed indicated they could support both surcharging and cash discounting functionality.
- 43% of providers named Retail and 42% named Restaurant as key verticals, making them the most frequently cited areas of focus in the report.
- 67% of POS providers in the report have 200 or fewer employees, indicating a market dominated by smaller firms.
- Only 29% of listed providers serve clients exclusively in the U.S., underscoring the POS industry’s increasingly global nature.
General Commentary: POS Industry Insights
The POS market continues to transform rapidly, driven by technological innovation, evolving consumer expectations, and the global shift toward omnichannel commerce. Growth in the POS space is fueled by the rise of mobile and cloud-based systems, which offer greater flexibility, scalability, and integration with tools like inventory management, CRM, and loyalty solutions.
Cloud-based deployments are particularly gaining traction due to their lower upfront costs and remote accessibility. Mobile POS systems have shown that they are expanding beyond traditional retail and hospitality sectors into areas like healthcare, logistics, and field services, driven by the ubiquity of smartphones and tablets.
A key trend shaping this evolution is the convergence of hardware and software into user-friendly all-in-one platforms. A recent example is Global Payments’ launch of its Genius for Retail and Restaurant solutions to streamline its ecosystem of innovative solutions. Businesses are increasingly opting for all-in-one POS solutions that simplify and streamline operations such as sales and customer engagement.
Looking ahead, the POS market is expected to continue to evolve as emerging technologies such as AI-driven analytics, biometric authentication, and blockchain-based payment systems develop. Additionally, integrating POS systems with e-commerce platforms is essential as businesses adopt omnichannel strategies to satisfy customer demands for smooth shopping experiences. The POS is no longer just a transaction tool; it’s where data and customer experience converge to shape the future of business management.
If you have questions or want to learn, please contact us or email our eReports team at ereports@tsgpayments.com.