The retail ops stack (2026)

The rule

This is an operations stack for a US independent retailer — one to a few stores, or a shop that also sells online. It is not a craft stack. We will not rank AI product writers, photo generators, or review-reply bots. That catalog is Aiacent, on purpose. If the leak is the merch, leave. If the leak is a register that disagrees with the back room, hours in a notebook, and the owner’s personal checking, stay.

The default stack

• POS: Square if you want published processing and payroll next door. Shopify POS if the website is already Shopify. Clover if a processor relationship is the buy. Lightspeed if you are specialty retail that will pay for a vertical. Do not buy Toast for a gift shop — see the POS ranking.
• Inventory: native POS until channels disagree. Then the retail inventory ranking — not a second register “for stock.”
• Payroll: Square Payroll ($35 + $6 per paid employee on the public card we reviewed) if the floor already lives in Square. Gusto Simple ($49 + $6) if the POS is not Square. Homebase if scheduling is the leak and payroll rides along. ADP RUN is a quote. See retail payroll.
• Time clock: Homebase first if the schedule is the system of record. Deputy if you want published PEPM labor software. QuickBooks Time if the books already live in QBO. See time clock apps.
• Books: QuickBooks Online Essentials or Plus once a CPA appears. Wave is a starter, not a multi-store close. Sales tax is a ledger job.
• Banking: a business checking account in the entity name. Mercury or Relay at $0 if you do not deposit cash. A branch (Chase-class) if you bag deposits. Novo if you want simple $0 checking. See Is Novo worth it.
• Payments out: Melio or the bank’s bill pay for vendors. Do not pay the wholesaler on a personal card “for points” without the fee math.

Floor and labor

Hours on the POS or Homebase are the timesheet. That is why Square Payroll wins when the iPad is already Square, and why Homebase wins when hiring and shift swaps are the weekly fire. Gusto is the clean published-payroll default when the register and payday should stay separate — a Shopify POS shop, or a group whose processor is a quote you will not resign this quarter.

Scheduling is not HRIS. Buy a crew tool the floor will open on a phone. PTO and handbooks can wait until the first salaried manager. We are not your overtime or predictive-scheduling advisor. Classification of seasonal hires belongs to counsel and a CPA.

Money

Processing is the tax you already pay. Square Free in-person is 2.6% + 15¢ as of September 20, 2026. Square Plus is $49/month; Premium is $149. Square Payroll is $35 + $6 per paid employee. Gusto Simple is $49 + $6. Homebase payroll is $39 + $6 plus whatever you pay for scheduling. QBO Simple Start is $38; Plus is $140 if you need classes or inventory on the balance sheet. This is not tax advice.

Open business checking before the first vendor wants an ACH. Cash shops still need a branch or a cash-friendly bank. Sub-accounts for tax, payroll, and operating are how you stop raiding next Friday’s Gusto debit. See the LLC banking ranking and Is Mercury banking worth it if you are not depositing bags of cash.

What to skip

• Toast because a restaurant cousin likes it. Toast’s skip-if is “not food service.”
• A second POS “for online” while the available-to-sell number already lies.
• Rippling for a 12-person floor. Devices are not the fire.
• AI merchandising tools as a reason to ignore sales tax and payday.
• Personal Venmo as the till and the operating account.
• ADP or Paychex without a written quote. See Paychex vs ADP.