Tattoo shop POS with free terminals

A tattoo shop POS is where the session ends and the money lands. It is the terminal at your front desk or in your artist's hand, plus the software behind it. A good one makes checkout fast, handles tips without awkwardness, shows clear pricing, and gets money into your bank account quickly.

Tattoo checkout is not like retail. The client has usually paid a deposit weeks ago. The final price depends on how the session went. A tip goes to the artist.

Some clients pay cash, most pay by card, and many want to tap a phone. A POS system for tattoo shops should handle every one of those moments without a workaround.

Revify covers the checkout side with Revify Payments and a free terminal. InkedIn Tools, the booking app built by tattooers and now part of Revify, covers booking and deposits. Booking and payments run on the same system, so the deposit and the balance line up at checkout.

The short tattoo shop POS checklist

• Deposits taken at booking and accounted for at checkout
• Tip prompts right on the terminal screen
• A clear cash price and card price on every receipt
• Tap, dip, swipe, Apple Pay and Google Pay
• Hardware that fits your counter, or your hand
• Fast funding and no long-term contract

Deposits applied at checkout

Most tattoo work is booked with a deposit. With InkedIn Tools, the deposit is charged automatically when the client books from your link.

With Revify Payments, that deposit and the balance at checkout run on the same system, so your front desk is not matching payment app screenshots to calendar notes. Read more about tattoo deposits.

Tips without the awkward moment

Tips are a big part of an artist's income. Revify terminals show tip prompts on screen after the client pays. The client taps an amount and you are done. No tip jar, no asking.

Cash price and card price

Revify uses dual pricing. Every service has a posted cash price and a card price. Both show on your signage and on every receipt, and the client chooses how to pay.

For example, a $200 cash price with a 3.5% card price becomes a $207 card price. Revify sets up dual pricing to card-network rules, including signage and receipts.

Your shop also earns Monthly Cash-back on card sales, based on the card price you set: 0.25% at a 3.0% card price, 0.50% at 3.5%, and up to 0.75% at 4.0%. See the full breakdown on the tattoo shop credit card processing page.

Receipts that answer questions

Because both prices print on every receipt, clients see exactly what they paid and what the other option was. That keeps the conversation at the counter short and friendly.

Revify offers four terminals, free to use while you process with Revify. Each one comes set up with your cash price, card price and tip prompts. The right choice depends on how your shop runs checkout.

Clover Station Duo: the front desk

The Clover Station Duo is a countertop POS for the front desk. It is a good fit for shops with a reception counter where clients check in and pay after their session.

Clover Flex: handheld

The Clover Flex is a handheld terminal. Artists can take it to the station so the client pays and tips without walking to the counter. It is also handy for busy days when the front desk line backs up.

Valor VP550: handheld

The Valor VP550 is another handheld option for shops that want checkout to move around the floor.

Dejavoo QD2: mobile

The Dejavoo QD2 is a mobile terminal. It suits private studios, smaller shops and artists who want a compact way to take cards.

Not sure which one fits? See all four on the free equipment page, or ask on a demo and we will help you pick.

Shopping for the best POS for a tattoo shop? Start with how your checkout actually works, then match the tool to it. Here are the questions worth asking any tattoo POS system provider:

1. How are deposits handled? You want deposits from booking to connect to the balance at checkout, not live in a separate app.
2. How do tips work? On-screen prompts are faster and less awkward than asking.
3. What does pricing look like on the receipt? Clear receipts prevent disputes at the counter.
4. What hardware is included, and what does it cost? Ask whether the terminal is bought, leased or free to use.
5. How fast is funding? Next-day funding helps with rent, supplies and payroll timing.
6. Is there a contract? Know what happens if you want to leave.
7. Was it built for tattoo work? Software built around appointments, deposits and long sessions fits better than tools built for quick retail sales.

For a broader look at booking and management tools, read the guide to tattoo shop software. If you are comparing specific providers, see our neutral, dated pages like Revify vs Square and Revify vs Porter.

What it costs with Revify

Revify Payments is $0 a month with no long-term contract. The terminal is free to use while you process with Revify. InkedIn Tools is $99 a month with a 14-day free trial, and $0 a month when your shop processes at least $10,000 a month with Revify. Details are on pricing.

Made To Last Tattoo in Charlotte went from $4,500 to $5,500 a month in processing fees to $0, and earns about $1,125 a month in Monthly Cash-back.

That adds up to $73,500 saved. Read the story on shop stories, then run your own numbers in the savings calculator. Results depend on your card volume and the card price you set.