• Versatile platforms tailored to industry
• Easy-to-use, visually appealing software
• Optional integrations for third-party applications
• Built-in loyalty tracking & gift tracking available
• Extensive online knowledge base & tutorial videos
• 24/7 support, as well as Best Buy Geek Squad plans
• Sales commission tracking
• Customizable receipt logos

Cons

• Additional gateway cost
• Limited to iOS devices
• Live phone support can be difficult to reach immediately

Revel POS hasn’t been around that long — since about 2010 — but they made a big splash with a solid iPad application. In addition to being a robust system with numerous configurations, it has a beautiful interface that takes full advantage of the tablet’s computing power. Revel is geared towards higher volume merchants that can afford its impressive array of options, but it is equally suitable across all markets. Programmers even took this one step further and segmented Revel into a number of different lines based on business type: mobile, food truck, pizza, grocery, retail, full-service restaurant, and movie theater are some of the predetermined system setups available. All in all, they present an impressive product. Once purchased, however, Revel is capable of integrating with a variety of useful peripherals. As with most tablet POS solutions, the system integrates with APG cash drawers, MagTek readers, and Epson printers. Beyond these, Revel also makes use of impact printers (most systems use thermal exclusively), Bluetooth barcode scanners, coin dispensers, and scales for weight pricing — a relative rarity in tablet systems. This adds a dimension of flexibility many small merchants lack. For instance, Revel has a yogurt shop software available, and with an integrated scale, new merchants could follow the model of trendy quick serve locations that price yogurt concoctions based on the weight of toppings customers choose. It definitely allows for more possibilities than the average tablet POS.

Software

Users will immediately notice the flashy interface upon logging into Revel. Rather than stopping at simple colored item buttons, merchants can add branching inventory menus with categories & modifiers/variants — complete with photos of the items on the button itself. Though it seems sort of a benign luxury at first glance, retail merchants would appear to benefit greatly from this feature; it’s easy to imagine how much guesswork is taken out of ringing items of similar description when there are color photos of every inventory item.