Free POS software in Belgium: what to check before you choose

Free: three very different cases

• Free trial: everything is open for a period (for example 30 days), then a subscription starts.
• Limited free plan: the software stays free but caps the number of sales, items, users or devices.
• Free but paid another way: advertising, or a commission taken on your card or app payments.

Limits to look for

• Is stock included, or only the till?
• Can you export sales and stock (Excel, PDF) for your accountant or to leave?
• Does it keep working without internet when the network drops mid-sale?
• Is there a commission on payments, or mandatory hardware?
• What happens to your history when the trial ends or if you leave?

Test it in three days

Pick three ordinary days, not a slow week. Enter your twenty best sellers, really take payments with the software and compare each evening’s total with your cash drawer.

Switch the wifi off once to check that sales continue. Export a file to see if it is usable. If any test fails, move on to the next.

The Kaislo case

Kaislo is free for 30 days, with no card and no commitment, with every feature: sales, stock, customer credit, evening accounts, Excel export, offline use. Then it is a subscription from €14 per month depending on the business, with no commission on your sales: Kaislo never collects your customers’ money.

Kaislo runs on the phone, tablet or computer you already have, with no hardware to buy.

Restaurants and cafes: one point to check

In Belgium, restaurants, cafes and caterers (the Horeca sector) must use a certified cash register system linked to a fiscal control module (the “black box”). Kaislo is a tool for managing sales, stock and customer credit: it is not that certified system and does not replace it. Check your obligations with the FPS Finance or your accountant.