NCR Silver point of sale (POS) review

NCR Silver is a cloud-based POS system from the world’s first point-of-sale company.

NCR Silver POS Pro bundle
(Image: © NCR Silver)

TechRadar Verdict

NCR Silver POS offers a wide selection of hardware and software, but going the ’a la carte’ route can get expensive fast.

Pros

  • +

    Sleek and modern user interface

  • +

    Wide range of products and features

  • +

    Excellent customer support

  • +

    No flat fees - pay for what you use

  • +

    Demo available

Cons

  • -

    No credit card processing

  • -

    Unspecified pricing structure

  • -

    A la carte hardware option can be expensive

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NCR Silver POS is an iPad-based POS system from the NCR Corporation (originally National Cash Register) that builds on 135 years of experience in the industry.

The company is much larger than many of the start-ups in the POS and mobile payments space, but this has its benefits. 

NCR has developed a number of other POS systems, including Aloha POS for restaurants and Counterpoint for retailers, and the firm has certainly leveraged this experience while developing NCR Silver.

The back office reporting options are great. I can review, track & adjust orders. I also like the options with accounting & tax paperwork. I can see as I add more info, this software will work even better for my company.

Stacie G. via Capterra

NCR Silver POS sets itself apart from the competition by offering full 24/7 live support as well as a wide range of software and hardware bundles. If the company’s hardware bundles don’t necessarily work for your business, you’re free to assemble your own solution by combining its a la carte hardware options into a package that fits your needs.

But the question remains, is NCR Silver POS the right POS system choice for your business? Let’s take a closer look at NCR Silver’s hardware, software and customer support to find out if this solution is still the gold standard when it comes to point of sale.

NCR Silver POS pricing

NCR Silver’s approaching to pricing has changed in recent years. Previously, customers had two options to choose from: NCR Silver Basic or NCR Silver Pro.

Now, NCR's approach to pricing is to assess costs based on bespoke business needs. Speaking to their sales department, we were advised that their pricing is entirely dependent on the business size, and POS software or hardware required. 

There's no-one size fits all, flat, transparent pricing structure with NCR. 

This has its perks, however. If you're a mom-and-pop operation you'll likely save with NCR Silver POS, where you might have had to pay for features you don't need with other POS companies.

NCR Silver POS systems for restaurants and QSRs pricing

(Image credit: NCR Silver)

However, NCR Silver Pro still exists in some capacity. It's now been split into NCR Silver Pro Table Service for Restaurants and Bars and NCR Silver Pro for Fast Casual and Quick Service Restaurants. Each NCR Silver Pro plan, starts at $149 per month. 

Swipe to scroll horizontally
NCR Silver Pro Table Service for Restaurants and Bars vs. NCR Silver Pro for Fast Casual and Quick Service Restaurants
Header Cell - Column 0 NCR Silver Pro Table Service for Restaurants and BarsCR Silver Pro for Fast Casual and Quick Service Restaurants
Hardware10” point-of-sale terminal without customer facing display10” point-of-sale terminal without customer facing display
Row 1 - Cell 0 Payment device that supports EMV and NFCPayment device that supports EMV and NFC
Row 2 - Cell 0 Receipt printerReceipt printer
Row 3 - Cell 0 Hardware warrantyHardware warranty
Row 4 - Cell 0 Row 4 - Cell 1 16" cash drawer
SoftwareCloud-based Point-of-SaleCloud-based Point-of-Sale
Row 6 - Cell 0 Payment ProcessingPayment Processing
Row 7 - Cell 0 Back Office Reporting & Configuration Back Office Reporting & Configuration
Row 8 - Cell 0 Loyalty & Email MarketingLoyalty & Email Marketing
Add-onsHandheld mPOSHandheld mPOS
Row 10 - Cell 0 Row 10 - Cell 1 2D Corded Scanner
ServicesConcierge Service—Back Office setup, training and ongoing menu maintenanceConcierge Service—Back Office setup, training and ongoing menu maintenance
Row 12 - Cell 0 24/7/365 Customer Support24/7/365 Customer Support

On top of these features, NCR Silver also offer these add-ons: 

✔ Inventory management

✔ Gift cards

✔ Employee management

✔ Kitchen display

✔ Advanced reporting

✔ Online ordering and contactless payments

To get a realistic quote and find out how much you could save, contact NCR Silver POS directly. 

Ring Up by NCR Silver

Ring Up

Ring Up is NCR Silver's mobile card reader geared at micro-businesses (Image Credit: NCR Silver)

At the other end of the spectrum, NCR Silver also has a $39 mobile card reader called Ring Up designed for micro-businesses just looking to accept payments. The service costs $14 per month plus 2.7% per each swipe or dip. 

There are cheaper mobile card payment readers out there, but if you want to see what NCR Silver has to offer without a big commitment, this is your best choice.

An iPad running the NCR Silver app with a receipt printer and an EMV Reader and Stand (Image Credit: NCR Silver) 

An iPad running the NCR Silver app with a receipt printer and an EMV Reader and Stand (Image Credit: NCR Silver) 

NCR Silver POS setup

If you decide to use your own hardware with NCR Silver, getting started is as easy as downloading the company’s Point-of-Sale app from the App Store. Once you complete your registration with NCR Silver, the app will be activated and you’ll be ready to start putting your back office together.

NCR POS Silver Concierge

Silver Concierge is a service launched by the company back in 2015 that offers back office setup, monthly menu maintenance, and more (Image Credit: NCR Silver)

If you’d prefer to speed up the process, the company launched a new service called Silver Concierge back in 2015 that includes back office setup, monthly menu maintenance, hardware support and more. 

Much like a real concierge, the service provides improved customer support with the ability to call, email, instant message or text 24/7, 365 days a year. The best part of Silver Concierge is the price: it’s free and included in your NCR Silver subscription.

Getting NCR Silver up and running is a fairly straightforward process, and knowing that help is there if you need it can make all the difference if you run into any difficulties. 

Silver app on iPad

This is NCR Silver's app running on an iPad, but there is also an iPhone version for merchants on the go (Image Credit: NCR Silver)

NCR Silver POS features

NCR Silver offers a strong selection of features, as well as some that typically cost extra, such as the email marketing and loyalty tool add-ons listed above. 

The company regularly updates its apps and platform, and these updates are included in your subscription. So, you’ll always be using the most current version of its software.

When it comes to inventory management, NCR Silver provides the tools for the job, and its software can track inventory and even send you alerts when your stock is running low. 

The restaurant-focused NCR Silver Pro goes a step further by allowing you to track raw ingredients. You will have to create your purchase orders on your own, though, as NCR Silver does not manage vendor information or assist customers with purchase orders.

NCR's Silver Console provides detailed reporting and easy-to-use management tools in one dashboard (Image Credit: NCR Silver)

NCR's Silver Console provides detailed reporting and easy-to-use management tools in one dashboard (Image Credit: NCR Silver)

In terms of reporting, NCR Silver offers multiple reports and even one which shows you daily and hourly sales data. There is even a category items list that shows your best and worst selling items. 

An item sales report is available to see how well items perform over a specific time period, and can be quite useful with seasonal goods. 

All of NCR Silver’s report data can be exported as an Excel spreadsheet, and the company’s POS system integrates with QuickBooks, Xero, Paychex, PassMarket and LevelUp. You can also create custom integrations for your POS system using NCR Silver’s API which the company makes available to its customers.

NCR Silver even has an offline mode which is perfect for food trucks and other businesses that may not always have the best internet connection (Image Credit: NCR Silver)

NCR Silver even has an offline mode which is perfect for food trucks and other businesses that may not always have the best internet connection (Image Credit: NCR Silver)

NCR Silver POS competition

If NCR Silver POS system proves too pricey for your budget, don’t worry as there are plenty of POS alternatives.

For instance, if you run a restaurant you could go with Toast POS which specializes in the food service industry. The company’s hardware is a bit more expensive than NCR Silver’s, but it has been built from the ground up to withstand the rigors of any restaurant environment.

If your business has more of an e-commerce focus, then Shopify POS might be a better fit. The company’s plans are cheaper than NCR Silver’s, and in addition to its Basic Plan, there is also a Lite Plan that costs just $9 a month. 

NCR Silver POS final verdict

Gavel

(Image credit: Tingey Injury Law Firm via Unsplash)

NCR Silver point of sale system provides a wide range of features, regularly cited excellent customer support and a variety of hardware options. If you're small business in the fast food or restaurant industry, NCR is smart choice to keep sales plus back and front of house operations running smoothly. 

Anthony Spadafora

After working with the TechRadar Pro team for the last several years, Anthony is now the security and networking editor at Tom’s Guide where he covers everything from data breaches and ransomware gangs to the best way to cover your whole home or business with Wi-Fi. When not writing, you can find him tinkering with PCs and game consoles, managing cables and upgrading his smart home.