Why Grocery Stores Choose Octopos Over Square
Built for Grocery
Native EBT support, bottle deposits, and scale integration—no workarounds or third-party apps required.
AI-Powered Tools
Involytics automatically analyzes vendor invoices, tracks cost changes, and optimizes your pricing strategy.
Better Value
All features included without expensive add-ons. Square charges $94-$198/month for comparable features.
Grocery Store Essentials
| Features | Octopos | Square POS |
|---|---|---|
| Native EBT/SNAP Payment Processing | ||
| Bottle Deposit Management | ||
| Integrated Scale Support | ||
| Multiple Barcode Association per Product | ||
| Dynamic Type-2 Barcode Management | ||
| 3+ Tax Rate Management | ||
| Unit of Measure Conversion |
Important Note: Square cannot process EBT payments directly. Merchants must use a third-party service (TotilPay) which requires additional hardware and separate transaction processing—adding complexity and cost.
Advanced Inventory Management
| Features | Octopos | Square POS |
|---|---|---|
| 50,000+ SKU Management | ||
| AI-Powered Invoice Analysis (Involytics) | ||
| Cost Change Tracking | ||
| Quick Profit Margin Comparison | ||
| Vendor Payables Management | ||
| Mobile Inventory Receiving | ||
| Auto-Reorder Functionality | ||
| Low Stock Alerts |
Octopos Advantage: Involytics uses AI to automatically scan and analyze vendor invoices, tracking cost changes and helping you maintain optimal profit margins—a game-changer for grocery stores managing thousands of SKUs.
Customer Loyalty & Marketing
| Features | Octopos | Square POS |
|---|---|---|
| Points-Based Loyalty Program | ||
| Visit-Based Reward Programs | ||
| Product-Specific Rewards | ||
| SMS Marketing Campaigns | ||
| Email Designer and Marketing | ||
| Target Lost Customers | ||
| Interactive Customer Display | ||
| Mobile Price Tag Printing |
Business Operations & Management
| Features | Octopos | Square POS |
|---|---|---|
| Credit Account Functionality | ||
| Invoicing and Receivables | ||
| Multi-Location Support | ||
| No 3rd Party Ads on Customer Display | ||
| Department-Level Management | ||
| Real-Time Reporting & Analytics |
Pricing & Value Comparison
| Cost Factor | Octopos | Square POS |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Software Fee | Competitive pricing | $49-$149/month + $45/month for loyalty |
| EBT Processing | Included natively | Requires 3rd party (TotilPay) + extra hardware |
| Marketing & Loyalty | Included | Additional $45-$149/month |
| Advanced Inventory Features | Included | Higher tier plans required |
Total Cost Comparison: To match Octopos features, Square merchants typically pay $94-$198/month (Plus/Premium plan + Loyalty add-on), plus additional costs for third-party EBT processing.
Feature Summary
Octopos Exclusive Features
Purpose-built for grocery stores
Square Monthly Cost
For comparable features (excluding EBT)
The Clear Choice for Grocery Stores
Square is a great general-purpose payment processor, but grocery stores need specialized tools. Octopos delivers native EBT processing, bottle deposit management, AI-powered inventory analysis, and comprehensive customer engagement—all without expensive add-ons or workarounds. Make the smart choice for your grocery business.