Choose Loyverse if…
Pick Loyverse if you want something established that works today: a free core POS, a long feature list, multiple stores and variants, and a local reseller who can set up the hardware for you.
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Loyverse alternative for small Caribbean shops
Loyverse is the free point of sale most small Caribbean shops hear about first, and in Jamaica it is often sold with a tablet and local support. Shopkeepa is a newer, simpler app for the same kind of shop. It is not released yet, so this page is honest about what each one offers today and who should pick which.
The short answer
Choose Shopkeepa if…
Pick Shopkeepa when it launches if your shop is a single counter, you want one app for selling and stock without add-ons to price up, and you would rather run it on the phone you already own with restock reminders built in.
Side by side
| Shopkeepa | Loyverse | |
|---|---|---|
| Price model | Not set yet. Shopkeepa is pre-launch. | Core POS free. Paid add-ons per store: Employee management US$25/month, Advanced inventory US$25/month, Unlimited sales history US$5/month. |
| Hardware | None required. Phone, tablet or computer. Camera, Bluetooth or USB barcode scanners optional. Receipts on screen, printed or shared as a link. | Runs on iPhone, iPad and Android. Printer, scanner and cash drawer supported but optional. Jamaican resellers sell hardware bundles from J$90,000. |
| Works in Jamaica and the Caribbean | Built for Caribbean shops, with Jamaica first. | Works anywhere the app runs. Sold in Jamaica through a local partner, High-Tech Jamaica. |
| Local currency and GCT/VAT | Currency and sales tax (GCT or VAT) are shop settings, with a taxable flag per product. | Has taxes and a tax report. We did not verify GCT-specific handling. |
| Card and wallet payments | Recorded only: cash, card, bank transfer, local wallets, other. Shopkeepa does not process payments. | Integrated card readers are listed for other countries, not for Jamaica. Other payment types can be recorded without integration. |
| Inventory depth | Stock as a ledger of movements, Stock In, rapid count. No variants, no multi-store. | Variants, multiple stores, transfer orders, production, purchase orders, counts. Some of this sits in the paid Advanced inventory add-on. |
| Low-stock reminders and restock list | Per-product minimum, one reminder when stock crosses it, and a restock list with suggested order quantity. | Daily low-stock notifications. Purchase orders are in the paid Advanced inventory add-on. |
| Staff permissions | Owner and cashier. Cashiers cannot see cost, profit or settings. | Access rights and time clock are in the paid Employee management add-on. |
| Offline | Built with unreliable connections in mind. | Works offline and syncs when the connection returns. |
| Setup | Quick add (name, price, quantity) or CSV/Excel import with a preview. | CSV import for items. Hardware setup is optional. |
| Available today | No. Early access list only. | Yes. |
Shopkeepa is in development. Its column describes the planned first release.
What Loyverse does well
Loyverse lists its point of sale, back office dashboard, kitchen display and customer display as free. You only pay if you add one of three optional services, each charged per store: unlimited sales history, employee management or advanced inventory. A one-shop owner who only needs to ring up sales and see simple reports can run on the free tier.
It is also broad. The features page lists variants, modifiers, open tickets, discounts, loyalty points, multiple locations, an API and an app marketplace. It works offline and syncs later, which matters when the connection drops during a busy hour.
Where the two differ for a small shop
Stock tools are partly paid. Loyverse's pricing page places purchase orders, the inventory valuation report and stock management in the Advanced inventory add-on at US$25 per store each month. Its features page also lists low-stock notifications, counts and adjustments under inventory. If you plan to use the full stock side, check exactly which parts are free before you commit. Shopkeepa will treat stock as the core of the product, not an add-on: every sale, delivery, return, damage and count is a line in a ledger, so you can see why a number changed.
Staff access is a paid add-on. Loyverse lists access rights, timecards and sales by employee under Employee management at US$25 per store each month. Shopkeepa's first release keeps this simple: an owner and a cashier role, where cashiers cannot see cost, profit or settings.
Reminders. A low-stock reminder only helps if it tells you what to do next. Shopkeepa lets you set a minimum on each product, sends one reminder when stock crosses it, and builds a restock list with a suggested order quantity. See low-stock alerts and how to set reorder points.
Hardware in Jamaica. Loyverse software is free, but the local route usually includes hardware. High-Tech Jamaica, a Loyverse partner, lists complete systems from J$90,000 for an Android tablet set up, up to J$275,000 for an all-in-one touch screen. That buys hands-on help, which some owners value. Shopkeepa is aimed at the owner who would rather start on a phone or tablet they already have and add a printer later, or never.
Payments. Neither product replaces your card terminal in Jamaica. Loyverse's integrated card readers are listed for countries that do not include Jamaica, and Shopkeepa does not process payments at all. Both let you record how the customer paid so the end-of-day totals add up.
Where Loyverse is the better choice
- You need it now. Loyverse is live, documented and has 24/7 chat support. Shopkeepa is pre-launch.
- You sell items in sizes or colours. Loyverse supports item variants. Shopkeepa's first release has none.
- You run more than one location. Loyverse manages multiple stores and transfer orders. Shopkeepa starts with a single shop.
- You run a restaurant or bar. Loyverse has kitchen display, kitchen printers and modifiers. Shopkeepa is built for shops.
- You want a loyalty programme or customer database. Loyverse has points and customer history. Shopkeepa's first release has no customer accounts.
- You want a local installer. A reseller can deliver and set up the hardware in person.
Switching from Loyverse
If you already have items in Loyverse, you do not need to retype them. Export your item list to a spreadsheet, tidy it to name, price, quantity and, if you have them, cost, category and barcode, then bring it into Shopkeepa with CSV or Excel import. Shopkeepa shows a preview before anything is saved and warns about likely duplicates.
Export and tidy
Download your items as a spreadsheet and remove columns you will not use. Variants will need to become separate products because Shopkeepa has none.
Import with preview
Check names, prices and quantities on the preview screen and fix any warnings before you confirm.
Count the shelves
Do a rapid stock count so the opening numbers match what is really on the shelf.
Run both for a few days
Keep selling on Loyverse until you trust the new numbers, then switch over.
Common questions
Is Loyverse really free in Jamaica?
The Loyverse point of sale and back office are listed as free. Paid add-ons are optional and charged per store. In Jamaica you may also pay for hardware and local support if you buy a reseller bundle, such as the packages from J$90,000 listed by High-Tech Jamaica.
Can I use Shopkeepa and Loyverse together?
Yes, for a transition period. Many owners keep selling on their current system while they import items into a new one and compare totals. Shopkeepa is not available yet, so join the early access list and try it when it opens.
Does Shopkeepa take card payments like a Loyverse card reader?
No. Shopkeepa records payments, including card, bank transfer and local wallets, but it does not process them. Keep using your bank or payment provider's terminal and record the sale in Shopkeepa.
Does Shopkeepa work offline like Loyverse?
Shopkeepa is built with unreliable connections in mind. Loyverse documents offline selling with later sync. Until Shopkeepa is released we will not make stronger claims than that.
How much will Shopkeepa cost?
Pricing has not been set. Early access members will hear before anything is charged.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked on 6 October 2026. Rules, rates and products change, so confirm anything important with the source.
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FeatureLow-stock reminders before you run out
Set a minimum for each product and get one reminder when stock drops to it. A restock list shows what to order and how much, so you find out before customers do.