FAQ
Straight answers for owners comparing POS options.
What is included in the free trial?
A 30-day trial on one store with Counterly POS, Admin, sample catalog seeding if you want it, and email support. We verify your card through Stripe during onboarding, then start billing after the 30-day trial ends.
Which industries does Counterly support?
Counterly is built for liquor, gas, smoke shops, cafes, perfume and beauty, shoes and apparel, convenience, specialty retail, and other retail floors that want a configurable register. The same product model powers every store; capability unlocks sit on top of that foundation.
Does every store get age verification?
No. Age verification only appears when your catalog includes restricted capabilities such as liquor, tobacco, or lottery. If you do not sell restricted products, the register stays cleaner.
When do I need the Fuel plan?
Only when the store sells gas and needs fuel sale recording or wet-stock workflows. Convenience and specialty stores can use Counterly without Fuel unless they actually operate a forecourt.
What is the difference between monthly and yearly billing?
Both plans include the same Counterly software for the selected tier. Monthly gives you flexibility, while yearly is the best savings at roughly two months free because the yearly rate is about ten times the monthly rate.
How does trial card verification work?
During onboarding, Counterly creates your organization first and then opens a Stripe Checkout session to verify the payment method for the trial. If checkout does not open, your store is still created and you can retry billing from Admin.
Does Counterly handle bottle deposit / CRV?
Yes. Admin tax settings load state deposit tables for CA CRV and other US bottle-bill states. The register charges per container (a 12-pack is twelve deposits), including size tiers like CA 5¢ under 24 fl oz and 10¢ at 24 fl oz and above. Stores outside those states can leave deposits off or set a manual store policy.
Does Counterly replace my card processor?
No. Your merchant account stays yours. Pair existing PAX or Verifone terminals and use Counterly as the POS software layer.
What setup services can I buy?
One-time options include POS data transfer consultation, remote setup, terminal pairing, staff training, catalog buildout, and on-site go-live. Services can be added from pricing or during billing.
Which apps do I need?
Download Counterly POS (register) and Counterly Admin (back office) free from the Apple App Store on iPad. Web Admin remains at app.counterlypos.com. HQ is founder-only web — operators do not need it.
Are the apps live on the App Store?
Yes. Counterly POS and Counterly Admin are available now for iPad: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/counterly-pos/id6790071222 and https://apps.apple.com/us/app/counterly-admin/id6790088410. Start a free trial on the web to get your Store Code, then sign in on the iPads.
How does a new store get started (sales path)?
1) Start a free trial at counterlypos.com/start (or email sales@counterlypos.com). 2) Save the Store Code from onboarding. 3) Download POS + Admin from the App Store. 4) Enter Store Code — cashiers use PIN on POS; owners use email/password in Admin.
What is new in Counterly 2.0?
Counterly 2.0 is a full-scale refinement of the same product: product photos on register tiles and in the catalog, tips and split tender, gift cards, loyalty redeem with tiers, receipt choice at tender, a shared org catalog with local exceptions for multi-store operators, delivery portal orders on the same ticket, cash office, margin cockpit, and a unified exception inbox. Nothing was rebuilt from scratch — every feature ships in POS, Admin, and this website together.
Do product photos require a separate image host?
No. Add a direct photo URL or an in-app image to any product in Admin and it shows on register tiles, stocktake, and purchasing — no S3 bucket or CDN account required to get started.
How do gift cards work?
Issue a gift card at any register, and it becomes a real tender type — redeem it fully or partially on a future sale. Admin tracks live balance and the full issue/redeem history for every card.
What is the org catalog, and do I need multiple stores to use it?
The org catalog is one shared product list across every store you operate. Add a SKU once and it is available everywhere, while each store can still override price or hide the item locally. A single store simply has an org catalog of one — the same model holds at 10 or 100 locations.
Can cashiers take tips on Counterly?
Yes, when a store turns tipping on. Owners set a default suggested percent, and the tip prompt appears on cash or card tender only for stores that enable it — it never shows by default.
Does Counterly send SMS receipts?
Print and email receipts send today, and you can set a store-wide default choice. SMS receipts queue on the ticket now and will send automatically once SMS provider certification completes — we do not claim SMS delivery before that is live.
Which delivery marketplaces does Counterly support?
Manual and phone-in delivery orders work end-to-end today — key one in and it opens a real register ticket immediately. DoorDash, Uber Eats, Instacart, and Grubhub connections are wired end-to-end on sandbox credentials in Admin › Delivery; each goes live the moment that marketplace issues Counterly production API credentials.
Does Counterly replace my card processor for delivery or in-store sales?
No, for either. Your merchant account stays yours across the register and delivery orders alike — pair your existing PAX or Verifone terminal through the guided pairing flow in Admin.