Brilliant POS Review: Top Features, Pricing & User Reviews

(Last Updated On: June 28, 2023)

If you need a POS system that helps you make smarter decisions, take a look at Brilliant POS. Created with simplicity in mind, the software features can help you stay organized and automate various tasks.

Manage your inventory, no matter how many SKU’s you have. Use the bulk feature to bring in every single item in your store into the POS system. Identify your top-sellers and which ones aren’t moving. Track items and monitor the ones that are running low so you can restock.

Brilliant is a simple POS system that offers a range of useful features, 24/7/365 support and an intuitive interface. It also has an affordable pricing model: transactions come with a straightforward 2.6% + $0.10 fee. However, some users may find it difficult to customize the solution and it is not as transparent with its pricing compared to its competitors.

Whether you are running a retail business or a restaurant, your customers expect efficiency and friendliness from your staff. Brilliant POS makes it easy for your employees to handle complex customer orders and provide excellent service. They can start a bar tab with a single swipe of a credit or debit card, and track inventory to prevent overselling. They can also add items to a cart and take payments from customers directly at the table.

With Brilliant POS, you can keep your customers happy by offering loyalty programs that reward them for their patronage. The platform also helps you understand your customers’ menu habits and needs so that you can design marketing campaigns that match their interests.

If you’re in the food industry, you can rely on Brilliant to simplify your business process. You can create and send invoices, track sales, record voids and credits and manage payroll. It also lets you set up a rewards program for your customers and offer gift cards. You can also use this software to manage your inventory, automate reorders and manage vendor relationships from a single dashboard.

By using the real-time reporting feature, you can increase sales as you have a better insight into your business. View every single transaction, sales by the hour, category, item, or customer. If you own a retail business like a clothing store or a gift shop, check which staff member is selling the most. As this is a cloud-based POS, you can access your reports from anywhere, at any time.

After a detailed Brilliant POS review, we found its highlight feature to be employee management. Build out an employee schedule and allow your employees to clock in and out. Keep track of labor hours, wages paid, and other payroll functions. Easily export your data to integrate with Quickbooks or to provide to your accountant.

What’s more, check the busiest time of the day for your business and your overall team’s performance. To avoid theft and increase security, you can limit specific employees within the POS.

But that’s not everything this POS system can do for your business. Let’s take a look at the key features, pricing plans, integrations, and more.

Who’s Brilliant POS?

Brilliant POS started in 2013 as a full-service POS supplier. Their original focus still drives this Charlotte, North Carolina company. They love building lasting relationships with their customers. They’ve quickly become an industry leader. No doubt worth the effort, as they currently hold an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

Sales reps are skilled at walking you through the process of designing the perfect system for your business. Pricing is easy to understand. Tech support is US based and available 24/7/365, rain or shine.

Key Features

• The labor scheduler schedules employees’ hours and integrates with a payroll service.
• Minimize risk with a scanner to check IDs.
• Appointment scheduling, customer booking, and follow-up booking to further engage.
• Detailed reports give an accurate analysis in real-time.
• Payment processing works even during power and internet outages.

Possible Drawbacks

The software might not be compatible with existing systems. Clover software, for example, only runs on Clover hardware. Cash Register Express (CRE) and Restaurant Pro Express (RPE) work with systems running Windows 7 or newer.

Brilliant POS Software Pricing

Brilliant POS has several pricing tiers. A free option offers POS for startups and small businesses needing only the most basic features. The plans are priced as follows:

Clover Mini, Clover Mobile, and Clover Flex – Tiered Pricing

Clover is offered on a subscription model. The system is tiered based on desired features.

Cash Register Express (CRE) or Restaurant Pro Express (RPE) – $500 Flat Fee, Respectively

Two similar systems designed to work well in retail establishments, restaurants or bars. Simple, one-time fee rather than a monthly subscription. In addition, Brilliant POS offers downloadable, free trial versions of both CRE and RPE to try before you buy.

With CRE or RPE, businesses can also:

• Start bar tabs for customers with a simple swipe of a debit or credit card.
• Check ID and verify age with a customer’s driver’s license.
• Automate inventory orders using signals triggered by low stock.
• Commissions for top performing staff.

Processing Rates

Brilliant POS isn’t as transparent with their processing fees as they are with their hardware and software pricing. Contacting them directly for a quote seems to be the only way to get a clear picture of what fees one can expect to pay per transaction.

Their payment processing features are as follows:

• Free account setup with no application fee.
• Clear, competitive pricing after speaking to a rep.
• Next day funding.
• All electronic payments including contactless payments, chip payments, and all major credit cards.

Pricing for readers varies between $49.00 and $299.00. The All-In-One EMV reader costs $149.00. It wirelessly connects to iOS and Android devices and accepts both magnetic stripes and chip cards. The dock for the reader is sold separately.

Integrations

Popular integrations include:

• Quickbooks
• NitroSell
• BevSites
• Get Seller

Brilliant POS Hardware 

Brilliant POS covers every type of business imaginable. Hardware offerings run the spectrum on features and prices. They’ll even cover your needs for thermal paper and labels.

Clover Hardware

They have fully customizable point-of-sale solutions tailored to a business’s precise needs. And it’s absolutely scalable, allowing startups to invest as little or as much as they want.

Keep in mind, however, Clover software is only compatible with Clover hardware.

Clover Hardware is highly scalable and offers hardware and software options to fit the needs of all types of retail, table service restaurants, counter service restaurants and professional services businesses. It’s an excellent choice for merchants looking to manage their inventory, track customer spending patterns and increase business performance.

For example, Clover’s dashboard allows you to monitor sales in real-time. It provides at-a-glance reporting on things like top selling items, busiest times and month-to-date sales trends. You can also easily see sales by employee, item or location and even create end-of-day reports for all locations. Clover also integrates and shares data with Quickbooks to make accounting a breeze.

The company’s POS system features a simple, intuitive user interface and is compatible with dozens of third-party apps. It supports cash drawers, barcode scanners and printers and offers a variety of payment processing options. Clover also lets you set up an online store to sell products and accept online payments.

Another great feature is the ability to customize your business logo on Clover’s gift cards and print them out or sell them digitally. This way, you can promote your brand while encouraging customer loyalty. The POS system can even support multiple currency transactions and supports both traditional and contactless payment methods.

Another helpful tool is the ability to track employee schedules and approve time off requests. The system can also help you create a digital menu and offer customers the option to order food or other goods from your business online. Clover’s POS system is also compatible with a number of first- and third-party mobile devices.

Clover Station

For merchants who want to centralize payment processing, customer engagement, and operations management using one device.

This is priced at $1,699.00. Or lease it for $85 per month. It comes with the following:

• EMV credit card reader
• Clover Mini for PIN debit
• 14” HD touchscreen with swivel
• State-of-the-art processor (4GB RAM)
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core CPU (16GB ROM)
• USB, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or Bluetooth connectivity
• POS printer with 4.3” customer display for contactless payments
• Backup battery lasts up to 4 hours on a single charge
• Cash drawer
• Extended warranty protection optional
• Compatible with existing Clover peripherals

Clover Mini

The space-conscious transaction powerhouse. Use as stand-alone or customer-facing.

This is priced at $599.00. It comes with the following:

• EMV credit card reader
• NFC and swipe
• PIN debit
• Front-facing camera/microphone
• Barcode scanner via camera
• 7” touchscreen display
• USB, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or Bluetooth connectivity
• Embedded printer

Clover Flex

This portable device allows checkout mid-aisle, at the table, or anywhere in-store. This is priced at $599.00.

It comes with the following:

• EMV credit card reader
• NFC and swipe
• PIN debit
• Camera
• QR Scanner
• 5” touchscreen display
• 3G and Wi-Fi enabled
• Electronic signature capture
• Full-day battery on a single charge

Clover Station Without Customer Display

This is priced at $1,599.00. Or lease it for $79 per month.

It comes with the following:

• Same features as Clover Station
• Without separate 4.3” customer display on printer

Additional Hardware Packages

Packages can be expanded. Purchase additional components to use with the platform as needed. Additional hardware includes:

• Clover Go “All-In-One”– $149.00
• Clover Cash Drawer – $119.00
• Clover Barcode Scanner – $189.00
• Clover Label Printer – $199.00
• Clover Kitchen Printer – $396.00
• Clover Integrated Scale – $459.00
• Clover Mini Swivel – $149.00
• Clover FD40 PinPad – $299.00
• Clover Go All-In-One Stand – $49.00

Complete Grocery Store POS System (Cash Register Express)

Preconfigured to meet your demands. This is priced at $2,999.00.

It comes with the following:

• POS-X 14” Touch PC
• Thermal receipt printer and MSR (Card Reader)
• Intel Quad-Core4GHz
• 8GB RAM
• 128GB solid-state hard drive
• Win10 PRO
• POS-X 16×16 cash drawer
• POS-X linear barcode scanner with stand
• 7” LCD customer display
• POS pound/ounce scale
• Cash Register Express PRO software
• Credit card processing integration
• Anti-virus software
• 90 days free technical support
• Video training and online knowledge base with tutorials
• 3-year advanced exchange warranty (all POS-X items)

Optional Upgrade and Add-on Items

Packages can be expanded much like most other POS systems. Components can be purchased to use with the platform.

Additional hardware includes:

• PAX Signature Capture Pinpad– $359.00
• In-Counter Scanner/Scale – $1,889.00
• 8” LCD Customer Pole Display – $299.00
• Barcode Printing Package (W/BCE) – $499.00

Complete Retail Store POS System (Cash Register Express)

Preconfigured to meet your demands. This is priced at $2,399.00.

It comes with the following:

• POS-X 14” Touch PC
• Thermal receipt printer and MSR (Card Reader)
• Intel Quad-Core4GHz
• 8GB RAM
• 128GB solid-state hard drive
• Win10 PRO
• POS-X 16×16 cash drawer
• POS-X linear barcode scanner with stand
• 7” LCD customer display
• POS pound/ounce scale
• Cash Register Express PRO software
• Credit card processing integration
• Anti-virus software
• 90 days free technical support
• Video training and online knowledge base with tutorials
• 3-year advanced exchange warranty (all POS-X items)

Optional Upgrade and Add-on Items

Packages can be expanded much like most other POS systems. Components can be purchased to use with the platform.

Additional hardware includes:

• PAX Signature Capture Pinpad– $359.00
• 8” LCD Customer Pole Display – $299.00
• Barcode Printing Package (W/BCE) – $499.00
• Complete Retail POS – $2,399.00

Build Your Own

Contact a member of the sales team for help building a more precise POS system.

Brilliant POS System Requirements

Clover

Hardware and software are both proprietary. They tie together for a full-service POS system. It completely replaces traditional supplementary hardware. Only Clover components work with Clover software.

Cash Register Express (CRE)

Minimally, an Intel Core i3 (or faster) processor and 4GB of RAM are required to run CRE. Compatible operating systems include:

• Windows 10 Professional
• Windows 7, 32 or 64-Bit
• Windows Embedded POSReady7
• Bematech Bundles
• DELL Bundles
• HP Bundles
• Touch Dynamic Bundles
• Not compatible with Windows 8 RT

Restaurant Pro Express (RPE)

Minimally, an Intel Core 2 Duo 2.93GHz processor or faster and at least 2GB of RAM are required to run RPE. Compatible operating systems include:

• Windows Vista 32 or 64-Bit
• Windows 7 32 or 64-Bit
• Windows 8 32 or 64-Bit
• Not compatible with Windows 8 RT

Brilliant POS Features and Capabilities

Brilliant POS offers both cloud and local database storage. Additionally, standard features include tracking gift cards, packaging items, running payroll, and up-to-the-minute financial reporting.

They also customize point-of-sale systems for almost any business. Here’s a shortlist of the types of clientele they service:

Retail

Brilliant POS provides point-of-sale systems for traditional and non-traditional businesses alike. These are some of the kind of retail businesses they service:

• CBD and Vape Stores
• Liquor Stores
• Clothing Stores
• Jewelry Stores
• Garden Centers

Bars and Restaurants

They merged the front and back of the house operations with a single system. It covers everything from order taking to back-office accounting. The front-of-house portion focuses on turning over tables as quickly and efficiently as possible. While the back runs the operations. Types of restaurants they work with include:

• Fine Dining Establishments
• Delivery or Take-out Restaurants
• Hospitality Establishments
• Drive-Thru Places
• Nightclubs and Bars

Take a reservation in minutes. Make menu changes and adjustments in seconds. Plan and augment table layouts right from the software.

Quick Serve Businesses (QSR)

Speed is key in any QSR business. Customers expect quick service. Long lines drive away business and can negatively affect the bottom line.

Go mobile with Brilliant’s QSR solution. Their iPad-based option overcomes daily high traffic rushes, even if the power goes out. It works great at businesses like:

• Cafés and Coffee Shops
• Fast Food Eateries
• Ice Cream Shops
• Food Trucks

Grocery

Low stock alerts and automated reordering are just some of the tools Brilliant POS puts in your hands. Add mobile POS technology to answer customer inquiries and check inventory in real-time.

Create loyalty and discount programs featuring branded membership cards. Award loyalty points. Process redemptions with ease. These are just a few of the types of grocery stores currently using Brilliant POS:

• Dollar Stores
• Supermarkets
• Swap Meets
• Meat Markets
• Health Food Stores

Salons

Brilliant POS’s takes advantage of CRM functionalities to drive engagement such as:

• Email campaigns and appointment reminders.
• Follow-up phone calls to ensure customer satisfaction.
• Postcards for missed appointments and other advertising mailers.

Create individual profiles for regular clients. Reward customer loyalty. Use the data to upsell the client aftercare products and styling tools. Track spending habits and history.

Customer Service and Support

Brilliant POS starts by ensuring the setup is done correctly from the start. Add to that 24/7/365 access to US-based support ready to assist you when needed. They provide support on nights, weekends, and even holidays.

You can schedule a live demo at any time, and customer service will reply promptly. Or send them a quick question via their contact form.

Our Final Verdict

The company is clearly a customer-centric, full-service POS company. They arm their clients with the tools needed to grow and thrive.

Similar to POS Maid, the team over at Brilliant POS is clearly interested in building long-lasting relationships with their small business customers.

Their platforms work to drive sales with customer retention tools. They value growth, and sales are funded overnight.

For retail businesses needing far more than just simple POS solutions, Brilliant POS has exactly what you need and much more.