NCR Counterpoint

NCR Counterpoint is retail management software for point of sale, inventory, customer records, purchasing, sales history, and reporting. Its checkout tools handle sales, returns, orders, and layaways through touchscreen or traditional ticket entry. The base system also includes purchasing and receiving, reporting, credit card processing, and ecommerce support through CPOnline. Inventory functions include multiple stocking locations, transfers, promotional pricing, item grids, and more than 40 inventory reports. Retailers can manage multiple companies, stores, and workgroups, with wide area network operation. Built on Microsoft SQL Server, Counterpoint is described as supporting single-user setups through enterprises with hundreds of users. Optional functions can be purchased with the base system or added later. The Counterpoint Mobile app connects to Counterpoint and offers item and customer lookup, inventory functions, and mobile point of sale. The software supports iOS and Windows and serves retail, wholesale, mail-order, and ecommerce businesses. Pricing is on request.

Counterpoint combines checkout, inventory, purchasing, customer management, and reporting in one retail system. Businesses should review the payment requirements and request pricing to assess fit.

It suits retail, wholesale, mail-order, and ecommerce businesses seeking point-of-sale and back-office tools. Its support for multiple companies, stores, and workgroups may fit varied retail operations.

Overview

NCR Counterpoint is retail management software for businesses that need point of sale alongside inventory, purchasing, customer records, and reporting. Its range of checkout options and support for multiple stores make it a stronger fit for established retailers with varied workflows than for businesses seeking a simple, self-service POS subscription. Custom pricing and partner-directed support make it important to clarify both commercial terms and ongoing service before choosing it.

Key features

Counterpoint’s base system combines ticket entry with inventory and customer management, purchasing and receiving, reporting, credit-card processing, and ecommerce support through CPOnline. Checkout handles sales, returns, orders, and layaways through either touchscreen or traditional ticket entry. That breadth can keep core retail tasks together, though businesses should confirm which capabilities require separately purchased add-ons.

Inventory tools include multiple stocking locations, transfers, promotional pricing, item grids, barcode scanning, and more than 40 inventory reports. Support for multiple companies, stores, and workgroups, as well as wide area network operation, gives retailers room to coordinate operations across locations. The maker says the Microsoft SQL Server-based system scales from single-user setups to enterprises with hundreds of users.

Payment support covers credit and debit cards, stored-value cards, EBT food stamps, and checks. Payment terminals and magnetic stripe readers may be configured for point-to-point encryption. Counterpoint documentation also describes TLS 1.2 support for PCI DSS compliance in version 8.5.6, released in December 2018. Offline Ticket Entry is an option, but some functions still need a connection to the store server; it is not a fully disconnected operating mode.

Accounting interfaces include direct connections to QuickBooks, BusinessWorks, Great Plains, MAS 90/200, and Small Business Financials, with export interfaces for other packages. The maker also identifies Customer Connect email marketing, NCR Retail Online ecommerce, Smart Alerts, Counterpoint Mobile, and payment solutions among its retail apps. Password protection, Windows authentication, function-level permissions, and user-defined menus give administrators ways to limit access.

Counterpoint Mobile connects to Counterpoint for item and customer lookup, inventory functions, and mobile POS on iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. Its documented requirements specify iOS 11 or 12 and Counterpoint 8.4.6.10 or later, plus network access to Counterpoint servers. Mobile card payments require NCR Secure Pay or Counterpoint Gateway, and dial-up credit-card processing is not supported. Those dependencies matter for retailers planning mobile checkout or relying on older payment infrastructure.

Pricing

Counterpoint is paid software with custom pricing; no subscription tiers or public prices are provided. Businesses should request a quote and establish which add-ons, payment services, and deployment needs affect the cost. With no published lower-cost tier to compare, buyers should evaluate the complete configuration they need rather than assume the base system covers every workflow.

Platforms

Counterpoint is listed for Windows and iOS. Its mobile app runs on iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad, but requires a supported iOS version and network access to Counterpoint servers. Retailers considering mobile use should verify device and server compatibility alongside their payment setup.

Who it's for

Counterpoint suits retail, wholesale, mail-order, and ecommerce businesses that need checkout tied to purchasing, inventory, customer records, and reporting. Its support for multiple stores and workgroups is relevant to retailers coordinating locations, while accounting interfaces can help businesses working with supported packages. Smaller shops that want transparent pricing or a straightforward, self-managed setup may find the custom quote and assigned-partner support less convenient. NCR directs Counterpoint customers to their assigned partner for support.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Checkout, inventory, purchasing, customer management, and reporting are combined in the base system, reducing the need to assemble those core functions separately.
• Pros: Multiple companies, stores, workgroups, and stocking locations support complex retail operations, with a broad set of inventory reports.
• Pros: Direct accounting interfaces, mobile functions, and optional integrations extend the system across common retail workflows.
• Cons: Custom pricing makes it difficult to compare costs without engaging NCR or a partner and defining a configuration.
• Cons: Mobile checkout depends on supported iOS, server connectivity, and specific payment services; dial-up card processing is unsupported.
• Cons: Offline ticket entry does not remove all server connectivity requirements, limiting its usefulness during a full network outage.

Alternatives

For a broader retail POS software comparison, start with the category list. Choose Loyverse if a free plan and Android, iOS, or web access are priorities; its free POS plan keeps 31 days of sales history, while unlimited history costs $5 a month billed at $5/month per store or $50/year. RetailPOS is a free, open-source alternative for businesses willing to self-host, with no monthly fees.

NCR Voyix POS is worth considering for grocery, convenience and fuel, department, or specialty retail, with pricing by request. uniCenta oPOS offers a freemium option across a wide range of platforms; its BASE subscription is £72 a year, charged yearly. eHopper is another freemium option with a free plan and monthly plans listed at $14.99 and $24.99.

Heartland Retail has a free plan and a starting price of $89 a month. NewStore and Oracle Retail Xstore Point-of-Service are paid alternatives for buyers comparing enterprise-oriented retail systems.

Verdict

Choose NCR Counterpoint if your retail operation needs checkout, inventory, purchasing, customer records, and reporting in one system, particularly across multiple stores or workgroups. Its operational breadth and accounting interfaces are the clearest reasons to consider it. Look elsewhere if published pricing, fully independent offline operation, or mobile payments without specific NCR services are essential.