Tower Systems comes in four levels: Startup, Standard, Advanced and Ultimate. Each one builds on the level below it, so you are never paying for a stripped-back version of the software — you are paying for the full system at that level, with every feature that level includes.
This post walks through what each level does, who it suits, and what changes as you move up.
What every level includes
Before getting into the differences, it helps to know what stays constant across all four levels.
Every Tower Systems plan includes unlimited products, unlimited customers and unlimited turnover. There are no per-transaction fees on EFTPOS sales, and no charge based on how much you sell. The software connects to the major banks and payment terminals — CBA, ANZ, Westpac, Suncorp, St George and Zeller via Linkly, plus Tyro, Shift4 and others directly.
Every level also includes 24/7 support from real people based in Australia and New Zealand, a dedicated onboarding specialist, one-on-one training and free e-learning. There are regular group training sessions open to all customers, and a suggestion portal where you can propose software improvements and vote on the ideas of others.
One thing worth mentioning: there is no lock-in contract. Tower Systems runs month to month. You can start, cancel or change your plan on 30 days’ notice.
The software is purpose-built for specialty retail — newsagencies, gift shops, garden centres, jewellers, bike shops, produce stores — rather than a general POS product adapted for retail. That distinction matters in areas like stock management, loyalty and specialist sales functions.
Startup — for new and smaller businesses
Startup is the entry-level plan, designed for new businesses and smaller shops running one or two counters. It includes the full core point of sale system: integrated EFTPOS, layby management, gift cards and vouchers, customer invoice accounts, catalogue and promotions, scale integration, specialist label printing and customer displays.
On the stock side, Startup includes advanced stock management with images, extended descriptions and bulk price changes, along with automated reordering, customer special orders, barcode lookup (over a billion records), stocktaking and manufactured goods or hampers.
Loyalty is included too — discount vouchers, trade pricing, pricing profiles, loyalty points, targeted marketing, VIP pricing, customer segmentation and purchase reminders.
Reporting covers more than 80 business performance reports, plus the Insights dashboard, which runs automatically and surfaces dead stock, lost-sale stockouts, basket analysis, theft detection and staffing patterns without you needing to generate reports manually.
Accounting connections include Xero (free direct integration) and MYOB, Reckon and others via ABCIS Ezylink. Deputy and Tanda integrations for rostering are also included.
The main limitations at Startup: it is capped at two terminals, and it does not include e-commerce integrations, stock item variations, stock reservations, quotes, recurring billing, AI tools, serial number tracking, kits or repairs management. Those features come in at Standard and above.
Standard — the complete core retail system
Standard is the plan most general retailers land on. It adds three things to Startup: unlimited terminals, e-commerce integrations and stock variations and reservations.
Unlimited terminals means you can add counters as your business grows without a plan change. E-commerce integrations connect Tower Systems to Shopify, BigCommerce, Magento and WooCommerce — your in-store stock and your online store stay in sync. Stock item variations let you track and sell products by colour, size, style or any other attribute. Stock reservations let you hold items against a proforma invoice so they cannot be sold while a customer order is pending.
Everything in Startup is included. Standard is the right choice for gift shops, garden centres, toy stores and homewares retailers who want the full system with no per-sale fees and no terminal limits.
Advanced — for retailers that quote, repair or sell serialised goods
Advanced adds AI tools and a set of features for businesses with more complex sales processes — jewellers, bike shops, electronics stores and similar retailers.
The AI tools let you post blog content, import supplier invoices from PDF, get price suggestions, generate product descriptions and summarise reporting data. ChatGPT integration supports document handling and task automation.
Beyond AI, Advanced adds quotes and proforma invoices (with the ability to reserve or order stock from a quote), recurring billing for subscriptions or services, tax and duty-free sales tracking (including flight numbers for customs), serial number management from arrival to sale, kits for bundle selling, and a full repairs and job management module.
Repairs management covers the full workflow: logging the job, communicating with the customer, allocating parts, tracking history and storing images. It is designed for bike shops, watch repairs, electronics servicing and similar counter-based repair work.
Ultimate — for newsagencies and delivery-based retailers
Ultimate includes everything in Advanced and adds tools for channels with specific operational needs: newsagencies, produce businesses and rural retailers managing freight and deliveries.
Newsagency tools cover phone recharge, lottery terminal integration, XchangeIT automation and home delivery management. Freight invoice management lets you split delivery costs across supplier invoices and adjust pricing accordingly — useful for produce and rural retail where freight is a significant variable. Dispatch management tracks delivery resources and runs, produces driver run lists and pick slips, and integrates with Allotrac. Valuations are also included, for jewellers tracking item valuations.
Choosing the right level
The level you need depends on your business type and the features you actually use.
Startup works for new or smaller businesses running up to two terminals that do not need e-commerce or stock variations. Standard is the practical choice for most established retailers — it covers the full system with no limits on terminals or turnover. Advanced makes sense if you quote, repair, sell serialised goods or want AI tools built into your workflow. Ultimate is built for newsagencies and businesses managing freight, dispatch or home delivery.
For current pricing and to see a full feature comparison, visit towersystems.com.au/pricing.
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