Korona POS Cost Considerations for Liquor Stores
Korona’s payment fees aren’t just a single number. Your total cost depends on how payments are processed, what recurring fees apply to your account, and any hardware or setup involved. The sections below break down what typically makes up the full cost for liquor stores using Korona.
Processing Fees
Korona is processor-agnostic, so processing costs depend on the payment provider you choose.
Monthly Fees
Korona charges a monthly software fee for use of the POS system.
Hardware & Setup
Terminals, pin pads, receipt printers, scanners, and any one-time onboarding or installation costs for your store.
True Total Cost
The goal is to understand your all-in monthly spend (processing + fees) and avoid “small” line items that add up over time.
Korona Is a Strong Fit If
- You want the option to shop processing rates without replacing your POS
- You care about long-term cost control as volume grows
- You want a setup that can scale to multiple registers or locations
Fees to Watch For
- Gateway/platform fees that stack with other monthly charges
- Ongoing payment processing fees from your merchant services provider
- Extra costs for additional terminals, lanes, or installs
Next, we’ll break each category down and show how to estimate your effective rate — so you can compare options based on total monthly cost.
Want the bigger picture?
See where Korona ranks in our Best POS Systems for Liquor Stores guide, or read the full Korona POS review.
Korona POS Fee Breakdown for Liquor Stores
When evaluating Korona POS costs, it helps to separate fees into a few clear categories. This breakdown shows where liquor stores typically see charges and what each one represents.
Monthly POS Software Fees
Korona Core Plan
A solid baseline for small to mid-sized liquor stores that want Korona’s core POS system.
- Core POS functionality
- Inventory + reporting foundation
- Stable monthly subscription (no per-seat pricing)
Korona Retail Plan
Designed for stores that need more advanced tools and deeper operational control.
- Advanced inventory controls
- Promotions / pricing tools
- Employee permissions + oversight
- Multi-location-friendly feature set
Note: Software subscription fees are separate from merchant processing fees, which are billed by your payment provider.
Hardware Costs
Korona offers its own POS hardware options, which many liquor stores choose for a fully supported setup. Hardware selection is flexible based on your checkout layout and operational needs. Below are common hardware components and realistic cost ranges you can expect when setting up Korona.
Partner Tech A5 POS Bundle
Complete countertop POS bundle including a touchscreen display, barcode scanner, and receipt printer — a common all-in-one setup for liquor store checkout lanes using Korona.
Customer-Facing Display
Customer-facing display that allows shoppers to view their order details, including items, taxes, discounts, and loyalty information during checkout.
Mobile POS
Mobile POS device for floor sales, inventory lookups, and flexible checkout. Comes with a docking station for charging and fixed-register operation.
Note: Total hardware cost scales with the number of checkout lanes and locations. Many liquor stores estimate hardware by building a “per-lane kit” and multiplying across registers.
Payment Processing Costs
This is one of the biggest differences between Korona and most liquor store POS systems:
- Korona does not handle payment processing — you select your own provider
- No required flat-rate pricing (such as 2.6% + 10¢)
- No hidden revenue share built into your transactions
Because processing is your choice, you can focus on cost. With Synapse, merchants pay the hard interchange cost set by Visa and Mastercard plus a flat $49 monthly fee — not a percentage markup..
For liquor stores processing $50,000 or more per month, this commonly translates into $500 to $2,500 per month in savings compared to flat-rate pricing models.
Upload a recent merchant statement — we’ll quantify your savings in dollars.
Calculate Your Total Cost of Ownership
📌 Note: This calculator does not include Clover's marketplace add-on app costs, which typically add $40–$150/month for essential liquor store functionality.
Quickly Compare Clover to Korona, BottlePOS, Lightspeed, and Square
FAQs: Korona POS Payment Fees (Liquor Stores)
Do I have to use a specific payment processor with Korona?
No — Korona is processor-agnostic. Korona does not force you into a bundled processor, which means you can choose the provider and pricing model that fits your volume, risk profile, and hardware setup.
Does Korona charge payment processing fees?
Korona’s software subscription is separate from processing. Your credit card fees come from your chosen processor (Visa/MC hard costs + processor markup). Korona itself isn’t taking a cut of each transaction, because processing is handled by the provider you select.
Can Korona help me avoid flat-rate pricing like 2.6% + 10¢?
Often, yes. Because Korona doesn’t bundle processing, many liquor stores can choose an interchange-plus style setup instead of a one-size-fits-all flat rate. That matters most once you’re doing real volume and want your pricing tied to actual card costs.
How much can a liquor store actually save with Korona + a better processor?
It depends on your mix of debit vs credit, rewards card usage, and current markup — but for stores doing $50,000+/month, the difference between flat-rate pricing and a well-structured interchange-plus setup can be significant. The cleanest way to know is to run the numbers off a recent statement.
Will switching processors mean I need new terminals or hardware?
No. Korona allows you to change payment processors without replacing your POS hardware. Korona supports processor changes at the software and gateway level, which means liquor stores can switch processors while keeping their existing terminals, peripherals, and checkout setup intact.
What do you need to accurately quote processing for a Korona liquor store?
A recent merchant statement is best. It shows your volume, effective rate, and any “junk fees” (PCI, statement, gateway, non-compliance, etc.). With that, we can estimate savings and recommend a pricing structure that makes sense for your checkout setup.
Want to compare Clover pricing and processing for your liquor store
Schedule a quick call to review hardware options, setup, and total cost, and compare payment flexibility side by side.
