Estura vs a typical percentage-of-sales POS
Estura is a Windows point of sale for Canadian convenience stores: $94.99 a month per till, 0% of your sales, and the card processor of your choice. Here’s how that compares with a POS that earns a percentage of your card sales.
What the monthly bill looks like
Worked example: a store taking $40,000 a month in card sales at an average of $25 a sale — 1,600 card sales — at an example rate of 2.6% + 10¢ per card sale.
| Line | Typical percentage-of-sales POS | Estura |
|---|---|---|
| Software | Varies by plan | $94.99 per till, flatLess per till from 2 tills; 10% off paying yearly. |
| Card processing | $1,200.00 at the example rate$1,040 (2.6%) + $160 (1,600 × 10¢). The rate is set by the POS company. | Your own processor’s ratePaid to them, not to us. You can shop for a better one. |
| When sales grow 10% | Processing grows with themAbout $120 more a month at the example rate. | Software stays $94.99Only your processor’s fees change. |
| Contract | Varies; check for terms and cancellation fees | Month to month, cancel anytime, no setup fee |
The break-even: at this volume, every 0.1 percentage point you take off your card rate is $40 a month. A rate about 0.24 points lower than the example covers Estura’s $94.99 — anything beyond that is yours. Ask your processor how they price Interac debit; it’s often a fee per transaction rather than a percentage.
Your numbers: card sales a month $ × your rate % + ¢ × card sales = $ a month in card fees today.
Example only: 2.6% + 10¢ is an illustrative rate, not any provider’s published price. Card processing costs money with any POS, Estura included — the difference is who sets the rate. “Typical” reflects common industry practice, not any one company; pricing and terms vary by provider, plan and reseller.
Feature checklist
- Included in the one priceEsturaYours
- No percentage of your sales✓
- Use any card terminal and processor✓
- Keeps selling with no internet✓
- Runs on a standard PC, scanner and printer✓
- GST, HST or PST set from your province✓
- Age-check prompts and driver’s licence scan✓
- Tobacco rebates with a claim file✓
- Carton → pack break-out✓
- Bottle deposits and enviro fees✓
- House accounts with credit limits✓
- Included in the one priceEsturaYours
- Purchase orders, receiving and stock counts✓
- X/Z day-close and end-of-day email✓
- Loss-prevention report by cashier✓
- QuickBooks and journal export✓
- Staff PINs, roles and time clock✓
- Nightly encrypted cloud backup✓
- Phone companion✓
- Import products from another register✓
- Unlimited products, staff and customers✓
- Month to month, no setup fee✓
What Estura doesn’t do: run on a Mac; gift cards or points-based loyalty; refunds back onto a card (refunds are cash or onto a house account); stores outside Canada. Past sales from your old POS don’t import — keep its reports for your books.