# Hardware
**Flow Retail supports a wide range of existing POS hardware, but we recommend reading this document carefully to ensure full compatibility.**
Selecting the right POS hardware depends on several factors — from aesthetics (how sleek and modern the setup should look) to durability (how well it handles dust and wear) to overall cost.
In this guide, you’ll find our recommended equipment types as well as the general requirements for a smooth and reliable POS experience with Flow Retail.
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#### Buy the hardware from there you want
As a software provider, we offer hardware sales for your convenience. However, you are welcome to purchase hardware from any supplier.
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#### Wired vs Wireless
Flow Retail runs entirely in the cloud, meaning it operates over the internet and only requires a stable Wi-Fi connection for your equipment.
However, for critical devices such as till devices (e.g., iPads), we strongly recommend using a wired Ethernet connection to ensure reliability in case of Wi-Fi issues. Note that the Flowbox always requires a wired Ethernet connection.
Additionally, we highly recommend setting up a 4G/5G failover connection as a backup to minimize downtime in the event of internet outages.
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**Maximize the efficiency of using recommended hardware**
Due to variations in hardware models, production batches, firmware versions, and other factors, we cannot guarantee full compatibility with every device.
We therefore strongly recommend testing all hardware in your specific environment before proceeding with full deployment, and use recommended hardware as best as you can.
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## What type of devices do I need for the various Flow Retail clients?
To use Flow Retail, users need to operate a compatible device alongside POS-specific hardware.
#### Flow Retail can run on more or less any devices, with a shortlist below:
Flow Retail software
Devices
Flow Client
Windows, Mac, iPad
Flow Assistant
iPhone, Android
Flow Admin
Any web browser
## In general, what type of hardware is required for a store?
In its absolutely simples variant, you only need a **device** (Windows computer, Apple Macbook computer, iPad, etc) and a **card terminal**.
With this setup you can add products and other data, create sales, charge money paid by card or tapping, do refund, and more.
#### Most stores however also need additional POS hardware, including:
* To add products to a sale quickly or check prices, a **barcode reader/scanner**.
* The bardcode scanner is simply an extended keyboard, and so any type of scanner work, from USB-based to Bluetooth-based.
* Some customers still prefer a physical receipt, so a **receipt printer** like a thermal printer is needed. Must have USB-connection and support ESCPOS (most modern receipt printers do).
* To handle *cash* in addition to card payments, a **cash drawer** with USB-connection is required.
* To print price labels (those small stickers with EAN, price, SKU on it), a **label printer** is needed. This printer is also used for printing gift card numbers to stick onto some nice-looking gift cards.
* Speaking of label printer – Flow Retail also supports printing out larger 19x10 cm labels to stick onto for example Click\&Collect orders, to easily mark them for pickup later. Many stores therefore have multiple label printers, with different label sizes in each printer.
* Some stores want to print out pick lists, delivery notes, invoice papers, etc. and then a **laser printer** is needed, eventually an ink jet printer, however we do not recommend ink jet as they tend to literally dry out.
* If you want to be more mobile, and check prices or inventory, register sales, delivery out products, do stock taking and more, then a mobile device or simply a **modern smart phone** is also needed.
To connect all these peripherals to Flow Retail, you will also need a **Flowbox**, which is a cute tiny little box that connects Flow Retail with the devices connected to it. The Flowbox is delivered by us.
## Specific hardware recommendations
### Device
* For larger stores, we recommend **Windows**- or **Macbook** **computers**.
* For smaller stores, **Apple iPad's** with external keyboard and a barcode reader is a good setup.
* We recommend using a hub like this to connect everything:\
* We also recommend a powerful (...) power supply, with at least 60W, to be able to give enough power to both the iPad and to the peripherals, like the barcode scanner
* And, you need a stand/cradle for the iPad, something like this:\
#### Price
A Windows computer doesn't cost much, however if you go down the Apple Macbook route, the price goes up quite a bit.
A typical iPad is also relatively expensive, however they are extremely robust, and also has a very sensitive touch interface, which makes it very effective to use. The price ranges from NOK 8.000 and upwards for the iPad Air. In general we do recommend iPad Pro (which starts as around NOK 12.000), however iPad Air will also work flawlessly in most scenarios.
The hub costs around **NOK 800**.
The extra powerful power supply costs around **NOK 600-800**.
The stand/cradle costs around **NOK 500**.
The total price for the till without barcode scanner, etc. will therefore be between **NOK 10.000** and **NOK 15.000** depending on the specs.
### Alternative devices
As an alternative to an iPad, all of the following options are fully supported:
* Windows computer, running Windows 10 / 11, or a later version, preferably with a touch monitor
* Mac / Macbook, basically of any kind
* Android tablet, basically of any kind
* Linux computers, running a relatively modern distribution like Ubuntu
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Note that Apple has no support for touch mode on any of their Mac's or Macbook laptop series.
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For devices in-store, in the warehouse, and on other fixed locations, we in general recommend using simply a Windows-based computer.
For stores with tills where more operations than just registering sales are needed, we also recommend using Windows computers instead of iPad's.
### Handheld device / smart phone
The Flow Retail Assistant native app for iOS and Android brings Flow Retail directly to your mobile device. **While consumer smartphones work, we recommend professional-grade handheld devices** for enhanced stability and durability in retail environments.
Professional handheld devices range from NOK 3,000 for reliable entry-level models to NOK 10,000–20,000 for premium units from industry leaders like **Zebra**. **Urovo** represents another solid choice—the Urovo DT66 (pictured below) offers excellent value and performance.
### Barcode reader
This depends a lot on whether you would want to move the barcode reader away from the till, for example to scan large products which cannot be put on top of the till.
There are dozens of variants, and we give concrete recommendations based on each store's needs.
In general a barcode reader will cost anywhere between **NOK 1500** and **NOK 3000**.
#### Strict requirements
* Needs to handle 2D barcodes
* Should be USB connected (however Bluetooth connected in most scenarios works, at least until the bluetooth connection or pairing is lost)
### Thermal receipt printer
For receipt printers, most modern variants works fine. There are "cheap" variants which costs around NOK 2000, and more expensive and solid variants like the Epson TMT series, which costs around **NOK 4500.**
#### Strict requirements
* Needs to be USB connected
* Must support ESCPOS (most do)
### Cash drawer
Here basically all drawers will work, as there is very little logic in a cash drawer.
The price is normally around **NOK 1500** for a fully functional cash drawer.
#### Strict requirements
* Needs to be USB connected
### Labels printer
The labels printers is for some reason relatively expensive, and normally clocks in at around **NOK 4000-5000**, however they are built to last for decades.
#### Strict requirements
* Needs to be USB connected
* Support for TPL / ZPL (zebra printing language) - basically all such printers support this printing language
### Card terminals
Flow Retail supports all major PSPs (Payment Service Providers), like Nets, Verifone, Adyen, Stripe and more.
The integrations are all cloud-based, meaning Flow Retail communicates with the card terminals over the internet, and the card terminals in turn are connected to the WiFi in the store (most can also be cabled over ethernet).
In most cases, one can use its existing terminals, however some older models are not cloud-ready, and needs to be replaced with a newer version.
### Flowbox
The Flowbox is a small physical device delivered by Flow Retail.
The purpose of the box is to handle all communication between the Flow Retail platform and your peripherals, like thermal receipt printer, cash drawer, and labels printer.
A Flowbox, with four USBs and one ethernet connection (+ power)
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One Flowbox is basically required per till, as only one cash drawer should be connected to each Flowbox, however today most stores only have one till dedicated for cash payments, and so one or maximum two Flowboxes should be sufficient in most scenarios.
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### Summary
If you wanna go fancy, and esthetics is extra important, and mainly sales operations are being handled in the till, go for iPad's, with the mentioned equipment.
If you have much traffic in the store, and also need to handle other operations in-store, then going all-in on Windows computers is a good choice.
A combination is also perfectly fine.
In most cases you can re-use most if not all of your existing POS equipment.
## How do we order the hardware?
Together with our sales staff and our external partners we can help in ordering everything. Just keep in mind we are a mainly *software* company, and so in general we do not offer hardware support, and so you should if possible use a local IT company to set up the equipment and to support it as you go, or if you have a local IT department, they should also be able to assist on the POS hardware.
We will always do our best to help you getting the best possible setup!
Contact for more details and to get started.
## Connecting the POS hardware
Connecting the various hardware differs a bit. See below for how to connect.
| Type | Technical | Connectivity |
| ------------------ | ------------------- | --------------------------------------------- |
| Receipt printers | Must support ESCPOS |
USB via Flowbox,
or network\*\*
|
| Label printers | Must support ZPL |
USB via Flowbox, or network\*\*
|
| Barcode scanners\* | - | USB or bluetooth |
| Cash drawers | - |
USB via Flowbox, or network\*\*
|
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\*Note that the barcode reader is connected directly to the relevant device, as a barcode reader is simply a "keyboard" with the exception that it only takes barcodes as input, and then "types" the relevant letters and numbers from the barcode into the operatingsystem.
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### Connecting directly to the devices over the network
Flow Retail also supports printing directly to a network-connected printer, either over the LPD port (515) or the Jetdirect ports (9100-9102).
This option requires the Flow Retail Enterprise option, and with Flow Retail being hosted inside your own infrastructure. This option is only available for clients with a minimum of 100 stores.
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