What is a cash register? And how to choose one
What a cash register is, a machine vs cloud software, what Israeli law requires, what it costs, and 5 well-known cash register companies in Israel.
Written with AI help and fact-checked.
A cash register is a machine or software that records every sale, issues a receipt to the customer and sums up the day. It used to be a machine with a keypad and a drawer. Today many small businesses use cash register software: an app or website on a tablet, computer or phone. → The POS system guide
What a cash register does
- Records every sale: product, price, discount and total.
- Issues a receipt: with business name, business number, items, date and time.
- Records the payment method: cash, card, cheque or several together.
- Closes the day: a Z report (דוח Z) with all sales and payments.
- Keeps the data: for your accountant and for audits.
Cash register machine vs cloud cash register
| Cash register machine | Cloud cash register | |
|---|---|---|
| What you buy | A machine | A software subscription |
| Where the data is | In the machine's memory and on the register tape | On a server, with backup |
| Reports | Printed at the register | In the browser, from home too |
| Products | Usually by department and amount | Every product by name and barcode |
| Price updates | Manual, on each machine | Once for all branches |
| Machine breaks | Call a technician | Log in from another device |
What Israeli law requires from a cash register
A cash register machine must meet the conditions of the Income Tax (Bookkeeping) Instructions:
- Record every item, discount and total, with a transaction number and time.
- Give the buyer a slip with business name, business number, items, date and time.
- Print a daily summary (Z report) with a sequential number.
- Not allow a sale to be changed after it's closed.
Cash register software must be listed in the Tax Authority's software registry (מרשם התוכנות), and produce a uniform-format file (קובץ במבנה אחיד) for your accountant. Check the listing in the Tax Authority's database. → What the law really requires from a POS system
What a cash register costs
- Machine: a one-time payment, plus a technician and paper.
- Cloud cash register: a monthly subscription per branch or station. Check setup fees, commitment and the cost of an extra station.
- Either way: a receipt printer, and if you take cards, a terminal and a processing fee too. → What card processing costs · Cash register with cards
5 well-known cash register companies in Israel
KupaLi is our POS. We picked well-known Israeli companies that offer a cash register for small businesses. Alphabetical order, not a ranking. Details from the companies' websites, checked on 3.11.2026.
| Company | What it is | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| iCount | A POS app for tablets, connected to the company's accounting software. | Businesses that keep their books in iCount |
| KupaLi | A browser POS on the device you already have, with an offline mode. Cards on your own terminal or on a pinpad connected to the register. | Small businesses that want to start without buying equipment |
| Linet | A browser POS, built into Linet's accounting and stock software. | Businesses that want POS and accounting in one place |
| Rivhit | Rivhit's cash register module, connected to the company's accounting software. | Businesses already working with Rivhit |
| Tranzila | A cloud POS from the processing company Tranzila, with card processing in the plan. | Businesses that want POS and processing from one company |
Prices and plans change. Before you choose, check each company's site for what's included, and check its listing in the software registry. Want stock, a loyalty club and staff too? → What is a smart POS
6 questions before you choose a cash register
- What device does it run on? Do you need to buy a new one?
- What happens when the internet goes down?
- Can you stay with your current processing company?
- Are there setup fees or a commitment?
- How do you get support?
- Is it listed in the software registry, and how do you get your data out if you leave?
KupaLi's Register plan
- ₪79 per branch per month + VAT. No setup fee and no commitment.
- POS, receipts and unlimited products, customer profiles and basic stock.
- Internet down? Keep selling with cash and cheques, and everything syncs when the connection returns.
- Cards two ways: on the terminal you already have, or on a pinpad connected to the register (₪1,500 + VAT). With the pinpad, the register sends it the amount and the customer pays.
- Listed in the software registry, with a uniform-format file for your accountant. → Try 14 days free
More questions
What must a receipt show?
Business name, business number, items, date, time and transaction number.
Can I use a tablet as a cash register?
Yes. Cloud POS systems usually run on a tablet, computer or phone.
What else do people ask?
What is a cash register?
A machine or software that records every sale, issues a receipt to the customer and sums up the day.
What's the difference between a cash register and a POS system?
A classic cash register records amounts. A POS system also manages products, stock and customers. In everyday speech the two terms are used almost interchangeably.
Does every business need a cash register?
It depends on the type and size of the business. The bookkeeping rules for retailers include a cash register tape, and very small businesses can sometimes keep a daily takings book instead. Check with your accountant.
What's the difference between an X report and a Z report?
An X report is an interim summary without a reset. A Z report is the final summary of the day, with a sequential number.
Does a cash register issue tax invoices?
It depends on the register. In KupaLi every sale gets a receipt, and tax invoices and allocation numbers (מספר הקצאה) are issued in your invoicing software.