Hardware compatibility

Works with the hardware you already own

Oliver POS runs natively on iPhone, iPad, and Android today — with native macOS and Windows desktop apps coming soon. It's certified for Star and Sunmi printers, all USB and Bluetooth barcode scanners, RJ11/RJ12 cash drawers, and most ESC/POS thermal printers on the market.

Platforms Oliver runs on

Use the devices you already have. The same Oliver register works across all of them, with the same login and the same data.

iOS — iPhone & iPad

A native iOS register for iPhone and iPad, with Tap to Pay on iPhone built in. It runs on any modern iPhone or iPad with iOS 14 or newer.

Android — phones & tablets

A native Android app for tablets and phones running Android 10 or newer. Recommended minimum specs: a quad-core 2.0 GHz CPU and 3 GB of RAM.

macOS — coming soon

A native macOS register for desktop and laptop Macs is in active development. We'll publish the release date as soon as it's locked in.

Windows — coming soon

A native Windows register app for desktop and Surface-class devices is in active development. We'll publish the release date as soon as it's locked in.

Receipt printers

Certified for Star and Sunmi out of the box. Everything else either prints through your operating system or speaks ESC/POS — which covers most thermal printers on the market.

Certified — Star (Star Micronics)

Top-tier support for the TSP and mC-Print families over Wi-Fi, LAN, USB and Bluetooth. Just plug it in, pair it once, and you can print receipts and open the cash drawer.

Certified — Sunmi

The built-in printers on Sunmi smart POS devices (D3, V2, T2 and similar) work natively with Oliver — no driver or extra configuration needed.

System print — AirPrint & Android print

Any printer your iPhone, iPad, or Android device already prints to also works with Oliver: AirPrint on iOS and Android's default print service. A4, Letter, 58, 80 and 90 mm rolls are all supported.

General ESC/POS printers

Most thermal receipt printers on the market speak the ESC/POS protocol, and Oliver supports it. There are a lot of no-name brands out there, though, so we don't guarantee every model — quality varies.

The reliable path: install the printer using the vendor's own setup tool first, so the operating system sees it as a regular printer. Once the OS prints to it, Oliver will pick it up automatically.

Not sure if yours will work? Send us the make and model on the contact page and we'll tell you before you commit.

Barcode scanners

We work with every barcode scanner that's USB or Bluetooth and connects as a keyboard (HID). That covers roughly 99% of scanners shipped today — Honeywell, Zebra, Datalogic, Socket Mobile, and the long tail of generic 1D/2D scanners.

Scanners read barcodes in different ways and most ship pre-programmed for the common case. If you need a specific output format (a prefix, a suffix, a line break after each scan), use the configuration barcodes in your scanner's manual to program it once — Oliver will then receive exactly what you want.

Cash drawers

Oliver works with the RJ11 / RJ12 cash drawers the vast majority of the industry uses (the connector looks like a slightly smaller version of a network jack). The cash drawer plugs into the receipt printer's drawer-kick port and opens when a receipt prints.

That means a cash drawer is supported wherever the printer controlling it is supported. If your printer is in the certified list above or installs easily through your operating system, the cash drawer connected to it will work too.

Keyboards & HID input

External keyboards work across iOS and Android. Plug in a USB or Bluetooth keyboard and you can type into any compatible field in the register — customer name, email, quantity, search, notes, and so on.

Behind the scenes, keyboards and barcode scanners use the same HID input path, so anything that communicates like a keyboard to your device will also communicate with Oliver.

Coming soon

Two things on the way. We'll publish dates as soon as we have them locked in.

macOS native app

A native macOS register for desktop and laptop Macs is in active development. We'll publish the release date as soon as it's locked in.

Windows native app

A native Windows register app for desktop and Surface-class devices is in active development. We'll publish the release date as soon as it's locked in.

Your hardware questions, answered

Do I need to buy hardware from Oliver?
No. Oliver runs on the devices you already own — any iPhone, iPad, or Android phone or tablet. You can add a receipt printer, scanner, cash drawer or card reader if you like, but none of it is required to get started.
My printer isn't a Star or Sunmi — will it work?
Probably. We officially certify Star and Sunmi, but Oliver uses the general ESC/POS protocol that most thermal printers use. We also print through the operating system (AirPrint on iOS, the Android default print service). First, set the printer up with the manufacturer's own software so the OS sees it, and Oliver will pick it up automatically. We can't guarantee every generic brand will work, so please test it before you go live.
Which barcode scanners are supported?
Any USB or Bluetooth scanner that connects as a keyboard (HID). This covers the vast majority of scanners on the market — Honeywell, Zebra, Datalogic, Socket Mobile and most generic 1D/2D models. Most scanners ship pre-programmed; if you need a line break or a specific prefix, use the configuration sheet in your scanner's manual.
Will my cash drawer open from Oliver?
Yes, if it uses the standard RJ11 or RJ12 ('phone cable') drawer-kick connector and plugs into a supported printer. The cash drawer is opened by the printer when a receipt prints, so a cash drawer is only supported on setups where the printer itself is supported.
Can I use a regular USB or Bluetooth keyboard?
Yes — on iOS and Android. Oliver listens for HID keyboard input, so an external keyboard can be used to type into any compatible field (name, email, quantity, customer search, and so on). This is the same input method used by barcode scanners.
Does Tap to Pay need a separate card reader?
No. On a recent iPhone or Android phone, Tap to Pay turns the phone itself into the card reader for contactless cards and digital wallets — no extra hardware needed. For PIN entry, chip cards or larger setups, you can pair a dedicated terminal from our hardware shop.
Does Oliver support weighing scales?
Not at the moment. 'Scale' product types are on our roadmap but aren't supported in the register today. If you have a specific scale integration in mind, contact us with the make and model and we'll let you know where it is in the queue.
Can I use the POS hardware I already own?
Usually, yes. If the printer uses ESC/POS or communicates with the operating system, the scanner emulates a keyboard, and the cash drawer uses an RJ11/RJ12 cable through the printer, you're sorted. Send us the model numbers and we'll confirm compatibility before you commit.

Not sure if your device will work?

Send us the make and model of anything you already own — printer, scanner, cash drawer, terminal — and we'll confirm compatibility within one business day.