melkal.com

What It Is

Melkal is a cash register/POS software solution for professional merchants in France, with optional hardware. It emphasizes being “simple, secure, complete, and low-cost.” Its core selling points are French NF525 fiscal certification, a low subscription fee starting from €8.99 excluding VAT per month, and synchronized use across computers, tablets, phones, and professional cash registers.

Core Capabilities

Based on the available information, Melkal is more than just a basic checkout system. It covers sales and payments, inventory management, ordering assistance, excess stock alerts, customer and loyalty features, marketing campaigns, e-commerce synchronization, accounting exports, business management, and automatic invoicing. Its multi-device capability is a notable strength: a single subscription can be used on up to 10 cash registers, computers, tablets, and phones, with simultaneous and remote access. For example, an order can be created on a phone and completed at the cash register, or an accountant can view data from their office. On the hardware side, it supports merchants’ own devices, while also offering professional POS equipment such as Sunmi devices, with deep communication with TPE payment terminals, receipt printers, customer displays, cash drawers, and more.

Pricing and Payments

The software starts at €8.99 excluding VAT per month and includes support, updates, backups, tax certification, video training, and accounting result exports. New customers get three months free, with no commitment and no need to enter a bank card. An example hardware bundle, the Sunmi D3 mini, is priced at €335 excluding VAT. Hardware is sold, not rented, and cannot be purchased separately. For payments, Melkal does not lock merchants into an exclusive payment provider and does not take a commission on card transactions. Merchants can choose a bank or a professional payment provider for TPE or Tap-to-Pay services.

Pros and Cons

The advantages are its highly competitive pricing, clear French tax compliance, flexible multi-device synchronization, relatively open hardware and payment choices, and included backups, updates, and training. Its SDK-level hardware integrations with brands such as Sunmi, Epson, and Star also help improve stability.

The drawbacks are that the publicly available information is mainly focused on the French market. Details on permission management, data encryption, GDPR practices, open API documentation, and the specific supported payment and e-commerce platforms are not sufficiently disclosed. Companies that need international deployment or complex headquarters-level permission governance should verify these points further.

Who It’s For and Access from China

It is best suited for independent retailers in France, small chain stores, market and trade-show sellers, institutional convenience stores, and merchants that require NF525-compliant checkout. The available text does not provide information on access from mainland China, so its status is unknown.