Point of Sale (POS) System Development in Uganda: Complete Guide
Thinking of building or buying a POS system in Uganda? Read our 2026 guide on features, mobile money integration, and the cost of custom POS development in Kampala.
In 2026, a "standard" POS is no longer enough. You need a system built for the Ugandan context.
- Introduction
- Why Generic POS Systems Fail in Uganda
- The 2026 E-Receipt Standard (EFRIS Integration)
- Essential Features for Uganda
- Hardware Recommendations for Local Shops
- Scaling from One Shop to Twenty
- POS Security: Preventing Internal Fraud
- Custom vs. Off-the-Shelf Comparison
- The Cost of Development in 2026
- Summary & Key Takeaways
- Common FAQs
Many shops in Kampala buy cheap POS software from abroad, only to encounter these problems:
- No Mobile Money Integration: They can't automatically reconcile MTN or Airtel payments.
- Offline Failure: If the internet goes off (common in many parts of Kampala), the shop stops.
- Lack of Local Support: If the receipt printer stops working, who do you call?
- Fixed Currency: They struggle with the large numbers in Ugandan Shillings (UGX).
If you are hiring system developers in Uganda to build your POS, ensure they include these:
- Multi-Payment Support: Seamlessly switch between Cash, Mobile Money, and Visa/Mastercard.
- Offline-Mode with Sync: Allow sales to continue without internet and sync to the cloud when back online.
- Inventory Smart Alerts: Get an SMS when stock for a certain item is below 5 units.
- Multi-Branch Management: View sales from your Kampala, Jinja, and Entebbe shops in one dashboard.
- Anti-Theft Audit Logs: Track every action taken by staff (deletes, price changes, etc.).
- WhatsApp Receipts: Give customers the option to receive receipts via WhatsApp to save on paper costs.
| Factor | Custom Built (Desishub) | Off-the-Shelf (Standard) |
|---|
| Local Integrations | Native MoMo & SMS | Requires 3rd party apps |
| Language/Shillings | Optimized for UGX | Often limited |
| Support | Face-to-Face in Kampala | Email/Chat only |
| Monthly Fees | Zero (You own it) | $30 - $100 per month |
- Cloud-Based Basic POS: 3,000,000 UGX – 5,000,000 UGX.
- Multi-Branch Enterprise POS: 10,000,000 UGX – 25,000,000 UGX.
- Hardware Costs: You also need to budget for Thermal Printers, Barcode Scanners, and Tablets/Computers.
At Desishub Technologies, we build POS systems that feel like ultra-fast web apps. Using Next.js and a local-first database architecture, our systems are the fastest in the market. We specialize in automated mobile money reconciliation, meaning your staff never has to manually check if "that 20k really arrived."
Ready to stop the leakages in your business? Get a POS Consultation with Desishub Today.