Do You Need a Cash Register App for a Garage Sale?

Do I need a cash register at a garage sale?

Not a real one. A store register is overkill for a weekend sale; what you need is a safe place for the money, a fast way to add up prices and make change, and some record of what came in.

What’s the easiest way to take money at a yard sale?

For most sales: cash, a cash box and something that adds up prices. Which tool fits depends on how busy you’ll be and whether you’ll take anything besides cash.

For scale: Square’s listed in-person card fee on its Free plan is 2.6% + 15¢ per payment (squareup.com, checked October 31, 2026).

What is a “till app” or “register app”?

The same idea as a cash register, on your phone or tablet. You tap in prices, it adds up the sale, you enter what the buyer handed you, and it shows the change. Most also save each sale so you can see the day’s total.

What’s the difference between a cash register app and a POS app like Square?

A POS (point of sale) app is built to take payments — mostly cards — so it usually wants an account, a card reader or tap-to-pay, and a cut of each card sale; many add inventory and staff tools. A simple register just does the math for cash sales. For a typical garage sale the simple one is enough; a POS is worth it if you expect a lot of card buyers.

Can I just use my phone’s calculator?

Yes, and for a small sale it’s fine. The catch: it isn’t a record of your sales — there’s no running total for the day, and the change is a second calculation while someone waits.

What should a garage sale register app do?

The basics: fast change math, a record of every sale, and nothing that slows you down at the table.

• Change math — enter what the buyer paid, see the change.
• A record of every sale, plus the day’s total.
• Work offline — driveways and basements don’t always have signal.
• No account to make before you can start.
• If you share the sale: track whose item sold and work out each person’s share.
• A price you can see before the sale starts.

Which garage sale register apps are there?

Here are the ones I found on the US App Store, with what each listing said. Prices and features change, so check the listing before you download.

• Yard Sale: Rummage Register — free, with in-app upgrades including Pro Monthly ($1.99) and Pro Yearly ($10.99). Pro adds multiple sellers and revenue splits. iPhone, iPad and Mac.
• Yard Sale + — free, with in-app purchases from $3.99 to $14.99. Item catalog, extra cashiers, and earnings broken down by seller.
• QuickSell Pro — $2.99, no in-app purchases. Barcode scanning, stock counts, and what’s owed to each seller. Privacy label: Data Not Collected.
• Cashister — $2.99, no in-app purchases. Set up items with prices; it totals the order and the change, and exports sales to CSV. Privacy label: Data Not Collected.
• Square Point of Sale — free download. Takes cards, with a fee on each card payment.
• Yard Till (mine) — coming soon to the App Store. Free download with 10 free sales, then $2.99 once. Cash only; splits shared items between sellers. iPhone and iPad.

Checked on the US App Store, October 31, 2026.

When is Yard Till the right pick — and when isn’t it?

Yard Till fits a cash sale where you want the change worked out for you and a record of the day — especially a multi-family sale where the money has to be split. Pick something else if you need card payments, barcode scanning or inventory.

It’s free for your first 10 sales, then $2.99 once. No account, works offline, and your sales stay on your device. It isn’t on the App Store yet — see Yard Till.