--- title: "AIM Software Pricing, Alternatives & More 2026 | Capterra" description: "With the help of Capterra, learn about AIM Software - reviews, pricing plans, popular comparisons to other Retail POS System products and more." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/130285/AIMsi/" page_type: "product" language: "en" publication_date: "2026-11-09" --- # AIM Software Review 2026: Features, Integrations, Pros & Cons Last updated on November 9, 2026 Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Description](#description)[Use cases](#use-cases)[Alternatives](#alternatives)[FAQs](#faqs)[Pros and Cons](#pros-cons)[Features](#features)[Pricing](#pricing)[Integrations](#integrations)[Support](#support)[Reviews](#reviews) AIM ## What is AIM? AIM offers retailers not only a way to manage inventory, customers and sales but also offers fully integrated add-on modules such as Accounts Payable & General Ledger, Purchase Orders, Repair & Service, Lesson/Appointment Scheduling & Billing, Short Term Rentals, Rent & Sales Contracts, Contact Management and Emailing capabilities. Build your own custom retail software solution by adding on what you need. AIM integrates with Active-e to offer a complete e-commerce retail solution. ## What is AIM used for? [Retail POS System](https://www.capterra.com/retail-pos-system-software/)[Point of Sale](https://www.capterra.com/point-of-sale-software/)[Retail Management Systems](https://www.capterra.com/retail-management-systems-software/) Overall rating Based on 197 user reviews Reviews sentiment Positive 82% Neutral 7% Negative 11% Pros & cons Comprehensive inventory control tools Frequent software reliability problems Starting price $995 Flat Rate, One Time Free trial not available Capterra Shortlist charts the highest-rated and most popular products... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... ## AIM alternatives Highest Rated [4.4 (243)](https://www.capterra.com/p/96371/Acumatica-Cloud-ERP/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 92% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.2 (1,341)](https://www.capterra.com/p/135618/Odoo/reviews/) Starting price $31.10 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 83% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.4 (205)](https://www.capterra.com/p/124180/Brightpearl/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 91% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.2 (2,086)](https://www.capterra.com/p/135757/NetSuite/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 85% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars ## FAQs about AIM Overview ### What problems does AIM solve? AIM solves fragmented retail operations by connecting point-of-sale transactions, purchasing, receiving, serialized and multi-location inventory, rentals, consignment, and accounting records. Music retailers, repair shops, firearms dealers, and specialty retailers use it to reduce paper-based tracking, monitor stock and sales history, manage contracts and payments, and make replenishment decisions from inventory and sales reports. Answer based on 121 reviews Overview ### Which roles and teams benefit most from AIM? AIM is most used by business owners, presidents, and CEOs who need oversight of daily operations and financial activity. Office, business, and operations managers rely on it to coordinate administrative workflows, while controllers and CFOs use it to monitor accounting processes, reporting, and business performance. Answer based on 121 reviews Overview ### What company size and industries is AIM built for? AIM is built for small retail businesses, which account for 97% of reviewers, particularly retail stores at 70%. Its intended users include musical instrument, appliance, bicycle and fitness, vacuum and sewing, liquor, hobby, golf, resale, and consignment retailers. Music represents 11% and sporting goods 9% of reviewers. Answer based on 198 reviews Features and Usability ### What are the key features of AIM? AIM includes core retail operations features such as point of sale (POS), inventory management, and sales reports. It tracks item availability, sales, and serialized inventory, while built-in and customizable reports support daily store reporting. AIM also covers customer accounts, payment processing, returns management, and multi-location retail management. Answer based on 9 reviews Pricing ### How much does it cost and what fees or limitations are included? AIM starts at $995 as a one-time Base Package fee, including one workstation, one user, training, and two months of premium maintenance. Add-on modules generally cost 445 each, while long-term rental contracts cost 745. Reviewers call pricing affordable, but cite separately priced modules, costly upgrades, training, support, and hardware. Answer based on 34 reviews Integrations ### Which third-party tools and platforms does AIM integrate with? AIM integrates with FastBound and Smartwaiver. FastBound supports firearms compliance and bound-book record management, while Smartwaiver handles digital waivers and customer acknowledgments. These integrations connect AIM with key compliance and waiver-management processes used by firearms retailers, ranges, and related businesses. Answer based on 17 reviews Getting Started and Support ### How easy is it to onboard and train a team on AIM? AIM offers in-person and live online training, webinars, documentation, and videos. Reviewers report that front-line staff and new employees, including users with limited computer skills, often learn core POS tasks quickly. Administrators and teams configuring modules, reports, e-commerce, or service workflows typically face a longer learning curve and may need hands-on support. Answer based on 33 reviews Getting Started and Support ### What customer support options does AIM offer, and how do users rate the experience? AIM offers email/help desk, FAQ/forum, phone support, and chat. Many users describe support staff as knowledgeable, patient, and quick to resolve issues, particularly during setup and troubleshooting. However, some report inconsistent help quality, limited training resources, fees for additional assistance, and difficulty obtaining support outside regular hours. Answer based on 71 reviews Sale and purchase ### How well does AIM handle sales and purchasing? AIM handles retail sales, purchase orders, inventory, customer records, and specialized transactions in one system. Retailers value support for consignments, trade-ins, rentals, repairs, and multi-channel selling, while some users find purchasing workflows, sale-price setup, reporting, and initial configuration complicated or time-consuming. Answer based on 59 reviews ## Pros and Cons Comprehensive inventory control tools 79% positive reviews out of 28 Most reviewers describe inventory management as robust, enabling efficient tracking, reporting, and multi-location coordination. Frequent software reliability problems 76% negative reviews out of 41 Most reviewers report bugs and issues, including crashes, freezes, error handling problems, and difficulty correcting mistakes. ## Features AI summary Based on 1,708 Retail POS System reviews Capterra data shows that buyers of retail POS systems rank the following features as their top priorities: - **Inventory Tracking** (**61%** of reviewers rated this feature as critical) - **Point of Sale (POS)** (**70%**) - **Credit Card Processing** (**70%**) AIM includes **Inventory Tracking** and **Point of Sale (POS)**, giving retailers the tools to monitor stock levels accurately and complete in-store transactions from one system. However, it does not offer **Credit Card Processing**. Instead, it provides **Payment Processing** (**57%**), which still supports transaction handling at checkout. Together, these features help businesses keep inventory current, process sales efficiently, and give teams a clearer view of day-to-day store activity. Point of Sale (POS) 4.7 (21) 66.67% of 21 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Accept and process customer payments for products or services using hardware and software Payment Processing 4.4 (25) 60.00% of 25 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Accept, record, and reconcile financial transactions Sales Reports 4.3 (31) 54.84% of 31 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Reports specific to sales analysis for trends and strategies Inventory Management 4.4 (29) 62.07% of 29 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Track and manage inventory levels to maintain proper supply For Retail 4.6 (26) 69.23% of 26 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important For Retail Stores eCommerce Management 4.2 (17) 41.18% of 17 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Has a built-in eCommerce system or integrates with third-party systems to manage online sale of products AIM 45 features ### All Features - Accounting: Built-in accounting to manage ledger, accounts payable/receivable, financial reports, etc. - Accounting Integration: Integrate with a third-party accounting system - Barcode Recognition: The ability to identify a barcode on or within an image or packaging - Barcode/Ticket Scanning: Scan barcodes to ensure accurate pricing and label tracking - Billing & Invoicing: Create, manage, and send invoices or bills to customers - Commission Management: Tracking, calculating, and paying commissions and earnings to employees - CRM: Built-in customer relationship management (CRM) capabilities or integration with a third-party CRM system - Customer Accounts: Record customer information, purchase history, and other notes - Customer Database: A collection of customer information such as contact details, demographics, previous interactions, etc. - Customer History: Access previous interactions or concerns to maintain customer relationships - Customizable Reports: Alter the layout and content of reports - Discount Management: Track products that are for sale at a reduced price or part of coupon promotions - eCommerce Management: Has a built-in eCommerce system or integrates with third-party systems to manage online sale of products - Electronic Signature: Digitally sign online documents - Email Marketing: Create and send email blasts/campaigns - Employee Management: Track employee schedules, availability, and performance across projects and tasks - For Retail: For Retail Stores - Gift Card Management: Reward loyal customers with gift cards which they can redeem for special offers and loyalty bonus - Inventory Management: Track and manage inventory levels to maintain proper supply - Inventory Optimization: Maintain and control the stock level of inventory - Inventory Replenishment: Track stock count levels to manage product reordering - Inventory Tracking: Track and monitor inventory items, such as raw materials, unfinished goods, and ready-to-sell items - Item Management: Collect, organize, and track inventory/product data including item numbers, descriptions, etc. - Layaway Management: Purchasing method in which a consumer places a deposit on an item for later pick-up when they come back and pay the balance - Loyalty Program: Offer prizes, discounts, and other incentives for customers to earn reward points on purchases and redeem them for future purchases - Multi-Location: Manage and support multiple locations - Order Management: Manage and track customer orders for goods, investments, or any other purchases - Ordering Automation: Automate order processes to improve operational efficiency in fulfillment, shipping, and more - Payment Processing: Accept, record, and reconcile financial transactions - Point of Sale (POS): Accept and process customer payments for products or services using hardware and software - Pricing Management: Tool used to determine accurate pricing and product eligibility for borrowers - Purchase Order Management: Create, send, and track purchase orders and their statuses - Receipt Management: Upload, track, and submit receipts in a central database - Retail Inventory Management: Tracking, organizing, and controlling retail inventory throughout the supply chain and sales process - Retail Management: Manage sales in retail stores - Retail POS: For retailers - Returns Management: Track and facilitate returns of products sold - Returns Tracking: See what items have been returned - Sales Reports: Reports specific to sales analysis for trends and strategies - Scheduling: Plan availability and assign specific time slots for tasks and resources - Stock Management: Manage the buying, selling, and holding of stocks - Tee Sheet Management: Ability to manage and book course tee times online, tee time intervals, and tee sheet templates/changes - Templates: Sample files or documents that could be customized as needed or used as is - Touch Screen: Interactivity between software and users by touching areas on the screen of display devices - Transaction History: Record of all transactions such as purchases, deposits, withdrawals and transfers within a specific period --- Get Advice We can help you find the software with the features you need. Features 4.2 (192) 4.2 Based on 192 reviews ## Pricing Value for money 4.0 (106) [View pricing plan details](https://www.capterra.com/p/130285/AIMsi/pricing/) Base Package $995.00 Flat Rate,One Time It includes: - 1-Hour Online Training - 1 Workstation License and Two Months of Premium Maintenance Plan - Accounts Receivable - All Point of Sale Activity - Barcoding - Customer Management - Daily Report - Electronic Gift Card Capabilitiesm Complete POS Activity - Includes 1 User - Inventory Control - Report Catalog - Time Clock Value for money 4.0 (106) 4.0 Based on 106 reviews ## Integrations [ Smartwaiver](https://www.capterra.com/p/168238/Smartwaiver/)[ FastBound](https://www.capterra.com/p/195829/FastBound/) Connect with a Capterra advisor for a free 15-minute consultation Get a personalized software list aligned to your business needs with guidance from our expert advisors. Our team has helped 1 million+ businesses like yours find options that fit their needs. ## Support, customer service and training options Customer Service 4.3 (196) Support - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat Training - In Person - Live Online - Webinars - Documentation - Videos Deployment - Web - Android - iPhone/iPad Typical users - Freelancers - Small businesses - Mid size businesses - Enterprises Customer Service 4.3 (196) 4.3 Based on 196 reviews ## User reviews Overall rating 4.1 Based on 197 reviews Filter by rating Counts reflect reviews available in this feed. 5(82) 4(71) 3(20) 2(13) 1(11) Mentioned topic Recent reviews first, then most helpful FO Founder Founder Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "Its really easy to make reports which is good for this type of software" 5.0 March 14, 2018 Pros I really like how you can easily generate reports, that's important for my business and I believe this software can do the best job of it. Cons I don't like that's a little clunky to use, but that should go without saying because this is super complex software we're dealing with here. OW Owner/Operator Owner/Operator Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Pleased!" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 November 19, 2020 Overall we are very happy with AIM for our business. The tech support is awesome! They are always ready to help and super friendly. I love that they can remote in and show us what to do. Pros We have been using the contract module side of AIM for our instrument rental contracts to keep track of monthly payments since the beginning of our business in 2004. We pulled away for a brief stint to try another company and it was a disaster. The instrument rental contracts are the bread and butter of our business. If it fails, we fail. If the customer doesn't feel like they can trust us with their personal info because the system fails, we fail. It's a reflection on us. We came back to AIM in 2019 and went all in with the full point of sale system and we've never looked back. We highly recommend AIM. Cons We do wish that there weren't so many steps to follow. Seems like there is a huge learning curve to this program. Once you live it and breath it like it do it's one thing. But my employees tend to make mistakes often because they miss a step. And for example: having to get out of one frame and into another one for the same customer with a different question about their account is sometimes frustrating. Also. I really wish that an email went out immediately to my rental contract customers on autopay when their card is declined. The ability is there, as they receive an email immediately when the payment goes through, but not when it declines. This would help our collection dept out tremendously if this option was implemented. VP VP/CFO VP/CFO Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "Great feature set and support. Very poorly implemented." 2.0 Overall Rating 2.0 2.0 Ease of Use 2.0 2.0 Features 3.0 3.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 3/10 February 1, 2017 The product has features that no other has, especially for the musical instrument rental business. However, it is showing its age. The worst thing is that it wasn't written well even to standards that we had 30 years ago. (I started in the IT business in 1986.) I would recommend it, with a great many warnings, to a musical instrument rental or similar company, but absolutely not to anyone else. Pros The feature set for the rent-to-own business is good. So far as we have been able to discover, there is no other product at any price that supports our business. (If there was, I would be on it like a duck on a June bug.) The support staff is excellent! Cons I would have fired an experienced programmer or seriously chewed out a beginner 30 years ago if they designed a user interface that was so poorly implemented. You never know from screen to screen what you have to do to do a "find." Sometimes you have to hit Tab for the program to work, sometimes you have to hit Enter. The mere fact that in a good many places the programmers apparently elected to use the tab key or enter key events rather than the OnExit event is inexcusable. (Click the OK or Save button without first tabbing out of a field and there is a great chance that the changes to the field you were last in were not saved.) Things as simple as standard naming conventions for naming reports are just an example that someone either didn't understand design or didn't care. (The reports aren't in report name order because some inept person decided to put "Print" or "List" in front of the report name, thereby making the lists sort out without rhyme or reason. Having a table of variables to STORE system options is fine. It's even okay for a first release. However, how a system that has been on the market this long without having a user interface on said table indicates a huge lack of caring. The user interface flaws cannot be excused by the fact that the programs are old. The design flaws would not have been acceptable in a DOS or even a CP/M program. The back end modules are simply sad. The fact that they decided to write the back end all over again in the new system that they plan to release someday indicates a huge lack of judgment. Why the devil would one reinvent the wheel, especially after doing such a poor job the first time around, when one could interface to any of several well-written, mature, user-friendly and well-supported G/L, A/P, A/R, etc. systems and focus on the specialized modules that make me use AIMsi to start with? (QuickBooks immediately comes to mind.) Doing so would save well into six figures of development cost, give one a solid base on which to build, and even give one a huge marketing opportunity by being an enhancement to a widely-used system rather than being a home-rolled thing. It would also give me some hope that the new release would be available in my lifetime. They are simply burning man-years of programming effort and stretching lead times unreasonably. As bad as the G/L module is, their "Purchase Order" module simply boggles the mind. They make a sad effort to somehow combine P/O and Customer Order Processing while making both the COP features and the interface to A/P damned near unusable. One need only looks at the database design to see that whoever wrote the COP programs had never actually worked on one before. No Order Header and Order Line Item tables? Really? They sort of sludge everything together in something that they dreamed up from scratch. Even the terminology used for field names and labels is non-standard. "Picked" has a very well understood meaning in the COP industry. They have a whole new definition. I could go on forever... OM Office Manager Office Manager Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Product Review " 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 October 6, 2022 My overall experience has been great. From the beginning the help to set this program up for our needs was challenging but very successful. Josh, our salesman has been nothing but helpful and informative and always replys quickly and is always checking in. That is very important to us, someone who takes the time to email every so often to check in and make sure everything is going well. If we have a question he always responds quickly. Pros The more we use the software the more we learn and love the product. We use this software everyday runnig reports, for our POS, inventory, and much more. We love the button feature to make everyday use easy. Cons I find that it is hard to find a credit card company that is compliant with AIM. MM Managing Member Managing Member Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "AIM Software and POS System for retail sales" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 May 10, 2023 Positive! Their customer support is exceptional. Their Tech staff are very knowledgeableand patient. In 45-60 seconds, I can be on a call with an English speaking technical representative who knows the Tri-Tech/AIM system. Pros Quickly execute sales, tracking serialized inventory and sales is detailed and quick. Cons There are a million features! It was overwhelming in the beginning to decide which ones were going to be essential for our business. VO VP OPERATIONS VP OPERATIONS Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "Overall great value and awesome tech support" 3.0 Overall Rating 3.0 3.0 Ease of Use 3.0 3.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 September 14, 2022 Overall I would buy the software again. Great people, knowledge and they absolutely show concern about your business. The software, on a basic level, is easy to learn for new employees. I've seen many positive changes in the last two years and I'm sticking around to see what's next! Pros Easy.......... The fact it can communicate by sending auto calls and text to my customers and helping me to stay in touch along the way. We are a repair shop and this has not only saved us tons of time but this feature has made us lots of money$$$. The POS and customization of the screen and tech support. Tech support is absolutely, hands down, some of the best I've ever experienced. They answer the phone and stay with you until you understand. Very nice people who never make you feel stupid. Also love the fact you can so easily access your data. Other software we've had has limited the backend data to you where as AIM absolutely encourages you to use it. I will say.... a new employee can be taught in under 5 minutes how to check out a customer through the POS. Cons Inventory management, pricing and the repair shop module all need some help. All usable and functional. They are just some areas that aren't as polished as other software. Also, if you are a company with over a million different SKU's, beware. The software really is slow. I know! FYI, you'll need own EXCEL and have a basic understanding in order to to manage your inventory as AIM just simply does not have the capability to do so. MA Manager Manager Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Small shop with multiple needs" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 3.0 3.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 7/10 October 11, 2022 Overall the POS has helped us make large improvements to how we do bussines. In many small ways the software is inflexable and since we have an owner with a CPA he has noted that the accounting side of the software is not as intuitive as others like quickbooks. As we get more familiar with it things are making more sense but the learning curve for the accounting reports is steeper than expected. Pros Customizing the menu system makes it easy to help new users get familiar. Cons The bugs that we do have often leave issues that take time to find or resolve after the initial issue is corrected. OW Owner Owner Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Great POS/Gun book/Range Software" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 October 6, 2022 Been a fantastic system....we recommend it whenever we are asked what we use by other gun stores. Pros I don't have to have multiple systems running to achieve everything we need to do...AIM does it all Cons learning curve....set up and learning the system takes time CO Controller Controller Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "A jewel in a difficult and expensive industry" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 October 6, 2022 We deployed, then 4 years later deployed ecommerce Pros Ease of Use, Cost, Customer Service, Merchant Services relationship. Cons Canned Reports are often minimal, but I summarize them in complex Xcel worksheets Steve J. Owner Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "Ok for small-scale non-ecommerce shops" 3.0 Overall Rating 3.0 3.0 Ease of Use 3.0 3.0 Features 3.0 3.0 Customer Service 3.0 3.0 Likelihood to Recommend 4/10 January 21, 2021 It was a good starting point, but we outgrew this software within 2 years of starting the company. Our eCommerce portal was functional, but cumbersome. Pros The tracking data on products was quite helpful. Serial numbers were regarded as individual numbers with unique purchase order receiving data that could be cross referenced with customer service records and trade-in information. Backorder protocol for Purchase Orders is the one thing I do miss about this software. Cons Local server based. This made it very difficult to process transactions remotely (tradeshows, etc) or work remotely. [View all Reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/130285/AIMsi/reviews/) ## Top-rated software of 2026 ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox. Popular comparisons [Odoo vs AIM](https://www.capterra.com/compare/130285-135618/AIMsi-vs-Odoo) [Rain POS vs AIM](https://www.capterra.com/compare/130285-140893/AIMsi-vs-Rain-Point-of-Sale)