Printer-driven, USB or manual? Standard or compact? Here is how cash drawers differ, what they cost, and whether your shop needs one at all.
Today many customers pay by UPI or card. With Baskit on your phone, every bill records how the customer paid - so you always know your cash, UPI and card sales, with or without a drawer.
A cash drawer is worth it when you handle a lot of cash: it keeps notes organised, speeds up giving change, and stays locked between sales.
A connected drawer opens by itself when you print a bill, so it stays locked the rest of the time. A manual drawer opens with a key or button.
Connects to the cash drawer port on your receipt printer with a phone-style RJ11 cable. The drawer opens by itself when a bill prints.
Plugs straight into a Windows PC or POS, so it can open without going through the printer.
No cable at all. Open it with a key or a push-button release. Works with any setup - including billing on your phone.
| Printer-driven | USB | Manual | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | ₹2,500 – ₹4,500 | ₹3,500 – ₹6,000 | ₹1,500 – ₹3,000 |
| Opens automatically on each bill | Yes | Yes | No |
| Connects to | Receipt printer (RJ11) | PC or POS (USB) | Nothing |
| Works with phone billing | Yes, through a LAN or Bluetooth printer with a drawer port | No | Yes |
| Setup | Plug the cable into the printer | Install driver | None |
| Best for | Most shops | Printers without a drawer port | Phone billing, small shops |
Small 2-inch portable printers usually have no drawer port. To open a drawer automatically, use a 3-inch printer with a drawer port - see the receipt printer guide.
Measure your counter first. The drawer usually sits under the POS screen or receipt printer, or is fixed under the counter.
5 note and 8 coin compartments - room for every note from ₹10 to ₹500 and all coins.
4 note and 4 - 8 coin compartments. Fits on smaller counters and under a POS screen.
A small drawer or a box with a lid. Holds less cash but fits anywhere.
Locked, auto-open on each bill, or fully open. Lock it when you step away from the counter.
Most receipt printers drive a 24V drawer. Check the drawer matches your printer before you buy.
A heavy steel body and front resists damage and forced opening. Avoid thin plastic drawers.
Lift the whole note and coin tray out at closing time to count cash or lock it away.
A slot under the tray to drop cheques and large notes without opening the drawer.
Fix the drawer under the counter to save space and stop it being carried away.
Little cash to handle - a lockable manual drawer is enough.
Opens on every bill, with no extra cable to the PC.
Or a printer-driven drawer through a LAN or Bluetooth receipt printer that has a drawer port.
Opens only when a bill prints, so every opening is matched to a sale.
See what a complete setup costs - POS machine, receipt printer, scanner and cash drawer - in our POS machine guide.
Tell us about your counter and we'll suggest the right drawer, printer and scanner - and show you Baskit running on them.
Get a personalized walkthrough of Baskit and see how it can simplify your business.
Free personalized demo • Quick setup • Expert guidance