Music City Labs

Keyholder guide

Keyholder vs layaway and card surcharge apps for Shopify POS

Looking for a Magical Surcharge, Downpay or Reservo alternative? Keyholder, in development, plans layaway and rule-checked card fees in one Shopify POS app.

By Blake Smith, founder of Music City Labs. Updated .

Short answer: Shopify POS has no built-in layaway (Shopify's own guide says so), so shops add one app for layaway and another for card fees. Keyholder is being built to do both from one tile: layaway from the cart, plus card fees only where the state and card brand allow them, with signs for each state and a check that refunds any fee charged on a debit card. We didn't find debit card checks, state rules or signs on the five fee app listings below. For a shop on Shopify POS that wants layaway, card fees and more on one bill, that's what Keyholder is being built for. The apps below are installable today.

Disclosure: We make Keyholder, a Shopify POS app in development now: not yet built or installable, with early access open. It is planned to include layaway and card fee tools, so it would compete with these apps. Every app detail below comes from each app's Shopify App Store listing, checked November 3, 2026. "Not stated" means the listing doesn't mention it.

At a glance

AppTypeWorks with Shopify POSPrice fromLaunched
Keyholder (Music City Labs)Planned: layaway, card fee tools, work orders and more in one appPlannedNot set yetIn development
Reservo Deposits & Layaway (United Apps)Holds, deposits, layawayYes$19 a monthJuly 4, 2025
Layaway: Reserve & Deposit (Molsoft)Layaway, holds, depositsYes$17 a monthMay 12, 2026
Downpay: Partial Pay & DepositDeposits, partial payments, pre-ordersNot stated$29 a monthMarch 20, 2023
Magical Surcharge + Extra Fees (Magical Apps)Fees and surchargesYes$9 a monthJanuary 7, 2022
Feesly: Surcharge & Fees (Merchbytes)Fees and surchargesYes$0.99 a monthNovember 29, 2021
Chargly: Collect POS Fees (Sasquatch Studio)POS feesYes$6.99 a monthFebruary 24, 2025
Surchi: Fees and Surcharges (Atomic POS)POS fees and surchargesYes$7.99 a monthJune 24, 2025
F: POS Fees Collection (Final Apps)POS fees and surchargesYes$7 a monthOctober 27, 2025

Why stores choose Keyholder

These are plans, not features you can use yet.

  • Layaway and card fees in one app. Every app above does one of the two. Keyholder plans both on its Shop plan: one tile, one bill.
  • Layaway from the cart, start to finish: a deposit and payment schedule, reminders, payments at the register, pickup that closes into a sale, and cancellations that follow your refund rule.
  • Fees only where they're allowed. Card fees pass on only where the state and card brand allow it, with signs and receipt wording for each state and a cash discount mode where surcharges are banned.
  • No surprise debit fees. A check after each sale refunds any fee charged on a debit card. The fee listings above don't say they check for debit.
  • More than layaway and fees: work orders, quotes, reports, reorder points, a time clock, commissions, loyalty and gift card reloads are planned in the same app. See the full planned list.
  • A planned free plan with a card fee report (effective rate by location, device and card brand), store donations and the right sales tax at markets and pop-ups (one event a month).
  • Tested at a real counter. We run a brick-and-mortar store on Shopify POS and plan to test every part there first.

Pricing

Keyholder's prices aren't set yet; layaway and card fee tools are planned for the Shop plan. Covering both today takes two subscriptions, one from each list below.

Layaway and deposit apps

  • Reservo: In-person only $19 a month (unlimited in-person reservations, managed in the admin and on POS, automatic stock holds and expiry, emails to staff and customers). In-person and Online $29 (adds online reservations, deposits, payment links and deadlines). Automation $39 (adds deposits on out-of-stock items, waitlists and Shopify Flow triggers). 7-day trial.
  • Layaway: Reserve & Deposit: $17 a month or $184 a year. Optional deposit up front, partial payments at POS over time, locked inventory, holds that expire on their own, and reminder emails before a layaway expires. 7-day trial.
  • Downpay: $29 a month (up to $5,000 in total order value), $49 (up to $10,000), $99 (up to $25,000) and $249 (up to $100,000). Includes payment schedules, reminders, auto-charging the card on file and a customer portal. 7-day trial.

Card fee and surcharge apps

  • Magical Surcharge + Extra Fees: Starter $9 a month or $85 a year, with POS, online store and draft order fees, credit card fees and 60 days of fee history. Plus ($29) and Plus + Compliance ($79) are for Shopify Plus stores only. 14-day trial.
  • Feesly: $0.99 a month for every feature. On POS, staff tap a fee on the smart grid, or a default fee applies automatically. 30-day trial.
  • Chargly: $6.99 a month, with fixed or percentage fees. Staff tap the tile and choose the fee. 7-day trial.
  • Surchi: Basic $7.99 a month, Pro $9.99 (adds product fees per quantity and a location filter). Fees adjust as the cart changes. 14-day trial.
  • F: POS Fees Collection: $7, $9, $19 and $29 a month. The fee is added as a tax-exempt charge in the cart. 30-day trial.

When these apps might fit better

  • You need it now, with a track record. These are installable today. Magical Surcharge has 4.9 stars from 138 reviews and a Built for Shopify badge; Downpay has 5.0 from 97 reviews and Built for Shopify status.
  • Online deposits and pre-orders: Downpay and Reservo's higher plans cover online deposits and payment links, and Magical Surcharge covers online checkout and draft order fees. Keyholder is planned around the register.
  • One job at a small price: for just a fee line on POS, Feesly costs $0.99 and Chargly $6.99 a month.

Other ratings on November 3, 2026: Reservo 4.8 from 6 reviews, Feesly 3.6 from 15, Chargly 2.2 from 4. Layaway: Reserve & Deposit, Surchi and F: POS Fees Collection have no reviews yet. Keyholder isn't listed yet.

Which to choose

  • Layaway, card fees and more from one tile: Keyholder. Ask for early access; use an app below until it opens.
  • Layaway at the register today: Reservo or Layaway: Reserve & Deposit. Both list Shopify POS.
  • Deposits on custom work or pre-orders, mostly online: Downpay. Ask about POS; the listing doesn't say.
  • A POS fee line plus online checkout fees: Magical Surcharge.
  • The lowest-cost POS fee tile: Feesly, Chargly, Surchi or F: POS Fees Collection. Read the recent reviews first.

Questions

What's the best alternative to Magical Surcharge?

For card fees that follow state and card brand rules, with signs and a debit check, Keyholder is being built for that; ask for early access. For a POS fee line today, Feesly ($0.99), Chargly ($6.99), Surchi ($7.99) and F: POS Fees Collection ($7) cost less, with fewer reviews. Of the five fee apps, only Magical Surcharge shows the Built for Shopify badge.

Is there one app for layaway and surcharges on Shopify POS?

Among the eight apps we checked, each listing describes layaway and deposits or card fees, not both. Keyholder is planned to cover both. It's in development.

Does Shopify POS have layaway?

Not built in. Shopify's layaway guide says POS supports multiple and partial payments but isn't a layaway program with balance tracking and item holding. See how to offer layaway on Shopify POS.

Can a surcharge app tell if a card is debit?

We didn't see a debit card check on the five fee app listings; on those, staff usually decide when to add the fee. Square's and Lightspeed's help pages note US surcharges apply to credit cards only, capped at 3%. Keyholder plans a check that refunds any debit fee.

See every Keyholder feature, and ask for early access.

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