9 Best POS Systems for Restaurants of 2026

This list is for restaurant owners choosing a point of sale system and trying to work out what it will cost each month. We ranked each system by value first, then features, then ease of use, and looked at three costs: the software fee, the hardware you must buy or finance, and the card processing rate. The price column shows the cheapest paid software plan in USD from each vendor's page on the check date. Where a vendor publishes no prices, the price is marked pending. We compared documented features and published prices.

1. 01Top value

   

   Square for Restaurants

   8.9/10

   Square's restaurant POS, sold as Free, Plus and Premium plans with published card rates and add-on kitchen and kiosk apps.

   Price

   $49per location per month

   Square Free at $0 per month; Plus $49 and Premium $149 per location per month; in-person cards from 2.6% + 15¢ on Free down to 2.4% + 15¢ on Premium

   “With Square Plus and Square Premium, the monthly fee applies to each location you run. $0/mo. per location $49/mo. per location $149/mo. per location” Quoted from the pricing page, November 6, 2026.

   Free plan

   Yes

   Free trial

   30 days

   Value (40%)

   9.0

   Features (35%)

   8.6

   Ease of use (25%)

   9.2

   Best forCafes, counter-service spots and small full-service restaurants that want a $0 entry plan and rates they can read before signing up.

   Square for Restaurants takes first place on this list because it is the only major restaurant POS that publishes every number a restaurant owner needs: three plan prices and the card rate on each. Square Free costs $0 a month, Plus is $49 and Premium is $149 per location, and in-person card payments fall from 2.6% + 15¢ on Free to 2.5% + 15¢ on Plus and 2.4% + 15¢ on Premium. The restaurant pricing page lists check splitting by item or seat, preauthorized bar tabs, automatic gratuity by party size and an orders tab that pulls in delivery partner orders. Kitchen tools cost extra: the KDS app is $30 per device per month on Plus, $20 on Premium, and unavailable on Free, while Square Kiosk is $99 per device. Square says restaurants processing over $250,000 a year can ask for custom rates. It is the easiest system here to price out in advance, though a busy kitchen adds device fees quickly.

   • ✓A real $0 plan, with no locked-in contracts on any plan
   • ✓Every card rate is published: 2.6% + 15¢ in person on Free, 2.5% + 15¢ on Plus, 2.4% + 15¢ on Premium
   • ✓Plus and Premium include a 30-day free trial

   • ✕The kitchen display app is not available on Square Free
   • ✕Kitchen display costs $30 per device per month on Plus and kiosks cost $99 per device per month
   • ✕Keyed or card-on-file payments cost 3.5% + 15¢

   Monthly fee:

   $0, $49 or $149 per location

   In-person card rate:

   2.6% + 15¢ (Free) to 2.4% + 15¢ (Premium)

   Free trial:

   30 days on Plus and Premium

   Custom pricing:

   Over $250,000 a year in processing

   Bottom line: Square for Restaurants is the best value restaurant POS because you can start at $0 and see every card rate up front. Budget for KDS and kiosk device fees once the kitchen grows.

   Visit squareup.com ↗

2. 02

   

   Toast

   8.8/10

   A restaurant-only POS platform with its own hardware, online ordering, payroll, marketing and back-office suites.

   Price

   $69per month, first terminal included

   Starter Kit from $0 per month with an all-in-one processing rate; Point of Sale plan from $69 per month; payroll bundle from $69 per month plus $9 per employee

   “Point Of Sale Starting at $69 /month” Quoted from the pricing page, November 6, 2026.

   Free plan

   No

   Value (40%)

   8.2

   Features (35%)

   9.5

   Ease of use (25%)

   8.6

   Best forFull-service and multi-station restaurants that want POS, online ordering, payroll and inventory from one vendor.

   Toast ranks second because it covers more of a restaurant's operation than any other system here, but its card pricing is less transparent than Square's. The pricing page offers a Starter Kit from $0 a month for single-location restaurants running 1 to 2 terminals, with no upfront hardware cost through a Pay-as-You-Go plan that folds hardware into an all-in-one processing rate. The Point of Sale plan starts at $69 a month with flat-rate processing and your choice of hardware, and a payroll bundle costs $69 a month plus $9 per employee. Around the POS, Toast sells suites for online ordering and delivery, email marketing and loyalty, scheduling and tips, payroll, and xtraCHEF invoice and recipe costing. Toast Care support is included at no extra cost around the clock. The trade-offs are that the processing rate is not listed publicly, the software only runs on Toast-approved devices, and the advertised prices apply to new single-location customers with the first terminal included.

   • ✓Toast Care support is included in every subscription, 24/7/365
   • ✓The Starter Kit has no upfront hardware cost for 1 to 2 terminal setups
   • ✓The broadest set of restaurant add-ons on this list, from payroll to food cost analytics

   • ✕Toast does not publish its card processing rate on the pricing page
   • ✕The services only run on Toast-approved hardware
   • ✕Advertised pricing applies to new, single-location customers, and extra devices cost more

   Starting price:

   $0 Starter Kit or $69 per month Point of Sale

   Payroll bundle:

   $69 per month + $9 per employee

   Support:

   24/7/365 by phone or web messaging

   Hardware:

   Toast-approved devices only

   Bottom line: Toast is the most complete restaurant platform on this list, from online ordering to payroll and food costing. Ask for the processing rate in writing before you sign, because the pricing page does not show it.

   Visit toasttab.com ↗

3. 03

   

   SpotOn

   8.4/10

   A restaurant POS with published per-station pricing, published card rates and proprietary hardware.

   Price

   $55per station per month

   All-In plan at $0 per station per month with hardware included (2.79% + 20¢ card present, 2-year term); POS Essentials at $55 per station per month, month to month (2.45% + 15¢ card present)

   “Ideal for most restaurants, with month-to-month flexibility. $ 55 /station per month” Quoted from the pricing page, November 6, 2026.

   Free plan

   No

   Value (40%)

   8.0

   Features (35%)

   8.8

   Ease of use (25%)

   8.4

   Best forRestaurants that want published processing rates and are comfortable buying the vendor's own hardware.

   SpotOn earns third place because it publishes both the software fee and the card rate, which few restaurant POS vendors do. The All-In plan costs $0 per station per month with hardware included, but charges 2.79% + 20¢ per card-present payment and comes with processing minimums and a 2-year minimum term. POS Essentials costs $55 per station per month on a month-to-month basis, lowers card-present processing to 2.45% + 15¢ (American Express is 3.19% + 15¢), and requires you to buy hardware: a Station 15 is listed at $750 and a handheld at $297, plus implementation costs. Both plans include ordering, payments, table layouts, menu management, reporting and 24/7 support. SpotOn's Core Bundle adds commission-free online ordering, AI-driven P&L analysis and automated marketing for $50 a month plus 0.20% of payment volume, capped at $200. The FAQ confirms you cannot use your own POS hardware or tablets.

   • ✓Card rates are published for both plans, down to 2.45% + 15¢ on POS Essentials
   • ✓POS Essentials runs month to month
   • ✓24/7/365 support and software updates are included at no extra cost

   • ✕The $0 All-In plan carries processing minimums and a 2-year minimum term
   • ✕You cannot use your own tablets or hardware
   • ✕POS Essentials adds hardware ($750 per Station 15) and implementation costs

   Plans:

   $0 All-In or $55 per station Essentials

   Card-present rate:

   2.79% + 20¢ (All-In), 2.45% + 15¢ (Essentials)

   Hardware:

   Station 15 $750, handheld $297

   Core Bundle:

   $50 per month + 0.20% of volume, capped at $200

   Bottom line: SpotOn is the clearest choice for restaurants that want to compare card rates before signing. Pick POS Essentials to avoid the All-In plan's 2-year term.

   Visit spoton.com ↗

4. 04

   

   Clover

   8.3/10

   A restaurant POS sold as hardware bundles with a Restaurant Growth software plan and flat card rates.

   Price

   $89.95per month software, plus $1,799 hardware

   Starter bundle $1,799 plus $89.95 per month, or $179 per month for 36 months; in-person cards 2.3% + 10¢, keyed 3.5% + 10¢

   “$179/mo for 36 months or $1,799 + $89.95/mo” Quoted from the pricing page, November 6, 2026.

   Free plan

   No

   Value (40%)

   8.0

   Features (35%)

   8.3

   Ease of use (25%)

   8.6

   Best forRestaurants that want to buy or finance a complete hardware bundle at a listed price with flat in-person card rates.

   Clover places fourth because it publishes complete bundle prices for full-service restaurants, including hardware, software and card rates. The Starter bundle costs $1,799 upfront plus $89.95 a month, or $179 a month for 36 months, and includes a Station Solo, cash drawer and receipt printer. Standard adds the Flex handheld for tableside ordering at $2,548 plus $109.90 a month, and Advanced adds the Station Duo with a customer screen at $4,447 plus $129.85 a month. Every bundle runs the Restaurant Growth software plan and charges 2.3% + 10¢ for tapped, swiped or inserted cards and 3.5% + 10¢ for typed card numbers. Table mapping, pre-authorized tabs, bill splitting, QR code order and pay and no-fee online ordering are included across the board. The catch is in the comparison table: tap cards and mobile wallets are marked not included on the Starter bundle, and Clover notes the listed prices are only available on Clover.com.

   • ✓Hardware bundle prices and the software fee are listed on the page
   • ✓Flat 2.3% + 10¢ for tapped, swiped or inserted cards on every bundle
   • ✓Hardware can be paid outright or spread over 36 months

   • ✕The Starter bundle lists tap cards and mobile wallets as not included
   • ✕Tableside ordering needs the Standard bundle at $2,548 plus $109.90 per month or above
   • ✕Keyed card payments cost 3.5% + 10¢

   Starter bundle:

   $1,799 + $89.95 per month

   Standard bundle:

   $2,548 + $109.90 per month

   Advanced bundle:

   $4,447 + $129.85 per month

   In-person card rate:

   2.3% + 10¢

   Bottom line: Clover is a good fit if you want a priced hardware bundle and a low flat card rate. Skip the Starter bundle if guests pay by tap or phone.

   Visit clover.com ↗

5. 05

   

   Lightspeed Restaurant

   8.2/10

   A cloud restaurant POS with floor plans, service pacing and analytics, priced in three published tiers.

   Price

   $69per month

   Starter $69, Essential $189 and Premium $399 per month; Enterprise by quote; kitchen display $30 per screen per month

   “Starter Simplify your daily operations. 69 USD” Quoted from the pricing page, November 6, 2026.

   Free plan

   No

   Value (40%)

   7.6

   Features (35%)

   9.0

   Ease of use (25%)

   8.2

   Best forBusy full-service restaurants, bars and hotel outlets that want detailed reporting and multi-location control.

   Lightspeed Restaurant ranks fifth: it has one of the deepest feature sets here, but its higher tiers cost more than rival plans and its card rates are not published. The pricing page lists Starter at 69 USD, Essential at 189 USD and Premium at 399 USD a month, with Enterprise by quote. Every tier includes the customizable POS, menu manager, floor plans, Advanced Insights, Lightspeed AI and Lightspeed Tempo for pacing courses, plus take-out and delivery on one screen, pre-auth bar mode and single-view reconciliation. Integrated payments run on default terms on Starter and custom terms on the higher plans, but no rate appears on the page. Premium-level needs such as multi-location management and multiple revenue centers for hotels make it a strong pick for groups and hotel outlets. Kitchen display screens add $30 per screen each month, and reservations and the Tasks checklist tool are add-ons.

   • ✓Published tier prices from 69 USD to 399 USD per month
   • ✓Offline mode and 24/7 support
   • ✓Advanced inventory, online ordering and order-and-pay at table are available as add-ons on every plan

   • ✕Card processing rates are not listed on the pricing page
   • ✕Kitchen display screens cost $30 each per month
   • ✕Reservations and Tasks are paid add-ons

   Plans:

   Starter 69 USD, Essential 189 USD, Premium 399 USD

   Kitchen display:

   $30 per screen per month

   Payments:

   Integrated; custom rates on Essential and Premium

   Enterprise:

   Custom quote

   Bottom line: Lightspeed Restaurant suits operators who will use its reporting, pacing and multi-location tools. Smaller venues will get similar basics for less from Square or SpotOn.

   Visit lightspeedhq.com ↗

6. 06

   

   TouchBistro

   8.2/10

   A restaurant POS built for table service, with a $69 software plan and a hardware-included bundle.

   Price

   $69per month

   Point of Sale software from $69 per month (hardware and processing extra); Essentials Bundle with hardware from $119 per month (processing extra)

   “TouchBistro’s Point of Sale bundle starts at $69 per month and includes our full suite of POS software.” Quoted from the pricing page, November 6, 2026.

   Free plan

   No

   Value (40%)

   7.8

   Features (35%)

   8.4

   Ease of use (25%)

   8.5

   Best forFull-service and family-style restaurants that want floor plans and tableside ordering in the base plan.

   TouchBistro ranks sixth: its base plan is priced like Toast's and includes the table-service tools that full-service restaurants need most, but its card rates and add-on prices are not public. The pricing page says the Point of Sale plan starts at $69 a month and includes the full POS software suite: menu management, reporting, floor plan and table management, staff management and tableside ordering. That plan requires your own hardware and adds payment processing fees. The Essentials Bundle starts at $119 a month and adds restaurant-grade hardware and integrated payments, with processing still extra, and a custom setup is quoted. Front-of-house extras such as a customer-facing display, back-of-house tools such as kitchen display, inventory and labor management, and guest tools such as gift cards, loyalty, marketing, online ordering and reservations are add-ons quoted separately. The page also advertised 3 months free as a limited-time offer when we checked.

   • ✓The $69 plan includes the full POS software suite, including tableside ordering
   • ✓A hardware-included bundle from $119 per month
   • ✓24/7 support on every plan

   • ✕Hardware, payment processing and other fees are extra on the $69 plan
   • ✕Processing rates are not published
   • ✕Kitchen display, inventory and online ordering are paid add-ons

   Software plan:

   From $69 per month

   Essentials Bundle:

   From $119 per month with hardware

   Support:

   24/7

   Card rates:

   Not published

   Bottom line: TouchBistro is a solid table-service POS at a $69 entry price. Get the processing rate and add-on quotes before comparing it with Square or SpotOn.

   Visit touchbistro.com ↗

7. 07

   

   Loyverse

   8.1/10

   A free POS app for phones and tablets with a free kitchen display and optional paid add-ons.

   Price

   Freeper store per month for add-ons

   Free POS; add-ons such as Employee management or Advanced inventory at $25 per store per month; Loyverse Payments at 1.99% + 15¢ debit and 2.49% + 15¢ credit

   “Loyverse is free to use, with optional paid add-ons.” Quoted from the pricing page, November 6, 2026.

   Free plan

   Yes

   Value (40%)

   9.2

   Features (35%)

   6.2

   Ease of use (25%)

   9.0

   Best forFood trucks, cafes and small quick-service restaurants that want a free POS on hardware they already own.

   Loyverse ranks seventh: it has the highest value score on the list, but a thin feature set for table service holds it back. Its US pricing page says Loyverse is free to use, with optional paid add-ons, and the free tier includes the POS, sales analytics for the last 31 days, essential inventory, a loyalty program, a customer display, a kitchen display and multi-store management. Paid add-ons include Employee management and Advanced inventory at $25 per store per month each, plus unlimited sales history, and each starts with a 14-day trial. Loyverse Payments charges 1.99% + 15¢ on debit cards and 2.49% + 15¢ on credit cards, adds 1.5% for cards issued outside the US, and has no monthly fees or contracts. You can take contactless payments with Tap to Pay on a compatible phone or buy a $59 mobile reader. The pricing page does not list floor plans or tableside ordering, so it fits counter service better than dining rooms.

   • ✓The POS, kitchen display and loyalty program are free
   • ✓No monthly fees, minimums or contracts on Loyverse Payments
   • ✓Optional card readers cost $59 or $269 one-time

   • ✕Free sales analytics only cover the last 31 days
   • ✕Employee management and advanced inventory each cost $25 per store per month
   • ✕The pricing page lists no floor plan or tableside ordering tools

   POS app:

   Free

   Debit card rate:

   1.99% + 15¢

   Credit card rate:

   2.49% + 15¢

   Payouts:

   Every business day

   Bottom line: Loyverse is the cheapest way to run a small food business on a POS with a kitchen screen. Full-service restaurants will outgrow it quickly.

   Visit loyverse.com ↗

8. 08

   

   Shift4 Dine (SkyTab)

   7.9/10

   Shift4's all-in-one restaurant POS, formerly sold as SkyTab, with handhelds, kiosks and marketing tools.

   Price

   Check price

   See vendor pricing (USD check pending)

   US price check pending. Vendor pricing page

   Free plan

   No

   Value (40%)

   7.4

   Features (35%)

   8.5

   Ease of use (25%)

   8.0

   Best forIndependent restaurants and bars that want installation, marketing and reservations bundled with payments.

   Shift4 Dine, the restaurant POS formerly sold as SkyTab, ranks eighth because its feature list is strong but it publishes no plan price or card rate. The pricing page advertises getting started for $0 and lists marketing and loyalty, reservations and waitlist, a QR code solution and a website builder as free inclusions. Hardware covers a workstation, handheld, tablet, customer-facing display, kitchen display and self-service kiosk, all with a lifetime warranty. Shift4 says it supports restaurants with an in-house team 24/7/365 and installs systems on site through a network of certified technicians. On payments, the page mentions competitive processing rates and an Advantage Program designed to offset processing fees, but it gives no numbers. Shift4 also now owns Revel Systems, so former Revel buyers are pointed to this platform. Ask for a written quote covering software, hardware and the processing rate before you compare it.

   • ✓Marketing, loyalty, reservations, waitlist, QR codes and a website builder are listed as free
   • ✓Hardware comes with a lifetime warranty
   • ✓24/7/365 in-house support and onsite installation by certified technicians

   • ✕No monthly price or card rate is published on the pricing page
   • ✕The Advantage Program offsets fees rather than lowering the published rate
   • ✕Advertised pricing is only for new customers

   Formerly:

   SkyTab

   Hardware warranty:

   Lifetime

   Support:

   24/7/365 in-house

   Installation:

   Onsite, by certified technicians

   Bottom line: Shift4 Dine bundles a lot of free guest-facing tools with installed hardware. Without published rates, it ranks below systems you can price yourself.

   Visit skytab.com ↗

9. 09

   

   Heartland Genius

   7.6/10

   Global Payments' Genius restaurant POS, sold through Heartland with countertop, handheld, kiosk and kitchen display options.

   Price

   Check price

   See vendor pricing (USD check pending)

   US price check pending. Vendor pricing page

   Free plan

   No

   Value (40%)

   7.0

   Features (35%)

   8.2

   Ease of use (25%)

   7.8

   Best forRestaurants and food service operators that want a processor-backed POS with kiosks and kitchen screens, and are fine getting a quote.

   Heartland Genius ranks last because it publishes no prices, which hurts most on a list weighted toward value. The restaurant page, now branded under Global Payments, describes Genius as a POS for counter service, full service, bars, quick service, food service management and stadiums. Listed capabilities include payment acceptance, on-premise, off-premise and online ordering, employee management with tipouts, scheduling and attendance, guest management with loyalty and marketing, a self-ordering kiosk and kitchen display system, and third-party app integrations. Hardware comes as a countertop unit that can serve as a counter or server station and a handheld for tableside service. The page advertises that buyers who purchase Genius can process up to $1 million for free, with an asterisk pointing to terms that are not spelled out on the page. Everything else, including software fees, hardware prices and card rates, requires a sales conversation.

   • ✓Covers counter service, full service, bars, QSR, food service and stadiums
   • ✓Countertop and handheld hardware options
   • ✓A promotion to process up to $1 million free with a Genius purchase, subject to terms

   • ✕No software price or card rate is published
   • ✕The processing offer carries terms that are not detailed on the page
   • ✕Pricing requires contacting sales

   Owner:

   Global Payments

   Hardware:

   Countertop and handheld

   Self-ordering:

   Kiosk and KDS

   Pricing:

   By quote

   Bottom line: Heartland Genius has the coverage to run anything from a diner to a stadium concourse. Only consider it once you have a written quote you can compare line by line.

   Visit heartland.us ↗

Questions or corrections: editorial@rankozo.comSee our disclosure. Prices change; confirm on the vendor page before buying.