Best Free Restaurant POS Systems

Get Started With Square POS

Total Rating	4.9
Pricing4.9
Ease Of Use5.0
Features4.8
Customer Service4.7
User Reviews4.8

Pricing Range

$0 - $149/month

Contract Length

None

Equipment Cost

$0 - $799

Get a free card swiper from Square at no cost when you create a free account. Claim your card reader.

Pros

Numerous integrations
Easy to use
Scalable
Competitive processing fees

Cons

Occasional fund holds
Advanced features are add-ons

Why We Chose Square

When it comes to free POS software, Square is hard to beat. The app is completely free, easy to set up, and packed with core features like payment acceptance, basic inventory and employee management, and sales reporting. You’ll also get extras rarely included with other free options, such as a simple eCommerce site and digital gift cards.

Through the Square App Marketplace, you can add integrations for accounting, loyalty programs, and more. And when you’re ready for advanced restaurant tools -- like menu management, tableside ordering, and delivery integration -- you can upgrade to one of Square’s paid restaurant plans.

Square Pricing For Common Add-Ons

Square POS Extra Costs	Price
Square gift cards	Starting at $0.81 per card
Square Payroll	$35/month + $6/month per employee
Email marketing	$15/month

There are multiple ways to add to your Square system and tailor it to your individual needs if you need more features or are looking to expand.

Square POS Features

Square POS Features	Availability
Multi-Store Support
Contactless Payments
Multi-Channel Selling
Gift Cards	Add-on
Customer Loyalty	On paid plans
Marketing Tools
Online Ordering
Inventory Management
Reporting
Menu Management
Delivery Management	Add on
EBT Acceptance
Employee Management
Text Messaging

Here are some of the standout restaurant features Square offers:

Menu management
Auto-gratuity
Advanced modifiers
Table mapping
Item counts
Square KDS

Square Hardware

Square offers a variety of hardware, including:

Payment Processing

Square has its own payment processor.

Card-present fees are 2.4% – 2.6% + $0.15 per transaction. Card not present transactions are 2.9% – 3.3% + $0.30, and fees for keyed-in transactions are 3.5% + $0.15.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

Square allows you to purchase its services and use its payment processing plans on a month-to-month basis with no long-term contracts.

Choose If...

You want a highly scalable software with generous features
You want access to an extensive app marketplace
You want a simple interface and processing structure

Toast POS: Best Android POS

Toast POS

Get Started With Toast POS

Total Rating	4.3
Pricing3.3
Ease Of Use4.8
Features5.0
Customer Service5.0
User Reviews4.1

Pricing Range

$0 - $69/month with custom plans available

Online Ordering

Yes

Equipment Cost

$0+ if you agree to a higher processing rate

Pros

Android-based
Excellent mobile ordering
Intuitive interface

Cons

Pay for advanced features
Shady long-term contracts

Why We Chose Toast

With the free Starter plan, you'll receive built-in payment processing and customer support. Toast has a very user-friendly interface, and representatives can help you get set up quickly. Toast has hardware and bundled packages that offer everything you need to get started, from tablets and card readers to kitchen displays and kiosks. Its mobile ordering devices and online ordering functionality also set it apart from most competitors.

If you need more than basic POS features, you can upgrade to a paid plan or purchase Toast's add-ons. Additional modules include Toast Payroll, loyalty programs, online ordering, takeout, and more. Many third-party integrations are also available, such as Grubhub, Bevspot, PayTronix, Shogo, and Restaurant365.

Toast Pricing For Common Add-Ons

Toast has multiple add-ons, but you have to call for a quote to get accurate pricing on specific features. Here’s what’s available:

Toast Mobile Order & Pay
Partner Connect integrations
Scheduling
Marketing & loyalty
Payroll & team management

Toast Free Restaurant POS Features

Toast POS Features	Availability
Multi-Store Support
Contactless Payments
Multi-Channel Selling
Gift Cards
Customer Loyalty
Marketing Tools
Online Ordering
Inventory Management
Reporting
Menu Management
Delivery Management
EBT Acceptance
Employee Management
Text Messaging

Toast is made for the restaurant industry, with excellent mobile ordering options and a generous free plan. Here are some of the features included:

Table management
Reporting
Menu management
Invoicing
Fraud monitoring
Automatic updates

Toast Hardware

Toast offers a variety of hardware options, and you can purchase through its website or third-party vendors. Bundles are available, which can save you money over purchasing individual items.

Payment Processing

You must use Toast’s own payment processor, and the fee for the free plan is 2.49% + $0.15 per transaction.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

Toast has started to develop a somewhat unsavory reputation for locking customers into long-term processing contracts.

You should read your user agreement carefully to make sure you know exactly what you’re signing up for, although this appears to be less of a problem when using Toast’s free plan.

Choose If...

You want restaurant-specific hardware and software
You want excellent online ordering and delivery functionality
You are OK potentially signing up for a long-term processing contract

Loyverse: Best For Small Restaurants

Loyverse

Get Started With Loyverse

Total Rating	4.5
Pricing4.1
Ease Of Use4.9
Features4.5
Customer Service4.7
User Reviews4.9

Pricing Range

$0/month

Contract Length

None

Equipment Cost

Varies depending on need

Pros

Multilingual
Strong customer service
Scalable

Cons

Integrations are an add-on
Limited processing options

Why We Chose Loyverse

Loyverse has multilocation management, inventory tracking, customer loyalty, a kitchen display system app, a customer display app, and more, which is a pretty impressive suite for a free app. Loyverse is extremely easy to use, so it's a great choice for businesses with no prior POS experience.

Loyverse is also scalable, with options to buy some of its more advanced features. However, it's best suited for smaller establishments that don't need a ton of those extra features, as they can add up and become less affordable than other POS systems. If you really want to keep your POS costs to a minimum, Loyverse is one of the best options around.

Pricing For Common Add-Ons

Loyverse Extra Costs	Price
Employee Management	$25/month per store
Advanced Inventory	$25/month per store
Integrations	$9/month

You can upgrade your free plan with these available add-ons.

Loyverse Free Restaurant POS Features

Loyverse Features	Availability
Multi-Store Support
Contactless Payments
Multi-Channel Selling
Gift Cards
Customer Loyalty
Marketing Tools
Online Ordering
Inventory Management
Reporting
Menu Management
Delivery Management	With integration
EBT Acceptance
Employee Management
Text Messaging

Loyverse was created as an entirely free product for small businesses. As such, it packs a lot of features into its easy-to-use software. Here are some highlights:

Multi-store support
Marketing tools
Online ordering
Inventory management
Built-in loyalty
Modifiers

Loyverse Hardware

Loyverse does not have its own proprietary hardware, but it offers just about every piece of equipment you might need on its website, including printers, tablets, scanners, and cash drawers.

Options are available for both Android and iOS devices.

Payment Processing

Loyverse integrates with a handful of third-party processors like WorldPay, SumUp, CardConnect, and more, so you can shop for the best rate for your business.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

Loyverse’s free plan is truly free, and there are no long-term contracts you have to worry about.

If you choose any of its add-on features, they can be purchased on a month-to-month basis.

Choose If...

You have a very small restaurant or food truck
You are just starting out but may want to add advanced features
You want a built-in loyalty program

eHopper POS: Best For Cheap Processing

eHopper POS

Get Started With eHopper POS

Total Rating	3.4
Pricing3.3
Ease Of Use3.5
Features3.2
Customer Service4.5
User Reviews3.8

Pricing Range

$0 - $39.99/month/device

Contract Length

Monthly, yearly

Equipment Cost

$69 - $1,450

Pros

Free processing
Free terminal

Cons

Limited integrations
Not overly intuitive

Why We Chose eHopper

eHopper's free POS plan won't break the bank and has the features you'd expect from POS software, including inventory management, customer management, tip management, split payments, and basic reporting.

It's a solid option for smaller vendors and ones that can easily pass on processing fees to customers. You get a solid set of features and truly don't have to shell out a penny for the services if you don't need anything beyond the free package.

Pricing For Common Add-Ons

You can upgrade to a paid plan for additional access to features. Plan pricing is as follows:

eHopper POS Plans	Price	When To Use
Essential	$0	You own a very small retail or restaurant business and want to start a cash discount program
Essential Plus	$14.99/month ($10/month with annual billing)	You want to use your own payment processor and need only one very basic register
Freedom	$24.99/month/device ($20.99/month/device with annual billing)	You want to use multiple registers at a grocery or convenience store
Restaurant	$29.99/month/device ($24.49/month/device with annual billing)	You own a small restaurant or food stand and want to start a cash discount program
OmniChannel	$39.99/month/device ($35.99/month/device with annual billing)	You want to accept online orders at your retail store or small restaurant

eHopper Free Restaurant POS Features

eHopper has a limited free plan that includes processing that is technically free as well. It includes a good number of the basics within its free plan as well. Here’s what to expect:

Unlimited products
Customer management
Employee management
Reporting
Access to apps
Multi-location
Price editing

eHopper Hardware

eHopper offers tablets and bundles on its website, along with individual items like printers and card terminals.

Payment Processing

This is where eHopper is a bit unique. It offers free processing for users, which is technically true, but those fees still exist, and they simply get passed on to customers.

This will save you money but may not be well-received by your customers. It also might not be the best option for high-volume sellers.

eHopper also integrates with a handful of third-party processors.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

eHopper has contracts anywhere from one year to three years, with discount fees the longer you sign up. Make sure you’ve read your contract agreement and are satisfied with the product before signing anything.

Choose If...

You want to minimize upfront costs
You want a free terminal with your software
You only need basic customer and employee management

Retail POS Review Methodology

Merchant Maverick has been researching and reviewing POS providers since 2012. Our writers have tested over 100 different point of sale systems, evaluating pricing, features, ease of use, customer service, and user reviewers. Read more about how we rate POS providers.

Weighted Rating Breakdown

Pricing 35%

Features 30%

Ease Of Use 20%

Customer Service 10%

User Reviews 5%

When comparing different POS software systems, we consider many data points, including relative pricing, the depth of niche features offered, the price of hardware, and any associated payment processing fees. Our lists of the best providers include only apps we’ve deemed worthwhile from multiple vantage points. The POS vendors we pick share qualities such as widespread availability, accessibility, user-friendliness, and reasonable pricing. We also look carefully at niche features, such as check-splitting, inventory management, eCommerce, loyalty programs, gift cards, and more.

We spend an average of 10-15 hours researching and updating each one of our lists, making sure the providers included meet our internal standards for quality and reputation.

80+

Vendors evaluated

65+

Attributes assessed per vendor

20+

Features weighed

30+

Combined years of experience

When Should You Upgrade To A Paid POS Plan?

Free POS software is great for getting started, but sometimes it’s worth paying for advanced features. Consider upgrading your plan if:

You’re expanding: Growing your inventory, staff, or locations often requires higher user limits, more registers, and larger SKU capacity than free plans allow.
You’re adding paid features: If you’re already paying for add-ons like loyalty programs or advanced inventory, a full paid plan may offer better value overall.
You want better perks: Paid tiers often include faster support, lower payment processing rates, or other benefits that can offset the subscription cost.
You’re upgrading hardware: New hardware may work best with advanced software features, and bundling both can sometimes save money.

Which Free POS System Is Right For Your Business?

Free POS software usually comes with fewer features than paid plans, but many free options still offer everything a small restaurant or bar needs. If you’re just starting out, a basic system with payment processing and simple menu or inventory tools may be all you need.

Most free POS providers also offer paid add-ons or upgrade paths, so you can scale as your business grows. You can also explore our guides to POS systems for pizza shops, bars, and other food-service businesses to find the right fit.