Short answer: Square for Restaurants suits most cafes: no monthly fee on Free and 28 cents in card fees on a $5 sale. Clover Dining costs less per ticket at 21.5 cents but needs a device purchase or 36-month term. Choose Toast POS for screens, loyalty and pickup from one vendor if you can get a card rate quoted. Prices checked October 2026.
Eight counter-service POS systems compared on small-ticket card fees, modifiers, loyalty, offline mode and first-year cost, with prices checked on vendor pages in October 2026.
A cafe's card bill is built from many small tickets, so the fixed cents charged on every payment weigh more than they do on a large ticket, and far more than the monthly software fee. On a five-dollar sale, Square's Free plan takes 28 cents, and 15 of those cents are the fixed part, while SpotOn's All-In plan takes 33.95 cents. This guide starts with that arithmetic. Toolradar data: our restaurant POS category lists 36 tools, and in our alternatives graph (the number of published tool pages that name a product as an alternative) Toast POS appears on 38 pages, Lightspeed Restaurant on 23, Square for Restaurants on 22, SpotOn Restaurant on 7 and Clover Dining on 4 as of October 2026, so the most cross-shopped names are not the ones with the lowest published fee per ticket.
Methodology: we compared eight counter-service POS systems, ranked by fit for a coffee shop, using each vendor's US pricing page, help center and product pages read in October 2026. We did not test the products: every figure and feature comes from vendor pages and help centers. Where a vendor shows a plan price but no card rate, as Toast, Lightspeed and Epos Now do, the table says so instead of estimating. For table service, see the best restaurant POS systems guide, and for the wider field browse restaurant POS on Toolradar.
Top Picks
Picked by editorial review, informed by G2 and Capterra review volume and rating and by media mentions, the signals behind our category rankings. How we rate
No monthly fee on the Free plan, loyalty and order screens on paid plans, and offline payments on every plan.
Starting price
Free, or $49/mo Plus per location
4.6 (1,211 reviews)
Best for
One-counter cafes that want to start with no software fee and add loyalty or a bar screen later.
The lowest complete published fee per small ticket in this guide, 2.3% + 10 cents, with modifiers and no-fee online ordering.
Starting price
$89.95 /mo plus a device from $849
Best for
Busy cafes with enough card tickets to repay a monthly software fee and a device purchase.
A restaurant platform with a cafe page covering order screens, loyalty, online ordering and offline mode, but no published card rate.
Starting price
From $69 /mo; Starter Kit from $0
4.2 (1,837 reviews)
Best for
Cafes that want order screens, loyalty and online pickup from one vendor and will price card rates by quote.
| Tool | Starting price | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square for Restaurants | Free, or $49/mo Plus per location | 4.6 1,211 reviews | One-counter cafes that want to start with no software fee and add loyalty or a bar screen later. |
| Clover Dining | $89.95/mo plus a device from $849 | n/a | Busy cafes with enough card tickets to repay a monthly software fee and a device purchase. |
| Toast POS | From $69/mo; Starter Kit from $0 | 4.2 1,837 reviews | Cafes that want order screens, loyalty and online pickup from one vendor and will price card rates by quote. |
| SpotOn Restaurant | $55/station/mo, or no fee on All-In | 4.4 244 reviews | Cafes that want published hardware prices and a month-to-month plan, and will pay for Essentials rather than All-In. |
| GoTab | $15/mo Basic, $99/mo Pro | 4.5 6 reviews | Cafes with seating that want QR order-and-pay on guests' phones and no long-term software contract. |
| Lightspeed Restaurant | From $69, billing period not stated | 4.5 457 reviews | Cafes growing into a food menu or a second site that need a full restaurant system, not a counter app. |
| Epos Now | $84/mo + $399 (limited-time offer) | 4.6 10 reviews | Cafes that want a bundled starter kit with printer and card reader and accept an unpublished card rate. |
| Helcim | No monthly fee, interchange-plus | 3.8 54 reviews | Cafes that want a visible card margin and a simple register, and can run without an order screen or loyalty. |
Square for Restaurants
No monthly fee on the Free plan, loyalty and order screens on paid plans, and offline payments on every plan.
- 4.6 on G2 (1,211 reviews)
- Starting price
- Free, or $49/mo Plus per location
- Free plan
- Yes
- Rating
- 4.6 (1,211 reviews)
Best for: One-counter cafes that want to start with no software fee and add loyalty or a bar screen later.
- Pro: The Free plan has no monthly fee per location and includes an online ordering page, pickup, Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android, and offline payments.
- Pro: Modifier sets can be marked required, capped at a maximum and nested, and shown on the POS, Kiosk, Square websites and delivery apps.
- Pro: Plus adds loyalty and order-ready texts, and the Terminal is an all-in-one device with a printer.
- Con: The fixed fee is 15 cents on every plan against 10 cents on Clover, which makes it the costlier fixed fee of the two.
- Con: Online and invoice payments cost 3.3% + 30 cents on Free, a higher rate than at the counter.
Square for Restaurants offers a generous entry point with its free tier, making it highly accessible for new or small businesses.
Clover Dining
The lowest complete published fee per small ticket in this guide, 2.3% + 10 cents, with modifiers and no-fee online ordering.
- Starting price
- $89.95/mo plus a device from $849
- Free plan
- Yes
Best for: Busy cafes with enough card tickets to repay a monthly software fee and a device purchase.
- Pro: A five-dollar sale costs 21.5 cents in card fees, 6.5 cents less than on Square's Free plan.
- Pro: Item modifiers and labels, no-fee online ordering, and pickup and delivery order types are listed on all three quick-service systems.
- Pro: Standard and Advanced add the customer database, promotions, loyalty program and gift cards.
- Con: Starter, the cheapest system, does not include the loyalty program, which starts on Standard.
- Con: Without buying the device up front, Starter is a $135 a month, 36-month subscription; buying it leaves $89.95 a month.
Toast POS
A restaurant platform with a cafe page covering order screens, loyalty, online ordering and offline mode, but no published card rate.
- 4.2 on SourceForge (912 reviews)
- 4.1 on Capterra (554 reviews)
- 4.2 on G2 (371 reviews)
- Starting price
- From $69/mo; Starter Kit from $0
- Free plan
- Yes
- Rating
- 4.2 (1,837 reviews)
Best for: Cafes that want order screens, loyalty and online pickup from one vendor and will price card rates by quote.
- Pro: Toast's cafe page lists Open View ordering for modified drinks, a kitchen display, kiosks, order-ready boards and commission-free online ordering.
- Pro: The Starter Kit starts at $0 a month for new single-location restaurants and includes the first terminal subscription.
- Pro: Offline mode keeps taking orders and card payments, with background card processing on by default.
- Con: The pricing page calls processing a simple, flat rate and publishes no percentage or cents, so the cost of a five-dollar sale cannot be checked before talking to sales.
- Con: Software runs only on Toast-approved hardware, and the pricing page lists no device prices.
SpotOn Restaurant
Two published plans for counter stations: All-In with no monthly fee but a higher card rate, or Essentials at $55 a station.
- 4.4 on G2 (244 reviews)
- Starting price
- $55/station/mo, or no fee on All-In
- Free plan
- Yes
- Rating
- 4.4 (244 reviews)
Best for: Cafes that want published hardware prices and a month-to-month plan, and will pay for Essentials rather than All-In.
- Pro: Essentials is month-to-month at $55 per station with a 2.45% + 15 cents in-person rate, which is 27.25 cents on a five-dollar sale.
- Pro: Hardware prices are published and shown reduced from list: Station 15 at $750 (list $995), Station 10 at $415 (list $550) and a handheld at $297 (list $495); a guest-facing display is $200.
- Pro: A special-offer Core Bundle adds commission-free online ordering and a guest app with loyalty for $50 a month plus 0.20% of payment volume, capped at $200.
- Con: All-In has no monthly fee but charges 2.79% + 20 cents, 33.95 cents on a five-dollar sale, with processing minimums and a 2-year minimum term.
- Con: In the example, All-In costs $387.80 a month more than Essentials, which is $4,653.60 over a year in fees, before the hardware that Essentials buys (a Station 15 is $750) and All-In includes.
The 'POS essentials' at $55/station per month is competitive, but the per-station model can quickly add up for larger establishments.
- Starting price
- $15/mo Basic, $99/mo Pro
- Free plan
- No
- Rating
- 4.5 (6 reviews)
Best for: Cafes with seating that want QR order-and-pay on guests' phones and no long-term software contract.
- Pro: The Basic plan includes QR and online ordering, preauthorized tabs and one POS, and GoTab states no long-term software contract is required.
- Pro: Card-present processing starts at 2.40% + 15¢, which is 27 cents on a five-dollar sale.
- Pro: Hardware is not locked in: GoTab runs on compatible Windows, iOS and Android devices.
- Con: The 2.40% + 15¢ is a starting rate for qualifying operators, and American Express and other card types can cost more.
- Con: Loyalty is not available on Basic and costs $35 a month on Pro and Sync.
GoTab's pricing structure is fair, especially for the Pro tier at $99/month, which offers a comprehensive set of features for hospitality businesses.
Watch out
Additional POS hardware costs are not included.
Lightspeed Restaurant
A full restaurant POS with three listed plans, offline mode and bar screens at a published price, but no card rate.
- 4.4 on G2 (216 reviews)
- 4.4 on Capterra (216 reviews)
- 5.0 on TrustRadius (25 reviews)
- Starting price
- From $69, billing period not stated
- Free plan
- No
- Rating
- 4.5 (457 reviews)
Best for: Cafes growing into a food menu or a second site that need a full restaurant system, not a counter app.
- Pro: Three plans are listed in USD: Starter, Essential and Premium.
- Pro: The pricing page lists offline mode and 24/7 support.
- Pro: A kitchen display costs $30 per screen per month on every self-serve plan.
- Con: The page prints the plan price with no billing period, so a monthly price cannot be compared with others until sales confirms it.
- Con: Payments appear only as integrated payments, with no percentage or cents, so a five-dollar sale cannot be costed.
It's best for established restaurants or those planning significant growth who need comprehensive management tools.
Watch out
Onboarding/professional services are extra
- Starting price
- $84/mo + $399 (limited-time offer)
- Free plan
- No
- Rating
- 4.6 (10 reviews)
Best for: Cafes that want a bundled starter kit with printer and card reader and accept an unpublished card rate.
- Pro: The cafe bundle covers the POS, software, a thermal receipt printer and an Air card reader for $399 plus $84 a month while the limited-time offer lasts.
- Pro: One tap switches between eat-in and takeaway pricing.
- Pro: Epos Now Loyalty, Order & Pay with pickup slots, and a Kitchen Display Screen are listed for cafes.
- Con: Epos Now Payments is a flat rate with no number published on the cafe page.
- Con: The bundle is a limited-time offer: the page carries an "Offer ends in" countdown and says terms and conditions apply, so confirm the price is still available before you plan around it.
Epos Now Payments Lite at €29 upfront offers a fair entry point for businesses needing a basic, portable payment solution.
- Starting price
- No monthly fee, interchange-plus
- Free plan
- Yes
- Rating
- 3.8 (54 reviews)
Best for: Cafes that want a visible card margin and a simple register, and can run without an order screen or loyalty.
- Pro: The pricing page lists no account monthly fee and no minimums, software fees or statement fees.
- Pro: The in-person margin is 0.40% + 8 cents under $50,000 a month and falls to 0.35% + 7 cents from $50,000 to $100,000.
- Pro: The Smart Terminal is a stand-alone register with a built-in printer at $349, or $32 a month for 12 months.
- Con: The margin is added to card-network interchange, which the page does not publish, so a total fee on a five-dollar sale cannot be stated; the margin alone is 10¢.
- Con: The POS page names no kitchen display, loyalty program, online ordering or offline mode.
What is a coffee shop POS system?
A coffee shop POS is counter-service register software and hardware that rings up drinks with milk, shot and size modifiers, takes taps and cards in seconds, sends orders to a bar screen or printer, and ties loyalty and pickup orders to the same menu.
This guide covers counter service and small tickets. It differs from the best restaurant POS systems guide, which is built around table service and check splitting, from the cheapest POS systems guide, which ranks one general shop with two registers on price alone, and from the generic best POS systems guide. Here the deciding numbers are the cents charged per payment and the cafe features a vendor documents.
What a coffee shop needs from a POS
Low fixed fees come first. On a five-dollar sale, a fee of 2.6% + 15 cents is 28 cents, or 5.6% of the sale, and the fixed part is more than half of it. Clover's published 2.3% + 10 cents is 21.5 cents on the same sale, and SpotOn's All-In plan at 2.79% + 20 cents is 33.95 cents. At 200 card tickets a day over 30 days, a 5-cent gap in the fixed fee is $300 a month.
Modifiers must be fast and enforceable. A latte order carries milk, shots, size and syrup. Square lets you mark a modifier set as required, cap the number of selections and nest sets, Clover lists item modifiers and labels on its quick-service systems, and Toast says its Open View ordering is built for orders such as an oat-milk decaf latte with vanilla.
Pickup and loyalty belong in the same system. Square's Free plan includes a branded online ordering page with pickup, ordering windows and minimum or maximum order amounts, but its loyalty program starts on Plus. Clover places loyalty on Standard and Advanced, not Starter, and Toast lists loyalty inside Marketing Essentials without a published price. For software outside the POS, see best loyalty program software.
The system has to survive a Wi-Fi drop. Square includes offline payments on every plan but declines them if the device is not back online within 24 hours of the first offline payment. Toast keeps taking orders and cards in offline mode, with background card processing on by default, while its loyalty and online ordering stop.
A bar screen is its own line item. Square charges per device for its kitchen display, Lightspeed lists a per-screen price, GoTab prices it by plan, and Toast, SpotOn and Epos Now offer one without publishing a price. Budget for it before you compare monthly fees.
Key Features to Look For
Low fixed fee per card payment (Essential)
Clover publishes a 10-cent fixed fee and Square a 15-cent fee on its Free plan. On a five-dollar sale, 5 of the 6.5 cents between their total fees come from the fixed part, so the fixed part decides the order.
Required modifier sets for milk, shots and size (Essential)
Square's modifier sets can be required, capped at a maximum, nested, and shown on the POS, Kiosk, Square websites and delivery apps. Clover lists item modifiers and labels on all three of its quick-service systems.
Offline payments (Important)
Square includes offline payments on every plan, with a 24-hour reconnect limit. Toast's offline mode keeps taking orders and cards, but loyalty stops until the connection returns.
Loyalty without a second app (Important)
Square's program is on Plus and Premium, Clover's on Standard and Advanced, and GoTab's is a monthly add-on on Pro and Sync. SpotOn's guest app with loyalty sits in a $50 bundle plus 0.20% of payment volume, capped at $200.
Commission-free pickup and online ordering (Important)
Square's Free plan includes a branded ordering page with pickup. Clover lists no-fee online ordering, Toast and SpotOn describe commission-free ordering, and GoTab includes QR and online ordering on every plan.
A bar screen at a published price (Important)
Square charges $30 a month per device on Plus and $20 on Premium, Lightspeed lists a per-screen price, and GoTab charges $25 on Basic. The Free plan on Square has no bar screen.
Tap to Pay on a phone (Nice to have)
Square includes Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android on every plan with no extra hardware. Helcim supports Tap to Pay on iPhone at an added 10 cents a transaction.
A guest-facing screen (Nice to have)
SpotOn sells a guest-facing display at $200, and Toast offers its Flex guest display to show an order to the guest before it is fired to the kitchen.
How to choose for your cafe
-
Count tickets, not sales. Fees scale with the number of payments, and a cafe with 6,000 card tickets a month pays a 15-cent fixed fee 6,000 times, which is $900. Compare vendors by cents per payment first.
-
Price the features you will actually switch on. Loyalty, a bar screen and online pickup sit on different plans at each vendor, and a cheap entry plan can lack all three.
-
Check hardware lock-in. SpotOn states you cannot use your own tablets, and Toast software runs only on approved Toast hardware. GoTab says it runs on compatible Windows, iOS and Android devices, and Square sells a reader from $59.
-
Read the term before the rate. SpotOn's All-In plan carries a 2-year minimum term and processing minimums, Clover's subscription option is $135 a month for 36 months, and GoTab states no long-term software contract.
-
Plan for a second location or a food menu. Square's Plus and Premium fees apply per location, SpotOn charges Essentials per station, and a food-heavy cafe may outgrow a counter app. The best restaurant POS systems guide covers that step up.
Evaluation Checklist
What is my exact in-person rate and fixed fee per payment, and is it the same for tap, dip and swipe?
What do keyed and online orders cost, since Square lists 3.3% + 30 cents on Free and Clover prices keyed cards separately?
How many taps does a 16 oz oat-milk latte with two shots and vanilla take, and can the milk and size steps be required?
What keeps working when the internet drops: card payments, loyalty and online orders, and for how long?
Is loyalty included in the plan I am pricing, or is it an add-on with its own monthly fee?
How does the bar screen work alongside printed tickets, and what does each extra screen cost per month?
How are pickup orders scheduled or limited so a burst of mobile orders does not swamp the bar?
What does the contract require: a minimum term, processing minimums or an early-termination fee?
Which hardware must I buy from you, and what does a spare terminal cost if one fails at the morning rush?
Pricing Overview
Hardware
The counter device your baristas ring on. Square's Terminal is an all-in-one with a printer, Clover's Mini is bought outright or folded into a 36-month plan, and SpotOn All-In and Toast's Starter Kit fold the first terminal into the plan.
$299 to $849 per counter terminal
Software subscription
The plan fee for one location or station. Square Free has no fee, SpotOn Essentials is billed per station, Clover's software is billed monthly beside a bought device, and GoTab runs from Basic to Sync. Lightspeed's Premium plan is listed higher, with no billing period stated.
Free to $229/mo
Card processing
2.3% + 10¢ to 2.79% + 20¢
Loyalty
A rewards program for regulars. It is included in Square Plus and Clover Standard, an add-on on GoTab Pro, and part of SpotOn's Core Bundle, while Toast and Epos Now publish no price.
Included to $50/mo + 0.20%
Bar screen (KDS)
A kitchen display for the espresso bar. Square charges per device and cheaper on Premium, Lightspeed charges per screen, and GoTab charges by plan.
$20 to $35/mo per screen
Online ordering and pickup
A branded page for mobile pickup. Square (all plans), Clover and GoTab include it, Toast describes it as commission-free without a published price, and SpotOn offers it inside its optional Core Bundle.
Included on Square, Clover and GoTab plans
Pricing Comparison
| Tool | Software (monthly) | In-person card rate | Fee on a $5 sale | Hardware from | Cafe standout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No fee (Free), $49 Plus, $149 Premium per location | 2.6% + 15¢ Free, 2.5% + 15¢ Plus, 2.4% + 15¢ Premium | 28¢ (5.6%) on Free | $59 reader, $299 Terminal | Loyalty from Plus; offline payments on every plan | |
$89.95 beside a bought device, or $135 for 36 months (Starter) | 2.3% + 10¢ | 21.5¢ (4.3%) | $849 Mini (Starter) | Lowest complete fee per ticket here; loyalty from Standard | |
From $69 (POS plan); Starter Kit from $0 for new single locations | Not published ("simple, flat rate") | Not published | Starter Kit includes first terminal; Toast hardware only | Cafe page: bar screen, loyalty, online ordering, offline mode | |
$55 per station (Essentials); no monthly fee on All-In | 2.45% + 15¢ Essentials; 2.79% + 20¢ All-In | 27.25¢ Essentials; 33.95¢ All-In | Station 10 $415, Station 15 $750 (shown reduced from $550 and $995) | Hardware prices published; 2-year term on All-In | |
$15 Basic, $99 Pro, $229 Sync per location | From 2.40% + 15¢ (starting rate) | 27¢ (5.4%) at the starting rate | No price published; runs on compatible devices | QR and online ordering on every plan; loyalty $35 on Pro | |
$69 Starter, $189 Essential, $399 Premium (billing period not stated) | Not published | Not published | No price published | Bar screen $30 per screen; offline mode listed | |
$84 a month plus $399 up front (limited-time offer, terms apply) | Flat rate, number not published | Not published | Bundle includes printer and Air reader | Eat-in and takeaway pricing, loyalty, bar screen | |
Helcim | No monthly fee | Interchange plus 0.40% + 8¢ (under $50,000 a month) | 10¢ margin on top of interchange | $199 reader, $349 Smart Terminal | Tipping, item catalog with variants, Tap to Pay on iPhone |
Prices checked on vendor pages in October 2026: Square for Restaurants pricing, Square hardware, Clover quick-service restaurant pricing, Toast pricing, SpotOn restaurant pricing, GoTab pricing, Lightspeed Restaurant pricing, Epos Now cafe POS, Helcim pricing and Helcim POS. The fee on a five-dollar sale is the rate's percentage of five dollars plus the fixed cents, computed by Toolradar from each published rate.
Mistakes to Avoid
- ×
Comparing percentages and ignoring cents. A lower percentage on a higher fixed fee can lose on a small ticket, and on a five-dollar sale Clover's total fee is 6.5 cents lower than Square's Free plan, 5 of them from the lower fixed fee.
- ×
Treating a no-monthly-fee plan as free. In the example, SpotOn's All-In plan costs $387.80 a month more than Essentials, which is $4,653.60 over a year in fees, before the hardware that Essentials buys (a Station 15 is $750) and All-In includes, and it carries a 2-year minimum term.
- ×
Pricing the cheapest tier and then needing loyalty. Clover's Starter system has no loyalty program, and the next system, Standard, is a $1,899 Station Duo purchase or $185 a month for 36 months.
- ×
Forgetting the bar screen. A kitchen display adds a monthly fee per device or screen at Square, Lightspeed and GoTab, and GoTab's $25 bar screen add-on costs more than its Basic plan.
- ×
Assuming offline mode covers everything. Toast's loyalty and online ordering stop offline, and Square declines offline payments if the device is not back online within 24 hours of the first one.
- ×
Ignoring keyed and online rates. A pickup-heavy cafe pays the online rate on Square's Free plan for mobile orders, which is higher than the counter rate in both the percentage and the fixed fee.
Expert Tips
- →
Run the formula with your own numbers. Multiply your card tickets by each vendor's fixed fee first, then your card sales by the percentage. In the example, Clover's software fee is repaid after about 1,267 card tickets a month, which is roughly 42 a day.
- →
Pick Square Plus for loyalty, not for the rate. At $42,000 a month, Plus costs $7 more than Free ($1,999 against $1,992) because its 0.1-point saving is smaller than its $49 fee; the saving covers the fee above $49,000 a month in card sales.
- →
Ask Toast, Lightspeed and Epos Now for the in-person percentage and fixed cents in writing before a demo, and put them into the same formula. Without them there is no honest comparison.
- →
Use a phone as the backup register. Square includes Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android on every plan, which gives a counter a second way to take a tap when a terminal fails.
- →
Compare head to head before you buy: Square for Restaurants vs Toast POS and Clover Dining vs Square for Restaurants put the feature lists side by side, and the Square for Restaurants alternatives and Toast POS alternatives pages list more options.
- →
Set tips and hours up with your payroll tool at the same time. Our best payroll software for restaurants guide covers what to connect.
Red Flags to Watch For
-
A quote with a monthly fee but no percentage and cents per payment, which makes a small-ticket comparison impossible.
-
A "no monthly fee" plan paid for through a higher card rate and a multi-year term, as with SpotOn's All-In plan.
-
A demo that shows loyalty or a bar screen that sits on a higher plan than the one you were quoted, as Clover's loyalty does on Standard rather than Starter.
-
Proprietary hardware with no price on the vendor's page, so the real first-year cost is unknown until you sign.
-
An offer with a countdown and terms attached, like the bundle on Epos Now's cafe page, that pressures you to decide before you have compared rates.
The Bottom Line
For a coffee shop, rank on cents per payment first and features second. Square for Restaurants is the safest start: no software fee, offline payments and loyalty one plan up. Clover Dining is cheaper per ticket and repays its software fee above about 1,267 card tickets a month in the example above. Choose Toast POS for order screens, loyalty and online pickup from one vendor if you can get a card rate in writing, and avoid any plan that hides its per-payment fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best POS system for a coffee shop in 2026?
Of the eight systems here, Square for Restaurants is the safest start for a cafe with no software budget: its Free plan has no monthly fee. Clover Dining has the lower fee on the same sale and repays its software fee above about 1,267 card tickets a month in our example. Toast POS's cafe page lists order screens, loyalty, kiosks and online ordering but no card rate. Prices checked October 2026.
How much does a POS system cost for a coffee shop?
Card fees are the main cost. In the example of 200 card tickets a day at $7.00 and 30 days open, the monthly total runs from $1,655.95 on Clover Starter to $2,371.80 on SpotOn All-In, and among the picks with a published card rate, software plans range from no fee to $229 a month on GoTab Sync. Hardware adds a one-time cost per counter terminal.
Why do fixed fees matter more for a coffee shop?
On a five-dollar sale, a fixed fee of 15¢ is 3% of the sale before the percentage is added, so the cents are more than half of the total fee. At 6,000 card tickets a month, that fixed fee is $900 on Square and $600 on Clover's 10¢. A cafe should compare cents per payment before it compares monthly software fees.
Is there a free POS for a coffee shop?
Square for Restaurants has a Free plan with no monthly fee per location, an online ordering page, pickup, Tap to Pay and offline payments. It still charges 2.6% + 15¢ per in-person card payment, and loyalty and a bar screen need a paid plan. Helcim also charges no monthly fee but adds its margin to card-network interchange.
Does a coffee shop POS work without internet?
Several do, within limits. Square includes offline payments on every plan and declines them if the device is not back online within 24 hours of the first one. Toast keeps taking orders and cards offline with background card processing on by default, but its loyalty and online ordering stop. GoTab sells enhanced offline capability on its $229 Sync plan.
Which coffee shop POS includes loyalty?
Square includes its loyalty program on Plus at $49 a month and on Premium, and Clover includes loyalty on Standard and Advanced but not Starter. GoTab charges a monthly add-on fee on Pro and Sync, and SpotOn bundles a guest app with loyalty into a $50 plan plus 0.20% of payment volume, capped at $200. Toast lists loyalty without a price.
Can a coffee shop take pickup orders without a delivery-app commission?
Yes. Square's Free plan includes a branded online ordering page with pickup, ordering windows and minimum or maximum order amounts, and Clover lists no-fee online ordering. Toast and SpotOn describe commission-free online ordering, and GoTab includes QR and online ordering on every plan. Online card payments still carry a processing rate, such as 3.3% + 30 cents on Square's Free plan.
Cite this page: Toolradar, "Best POS Systems for Coffee Shops in 2026", updated October 2026, https://toolradar.com/guides/best-pos-systems-for-coffee-shops
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