Karrin Sehmbi is an editor and content strategist on the small-business team. She has covered small-business software and lending since 2022 and has more than sixteen years of editorial experience in the fields of educational publishing, content marketing and medical news. She has also held roles as a teacher and a tutor.
Karrin Sehmbi is an editor and content strategist on the small-business team. She has covered small-business software and lending since 2022 and has more than sixteen years of editorial experience in the fields of educational publishing, content marketing and medical news. She has also held roles as a teacher and a tutor.
Christine Aebischer is an assistant assigning editor on the small-business team who joined NerdWallet in 2020, originally as a copy editor. Previously, she held editing roles at Fundera, Northwestern Mutual and LearnVest, where she covered a variety of personal and business finance topics. Christine earned bachelor's degrees in English and journalism from The College of New Jersey. Email: <a href="mailto:caebischer@nerdwallet.com">caebischer@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Christine Aebischer is an assistant assigning editor on the small-business team who joined NerdWallet in 2020, originally as a copy editor. Previously, she held editing roles at Fundera, Northwestern Mutual and LearnVest, where she covered a variety of personal and business finance topics. Christine earned bachelor's degrees in English and journalism from The College of New Jersey. Email: <a href="mailto:caebischer@nerdwallet.com">caebischer@nerdwallet.com</a>.
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Karrin Sehmbi is an editor and content strategist on the small-business team. She has covered small-business software and lending since 2022 and has more than sixteen years of editorial experience in the fields of educational publishing, content marketing and medical news. She has also held roles as a teacher and a tutor.
Karrin Sehmbi is an editor and content strategist on the small-business team. She has covered small-business software and lending since 2022 and has more than sixteen years of editorial experience in the fields of educational publishing, content marketing and medical news. She has also held roles as a teacher and a tutor.
Christine Aebischer is an assistant assigning editor on the small-business team who joined NerdWallet in 2020, originally as a copy editor. Previously, she held editing roles at Fundera, Northwestern Mutual and LearnVest, where she covered a variety of personal and business finance topics. Christine earned bachelor's degrees in English and journalism from The College of New Jersey. Email: <a href="mailto:caebischer@nerdwallet.com">caebischer@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Christine Aebischer is an assistant assigning editor on the small-business team who joined NerdWallet in 2020, originally as a copy editor. Previously, she held editing roles at Fundera, Northwestern Mutual and LearnVest, where she covered a variety of personal and business finance topics. Christine earned bachelor's degrees in English and journalism from The College of New Jersey. Email: <a href="mailto:caebischer@nerdwallet.com">caebischer@nerdwallet.com</a>.
NerdWallet's content is
fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness, and relevance by humans.
It undergoes a thorough review process involving writers and editors to ensure
the information is as clear and complete as possible. Learn more by checking
our
Editorial Guidelines.
Content was accurate at the time of publication.
Why trust NerdWallet
250+ small-business products reviewed and rated by our team of experts.
80+ years of combined experience covering small business and personal finance.
75+ categories of best business software selections.
NerdWallet's small-business software content, including ratings, recommendations and reviews, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in business software, including payment processing, accounting and payroll. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, The Washington Post, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur, ABC News, Yahoo Finance and other national and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity to ensure accuracy and fairness in our coverage.
Advertiser disclosure
You’re our first priority.
Every time.
We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with
confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or
financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance
we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are
objective, independent, straightforward — and free.
So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence
which products we review and write about (and where those products
appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or
advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our
partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products
or services. Here is a list of our partners .
App and card readers are compatible with iOS and Android devices.
Can pay for hardware in installments.
No long-term contracts or installation fees.
In-house payroll software available.
All plans include a free online ordering page.
Cons
Free plan doesn’t include 24/7 support.
Square consistently comes out ahead of other POS providers not only for the strength of its system but especially because of its competitive pricing — across monthly software, hardware and payment processing fees — and lack of surprise fees and contracts. In fact, many competitors in the industry-specific POS space require longer term contracts, so for bar owners who are hesitant to make a long-term commitment just yet, Square for Restaurants is a strong choice.
Also unlike many of its competitors in this space, Square is entirely transparent with its pricing. All fees for software, hardware, payment processing and add-ons are listed clearly on Square’s website. Square for Restaurants is a robust POS offering at both the free — yes, free — and paid plan tiers. It won’t be the right fit for every bar, however. If you’re a bar with an extensive food menu and table service, for example, you’ll likely require a more specialized system from some of Square’s restaurant-specific competitors.
App and card readers are compatible with iOS and Android devices.
Can pay for hardware in installments.
No long-term contracts or installation fees.
In-house payroll software available.
All plans include a free online ordering page.
Cons
Free plan doesn’t include 24/7 support.
Square consistently comes out ahead of other POS providers not only for the strength of its system but especially because of its competitive pricing — across monthly software, hardware and payment processing fees — and lack of surprise fees and contracts. In fact, many competitors in the industry-specific POS space require longer term contracts, so for bar owners who are hesitant to make a long-term commitment just yet, Square for Restaurants is a strong choice.
Also unlike many of its competitors in this space, Square is entirely transparent with its pricing. All fees for software, hardware, payment processing and add-ons are listed clearly on Square’s website. Square for Restaurants is a robust POS offering at both the free — yes, free — and paid plan tiers. It won’t be the right fit for every bar, however. If you’re a bar with an extensive food menu and table service, for example, you’ll likely require a more specialized system from some of Square’s restaurant-specific competitors.
Free plan available for restaurants with up to two POS terminals.
24/7 phone and web messaging support.
Offers helpful related services, like payroll and team management software, that integrate closely with its POS system.
Built specifically for restaurants with in-house delivery platform available, among other industry-specific features.
Cons
Requires a two-year contract and charges early termination fees.
Online payment processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
Charges setup fee, and offline mode includes hidden cost of backup router.
Online ordering and accounting integrations cost extra.
As a specialized POS system designed specifically for restaurants, Toast includes all the features you’ll need (or want to add-on) for a bar that serves more than just a few nibbles, including menu, table and employee management and built-to-be-dropped-bumped-and-splashed hardware. Toast makes it easy to edit and update menus, take orders in multiple ways and get up-to-date reporting on your bar. The software also automatically breaks down the tip pool for payroll.
Bars that are short on staff or are looking to streamline their food service may benefit from Toast’s mobile solution that allows guests to scan a QR code to order and pay quickly from their own phone with Apple Pay. Many POS systems offer an offline mode which, to varying degrees, will enable you to continue using your system (often in a limited capacity) during internet outages or disruptions. Toast’s system clearly alerts the user when there’s a connection issue and uses a color-coded system to provide details on which functions are still available based on the issue. The company’s online support library provides detailed instructions for troubleshooting in various outage scenarios.
Free plan available for restaurants with up to two POS terminals.
24/7 phone and web messaging support.
Offers helpful related services, like payroll and team management software, that integrate closely with its POS system.
Built specifically for restaurants with in-house delivery platform available, among other industry-specific features.
Cons
Requires a two-year contract and charges early termination fees.
Online payment processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
Charges setup fee, and offline mode includes hidden cost of backup router.
Online ordering and accounting integrations cost extra.
As a specialized POS system designed specifically for restaurants, Toast includes all the features you’ll need (or want to add-on) for a bar that serves more than just a few nibbles, including menu, table and employee management and built-to-be-dropped-bumped-and-splashed hardware. Toast makes it easy to edit and update menus, take orders in multiple ways and get up-to-date reporting on your bar. The software also automatically breaks down the tip pool for payroll.
Bars that are short on staff or are looking to streamline their food service may benefit from Toast’s mobile solution that allows guests to scan a QR code to order and pay quickly from their own phone with Apple Pay. Many POS systems offer an offline mode which, to varying degrees, will enable you to continue using your system (often in a limited capacity) during internet outages or disruptions. Toast’s system clearly alerts the user when there’s a connection issue and uses a color-coded system to provide details on which functions are still available based on the issue. The company’s online support library provides detailed instructions for troubleshooting in various outage scenarios.
Free plan available if you’re only using a mobile card reader.
24/7 phone support.
All restaurant plans include no-fee online ordering, and retail plans let you integrate with existing online stores.
Offers a variety of plans tailored to six specific types of businesses.
Can pair POS systems with third-party payment processors.
Cons
Promotions require a three-year contract.
May be subject to early termination fees if you use Clover as your payment processor.
Online payment processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
Clover is another household name in the POS industry offering solutions for various business types, including bars. The company offers a variety of sleek and sturdy proprietary hardware options and discloses pricing for each on its website. Clover is also transparent with its monthly software fees, offered at a variety of tiers depending on business need, and payment processing fees.
It offers an extensive app market for third-party integrations that include not only the typical payroll and scheduling apps a bar owner may be interested in but also industry-specific apps such as Happy Hour, DigitalPour and Waitlist Me. Clover’s set of tools for customer engagement, in particular, make it a great fit for a bar POS system. The tools — offered in limited capacity for free or at an enhanced level for an additional $99 per month — allow for gathering customer feedback directly, getting the word out about promotions and events, rewarding loyal customers and building customer profiles from credit card data.
Free plan available if you’re only using a mobile card reader.
24/7 phone support.
All restaurant plans include no-fee online ordering, and retail plans let you integrate with existing online stores.
Offers a variety of plans tailored to six specific types of businesses.
Can pair POS systems with third-party payment processors.
Cons
Promotions require a three-year contract.
May be subject to early termination fees if you use Clover as your payment processor.
Online payment processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
Clover is another household name in the POS industry offering solutions for various business types, including bars. The company offers a variety of sleek and sturdy proprietary hardware options and discloses pricing for each on its website. Clover is also transparent with its monthly software fees, offered at a variety of tiers depending on business need, and payment processing fees.
It offers an extensive app market for third-party integrations that include not only the typical payroll and scheduling apps a bar owner may be interested in but also industry-specific apps such as Happy Hour, DigitalPour and Waitlist Me. Clover’s set of tools for customer engagement, in particular, make it a great fit for a bar POS system. The tools — offered in limited capacity for free or at an enhanced level for an additional $99 per month — allow for gathering customer feedback directly, getting the word out about promotions and events, rewarding loyal customers and building customer profiles from credit card data.
Offers advanced inventory management and recipe costing tools.
All plans include CRM and loyalty programs.
Essential and Premium plans include one-on-one support.
24/7 support available.
Cons
Syncing with accounting software costs extra.
Some plans may require long-term contracts.
Lowest-tier plan is more expensive than competitors.
Lightspeed acquired Upserve in 2020 and built on its restaurant POS prowess to create Lightspeed Restaurant POS. Like many of the other specialized systems in this space, Lightspeed Restaurant comes with a wealth of tools and features a bar POS system should have, including bill splitting, inventory management and a training mode to quickly onboard new staff.
Lightspeed stands out among its competitors, however, in its ability to flex to any business need. You can purchase hardware through Lightspeed, use your existing hardware or purchase used hardware elsewhere at a discounted price (just be sure to check Lightspeed’s compatibility guide, available in its online help center). The company also offers you the flexibility to choose its own payment processing service, Lightspeed Payments, or use any of the third-party processors it supports. This tech flexibility coupled with the customizability of the software empowers you to design just the right fit for your bar POS needs.
Offers advanced inventory management and recipe costing tools.
All plans include CRM and loyalty programs.
Essential and Premium plans include one-on-one support.
24/7 support available.
Cons
Syncing with accounting software costs extra.
Some plans may require long-term contracts.
Lowest-tier plan is more expensive than competitors.
Lightspeed acquired Upserve in 2020 and built on its restaurant POS prowess to create Lightspeed Restaurant POS. Like many of the other specialized systems in this space, Lightspeed Restaurant comes with a wealth of tools and features a bar POS system should have, including bill splitting, inventory management and a training mode to quickly onboard new staff.
Lightspeed stands out among its competitors, however, in its ability to flex to any business need. You can purchase hardware through Lightspeed, use your existing hardware or purchase used hardware elsewhere at a discounted price (just be sure to check Lightspeed’s compatibility guide, available in its online help center). The company also offers you the flexibility to choose its own payment processing service, Lightspeed Payments, or use any of the third-party processors it supports. This tech flexibility coupled with the customizability of the software empowers you to design just the right fit for your bar POS needs.
Includes restaurant-specific features, like table and menu management.
Optional profit management system provides tools for improving margins.
As a hybrid POS system, TouchBistro can operate without the cloud. Offline capabilities include accepting payments, taking orders, editing menus and managing staff.
Cons
Payment processing rates are quote-based, making them difficult to compare to the competition.
Contracts are automatically renewed and can't be terminated early.
No free plan options and charges setup fee.
Ability to accept online orders costs extra.
TouchBistro is another recognizable POS brand in the bar and restaurant industry. As such, it comes with many of the features you would expect, including tools to manage staff, menus, tables and inventory. It also comes loaded with dozens of reports to offer useful business insights on customers, employees and revenue.
Because TouchBistro is a hybrid POS system — meaning it runs both in the cloud and on a local server — you can continue with business as usual during an internet outage or disruption. Unlike some competitors’ offline modes, functionality during outages isn’t limited to a single POS terminal. With TouchBistro’s system, multiple devices will continue to communicate with one another, and you’ll retain the ability to take orders, send them to the kitchen, have employees clock in or out, and you’ll still have access to customer and reporting data (though new data won’t update until you’re back online).
Includes restaurant-specific features, like table and menu management.
Optional profit management system provides tools for improving margins.
As a hybrid POS system, TouchBistro can operate without the cloud. Offline capabilities include accepting payments, taking orders, editing menus and managing staff.
Cons
Payment processing rates are quote-based, making them difficult to compare to the competition.
Contracts are automatically renewed and can't be terminated early.
No free plan options and charges setup fee.
Ability to accept online orders costs extra.
TouchBistro is another recognizable POS brand in the bar and restaurant industry. As such, it comes with many of the features you would expect, including tools to manage staff, menus, tables and inventory. It also comes loaded with dozens of reports to offer useful business insights on customers, employees and revenue.
Because TouchBistro is a hybrid POS system — meaning it runs both in the cloud and on a local server — you can continue with business as usual during an internet outage or disruption. Unlike some competitors’ offline modes, functionality during outages isn’t limited to a single POS terminal. With TouchBistro’s system, multiple devices will continue to communicate with one another, and you’ll retain the ability to take orders, send them to the kitchen, have employees clock in or out, and you’ll still have access to customer and reporting data (though new data won’t update until you’re back online).
$0 for Square POS, Restaurant, Retail and Appointments Free plans.
$29 for Square Appointments Plus plan.
$69 for Square Appointments Premium and Square Restaurants Plus plans.
$89 for Square Retail Plus plan.
$165 for Square Restaurant Premium plan.
Custom pricing for Square Retail plan.
Hardware costs
$0 for Square magstripe-only card reader ($10 for each additional reader) or if using Tap to Pay for iPhone (iPhone not included).
$59 for Square Reader contactless and chip card reader.
$149 for Square Stand iPad POS or Square Stand Mount (iPad not included; monthly financing available).
$149 for Square Kiosk for self-serve ordering.
$299 for Square Terminal mobile card reader with built-in printer (monthly financing available).
$399 for Square Handheld portable POS system with built-in barcode scanner (monthly financing available).
$799 for Square Register two-screen system (monthly financing available).
Payment processing fees
2.6% plus 15 cents for in-person transactions with free plan.
2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions with paid plans.
2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.
3.5% plus 15 cents for manually keyed transactions.
See it for yourself
Here’s a look at Square for Restaurant’s dashboard. Its user interface is especially easy to navigate, but requesting a demo to experience the software for yourself can help you choose the best fit for your needs.
Source: YouTube
Square also makes it easy to customize gratuity percentages or go with its preset options. This is a big plus for bars that use handheld POS systems or countertop registers with customer-facing screens to cash out customers.
Source: YouTube
Here’s an example of a handheld terminal in action. Customers can use it to view their total, select their tip amount and pay from the bar or table.
Source: Square
Toast
Best for bars that serve food
Monthly POS software fees
$0 for Starter Kit plan.
$69 Point of Sale plan.
Custom plans available.
Hardware costs
$494.10 for Handheld Starter Kit (but $0 if you agree to a higher processing fee).
$1,123.20 for Countertop Starter Kit (but $0 if you agree to a higher processing fee).
$1,438.20 for Guest Self-Service Starter Kit (but $0 if you agree to a higher processing fee).
Payment processing fees
3.09-3.69% plus 15 cents per transaction, if you choose a pay-as-you-go plan.
2.49% plus 15 cents for card-present transactions, if you pay for hardware upfront.
3.50% plus 15 cents for card-not-present transactions, if you pay for hardware upfront.
See it for yourself
Toast’s sales summary report, as seen below, provides insight into your net sales by day of the week and time of day, so that you can staff your bar accordingly and run promotions when it makes the most sense. You can see how gratuity amounts, net sales and discounts have changed year over year, too.
Source: YouTube
Toast also has its own bar menu template that you can fill out, pass along to your onboarding team and use to determine drink pricing.
Source: YouTube
Similar to Square, the company sells its own handheld terminal for employees taking orders tableside, in addition to a countertop register. The Go 2 device, shown below, is made specifically for restaurants to withstand spills, has a 24-hour battery life and lets employees know when orders are ready.
Source: Toast
Clover
Best for customer engagement tools
Monthly POS software fees
$0 for Clover Go Payments, Retail Starter and Personal Services Starter plans.
$14.95 for Clover Go Essentials, Professional Services Starter, and Standard and Home & Field Services Starter and Standard plans.
$84.95 for Retail Standard and Professional, Personal Services Standard and Advanced, and Home & Field Services Advanced plans.
$89.95 for Full-Service Dining Starter and Quick-Service Dining Starter and Standard plans.
$104.90 for Retail Advanced plan.
$109.90 for Full-Service Dining Standard and Quick-Service Dining Advanced plans.
$129.85 for Full-Service Dining Advanced plan.
Hardware costs
$199 for chip, swipe and contactless Clover Go card reader.
$349 for countertop card reader.
$749 for Clover Flex mobile POS with receipt printer.
$699 for slimmer Flex Pocket with no printer.
$849 for Clover Mini POS.
$799-$899 + $25 per month for kitchen display system.
$1,799 for Clover Station Solo.
$1,899 for Clover Station Duo.
$3,499 + $34.95 per month for self-ordering kiosk.
Payment processing fees
2.3% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions on Full-Service and Quick-Service Restaurant plans.
2.5% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions on Retail Standard and Advanced plans, Professional and Personal Services Standard and Advanced plans, and the Home and Field Services Advanced plan.
2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions on the Retail and Personal Services Starter plans and the Home and Field Services Standard plan.
3.5% plus 10 cents for online or keyed-in transactions.
See it for yourself
Here’s Clover’s customer engagement tools in action. When customers download the Clover app, they can leave reviews, send feedback and receive discounts. But the Clover app isn’t the only way bars can interact with customers — promotions can also be sent through email, text or social media.
Source: YouTube
Clover offers a variety of hardware products, including the Clover Station, pictured below. You can see that its home screen includes access to rewards, feedback and customer promotions.
Source: Clover
Lightspeed Restaurant
Best for flexibility and customizability
Monthly POS software fees
$189 for Essential plan.
$399 for Premium plan.
Hardware costs
Pricing for Lightspeed's iPad and desktop hardware kits is quote-based. Individual hardware products are listed in Lightspeed's online store:
$79 for Mobile Tap V2 card reader.
$199 for iPad swivel stand.
$329 for WisePOS E countertop reader.
$429 for Lightspeed Lite Server for data backup and offline mode functionality.
Payment processing fees
2.6% plus 10 cents per in-person transaction.
2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.
See it for yourself
Lightspeed Restaurant has in-depth inventory tracking, shown below, that automatically updates ingredient levels as menu items are ordered. You can also view your bar’s current stock value, set up low-stock alerts and send recurring purchase orders to vendors.
Source: YouTube
Additionally, you can use its reporting tools to gain insight into menu performance with categories like “most popular” menu items and “repeat customer favorites.”
Source: YouTube
TouchBistro
Best for system reliability
Monthly POS software fees
$69 and up for base plan.
Additional features (e.g., gift cards, online ordering, loyalty program, reservations and marketing) are quote-based.
Hardware costs
Not disclosed. An iPad is necessary to run TouchBistro software. IPads, cash drawers, routers, printers, mini servers, keyboards and other accessories are available by quote only. You may also have the option to use your existing equipment.
Payment processing fees
Quote-based if you use TouchBistro Payments; can also choose from third-party payment processors.
See it for yourself
Busy bars that accept reservations will appreciate TouchBistro’s reservations add-on. As you can see below, the iPad reservations app in the floor plan view lets you view reservations for a particular day, along with which table the system automatically assigned each party to. You can use it to view guests’ visit history as well.
Bars can customize their POS system with other TouchBistro add-ons, like online ordering, loyalty programs, gift cards and profit management tools.
Source: YouTube
Bar POS system must-have features
Any bar POS system worth its salt (and lime) should have the following features and qualities. Beyond these, the right system for your bar will depend on your particular business needs.
Speed and reliability. The bar environment is a fast-paced one, and you’ll need a POS system that can keep up on all fronts, from app and software response to payment processing to receipt printing. Taking advantage of a free trial opportunity or live, in-person demo could help you gauge whether the system you’re considering will power through a late-night rush or drag you down with delays and lag times.
User friendliness. Even if you’re a tech-savvy business owner, your staff will likely have varying degrees of comfort with tech and POS systems. And because time is definitely money in the bar and restaurant industry, you want to be sure you won’t need to invest heavily in getting you and your staff confident in using the system. This is where POS providers who offer live setup and training support (especially if it’s in-person and most especially if it’s free) can stand out among the competition.
24/7 live support. Whether by phone or through chat, customer support availability — particularly after normal business hours — is an important consideration when choosing your bar POS provider. It’s great to have a chatbot at your fingertips for quick questions that can be easily answered, but when it’s 1 a.m. and your bar is packed, you won’t want to dampen the mood if your system suddenly has an issue accepting credit card payments and you’re unable to reach a customer support representative until 9 a.m. the next day.
Tabs, split checks and promos. Customers will almost certainly expect the ability to open a tab, split a check among friends or coworkers and see what’s on offer for happy hour. You’ll want to be sure your POS system can deliver on those expectations.
Menu management. Whether you have a small, curated menu of specialty cocktails, an extensive beer and food menu that spans several pages, or something in between, you’re going to need the ability to easily make changes to your menu. Some systems allow you to schedule pricing changes to occur on certain days and times (think happy hours and promotions), which can help to streamline your menu management.
Staff management. Any bar owner knows the amount of time and thought that goes into creating a staffing schedule that satisfies both the employee and the business needs. Not to mention how crucial it is to accurately track and pay out tips, ensure employees get paid correctly and on time and set system permissions according to employee role. A POS system that includes functionality for managing staff, whether as a built-in feature or an add-on tool, is a must.
Inventory tracking. It almost goes without saying that accurate inventory tracking is essential for running a bar. Many bar POS systems will include this as a built-in function; some may also offer the ability to integrate with various inventory management apps and software.
Last updated on May 21, 2025
Methodology
NerdWallet’s point-of-sale systems provider ratings reward companies whose products and services are priced well and work in a variety of payment scenarios, among other criteria.
Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including cost, system capabilities, contract requirements, customer service and integrations and add-ons. Learn more about how we rate point-of-sale (POS) systems providers.
These ratings are a guide, but services, hardware and pricing can vary widely from business to business and provider to provider. We encourage you to shop around and compare several providers.
NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.
Learn more 
