Short answer
Free restaurant POS systems are usually paid for through required card processing, paid add-ons or hardware. Open-source POS is free to download but costs time and money to host, secure and support. For a tiny café a free plan can be fine; for most restaurants a low-cost paid POS with your own processing works out cheaper and safer.
How "free" POS companies make money
- Card processing. The POS is free, but you must use their payment processing. On US$300,000 of card sales, a rate 0.3% above what you could negotiate costs US$900 a year.
- Add-ons. The kitchen display, online ordering, inventory, loyalty or extra devices cost extra.
- Hardware. Free software, paid terminals that only work with it.
- Upgrades. The free tier is limited on purpose, so you'll upgrade as you grow.
None of these is wrong. Just compare the total over a year with what a paid system would cost.
Open-source restaurant POS
Open-source POS software is free to download and change. That's attractive, but running it means:
- Hosting it on a server and keeping it online
- Security: updates, backups, access control, and keeping card data out of it
- Restaurant features: many open-source POS systems are retail-first; kitchen display, tables, delivery apps and offline sync may need extra work
- Support: when it fails at 8 pm, someone has to fix it
If you already have that someone, open source gives you full control. If you don't, it isn't free.
A middle path
A paid cloud POS with:
- a low flat monthly fee,
- no required processing, so you keep your own card rates,
- no proprietary hardware, so you use what you own,
- and an open API, so you're never locked in
gives you most of what people want from free and open-source systems, without the hidden costs. EvronDesk's Starter plan is US$29 a month, with a 14-day free trial and no credit check.
Questions to ask any "free" POS
- Do I have to use your payment processing? At what rate?
- Which features are paid add-ons?
- Can I use my own hardware?
- How many devices are included?
- What does support cost?
- Can I export all my data if I leave?
Resellers and selling POS systems
If you're a consultant or reseller who sets up POS for restaurants, look for a system with transparent pricing, no lock-in for your clients, and an API you can build on. Contact us if you'd like to recommend EvronDesk to the restaurants you work with.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a completely free POS system for restaurants?
There are POS apps with free plans, and open-source POS software you can host yourself. Free plans usually require the provider's card processing or charge for add-ons. Open source is free to download but needs hosting, setup, security and support.
What is the best free POS system for a restaurant?
For a very small café or kiosk, a free plan from a payments company or a free app such as Loyverse can work well. Once you need a kitchen display, tables, offline mode and delivery-app orders, a low-cost paid restaurant POS is often cheaper overall.
Is open-source POS a good idea for a restaurant?
Only if you have a developer who will host, secure and maintain it. Otherwise the time and risk outweigh the saving.