Is Aloha POS or Backbar better?

Neither clearly leads. Aloha POS starts at $150/month and Backbar at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.

Which is cheaper, Aloha POS or Backbar?

Backbar has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $150/month for Aloha POS and Free for Backbar.

Does Aloha POS or Backbar run on more platforms?

Aloha POS runs on Windows, Android. Backbar runs on Web.

Can I use Backbar for free?

Yes. Backbar has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Aloha POS starts at $150/month.

What is Aloha POS best used for?

Aloha POS is most often used for point of sale, order management, inventory control, staff scheduling. Of those, point of sale and order management are not what Backbar is typically brought in for.

What can Aloha POS do that Backbar cannot?

Aloha POS covers Table management, Order management, Labor scheduling, Inventory control.

Restaurants · head to head

Aloha POS vs Backbar

Aloha POS

Restaurants

Industry-leading restaurant POS solution

From: $150/month
Rated: -

Full review Website

Backbar

Restaurants

Bar inventory management with drink costing and purchasing tools

From: Free
Rated: -

Full review Website

The short version

Only Backbar has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
Each has a real cost: Aloha POS high upfront hardware costs ($1,000+ per terminal) make it expensive to deploy across multiple locations; Backbar invoice syncing with inventory requires the top Professional plan at $129 per month billed monthly, as of August 2026
Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Aloha POS and Backbar actually diverge.

Attributes where Aloha POS and Backbar differ
Attribute	Aloha POS	Backbar
Starting price	$150/month	Free
Free tier	No	Yes
Platforms	Windows, Android	Web
Founded	1988	Unknown

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Restaurants).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Aloha POS

Table management
Order management
Labor scheduling
Inventory control
Enterprise reporting
Loyalty programs
NCR Back Office
Third-party delivery

Only in Backbar

Nothing recorded that Aloha POS does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Aloha POS

Point of Salenot Backbar
Order Managementnot Backbar
Inventory Controlnot Backbar
Staff Schedulingnot Backbar

Backbar

Bar inventory managementnot Aloha POS
Liquor cost trackingnot Aloha POS
Multi-location restaurant operationsnot Aloha POS

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Aloha POS

High upfront hardware costs ($1,000+ per terminal) make it expensive to deploy across multiple locations
User interface is dated with functionality from 2005-era design, requiring training for staff familiar with modern applications
Network connectivity issues cause terminals to lose access to central database when Wi-Fi drops, leading to transaction failures
Requires proprietary terminals unlike competitors that run on standard iPads or Android tablets
Complex customization requires expensive professional services and cannot be configured by restaurant staff

Backbar

Invoice syncing with inventory requires the top Professional plan at $129 per month billed monthly, as of August 2026
Pricing is charged per location, so multi-location bars pay the plan fee separately for each site, as of August 2026

Pricing, plan by plan

Aloha POS

$150/month

Essentials$150/month
- POS
- Basic reporting
Professional$250/month
- Advanced features
- Labor management
EnterpriseFree
- Custom pricing
- Full suite

Backbar

Free

BasicFree
- Web and mobile inventory
- Multiple inventory locations
- Color-coded tracking
Essential$79/month
- Drink costing and pricing
- Unlimited recipe builder
- Unlimited audit history
Professional$129/month
- Automatic invoice entry
- Cost variance alerts
- Unlimited reporting features

Which should you pick?

Choose Aloha POS if

You need table management.
You work on Windows, Android.
You also want order management.

Aloha POS review

Choose Backbar if

You want to start without paying.

Backbar review

Questions people ask

Is Aloha POS or Backbar better?: Neither clearly leads. Aloha POS starts at $150/month and Backbar at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Aloha POS or Backbar?: Backbar has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $150/month for Aloha POS and Free for Backbar.
Does Aloha POS or Backbar run on more platforms?: Aloha POS runs on Windows, Android. Backbar runs on Web.
Can I use Backbar for free?: Yes. Backbar has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Aloha POS starts at $150/month.
What is Aloha POS best used for?: Aloha POS is most often used for point of sale, order management, inventory control, staff scheduling. Of those, point of sale and order management are not what Backbar is typically brought in for.
What can Aloha POS do that Backbar cannot?: Aloha POS covers Table management, Order management, Labor scheduling, Inventory control.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Aloha POS: What are the hardware options for Aloha POS?

Aloha offers two main products: Aloha Essentials POS which runs on Windows servers at your location, and Aloha Cloud POS which operates on Android-based mobile terminals connected to cloud systems. Hardware costs approximately $1,000 per terminal or available through subscription.

Source

Backbar: Does Backbar offer a free plan?

Yes, Backbar's Basic plan is free and includes web and mobile inventory tracking, multiple inventory locations, and color-coded tracking per location.

Source

Aloha POS: What features does Aloha include for restaurant operations?

Aloha includes kitchen automation, table management, staff rosters, payment processing, inventory tracking, reporting, customer loyalty programs, and employee time tracking.

Source

Backbar: How much does Backbar's Essential plan cost with annual billing?

Backbar's Essential plan costs $99 per month when billed annually, or $79 per month with month-to-month billing.

Source

Aloha POS: Is Aloha POS available as a subscription?

Yes. NCR Aloha offers an all-in-one monthly subscription model that includes software, hardware, payment processing, and 24/7 customer support. Upfront implementation costs vary based on specific needs.

Source

Backbar: What is included in Backbar's Professional plan?

Professional includes automatic invoice entry, cost variance alerts, unlimited reporting, and full customer support at $129 per month monthly or annual billing available.

Source

Aloha POS: What are the network requirements for Aloha POS?

Aloha Essentials requires a stable network connection between terminals and the Windows server. Network disruptions cause terminals to lose access to the central database, resulting in transaction failures and payment errors.

Source

Backbar: Is there a free trial available?

Yes, new users can access a one-month free trial of either the Essential or Professional plan.

Source

Aloha POS vs Backbar

Aloha POS

Backbar

The short version

Where they differ

What each one covers

Only in Aloha POS

Only in Backbar

What people use each for

Aloha POS

Backbar

Where each one falls short

Aloha POS

Backbar

Pricing, plan by plan

Aloha POS

Backbar

Which should you pick?

Choose Aloha POS if

Choose Backbar if

Questions people ask

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Related pages

More on Aloha POS

More on Backbar

Keep looking

Other head to heads