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Restaurants · head to head

Aloha POS vs Zomato

Aloha POS logo

Aloha POS

Restaurants

Industry-leading restaurant POS solution

From
$150/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zomato logo

Zomato

Restaurants

Indian food delivery and restaurant discovery app, now operating under parent brand Eternal

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Zomato 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; Zomato restaurant commission of roughly 15 to 25 percent is commonly passed through as higher in-app menu prices, so the delivered price is not simply the counter price plus a fee.
  • They diverge on capability: Aloha POS covers Table management, Zomato covers Food delivery marketplace.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Aloha POS and Zomato differ
AttributeAloha POSZomato
Starting price$150/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionFree to download; delivery and platform fees per order, optional paid membership
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, AndroidiOS, Android, Web
Founded1988Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Zomato

  • Food delivery marketplace
  • Zomato Gold membership
  • Dine-out table booking
  • Restaurant reviews and ratings
  • Blinkit quick commerce
  • Zomato for Business

What people use each for

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

Aloha POS

  • Point of Salenot Zomato
  • Order Managementnot Zomato
  • Inventory Controlnot Zomato
  • Staff Schedulingnot Zomato

Zomato

  • A diner in an Indian city ordering food delivery or comparing restaurants before eating outnot Aloha POS
  • A frequent orderer weighing whether Zomato Gold discounts outweigh its subscription costnot Aloha POS
  • Someone booking a table at a partner restaurant through the dine-out featurenot Aloha POS
  • A restaurant owner using Zomato for Business to manage online orders and view sales analyticsnot 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

Zomato

  • Restaurant commission of roughly 15 to 25 percent is commonly passed through as higher in-app menu prices, so the delivered price is not simply the counter price plus a fee.
  • The company exited most markets outside India in 2019, so international coverage is far narrower than the brand recognition suggests.
  • Zomato Gold benefits and discount depth vary by city and restaurant partner, and heavy users report the value of the membership eroding over time as terms are revised.
  • Delivery riders are engaged on a gig basis with pay tied to order volume and distance, a model that has drawn wage and working-condition criticism in India.
  • The 2024 rebrand of the parent company to Eternal, alongside the Blinkit and Hyperpure businesses, means Zomato the consumer app is now one product line inside a multi-business group rather than a standalone company, which affects how disclosures and strategy are reported.

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

Zomato

Free
  • Pay per orderFree
    • Delivery fee scaling with distance and demand
    • Platform fee on order total
    • Restaurant menu prices often marked up versus dine-in
  • Zomato Gold$299/month
    • Discounts and free-item offers at partner restaurants
    • Priority service and reduced wait times at partner dine-in venues
    • Delivery perks vary by plan tier and market

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 Zomato if

  • You need food delivery marketplace.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want zomato gold membership.
Zomato review

Questions people ask

Is Aloha POS or Zomato better?
Neither clearly leads. Aloha POS starts at $150/month and Zomato at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Aloha POS or Zomato?
Zomato has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $150/month for Aloha POS and Free for Zomato.
Does Aloha POS or Zomato run on more platforms?
Aloha POS runs on Windows, Android. Zomato runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Zomato for free?
Yes. Zomato 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 Zomato is typically brought in for.
What can Aloha POS do that Zomato cannot?
Aloha POS covers Table management, Order management, Labor scheduling, Inventory control. Zomato covers Food delivery marketplace, Zomato Gold membership, Dine-out table booking, Restaurant reviews and ratings.

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
Zomato: Is Zomato only available in India?

Its core market is India; it exited most other countries in 2019 and has minimal presence elsewhere.

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
Zomato: What did Zomato rename to?

The parent company renamed itself Eternal Limited in 2024; the Zomato consumer app kept its own name.

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
Zomato: Does Zomato Gold apply to delivery or dine-in or both?

Both, though the specific discounts and which restaurants participate vary by plan tier and city.

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
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