Softwr

Restaurants · head to head

Backbar vs Heartland Restaurant

Backbar logo

Backbar

Restaurants

Bar inventory management with drink costing and purchasing tools

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Heartland Restaurant logo

Heartland Restaurant

Restaurants

Complete restaurant management ecosystem

From
$89/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Backbar has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Backbar invoice syncing with inventory requires the top Professional plan at $129 per month billed monthly, as of August 2026; Heartland Restaurant high processing fees and early termination penalties increase total cost of ownership
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Backbar and Heartland Restaurant actually diverge.

Attributes where Backbar and Heartland Restaurant differ
AttributeBackbarHeartland Restaurant
Starting priceFree$89/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, iPad, Android
FoundedUnknown2001

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 Backbar

Nothing recorded that Heartland Restaurant does not also cover.

Only in Heartland Restaurant

  • POS system
  • Payment processing
  • Payroll
  • Customer engagement
  • Gift cards
  • Reporting
  • Heartland Payroll
  • QuickBooks

What people use each for

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

Backbar

  • Bar inventory managementnot Heartland Restaurant
  • Liquor cost trackingnot Heartland Restaurant
  • Multi-location restaurant operationsnot Heartland Restaurant

Heartland Restaurant

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

Where each one falls short

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

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

Heartland Restaurant

  • High processing fees and early termination penalties increase total cost of ownership
  • Lack of customization compared to open-source POS systems
  • Data migration to Heartland has been reported as problematic by users
  • Pricing details are not transparent, making budgeting difficult for prospective customers

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Heartland Restaurant

$89/month
  • Basic$89/month
    • POS
    • Payment processing
  • Professional$149/month
    • Advanced features
    • Payroll integration

Which should you pick?

Choose Backbar if

  • You want to start without paying.
Backbar review

Choose Heartland Restaurant if

  • You need pos system.
  • You work on Web, iPad, Android.
  • You also want payment processing.
Heartland Restaurant review

Questions people ask

Is Backbar or Heartland Restaurant better?
Neither clearly leads. Backbar starts at Free and Heartland Restaurant at $89/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Backbar or Heartland Restaurant?
Backbar has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Backbar and $89/month for Heartland Restaurant.
Does Backbar or Heartland Restaurant run on more platforms?
Backbar runs on Web. Heartland Restaurant runs on Web, iPad, Android.
Can I use Backbar for free?
Yes. Backbar has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Heartland Restaurant starts at $89/month.
What is Backbar best used for?
Backbar is most often used for bar inventory management, liquor cost tracking, multi-location restaurant operations. Of those, bar inventory management and liquor cost tracking are not what Heartland Restaurant is typically brought in for.
What can Backbar do that Heartland Restaurant cannot?
Heartland Restaurant covers POS system, Payment processing, Payroll, Customer engagement.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Heartland Restaurant: Does Heartland Restaurant work with multiple locations?

Yes, Heartland Restaurant is designed for multi-location operations with the Complete plan targeting restaurants with more complex requirements across multiple sites.

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
Heartland Restaurant: What payment methods does Heartland accept?

Heartland includes integrated payment processing and accepts all popular payment methods, but specific details are available on their pricing and features pages.

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
Heartland Restaurant: What hardware options does Heartland Restaurant offer?

Heartland provides touchscreen terminals ranging from $1,295 to $1,895, handheld devices at $695, and supporting equipment like printers ($275-$375) and cash drawers.

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
Heartland Restaurant: Can Heartland Restaurant integrate with other business systems?

Yes, Heartland offers a developer-friendly API that enables custom integrations with various third-party systems.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Backbar

More on Heartland Restaurant

Keep looking

Other head to heads