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Restaurants · head to head

Backbar vs Revel Systems

Backbar logo

Backbar

Restaurants

Bar inventory management with drink costing and purchasing tools

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Revel Systems logo

Revel Systems

Restaurants

Cloud-based iPad POS for enterprise

From
$99/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; Revel Systems requires 3-year contract with high early termination fees making it difficult to cancel
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Backbar and Revel Systems actually diverge.

Attributes where Backbar and Revel Systems differ
AttributeBackbarRevel Systems
Starting priceFree$99/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebiPad, Web
FoundedUnknown2010

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 Backbar

Nothing recorded that Revel Systems does not also cover.

Only in Revel Systems

  • iPad POS
  • Inventory management
  • CRM
  • Employee management
  • Delivery management
  • Multi-location management
  • QuickBooks
  • Xero

What people use each for

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

Backbar

  • Bar inventory managementnot Revel Systems
  • Liquor cost trackingnot Revel Systems
  • Multi-location restaurant operationsnot Revel Systems

Revel Systems

  • 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

Revel Systems

  • Requires 3-year contract with high early termination fees making it difficult to cancel
  • System crashes and glitches frequently, especially at high transaction volumes
  • Mandatory payment processing through Revel's Advantage processor with external processors heavily penalized
  • Customer support quality is poor with Level 1 support described as ineffective
  • Expensive upfront costs and numerous hidden fees for add-on features

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

Revel Systems

$99/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Revel Systems review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Backbar if

  • You want to start without paying.
Backbar review

Choose Revel Systems if

  • You need ipad pos.
  • You work on iPad, Web.
  • You also want inventory management.
Revel Systems review

Questions people ask

Is Backbar or Revel Systems better?
Neither clearly leads. Backbar starts at Free and Revel Systems at $99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Backbar or Revel Systems?
Backbar has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Backbar and $99/month for Revel Systems.
Does Backbar or Revel Systems run on more platforms?
Backbar runs on Web. Revel Systems runs on iPad, Web.
Can I use Backbar for free?
Yes. Backbar has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Revel Systems starts at $99/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 Revel Systems is typically brought in for.
What can Backbar do that Revel Systems cannot?
Revel Systems covers iPad POS, Inventory management, CRM, Employee management.

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
Revel Systems: What does Revel Systems cost?

Revel pricing starts around $99 per month per terminal with a minimum 3-year contract requirement. Customers also pay for additional features like reporting, workforce management, integrations, and Advantage payment processing which is typically mandatory.

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
Revel Systems: How long does implementation take?

Revel implementation typically takes 2-4 weeks, including hardware setup, menu configuration, staff training, and system integration.

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
Revel Systems: What integrations does Revel support?

Revel integrates with multiple payment processors through Stripe and Square connectors, plus accounting, payroll, and ecommerce solutions. Payment gateways vary by region.

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
Revel Systems: What are Revel's contract terms?

Revel requires a minimum 3-year contract with high early termination fees. Use of Revel's Advantage payment processing is typically mandatory, and using outside processors is heavily penalized or not allowed.

Source
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