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Restaurants · head to head

CAKE POS vs Heartland Restaurant

CAKE POS logo

CAKE POS

Restaurants

Point of sale made for restaurants

From
$69/month
Rated
-
Heartland Restaurant logo

Heartland Restaurant

Restaurants

Complete restaurant management ecosystem

From
$89/month
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CAKE POS pricing model based on 'no bill ever' but actual merchant fees, commission rates, or payment processing costs not disclosed; Heartland Restaurant high processing fees and early termination penalties increase total cost of ownership
  • They diverge on capability: CAKE POS covers Tableside ordering, Heartland Restaurant covers POS system.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CAKE POS and Heartland Restaurant actually diverge.

Attributes where CAKE POS and Heartland Restaurant differ
AttributeCAKE POSHeartland Restaurant
Starting price$69/month$89/month
PlatformsIos, AndroidWeb, iPad, Android
Founded20102001

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), 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 CAKE POS

  • Tableside ordering
  • Online ordering
  • Guest management
  • Menu management
  • Kitchen display
  • DoorDash
  • Grubhub
  • 7shifts

Only in Heartland Restaurant

  • POS system
  • Payment processing
  • Payroll
  • Customer engagement
  • Gift cards
  • Heartland Payroll
  • Delivery platforms
  • Web support

Both cover

  • Reporting
  • QuickBooks
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

CAKE POS

  • Point of Sale
  • Order Management
  • Inventory Control
  • Staff Scheduling

Heartland Restaurant

  • Point of Sale
  • Order Management
  • Inventory Control
  • Staff Scheduling

Both are used for point of sale, order management, inventory control, staff scheduling, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

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

CAKE POS

  • Pricing model based on 'no bill ever' but actual merchant fees, commission rates, or payment processing costs not disclosed
  • Website claims zero upfront cost but does not detail ongoing operational costs
  • Customers must request quote to learn full cost of ownership

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

CAKE POS

$69/month
  • Essentials$69/month
    • POS
    • Online ordering
  • Professional$125/month
    • Guest management
    • Advanced features

Heartland Restaurant

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

Which should you pick?

Choose CAKE POS if

  • You need tableside ordering.
  • You work on Ios, Android.
  • You also want online ordering.

Choose Heartland Restaurant if

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

Questions people ask

Is CAKE POS or Heartland Restaurant better?
Neither clearly leads. CAKE POS starts at $69/month and Heartland Restaurant at $89/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CAKE POS or Heartland Restaurant?
CAKE POS starts at $69/month and Heartland Restaurant at $89/month.
Does CAKE POS or Heartland Restaurant run on more platforms?
CAKE POS runs on Ios, Android. Heartland Restaurant runs on Web, iPad, Android.
What is CAKE POS best used for?
CAKE POS is most often used for point of sale, order management, inventory control, staff scheduling.
What can CAKE POS do that Heartland Restaurant cannot?
CAKE POS covers Tableside ordering, Online ordering, Guest management, Menu management. Heartland Restaurant covers POS system, Payment processing, Payroll, Customer engagement. Both handle Reporting, QuickBooks, Ios support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CAKE POS: Does CAKE POS have an upfront cost?

CAKE advertises 'no bill ever' and requires no down payment for POS terminals and payment processing. However, specific ongoing merchant fees or transaction costs are not disclosed.

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
CAKE POS: What is included in CAKE's pricing plans?

CAKE offers three tiers (Core, Growth, Enterprise) where Core includes POS terminal with payment processing and reporting. Growth and Enterprise add features like white-glove installation, business insurance, and partner integrations, but exact pricing is not published.

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
CAKE POS: How can I find out what CAKE POS actually costs?

CAKE does not publish pricing online. You must request a quote directly through the website to learn specific costs for your restaurant's needs.

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
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
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