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Restaurants · head to head

CAKE POS vs Upserve

CAKE POS logo

CAKE POS

Restaurants

Point of sale made for restaurants

From
$69/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Upserve logo

Upserve

Restaurants

Restaurant management platform with insights

From
$59/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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; Upserve offline terminals can only store credit card payment data for 48 hours before requiring internet connection
  • They diverge on capability: CAKE POS covers Tableside ordering, Upserve covers Cloud POS.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CAKE POS and Upserve actually diverge.

Attributes where CAKE POS and Upserve differ
AttributeCAKE POSUpserve
Starting price$69/month$59/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsIos, AndroidWeb, iPad, Android, Custom POS terminals
Founded20102013

Identical on both: 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
  • Reporting
  • Kitchen display
  • DoorDash

Only in Upserve

  • Cloud POS
  • Guest insights
  • Menu intelligence
  • Server performance
  • Reputation management
  • Inventory tracking
  • Xero
  • Web support

Both cover

  • Grubhub
  • QuickBooks
  • 7shifts
  • 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

Upserve

  • 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

Upserve

  • Offline terminals can only store credit card payment data for 48 hours before requiring internet connection
  • Customers cannot add tips when the system operates in offline mode
  • $400 monthly penalty for using alternative payment processors instead of Lightspeed
  • No global ability to change menu items across all locations at once, requiring per-location updates
  • Mandatory 2.6% + $0.10 per transaction payment processing fee with Lightspeed

Pricing, plan by plan

CAKE POS

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

Upserve

$59/month
  • Core$59/month
    • Cloud-based point of sale
    • Basic reporting
    • Guest insights
  • Pro$199/month
    • All Core features
    • Inventory management
    • Online ordering

Which should you pick?

Choose CAKE POS if

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

Choose Upserve if

  • You need cloud pos.
  • You work on Web, iPad, Android, Custom POS terminals.
  • You also want guest insights.
Upserve review

Questions people ask

Is CAKE POS or Upserve better?
Neither clearly leads. CAKE POS starts at $69/month and Upserve at $59/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CAKE POS or Upserve?
CAKE POS starts at $69/month and Upserve at $59/month.
Does CAKE POS or Upserve run on more platforms?
CAKE POS runs on Ios, Android. Upserve runs on Web, iPad, Android, Custom POS terminals.
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 Upserve cannot?
CAKE POS covers Tableside ordering, Online ordering, Guest management, Menu management. Upserve covers Cloud POS, Guest insights, Menu intelligence, Server performance. Both handle Grubhub, QuickBooks, 7shifts, Ios 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
Upserve: Does Upserve support offline mode?

Yes. Upserve is a hybrid cloud-based system where reporting data is stored in the cloud but offline mode allows the software to store important data locally on your device in case the internet goes down, allowing transactions to continue.

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
Upserve: What is Upserve's pricing structure?

Upserve offers three plans: Core at $59/month, Pro at $199/month with advanced features like inventory management and loyalty programs, and Pro+ with custom pricing for enterprise customers. Hardware is sold separately.

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
Upserve: Does Upserve offer a free trial?

Yes, Upserve offers a 14-day free trial for new users to test the platform before committing to a paid plan.

Source
Upserve: What delivery platforms does Upserve integrate with?

Upserve integrates with DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub through partner middleware services like Chowly and Deliverect, which provide real-time menu syncing and order management.

Source
Upserve: What are the payment processing requirements?

Upserve requires using Lightspeed payment processing at 2.6% + $0.10 per transaction. Using alternative payment processors incurs a $400 monthly fee, making Lightspeed the mandatory choice for most restaurants.

Source
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