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Restaurants · head to head

CAKE POS vs When I Work

CAKE POS logo

CAKE POS

Restaurants

Point of sale made for restaurants

From
$69/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
When I Work logo

When I Work

Restaurants

Scheduling and time tracking made simple

From
$2.5/user/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; When I Work aPI key access, webhooks and SAML single sign on require the Premium plan at $8 per user per month
  • They diverge on capability: CAKE POS covers Tableside ordering, When I Work covers Shift scheduling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CAKE POS and When I Work actually diverge.

Attributes where CAKE POS and When I Work differ
AttributeCAKE POSWhen I Work
Starting price$69/month$2.5/user/month
PlatformsIos, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Restaurants), founded (2010).

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
  • Grubhub

Only in When I Work

  • Shift scheduling
  • Time clock
  • Team messaging
  • Availability management
  • Shift swapping
  • Mobile apps
  • ADP
  • Gusto

Both cover

  • 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 Salenot When I Work
  • Order Managementnot When I Work
  • Inventory Controlnot When I Work
  • Staff Schedulingnot When I Work

When I Work

  • Scheduling hourly shift workers across locationsnot CAKE POS
  • Time clock and timesheet capture for payrollnot CAKE POS
  • Handling shift swaps, availability and time off requestsnot CAKE POS

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

When I Work

  • API key access, webhooks and SAML single sign on require the Premium plan at $8 per user per month
  • Scheduling rules, role permissions and custom reporting require the Pro plan at $5 per user per month
  • There is no free plan; the trial lasts 14 days
  • Enterprise arrangements are priced by quote with no published rate

Pricing, plan by plan

CAKE POS

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

When I Work

$2.5/user/month
  • Standard$2.5/user/month
    • Scheduling
    • Messaging
  • Advanced$6/user/month
    • Time clock
    • Labor forecasting

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 When I Work if

  • You need shift scheduling.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want time clock.
When I Work review

Questions people ask

Is CAKE POS or When I Work better?
Neither clearly leads. CAKE POS starts at $69/month and When I Work at $2.5/user/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CAKE POS or When I Work?
CAKE POS starts at $69/month and When I Work at $2.5/user/month.
Does CAKE POS or When I Work run on more platforms?
CAKE POS runs on Ios, Android. When I Work runs on Web, Ios, Android.
What is CAKE POS best used for?
CAKE 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 When I Work is typically brought in for.
What can CAKE POS do that When I Work cannot?
CAKE POS covers Tableside ordering, Online ordering, Guest management, Menu management. When I Work covers Shift scheduling, Time clock, Team messaging, Availability management. Both handle 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
When I Work: What is the pricing structure?

Plans start at $2.50 per user per month, billed in user tiers of five, with pricing that scales flexibly with team size.

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
When I Work: Are there long-term contracts required?

No long-term contracts, no hidden surprises, and no enterprise-only paywalls. The platform scales as your business grows without binding agreements.

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
When I Work: Is there a free trial available?

Try When I Work free for 14 days with full access to all core features. No credit card is required for the trial period.

Source
When I Work: Can I adjust or cancel my plan anytime?

You can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel at any time and adjust your plan at any time or use hibernation options during seasonal downtime.

Source
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