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Software · head to head

Heartland Restaurant vs Lavu

Heartland Restaurant logo

Heartland Restaurant

Software

Complete restaurant management ecosystem

From
$89/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lavu logo

Lavu

Software

iPad POS for restaurants and bars

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Heartland Restaurant high processing fees and early termination penalties increase total cost of ownership; Lavu iPad-only solution with no Android or Windows alternative
  • They diverge on capability: Heartland Restaurant covers POS system, Lavu covers iPad POS.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Heartland Restaurant and Lavu differ
AttributeHeartland RestaurantLavu
Starting price$89/month$99/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWeb, iPad, AndroidiPad
Founded20012010

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Heartland Restaurant

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

Only in Lavu

  • iPad POS
  • Split checks
  • Tab management
  • Happy hour pricing
  • Inventory tracking
  • Kitchen display
  • Xero
  • DoorDash

Both cover

  • QuickBooks
  • Ios support

What people use each for

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

Heartland Restaurant

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

Lavu

  • 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.

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

Lavu

  • iPad-only solution with no Android or Windows alternative
  • Hardware costs are significant with devices starting at $700
  • Limited offline functionality compared to some competitors

Pricing, plan by plan

Heartland Restaurant

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

Lavu

$99/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Lavu review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Heartland Restaurant if

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

Choose Lavu if

  • You need ipad pos.
  • You work on iPad.
  • You also want split checks.
Lavu review

Questions people ask

Is Heartland Restaurant or Lavu better?
Neither clearly leads. Heartland Restaurant starts at $89/month and Lavu at $99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Heartland Restaurant or Lavu?
Heartland Restaurant starts at $89/month and Lavu at $99/month.
Does Heartland Restaurant or Lavu run on more platforms?
Heartland Restaurant runs on Web, iPad, Android. Lavu runs on iPad.
What is Heartland Restaurant best used for?
Heartland Restaurant is most often used for point of sale, order management, inventory control, staff scheduling.
What can Heartland Restaurant do that Lavu cannot?
Heartland Restaurant covers POS system, Payment processing, Payroll, Customer engagement. Lavu covers iPad POS, Split checks, Tab management, Happy hour pricing. Both handle QuickBooks, Ios support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Lavu: What devices does Lavu support?

Lavu is iPad-based and works with iPad Pro, Air, and Mini models. It is compatible with peripherals from Ingenico, Magtek, and supports various receipt printers, cash drawers, and barcode scanners.

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
Lavu: Does Lavu offer financing for hardware?

Yes. Lavu offers 0% no-interest financing on hardware for 3-year contracts, and supports both 1-year and 3-year contract terms.

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
Lavu: What is Lavu's pricing range?

Lavu monthly POS software costs range from $99 to $279 per month, with hardware starting at $700 and up to $1,500 for full systems.

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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Related pages

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