Software · head to head
Heartland Restaurant vs Square for Restaurants
Heartland Restaurant
Software
Complete restaurant management ecosystem
- From
- $89/month
- Rated
- -
Square for Restaurants
Software
Restaurant POS system that works for you
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Square for Restaurants has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Heartland Restaurant high processing fees and early termination penalties increase total cost of ownership; Square for Restaurants the Square KDS and Square Kiosk apps are not available on the free plan
- They diverge on capability: Heartland Restaurant covers POS system, Square for Restaurants covers Table management.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Heartland Restaurant and Square for Restaurants actually diverge.
| Attribute | Heartland Restaurant | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $89/month | Free |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, iPad, Android | Web, Ios, Android |
| Founded | 2001 | 2018 |
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Square for Restaurants
- Table management
- Menu customization
- Split checks
- Offline mode
- Real-time reporting
- Kitchen display
- Caviar
- DoorDash
Both cover
- QuickBooks
- Web support
- Ios support
- Android 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
Square for Restaurants
- 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
Square for Restaurants
- The Square KDS and Square Kiosk apps are not available on the free plan
- KDS and Kiosk are billed per device per month on top of the plan, so cost scales with terminals rather than locations
- Restaurants processing over $250,000 a year are moved to custom pricing rather than the published rates
Pricing, plan by plan
Heartland Restaurant
$89/month- Basic$89/month
- POS
- Payment processing
- Professional$149/month
- Advanced features
- Payroll integration
Square for Restaurants
Free- FreeFree
- POS
- Menu management
- Basic reporting
- Plus$60/month
- Advanced features
- Live sales
- Seat management
- PremiumFree
- Custom pricing
- Dedicated support
Which should you pick?
Choose Heartland Restaurant if
- You need pos system.
- You work on Web, iPad, Android.
- You also want payment processing.
Choose Square for Restaurants if
- You need table management.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want menu customization.
Questions people ask
- Is Heartland Restaurant or Square for Restaurants better?
- Neither clearly leads. Heartland Restaurant starts at $89/month and Square for Restaurants at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Heartland Restaurant or Square for Restaurants?
- Square for Restaurants has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $89/month for Heartland Restaurant and Free for Square for Restaurants.
- Does Heartland Restaurant or Square for Restaurants run on more platforms?
- Heartland Restaurant runs on Web, iPad, Android. Square for Restaurants runs on Web, Ios, Android.
- Can I use Square for Restaurants for free?
- Yes. Square for Restaurants has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Heartland Restaurant starts at $89/month.
- 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 Square for Restaurants cannot?
- Heartland Restaurant covers POS system, Payment processing, Payroll, Customer engagement. Square for Restaurants covers Table management, Menu customization, Split checks, Offline mode. Both handle QuickBooks, Web support, Ios support, Android 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.
SourceHeartland 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.
SourceHeartland 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.
SourceHeartland 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