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Restaurants · head to head

HotSchedules vs Lavu

HotSchedules logo

HotSchedules

Restaurants

Restaurant employee scheduling software

From
$2/employee/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lavu logo

Lavu

Restaurants

iPad POS for restaurants and bars

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: HotSchedules hotSchedules is sold by Fourth and its pricing page publishes no rate, no per location or per employee cost, no module price and no minimum commitment; Lavu iPad-only solution with no Android or Windows alternative
  • They diverge on capability: HotSchedules covers Employee scheduling, Lavu covers iPad POS.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which HotSchedules and Lavu actually diverge.

Attributes where HotSchedules and Lavu differ
AttributeHotSchedulesLavu
Starting price$2/employee/month$99/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidiPad
Founded19992010

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 HotSchedules

  • Employee scheduling
  • Time tracking
  • Team messaging
  • Labor forecasting
  • Shift swapping
  • Compliance
  • All major POS
  • Payroll systems

Only in Lavu

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

Both cover

  • Ios support

What people use each for

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

HotSchedules

  • Employee scheduling for restaurants and retailnot Lavu
  • Labor cost management and optimizationnot Lavu
  • Shift coordination for multiple locationsnot Lavu

Lavu

  • Point of Salenot HotSchedules
  • Order Managementnot HotSchedules
  • Inventory Controlnot HotSchedules
  • Staff Schedulingnot HotSchedules

Where each one falls short

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

HotSchedules

  • HotSchedules is sold by Fourth and its pricing page publishes no rate, no per location or per employee cost, no module price and no minimum commitment
  • Obtaining a price requires a sales call or a demo request
  • Fourth sells HotSchedules alongside separate products including Adaco and MacromatiX, each quoted rather than listed

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

HotSchedules

$2/employee/month
  • Scheduling$2/employee/month
    • Scheduling
    • Communication
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Custom pricing
    • Full platform

Lavu

$99/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Lavu review.

Which should you pick?

Choose HotSchedules if

  • You need employee scheduling.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want time tracking.
HotSchedules review

Choose Lavu if

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

Questions people ask

Is HotSchedules or Lavu better?
Neither clearly leads. HotSchedules starts at $2/employee/month and Lavu at $99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, HotSchedules or Lavu?
HotSchedules starts at $2/employee/month and Lavu at $99/month.
Does HotSchedules or Lavu run on more platforms?
HotSchedules runs on Web, Ios, Android. Lavu runs on iPad.
What is HotSchedules best used for?
HotSchedules is most often used for employee scheduling for restaurants and retail, labor cost management and optimization, shift coordination for multiple locations. Of those, employee scheduling for restaurants and retail and labor cost management and optimization are not what Lavu is typically brought in for.
What can HotSchedules do that Lavu cannot?
HotSchedules covers Employee scheduling, Time tracking, Team messaging, Labor forecasting. Lavu covers iPad POS, Split checks, Tab management, Happy hour pricing. Both handle Ios support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

HotSchedules: Does HotSchedules offer a free trial?

HotSchedules offers a promotional trial of one year free to new customers. Specific terms and conditions apply, and contact with their sales team is required to activate the offer.

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
HotSchedules: How is HotSchedules pricing determined?

HotSchedules pricing is customized based on business needs. Potential customers must contact Fourth's sales team via the demo request form to receive a personalized pricing quote.

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
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
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