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Restaurants · head to head

Revel Systems vs Square for Restaurants

Revel Systems logo

Revel Systems

Restaurants

Cloud-based iPad POS for enterprise

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Square for Restaurants logo

Square for Restaurants

Restaurants

Restaurant POS system that works for you

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Square for Restaurants has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Revel Systems requires 3-year contract with high early termination fees making it difficult to cancel; Square for Restaurants the Square KDS and Square Kiosk apps are not available on the free plan
  • They diverge on capability: Revel Systems covers iPad POS, Square for Restaurants covers Table management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Revel Systems and Square for Restaurants actually diverge.

Attributes where Revel Systems and Square for Restaurants differ
AttributeRevel SystemsSquare for Restaurants
Starting price$99/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsiPad, WebWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20102018

Identical on both: 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 Revel Systems

  • iPad POS
  • Inventory management
  • CRM
  • Employee management
  • Delivery management
  • Multi-location management
  • Xero
  • 7shifts

Only in Square for Restaurants

  • Table management
  • Menu customization
  • Split checks
  • Offline mode
  • Real-time reporting
  • Kitchen display
  • Caviar
  • Postmates

Both cover

  • QuickBooks
  • DoorDash
  • Ios support

What people use each for

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

Revel Systems

  • 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.

Revel Systems

  • Requires 3-year contract with high early termination fees making it difficult to cancel
  • System crashes and glitches frequently, especially at high transaction volumes
  • Mandatory payment processing through Revel's Advantage processor with external processors heavily penalized
  • Customer support quality is poor with Level 1 support described as ineffective
  • Expensive upfront costs and numerous hidden fees for add-on features

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

Revel Systems

$99/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Revel Systems review.

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 Revel Systems if

  • You need ipad pos.
  • You work on iPad, Web.
  • You also want inventory management.
Revel Systems review

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.
Square for Restaurants review

Questions people ask

Is Revel Systems or Square for Restaurants better?
Neither clearly leads. Revel Systems starts at $99/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, Revel Systems or Square for Restaurants?
Square for Restaurants has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $99/month for Revel Systems and Free for Square for Restaurants.
Does Revel Systems or Square for Restaurants run on more platforms?
Revel Systems runs on iPad, Web. 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. Revel Systems starts at $99/month.
What is Revel Systems best used for?
Revel Systems is most often used for point of sale, order management, inventory control, staff scheduling.
What can Revel Systems do that Square for Restaurants cannot?
Revel Systems covers iPad POS, Inventory management, CRM, Employee management. Square for Restaurants covers Table management, Menu customization, Split checks, Offline mode. Both handle QuickBooks, DoorDash, Ios support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Revel Systems: What does Revel Systems cost?

Revel pricing starts around $99 per month per terminal with a minimum 3-year contract requirement. Customers also pay for additional features like reporting, workforce management, integrations, and Advantage payment processing which is typically mandatory.

Source
Square for Restaurants: What are Square's main pricing plans for restaurants?

Square offers a free tier and Square Plus. The Free plan has $0 cost with standard processing fees. Square Plus is described as the best value tier and includes lower card processing rates than the free plan.

Source
Revel Systems: How long does implementation take?

Revel implementation typically takes 2-4 weeks, including hardware setup, menu configuration, staff training, and system integration.

Source
Square for Restaurants: Does Square have locked-in contracts or can I cancel anytime?

Square explicitly states no hidden fees or locked-in contracts. Customers can cancel or switch anytime. The pay-as-you-go model means you only pay when you take a payment.

Source
Revel Systems: What integrations does Revel support?

Revel integrates with multiple payment processors through Stripe and Square connectors, plus accounting, payroll, and ecommerce solutions. Payment gateways vary by region.

Source
Square for Restaurants: Does Square Plus include a free trial period?

Yes, Square Plus offers a free trial, though the specific trial duration is not clearly displayed on the pricing page.

Source
Revel Systems: What are Revel's contract terms?

Revel requires a minimum 3-year contract with high early termination fees. Use of Revel's Advantage payment processing is typically mandatory, and using outside processors is heavily penalized or not allowed.

Source
Square for Restaurants: What features does Square Plus add compared to the free plan?

Square Plus includes all free plan features plus advanced POS tools, a loyalty program, email and text marketing (500 free texts, then 3 cents per text), and staff management tools.

Source
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