Software · head to head
Upserve vs Caviar
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Upserve offline terminals can only store credit card payment data for 48 hours before requiring internet connection; Caviar limited availability to 20 major metropolitan areas
- They diverge on capability: Upserve covers Cloud POS, Caviar covers Premium delivery.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Upserve and Caviar actually diverge.
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 Upserve
- Cloud POS
- Guest insights
- Menu intelligence
- Server performance
- Reputation management
- Inventory tracking
- QuickBooks
- Xero
Only in Caviar
- Premium delivery
- Curated marketplace
- Order management
- Quality-focused
- Analytics
- DoorDash
- Toast
- Square
Both cover
- Web support
- Ios support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Upserve
- Point of Sale
- Order Management
- Inventory Control
- Staff Scheduling
Caviar
- 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.
Upserve
- Offline terminals can only store credit card payment data for 48 hours before requiring internet connection
- Customers cannot add tips when the system operates in offline mode
- $400 monthly penalty for using alternative payment processors instead of Lightspeed
- No global ability to change menu items across all locations at once, requiring per-location updates
- Mandatory 2.6% + $0.10 per transaction payment processing fee with Lightspeed
Caviar
- Limited availability to 20 major metropolitan areas
- Service fee of 18 percent applied to all orders
- Not available in all regions as standalone service
Pricing, plan by plan
Upserve
$59/month- Core$59/month
- Cloud-based point of sale
- Basic reporting
- Guest insights
- Pro$199/month
- All Core features
- Inventory management
- Online ordering
Caviar
$20/order- Standard$25/percent
- Premium delivery
- Curated placement
Which should you pick?
Choose Upserve if
- You need cloud pos.
- You work on Web, iPad, Android, Custom POS terminals.
- You also want guest insights.
Choose Caviar if
- You need premium delivery.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want curated marketplace.
Questions people ask
- Is Upserve or Caviar better?
- Neither clearly leads. Upserve starts at $59/month and Caviar at $20/order, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Upserve or Caviar?
- Upserve starts at $59/month and Caviar at $20/order.
- Does Upserve or Caviar run on more platforms?
- Upserve runs on Web, iPad, Android, Custom POS terminals. Caviar runs on Web, iOS, Android.
- What is Upserve best used for?
- Upserve is most often used for point of sale, order management, inventory control, staff scheduling.
- What can Upserve do that Caviar cannot?
- Upserve covers Cloud POS, Guest insights, Menu intelligence, Server performance. Caviar covers Premium delivery, Curated marketplace, Order management, Quality-focused. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Upserve: Does Upserve support offline mode?
Yes. Upserve is a hybrid cloud-based system where reporting data is stored in the cloud but offline mode allows the software to store important data locally on your device in case the internet goes down, allowing transactions to continue.
SourceCaviar: What does Caviar charge for delivery?
A service fee of 18 percent is applied to each Caviar delivery order. The delivery fee ranges from $1.99 to $8.99 depending on distance and demand. Customers ordering for pickup pay no order minimums, service fee or delivery fee.
SourceUpserve: What is Upserve's pricing structure?
Upserve offers three plans: Core at $59/month, Pro at $199/month with advanced features like inventory management and loyalty programs, and Pro+ with custom pricing for enterprise customers. Hardware is sold separately.
SourceCaviar: Is Caviar available as a standalone service?
No. Caviar was acquired by DoorDash in October 2019 and now operates as part of the DoorDash platform. DoorDash members with DashPass enjoy waived delivery fees and reduced service charges on Caviar orders.
SourceUpserve: Does Upserve offer a free trial?
Yes, Upserve offers a 14-day free trial for new users to test the platform before committing to a paid plan.
SourceUpserve: What delivery platforms does Upserve integrate with?
Upserve integrates with DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub through partner middleware services like Chowly and Deliverect, which provide real-time menu syncing and order management.
SourceUpserve: What are the payment processing requirements?
Upserve requires using Lightspeed payment processing at 2.6% + $0.10 per transaction. Using alternative payment processors incurs a $400 monthly fee, making Lightspeed the mandatory choice for most restaurants.
Source