Short answer
A restaurant POS system usually costs US$0–300 a month per location for software, US$300–3,000 per location for hardware, and 1.5–3.5% of card sales for payment processing, plus any setup fees. EvronDesk costs US$29–99 a month per location, runs on hardware you choose, and doesn't take a cut of card payments.
All prices in this guide are typical ranges in US dollars at the time of writing. They vary by country, provider and deal, so treat them as a starting point for comparing quotes.
The four parts of POS cost
1. Software subscription
Most restaurant POS is now sold as a monthly subscription per location, sometimes with extra charges per terminal.
| Tier | Typical monthly price | What you usually get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | US$0 | Basic register; processing required; add-ons extra |
| Starter | US$30–80 | Register, menu, basic reports, one or two devices |
| Mid | US$80–200 | Kitchen display, inventory, online ordering, more devices |
| Advanced | US$200–400+ | Multi-location, API, advanced reporting, priority support |
Watch for add-ons. Some systems charge separately for the kitchen display, online ordering, loyalty, inventory or each delivery-app connection, so the "from" price can double once you've added what you actually need.
EvronDesk: US$29 (Starter, 2 devices), US$59 (Growth, 5 devices) or US$99 (Pro, 12 devices) a month per location. The kitchen display, offline mode and reports are in every plan. See pricing.
2. Hardware
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Tablet (iPad or Android) | US$150–800 |
| Tablet stand or enclosure | US$40–200 |
| Touchscreen all-in-one terminal | US$600–1,500 |
| Proprietary branded terminal | US$700–1,500+ |
| Handheld for servers | US$150–500 (phone) or US$400–900 (rugged handheld) |
| Receipt printer | US$100–350 |
| Kitchen printer | US$150–400 |
| Kitchen display screen | US$150–600 |
| Cash drawer | US$50–150 |
| Card terminal | Often rented from your bank (US$0–30 a month) or bought (US$50–500) |
| Router, cabling, UPS | US$100–500 |
If your POS runs on ordinary tablets and computers, you may already own much of this. If it only runs on its own branded hardware, you'll buy (or lease) that hardware and can't take it with you if you switch.
3. Card processing
This is often the biggest cost over time. Card fees are a percentage of every card sale, typically 1.5–3.5% depending on your country, card mix and provider, sometimes with a small fixed fee per transaction.
Some POS providers require you to use their processing. That's convenient, but the rate may be higher than you could get from your own bank, and you can't shop around without changing POS. On US$500,000 of card sales a year, a 0.4% difference is US$2,000.
EvronDesk doesn't process cards: you use your own terminal at your own rate.
4. Setup, training and contracts
- Setup and installation: US$0 for self-serve cloud POS, up to several thousand dollars for installed systems.
- Menu build: free if you do it yourself, sometimes charged by the provider.
- Contracts: month to month, or 1–3 years. Early termination fees can be significant.
- Support: included, or charged as a monthly or per-incident fee.
Three example budgets
A café with one counter
- Software: US$29/month (EvronDesk Starter)
- Hardware: an iPad you already have, US$60 stand, US$150 receipt printer, US$80 cash drawer
- Card terminal: from the bank
- First year: about US$640 software and hardware, plus card fees
A 60-cover restaurant with a bar
- Software: US$59/month (EvronDesk Growth, 5 devices)
- Hardware: two 10-inch tablets (US$700), two servers' phones as handhelds (owned), one kitchen display (US$300), receipt printer (US$200), cash drawer (US$100)
- Card terminals: two, from the bank
- First year: about US$2,000 software and hardware, plus card fees
A small group with three sites
- Software: US$99/month per site (EvronDesk Pro) = US$297/month
- Hardware: about US$2,500 per site
- First year: about US$11,000 software and hardware, plus card fees
For comparison, a proprietary system with branded terminals, required processing and a three-year contract can cost several times as much over the contract, mostly through hardware and processing.
How to compare quotes fairly
- Work out the three-year total, not the first month.
- List what you need (kitchen display, online ordering, inventory, delivery apps, number of devices) and price each system with all of it.
- Ask about processing: is it required, what's the rate, and can you use your own?
- Ask about hardware: can you use your own, and does theirs work with anything else?
- Read the contract: length, notice period, early termination fee.
- Check offline mode: an hour of lost sales on a busy night costs more than a year of price difference.
Ways to keep POS costs down
- Use tablets and phones you already own
- Keep your own card processing and negotiate the rate each year
- Choose a system that includes the kitchen display and online ordering rather than paying for add-ons
- Run your own commission-free ordering page alongside delivery apps
- Avoid long contracts until you're sure the system fits
Want to see what it would cost for your restaurant? Start a free 14-day trial with your own menu, no card needed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a POS system cost for a small restaurant?
A small restaurant can expect roughly US$30–150 a month for cloud POS software, plus US$300–1,500 of hardware if it doesn't already own tablets and a printer, plus card processing fees of around 1.5–3.5% of card sales depending on country and provider.
Are free restaurant POS systems really free?
Free plans usually make their money from mandatory card processing, paid add-ons (online ordering, inventory, kitchen display) or hardware. They can be good value for a very small café, but compare the total cost over a year, not the headline price.
Should I lease or buy POS hardware?
Buying is almost always cheaper over three years, especially if the POS runs on standard tablets. Leases spread the cost but often total far more than the hardware is worth and can tie you to one provider.
What hidden fees should I look for?
Setup and installation fees, early termination fees, per-terminal charges, paid add-ons for online ordering or kitchen display, payment processing markups, support fees, and charges for menu changes or extra locations.