Best Free POS Systems in 2026
The best free POS systems for cafes and restaurants in 2026: what each free plan includes, what costs extra, and how to pick the right one.
💡 Quick answer: Pointbunny is free to use for cafes and restaurants. The Free plan gives you one register, a kitchen screen, a customer display and a pickup board, with no monthly fee and no contract. Other good free options are Square Free, Loyverse and SumUp's Free plan.
"Free" means different things at different POS companies. Some charge nothing for the software but earn on card processing. Others charge for add-ons or hardware. Here's what each free plan really includes, based on their official pricing pages as of October 2026.
Free POS systems compared
POS | Free plan includes | Paid extras | Payment processing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Pointbunny | One register, kitchen screen, customer display, pickup board | Pro: $19/month (adds time clock) | Records card payments; doesn't process them | Cafes and restaurants that want the whole counter in one app on devices they own |
Square Free | POS, menu management, open checks, pickup and local delivery, online ordering page | Plus $49/month or Premium $149/month per location; KDS app from $20/month per device on paid plans | Built in: 2.6% + 15¢ in person on Free | Owners who want payments and POS from one company |
Loyverse | POS, 31 days of sales reports, basic inventory, loyalty, customer display, kitchen display, multi-store | Unlimited sales history $7/month; employee management and advanced inventory add-ons | Not listed on pricing page | Small shops that want lots of free tools and to pay only for add-ons |
SumUp (Free plan) | Catalog, order taking, reporting, basic employee and customer info | POS Plus $49/month; SumUp POS from $99/month; POS Lite hardware $499 | Built in: 2.6% + 10¢ in person | Sellers who want a SumUp register or card reader with no monthly fee |
The options in brief
Pointbunny
Runs the whole counter in one app on devices you already have.
Free plan: one register, kitchen screen, customer display and pickup board. No monthly fee, no contract.
Pro is $19/month and adds the time clock.
The team will set it up for you: email your menu photos to support@pointbunny.com.
Square Free
No monthly subscription; you pay only processing fees when you take a payment.
Strong on payments: tap, chip, swipe, Tap to Pay on phones, plus an online ordering page.
The Square KDS app and kiosk software aren't available on Square Free.
Loyverse
Free POS, kitchen display, customer display and loyalty program.
Runs on a phone or tablet you already own; no credit card needed to sign up.
Sales reports cover the last 31 days unless you add the $7/month add-on.
SumUp (Free plan)
$0/month software with no monthly minimums.
The POS Lite register with Solo card reader is a one-time $499.
Floor plans, kitchen printing and table management are in POS Plus ($49/month).
How to choose
✅ Check what "free" covers. Is the kitchen screen included, or a paid add-on?
✅ Look at processing. Some free plans earn from each card payment. Compare the rate with your current one.
✅ Count your devices. Can you use the tablets you already have, or do you need new hardware?
✅ Read the contract terms. Can you leave anytime?
✅ Think about staff. Do you need a time clock now or later, and what does it cost?
✅ Ask about setup help. Who builds your menu?
Opening a coffee shop? Our free POS for a coffee shop guide covers what a coffee counter needs. For everything Pointbunny does, read the ultimate guide to Pointbunny.
FAQs
Is a free POS really free? The software can be. Most companies make money another way: card processing fees, paid add-ons, hardware or upgraded plans. Check all four before you choose.
Does Pointbunny process card payments? No. Pointbunny records card payments but doesn't process them. Pointbunny's Free plan has no monthly fee and no contract, and you can use it on unlimited devices.
Can a free POS run a restaurant kitchen? Yes, with some. Pointbunny's Free plan includes a kitchen screen, and Loyverse lists a free kitchen display. Square's KDS app needs a paid plan, and SumUp's kitchen printing is in POS Plus.
Want to try it? Start free with Pointbunny. No monthly fee on the Free plan, no contract.
