POS Comparisons

Revel Systems vs Upserve: Which POS Is Better? (2025)

By Mauricio Nov 2, 2025 3 min read
Revel Systems vs Upserve: Which POS Is Better? (2025)

In the battle of Revel Systems versus Upserve, both systems bring unique strengths to the table. Revel Systems is particularly strong for Multi-location restaurants, franchises, and growing retail chains, while Upserve excels at Restaurants, bars, and cafes wanting comprehensive analytics. Whether you prioritize Open API platform or Offline mode for outages, this comparison covers everything you need to know.

Quick Comparison: Revel Systems vs Upserve

FeatureRevel SystemsUpserve
CategoryMulti-IndustryRestaurant
Starting Price$99/month/terminal (estimated)$89/month
Rating4.1/54.3/5
Target BusinessMid-MarketSmall Business
Pricing ModelQuote-basedSubscription
Free TrialYesYes
Free VersionNoNo
Best ForMulti-location restaurants, franchises, and growing retail chainsRestaurants, bars, and cafes wanting comprehensive analytics

Revel Systems Overview

Revel Systems is an enterprise-grade iPad POS platform for restaurants and retail businesses. It offers advanced features, API access, and scalability for growing multi-location operations.

Revel Systems is offered by Revel Systems, Inc. (founded 2010) based in Atlanta, GA. The system focuses on Quick service restaurants, Retail chains, Franchises, Enterprise.

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Key Features:

  • iPad-based POS
  • Open API
  • Inventory management
  • CRM
  • Employee management
  • Reporting

Upserve Overview

Upserve, now Lightspeed Restaurant U-Series, is a restaurant POS offering offline mode, employee management, and real-time insights. Consolidates menu performance, staff productivity, and customer behavior data into one platform.

Upserve is offered by Lightspeed Commerce (founded 2009) based in Providence, Rhode Island, USA. The system focuses on Restaurants, Bars, Cafes, Bakeries.

Key Features:

  • Order management
  • Payment processing
  • Inventory management
  • Staff management
  • Customer loyalty
  • Analytics/reporting

Feature Comparison

Revel Systems Features:

  • iPad-based POS
  • Open API
  • Inventory management
  • CRM
  • Employee management

Upserve Features:

  • Order management
  • Payment processing
  • Inventory management
  • Staff management
  • Customer loyalty

When comparing features, Revel Systems stands out with Open API platform, while Upserve differentiates itself with Offline mode for outages. Your choice should depend on which features align better with your specific business requirements.

Pricing Comparison

Pricing AspectRevel SystemsUpserve
Starting Price$99/month/terminal (estimated)$89/month
Pricing ModelQuote-basedSubscription
Price RangePremiumMid-range
Free TrialAvailableAvailable
Free VersionNoNo

Both systems offer competitive pricing for their respective feature sets. Consider the total cost of ownership including hardware, processing fees, and add-on modules when making your decision.

Pros and Cons

Revel Systems

Pros:

  • Highly customizable
  • Strong API for integrations
  • Good for franchises
  • Robust reporting
  • Multi-location capable

Cons:

  • Higher price point
  • Steeper learning curve
  • Implementation can be complex
  • 3-year contracts typical

Upserve

Pros:

  • Easy setup
  • 24-hour phone support
  • Offline mode
  • Real-time insights
  • Employee success tracking

Cons:

  • System crashes reported
  • Learning curve for customization
  • Customer service issues

Who Should Choose Revel Systems?

Revel Systems is ideal for Multi-location restaurants, franchises, and growing retail chains. The system is particularly well-suited for Quick service restaurants, Retail chains, Franchises, Enterprise.

However, Revel Systems may not be the best fit for Small single-location businesses on tight budgets.

Who Should Choose Upserve?

Upserve is ideal for Restaurants, bars, and cafes wanting comprehensive analytics. The system is particularly well-suited for Restaurants, Bars, Cafes, Bakeries.

However, Upserve may not be the best fit for Retail businesses, those needing simple basic POS.

Our Recommendation

Both Revel Systems and Upserve are solid POS solutions, but they excel in different areas. Choose Revel Systems if you’re Multi-location restaurants, franchises, and growing retail chains. Choose Upserve if you’re Restaurants, bars, and cafes wanting comprehensive analytics. Upserve has a higher user rating (4.3 vs 4.1). We recommend trying demos or free trials of both systems before making your final decision.