In the battle of Upserve versus SpotOn, both systems bring unique strengths to the table. Upserve is particularly strong for Restaurants, bars, and cafes wanting comprehensive analytics, while SpotOn excels at Restaurants focused on controlling labor and food costs. Whether you prioritize Offline mode for outages or $0/month entry plan, this comparison covers everything you need to know.
Quick Comparison: Upserve vs SpotOn
| Feature | Upserve | SpotOn |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Restaurant | Restaurant |
| Starting Price | $89/month | $0/month (Quick Start) |
| Rating | 4.3/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Target Business | Small Business | All Sizes |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Subscription |
| Free Trial | Yes | Yes |
| Free Version | No | Yes |
| Best For | Restaurants, bars, and cafes wanting comprehensive analytics | Restaurants focused on controlling labor and food costs |
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
SpotOn Overview
SpotOn is a cloud-based restaurant POS known for labor and food cost control. Features include labor-vs-revenue dashboards, automatic tip pooling, inventory management, QR/mobile ordering, and in-POS reservations. Offers a $0/month Quick Start plan.
SpotOn is offered by SpotOn Transact LLC (founded 2017) based in San Francisco, California, USA. The system focuses on Restaurants, Bars, Quick Service, Full Service.
Key Features:
- Online ordering
- Tableside payments
- Mobile ordering
- Labor dashboards
- Tip pooling
- Inventory management
Feature Comparison
Upserve Features:
- Order management
- Payment processing
- Inventory management
- Staff management
- Customer loyalty
SpotOn Features:
- Online ordering
- Tableside payments
- Mobile ordering
- Labor dashboards
- Tip pooling
When comparing features, Upserve stands out with Offline mode for outages, while SpotOn differentiates itself with $0/month entry plan. Your choice should depend on which features align better with your specific business requirements.
Pricing Comparison
| Pricing Aspect | Upserve | SpotOn |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $89/month | $0/month (Quick Start) |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Subscription |
| Price Range | Mid-range | Mid-range |
| Free Trial | Available | Available |
| Free Version | No | Yes |
SpotOn offers a free version, which is great for testing or small operations. Consider the total cost of ownership including hardware, processing fees, and add-on modules when making your decision.
Pros and Cons
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
SpotOn
Pros:
- $0/month starter plan
- Strong labor cost tools
- No long-term contracts
- User-friendly interface
- Dual pricing feature
Cons:
- Menu edits in back office only
- Limited integration marketplace
- Processing fees can add up
- Unexpected fee increases reported
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.
Who Should Choose SpotOn?
SpotOn is ideal for Restaurants focused on controlling labor and food costs. The system is particularly well-suited for Restaurants, Bars, Quick Service, Full Service.
However, SpotOn may not be the best fit for Businesses needing extensive third-party integrations.
Our Recommendation
Both Upserve and SpotOn are solid POS solutions, but they excel in different areas. Choose Upserve if you’re Restaurants, bars, and cafes wanting comprehensive analytics. Choose SpotOn if you’re Restaurants focused on controlling labor and food costs. choose SpotOn if you want to start with a free version. We recommend trying demos or free trials of both systems before making your final decision.