Stellar POS vs
The Big Three
See how we compare to Toast, Square, and Clover — feature by feature. We built a better POS for independent operators.
| ✦ Stellar POS | Clover | Toast | Square | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing & Fees | ||||
| Monthly software fee | Retail $49.99/mo · Restaurant $89.99/moStandalone Mobile: $0/mo (1 Mobile included) | Varies — see vendor | Varies — see vendor | Varies — see vendor |
| Platform transaction fee | ✓ 0% with your own processor0.3% Stellar platform fee on Stripe payments | Varies — see vendor | Varies — see vendor | Varies — see vendor |
| Annual cost estimate (100 orders/day @ $30 avg) | $600–$1,080/yr softwareRetail–Restaurant plan, plus your processor's rates (0.3% Stellar fee on Stripe payments) | Varies — see vendor | Varies — see vendor | Varies — see vendor |
| Proprietary hardware required | ✗ NoAny Android tablet works | ✓ YesClover hardware only | ✓ YesToast terminal required | ~ PartialiPad or Square hardware |
| Contract requirement | ✓ Month-to-month | Varies — see vendor | Varies — see vendor | Varies — see vendor |
| Core POS Features | ||||
| Table management & floor plan | ✓ Included | ~ Mid/Pro tier only | ✓ Included | ~ Limited |
| Kitchen Display System (KDS) | ✓ Restaurant includes 1 KDS · Additional $9.99/screen/mo | ✗ Requires Clover KDS hardware | Varies — see vendor | ✗ No native KDS |
| Menu modifiers & combos | ✓ Included | ✓ Included | ✓ Included | ~ Basic only |
| Split check / partial tender | ✓ Included | ✓ Included | ✓ Included | ~ Partial support |
| Offline mode (no internet) | ✓ Keeps taking orders offlinePAX on your local network; card approval still needs the terminal's processor connection | ~ Limited offline | ✓ Offline mode | ~ Limited offline |
| Cash drawer & receipt printer | ✓ Any ESC/POS printer | ~ Clover peripherals preferred | ~ Toast peripherals only | ✓ Star Micronics supported |
| Advanced Features | ||||
| Loyalty / rewards program | ✓ Included | Varies — see vendor | ✗ Third-party integration | ~ Basic loyalty only |
| Inventory management | ✓ Included, with item tracking | ~ Mid/Pro plans only | ✓ Included | ~ Basic stock count only |
| QR table menu / online ordering | ✓ Included | ✗ Add-on required | ~ Higher tier only | ~ Limited |
| Table reservations | ✓ $7/mo add-on | ✗ Yelp/OpenTable required | ✗ OpenTable integration only | ✗ Not available |
| Staff clock-in & scheduling | ✓ Included | ~ Basic time clock only | ~ Add-on required | ~ Team plan add-on |
| Real-time sales reports & analytics | ✓ Dashboard + export | ✓ Included | ✓ Included | ✓ Included |
| Multi-Location & Scale | ||||
| Multi-location management | ✓ Built-in, consolidated dashboard | ~ Extra per-location fees | ~ Enterprise pricing | ~ Limited consolidation |
| Cross-location reporting | ✓ Consolidated revenue view | ~ Manual export only | ~ Enterprise feature | ~ Basic only |
| Support & Onboarding | ||||
| Free trial (no credit card) | ✓ Yes — start immediately | ✗ Hardware purchase required | ✗ Sales demo only | ✓ Yes |
| Setup & onboarding | ✓ Self-serve + email support | ~ Reseller dependent | ~ Onboarding fee charged | ✓ Self-serve |
| User guide & documentation | ✓ Full illustrated guide | ✓ Extensive help center | ✓ Extensive help center | ✓ Extensive help center |
Built differently
Any Android tablet
Don't pay $600–$1,400 for proprietary hardware. Stellar runs on any Android tablet you already own — or a new $150 Samsung.
No platform fee on your own processor
Bring Elavon, TSYS or Fiserv and Stellar adds no platform fee. Payments processed through Stripe carry a 0.3% Stellar platform fee plus Stripe's processing fees.
Multi-location built-in
Manage every location from one consolidated dashboard. Multi-location pricing available on request while our location-billing catalog is being finalized.
Keeps working when the internet drops
Keeps taking orders when the internet drops and syncs when it returns; card approval still needs the terminal's processor connection. PAX terminals talk to the register over your local WiFi network.
No contracts, ever
Month-to-month. Cancel anytime, no questions asked. No 2-year lock-in. No hardware lease. No early termination fees.
Start in minutes
Sign up, download the app, and start taking orders — no sales call, no hardware shipment, no installation appointment required.
Ready to stop overpaying?
Switch to Stellar today.
Free trial. No credit card. No contract. Setup takes 5 minutes.