vs.
Square
Square Free has no subscription. TABL includes kitchen display, loyalty, and QR ordering with $0 monthly software.
Estimated savings with TABL
$417.60
per year
vs. Square Free
In-person card orders · 12 similar months
Kitchen display and loyalty take you beyond Square Free. With TABL, both are included at $0/month.
| What matters to your mobile business | | Square |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly software | $0 Every feature included | Free $0/month Plus $49/location/month Premium $149/location/month |
| Kitchen display | Included | Free: unavailable Plus: $30/device/month Premium: $20/device/month |
| Customer loyalty | Included No per-member charge | Free: not included Plus & Premium: included |
Published US plans. Your quote may differ. See Square’s plan details.
“I switched to TABL from Square. It is very user friendly to those of us who are technologically challenged. The speed is top notch. I highly recommend TABL to anyone looking for a great POS.”
Lil SnowieTina S.Business models
Look beyond the headline rate. Here’s who pays, what’s included, and where extra costs come in.
How TABL works
TABL funds its software through a customer-paid service fee at checkout. Merchants pay card processing. Every feature and future software update stays included.
SquareHow Square works
Square charges merchants for payment processing. Free has no monthly software subscription; Plus and Premium charge per location. Some tools add recurring fees, and hardware purchases are separate.
The TABL differenceTABL includes its full software platform without monthly subscriptions, so adding kitchen display or loyalty does not raise your software bill.
Square Free has no subscription. Plus and Premium charge monthly for more features and lower processing rates. TABL includes every software feature at $0/month.
| Monthly cost | | Square |
|---|---|---|
| Card processing2.7% + 5¢ with TABL | $160.40 | $195.20 |
| Software subscription | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Platform fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Required account fees | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Monthly total | $160.40 | $195.20 |
Compared with Square Free.
US domestic in-person reader transactions, one location, and 12 months at the entered monthly order count. Each provider’s monthly total is rounded to cents; the annual difference is exactly 12 times the monthly difference. This is an estimate, not a quote.
TABL: 2.7% + 5¢ per modeled reader transaction; $0 monthly software. Customer-paid service fees are excluded from merchant totals. Online payments, Tap to Pay authorization supplements, and international-card supplements are outside this model.
Square Free: 2.6% + 15¢ processing, $0.00/month software. Published monthly pricing per location. Custom agreements may differ.
US reader pricing reviewed . Rates below are the published examples used by the estimator. Annual billing, card exceptions, promotions, and agreements can change your actual costs.
| Plan | Reader rate | Monthly software | Other modeled recurring fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square Free | 2.6% + 15¢ | $0.00 | No modeled platform fee; No additional account fee modeled |
| Square Plus | 2.5% + 15¢ | $49.00 | No modeled platform fee; No additional account fee modeled |
| Square Premium | 2.4% + 15¢ | $149.00 | No modeled platform fee; No additional account fee modeled |
Square Free: Published monthly pricing per location. Custom agreements may differ.
Square Plus: Published monthly pricing per location. Custom agreements may differ.
Square Premium: Published monthly pricing per location. Custom agreements may differ.
Excluded: hardware purchases and rentals, installation, connectivity, taxes, optional add-ons, non-modeled payment types, and agreement-specific charges. Actual agreements may differ.
Pricing checked . Square pricing · Package details · Stripe processing.
Every feature. Included.
Your daily tools. Your next stage of growth.
All included from day one.
| Your mobile vendor needs | Every feature included | SquareSquare Free |
|---|---|---|
| Window checkoutTake orders and payments at the window | IncludedNo monthly software fee | Included SourcePOS checkout; processing and any hardware costs are separate. |
| Mobile checkoutiPhone, iPad, and Android apps synced with Portal | IncludedNo monthly software fee | Included SourceiPhone, iPad and Android POS app; restaurant modes have device limits. |
| Live menu managementUpdate prices, items, and availability across channels | IncludedNo monthly software fee | Included SourceRemote menu updates across channels; POS layout depends on the mode used. |
| QR & online orderingLet customers order from a QR code or public link | IncludedNo monthly software fee | Partly included SourceOnline links included; integrated QR starts with Plus at $49/location/month. |
| Event menusSet event-specific menus, pricing, and availability | IncludedNo monthly software fee | Available SourceMultiple and timed menus; a dedicated event workflow is not publicly confirmed. |
| Kitchen displayKeep prep and handoff connected to incoming orders | IncludedNo monthly software fee | Plan upgrade required SourceUpgrade to Plus: $49/location/month plus $30/KDS device/month. |
| Customer loyaltySet your own rewards with no per-member charge | IncludedNo monthly software fee | Plan upgrade required SourceUpgrade to Plus at $49/location/month; loyalty is included. |
| Gift cardsIssue gift cards connected to your sales flow | IncludedNo monthly software fee | Usage fee SourcePhysical/eGift cards; 2.5% load fee, plus applicable payment processing. |
| Sales analyticsSee live sales, top items, and demand trends | IncludedNo monthly software fee | Partly included SourceSales insights included; live restaurant reports require Plus at $49/location/month. |
| Catering invoicingInvoice catering clients without a software subscription | IncludedNo monthly software fee | Partly included SourceBasic invoices included; advanced tools require Plus at $49/location/month. Processing applies. |
| Menu & social graphicsGenerate menu boards and social-ready menus | IncludedNo monthly software fee | Extra cost SourceSmarterSign menu boards start at $30/screen/month; bundled social graphics not confirmed. |
| Future software updatesReceive new features without software upgrade fees | IncludedNo monthly software fee | Available SourceOngoing updates; access to new features follows plan eligibility. |
Savings compare selected base plans; add-ons and gift-card fees are excluded. Upgrade pricing is the new plan’s total, not a per-feature charge. “Not publicly confirmed” does not mean unavailable. Included refers to software access across TABL Mobile and connected Portal, ordering, and KDS products; processing, customer service fees, and third-party fees remain separate.
One clear view of your whole mobile service.
Get your mobile business set up under a hardware contract. We’ll confirm your equipment and terms together.
Hardware from TABL, under contract
TABL combines free hardware under contract with every software feature included. Square’s contactless reader costs $59 and Square Terminal costs $299 before taxes and fees. Square also supports Tap to Pay on compatible phones.
Specific equipment and ownership terms depend on your agreement. Hardware is separate from the annual savings estimate. Square equipment details.
We review your equipment, workflow, and current pricing.
We help with your menu, payments, and hardware.
Start service with the TABL team alongside you.
Have a custom quote?
Let’s compare it.
Prepared by TABL.
US pricing sources reviewed .
Yes. POS, mobile apps, menus, QR ordering, kitchen display, loyalty, gift card integration, analytics, invoicing, and signage tools have no monthly TABL software fee. These tools span TABL Mobile and the connected Portal, ordering, and KDS products. Processing and third-party service costs remain separate.
Customers pay a 35¢–$1 service fee per cash or card order. Merchants pay applicable card processing. Savings estimates compare merchant costs, not the combined costs paid by merchants and customers.
You can compare published US Square Free, Plus, and Premium plans above. Each has a different percentage rate; the 15¢ transaction charge applies to these three plans. Paid subscriptions are per location. Custom agreements and other arrangements are not modeled.
Free hardware is available under a hardware contract. Equipment, support, and agreement terms are confirmed during setup. The savings estimate does not assign a hardware value.
Order count, average ticket, your plan, and your agreement determine the result. Another plan can have lower modeled fees at some ticket sizes. The calculator shows that directly.
Yes. We help with menu setup, payment configuration, hardware onboarding, and launch support. We’ll review your existing agreement together.
