Pricing
What restaurant software really costs in 2026
The headline price is rarely what you end up paying. Here is every component of the real cost, including the ones quoted late.
Short answer: add up six components, over three years
The true cost of restaurant management software has six components: the recurring licence, per-branch fees, per-user or per-device fees, e-invoicing, hardware, and implementation or training. Year one is usually discounted, so comparing on year one misleads; add all six across three years for each option instead. OneXEOS is free for life for shops whose monthly revenue sits within the supported threshold and charges nothing per branch, so most of those six come to zero.
- Licence: ask for the renewal price from year two, not just the first-year price.
- Per-branch and per-user fees: the two that inflate fastest as you expand.
- E-invoicing: usually charged per invoice issued — ask the unit price and minimum bundle.
- Hardware: receipt printer, label printer, cash drawer, kitchen display — ask whether a full bundle is mandatory.
The six cost components and what to ask
| Cost component | What to ask the vendor | At OneXEOS |
|---|---|---|
| Recurring licence | What is the renewal price from year two? | Free for life within the supported revenue threshold |
| Per-branch fee | What does one more branch add per period? | No per-branch charge |
| Per-user / per-device fee | Is there a cap on accounts or devices? | Not charged per user |
| E-invoicing | Unit price per invoice and minimum bundle? | Issued from the register, inside the platform |
| Hardware | Is a full hardware bundle mandatory? | Runs on the laptops, tablets and phones you own |
| Implementation and training | Setup fee, and ongoing support fees? | Rollout and data migration support included |
This table compares evaluation criteria and each vendor's own public positioning. Packaging and features change often — verify against their official pages before publishing or quoting these rows.
Four costs that are most often missed
The year-two renewal
A first-year discount can hide the real rate. Always get the renewal schedule in writing before signing.
Overage charges
Many tiers cap invoices, products or accounts. Ask exactly what happens, and what it costs, when you exceed them.
The cost of getting data out
Some vendors charge for, or do not support, a full export. Ask on the way in, not when you want to leave.
Downtime during the switch
It never appears on a quote but it is real: retraining time, data entry, and the error risk in the first week.
Frequently asked questions
How much does restaurant software cost per month?
There is no single figure: it depends on branches, users, e-invoice volume and the hardware you already own. The reliable method is to take the six components above, fill them in from each vendor's quote and total them across three years — only then are the numbers comparable.
Does free software come with hidden costs?
It can. Ask exactly what the free tier limits (invoices, branches, accounts), what happens when you exceed them, and which services are billed separately. With OneXEOS the condition is monthly revenue within the supported threshold; a specialist will confirm the figure for your model.
Should I prepay several years for a discount?
Only after you have run at least one peak season on the system and are confident it fits. Prepaying up front removes your ability to change direction if it does not.
Does cafe software cost differently from restaurant software?
The configuration differs more than the cost structure: cafes need less KDS and table complexity so hardware is lighter, but the same six components still need checking.
Want the numbers for your own scale?
Leave your details and a specialist will itemise all six components against your branch count and operating model.
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