Square's free tier is a loss leader. The moment you need table management, KDS, or advanced reporting, you're paying $60+/mo — plus 2.6% + 10¢ on every single transaction. TabForge is $500 once. Done.
At $50k/month in sales, Square's 2.6% + 10¢ costs you $1,305/month in processing markup alone — on top of the software fee. TabForge lets you bring your own processor at your own rate.
Table management, KDS, and advanced reporting all require Square's Plus tier at $60/mo. TabForge includes everything.
| Feature | TabForge | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Ordering | ||
| Order taking & menu navigation | Included | Free tier |
| Modifiers & item customization | Included | Included |
| Split checks (by seat, item, or %) | Included | Plus tier only ($60/mo) |
| Bar tabs & open tabs | Included | Plus tier only ($60/mo) |
| Discounts & comps | Included | Limited on free tier |
| Table Management | ||
| Floor plan & table layout | Included | Plus tier only ($60/mo) |
| Table status tracking | Included | Plus tier only ($60/mo) |
| Section & capacity management | Included | Plus tier only ($60/mo) |
| Kitchen & Display | ||
| Kitchen Display System (KDS) | Included | Plus tier only ($60/mo) |
| Thermal receipt printing (ESC/POS) | Any USB printer | Square-compatible printers only |
| Bar ticket printing | Included | Requires Square hardware |
| 86'd item management | Included | Included |
| Payments & Tips | ||
| Tip entry & tip pooling | Included | Included |
| Voids & refunds with audit trail | Included | Included |
| Choose your payment processor | Any processor | Square Payments only |
| Payment processing rate (in-person) | Bring your own rate | 2.6% + 10¢ per transaction |
| Reporting & Management | ||
| Shift closeout & cash reconciliation | Included | Included |
| Advanced manager reports | Included | Plus tier only ($60/mo) |
| Menu profitability & engineering | Included | Not available |
| Staff PINs & role permissions | Included | Included |
| Infrastructure & Ownership | ||
| Monthly software fee | $0 forever | $0 (Free) or $60/mo (Plus) |
| Proprietary hardware required | No — any device | Square Reader recommended |
| Self-hosted / your servers | Yes | No — Square cloud only |
| Source code access | Full source | Closed source |
| Works on any device | Any browser | iOS/Android app + Square hardware |
| Data portability | Your database, export anytime | Locked in Square cloud |
Square's free tier hides the ceiling. Run a full-service restaurant and you need Plus. Plus processing fees on every dollar. It adds up fast.
Adjust your monthly sales volume and see exactly how much you'd save over time by switching to TabForge.
Assumes Square Plus ($60/mo/location). Processing fee difference: Square 2.6% + 10¢ vs Stripe Terminal 2.7% + 5¢. Avg transaction $35.
Try the live demo — no account, no credit card. See exactly what you're getting before you buy.
We'll send you migration guides, pricing updates, and launch news — no spam.