A Square alternative
ChefSynk vs Square
How the two compare on contract, commission, delivery apps and who controls your customers’ data. Every Square fact links to Square’s own pages, and we say where Square is better.
Checked 11 Nov 2026
Where ChefSynk is different
- Your own card machine. In store you bring your own card machine, and online payments go into your own Stripe account. Square processes card payments itself, at 1.75% in person.
- Delivery apps built in. Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats are built into Growth and Complete, on our own code. Square connects them through apps in its App Marketplace, such as Otter.
- A cheaper kiosk. ChefSynk’s own kiosk is £25 per device a month; Square’s is £35.
- Inventory and loyalty included. On ChefSynk, recipe-level inventory and loyalty at the till are on every plan. Square’s basic item counts are on every plan, but beyond basic item counts, recipe building and food cost control come with Restaurant Inventory by MarketMan, which isn’t on its Free plan and is £79 a month per location on Plus. Square Loyalty is from £25 a month per location.
- Kitchen display included. On Growth and Complete the kitchen display is included. On Square’s Free plan each kitchen display is £15 a month.
Where Square is better
- A free plan. Square for Restaurants Free costs £0 a month; you pay Square’s card fees. ChefSynk has no free plan, though your first month is on us.
- No contract, like ChefSynk. Square asks for no long-term contract either, so neither locks you in.
- Its own card hardware. Square sells its own card readers and terminals, from the £19 + VAT Square Reader, so the till and card payments come from one company.
- Multi-location on every plan. Square includes multi-location management on all its plans. On ChefSynk, multi-store is on Complete.
ChefSynk vs Square at a glance
| Topic | ChefSynk | Square |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | £35, £55 or £99 a month, ex VAT | Free £0; Plus £69 per location a monthSource: Square, Monthly price (opens in a new tab) |
| Contract | Monthly rolling, no lock-in | No long-term contractSource: Square, Contract (opens in a new tab) |
| Your own online orders | 0% commission; customers pay a 50p + VAT platform fee | 1.4% + 25p per online card payment (UK cards)Source: Square, Your own online orders (opens in a new tab) |
| Deliveroo, Just Eat, Uber Eats | Built in-house, on Growth and Complete | Through apps in Square’s App Marketplace, such as OtterSource: Square, Deliveroo, Just Eat, Uber Eats (opens in a new tab) |
| Card payments | Online: your own Stripe account. In store: bring your own card machine | Square processes them: 1.75% in personSource: Square, Card payments (opens in a new tab) |
| Customer data | You own it, stored in a secure UK cloud | Square collects it on your behalf, as your service providerSource: Square, Customer data (opens in a new tab) |
| Self-order kiosk | Own kiosk, £25 per device a month | £35 per device per monthSource: Square, Self-order kiosk (opens in a new tab) |
| Kitchen display | Included on Growth and Complete | Free plan £15 a month per device; unlimited on PlusSource: Square, Kitchen display (opens in a new tab) |
| Inventory and stock | Recipe-level inventory, on every plan | Item counts on every plan; Restaurant Inventory by MarketMan not on Free, +£79 a month per location on PlusSource: Square, Inventory and stock (opens in a new tab) |
| Loyalty | At the till on every plan; online with your ordering site | Square Loyalty from £25 a month per locationSource: Square, Loyalty (opens in a new tab) |
| Reports and analytics | Analytics on every plan; multi-store consolidation on Complete | Reports on every plan; advanced reporting on PlusSource: Square, Reports and analytics (opens in a new tab) |
| Driver app and live tracking | Free on every plan, for your own online and till orders, with live customer tracking | On-demand couriers through Stuart, tracked on a live mapSource: Square, Driver app and live tracking (opens in a new tab) |
| Multi-store | On Complete | Multi-location management on every planSource: Square, Multi-store (opens in a new tab) |
| Support | Phone and WhatsApp, 24/7, on every plan | Free: weekdays 9am to 5pm; Plus: 24/7Source: Square, Support (opens in a new tab) |
Monthly price
- ChefSynk
- £35, £55 or £99 a month, ex VAT
- Square
- Free £0; Plus £69 per location a monthSource: Square, Monthly price (opens in a new tab)
Contract
- ChefSynk
- Monthly rolling, no lock-in
- Square
- No long-term contractSource: Square, Contract (opens in a new tab)
Your own online orders
- ChefSynk
- 0% commission; customers pay a 50p + VAT platform fee
- Square
- 1.4% + 25p per online card payment (UK cards)Source: Square, Your own online orders (opens in a new tab)
Deliveroo, Just Eat, Uber Eats
- ChefSynk
- Built in-house, on Growth and Complete
- Square
- Through apps in Square’s App Marketplace, such as OtterSource: Square, Deliveroo, Just Eat, Uber Eats (opens in a new tab)
Card payments
- ChefSynk
- Online: your own Stripe account. In store: bring your own card machine
- Square
- Square processes them: 1.75% in personSource: Square, Card payments (opens in a new tab)
Customer data
- ChefSynk
- You own it, stored in a secure UK cloud
- Square
- Square collects it on your behalf, as your service providerSource: Square, Customer data (opens in a new tab)
Self-order kiosk
- ChefSynk
- Own kiosk, £25 per device a month
- Square
- £35 per device per monthSource: Square, Self-order kiosk (opens in a new tab)
Kitchen display
- ChefSynk
- Included on Growth and Complete
- Square
- Free plan £15 a month per device; unlimited on PlusSource: Square, Kitchen display (opens in a new tab)
Inventory and stock
- ChefSynk
- Recipe-level inventory, on every plan
- Square
- Item counts on every plan; Restaurant Inventory by MarketMan not on Free, +£79 a month per location on PlusSource: Square, Inventory and stock (opens in a new tab)
Loyalty
- ChefSynk
- At the till on every plan; online with your ordering site
- Square
- Square Loyalty from £25 a month per locationSource: Square, Loyalty (opens in a new tab)
Reports and analytics
- ChefSynk
- Analytics on every plan; multi-store consolidation on Complete
- Square
- Reports on every plan; advanced reporting on PlusSource: Square, Reports and analytics (opens in a new tab)
Driver app and live tracking
- ChefSynk
- Free on every plan, for your own online and till orders, with live customer tracking
- Square
- On-demand couriers through Stuart, tracked on a live mapSource: Square, Driver app and live tracking (opens in a new tab)
Multi-store
- ChefSynk
- On Complete
- Square
- Multi-location management on every planSource: Square, Multi-store (opens in a new tab)
Support
- ChefSynk
- Phone and WhatsApp, 24/7, on every plan
- Square
- Free: weekdays 9am to 5pm; Plus: 24/7Source: Square, Support (opens in a new tab)
Prices are shown as Square publishes them, not converted. “Not published” means we couldn’t find it on Square’s own UK pages. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we’ll correct it.
Switching from Square
Is Square really free?
Square for Restaurants Free is £0 a month, and you pay Square’s card fees on every sale. Plus is £69 a month per location.
Do I have to take card payments through ChefSynk?
No. In store you bring your own card machine, and online payments go into your own Stripe account.
How do Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats orders reach ChefSynk?
On Growth and Complete they are built in, so their orders land on the same screen as your own.
Does ChefSynk charge commission on online orders?
No. ChefSynk takes 0% commission on your own website and app; customers pay a 50p + VAT platform fee instead. Stripe’s standard card fees still apply.
Other comparisons
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