Compare
DineHarbor and Square for Restaurants, side by side
What each publishes about price and features in the UK, with every Square fact linked to Square's own page.
Facts checked on
What you get
Square starts free
Square publishes a free plan and per-device add-ons, which suits a very small start. DineHarbor has no free plan, only a 30 day trial.
Online ordering in both
Square says its online ordering has no monthly fee or commission. DineHarbor includes online ordering in every plan, with no commission.
Different pricing shape
Square prices kitchen screens and kiosks per device. DineHarbor prices per location and includes screens, with the kiosk on Growth.
Payments differ
Square processes cards itself at published rates. DineHarbor connects to your own provider, so card fees are set by them.
On this page
The short version
Square and DineHarbor both put a till, kitchen screens and online ordering on one system. Square is a payments company first, with its own hardware and free entry. DineHarbor is a restaurant system first: a flat price per location with the kitchen screen, waiter phones, loyalty and AI included, and card payments through your own provider. Prices below were checked on 20 October 2026.
Side by side
| DineHarbor | Square for Restaurants (UK) | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | No free plan. 30 day trial of Growth, no card needed. Starter £69 per location a month, excluding VAT (pricing) | Free plan with no monthly fee, pay only processing. Plus listed at "£69/month + payment processing fees" (restaurants page) |
| Online ordering | Included in every plan, no commission | Included for takeaway and click and collect, "no monthly fees or commissions" (restaurants page) |
| Kitchen display | Included, 2 screens on Starter and 6 on Growth | Add-on from £15 per device a month (pricing) |
| Self-order kiosk | Growth and above, 2 per location on Growth | Software add-on £35 per device a month (pricing) |
| Card fees | Your own provider's rates | In person 1.75% for UK cards, online 1.4% + 25p (pricing) |
| Hardware | Your own tablets and phones | Sold separately, for example a register at £699 + VAT (pricing) |
| Loyalty | Points and stamp cards included | Loyalty add-on from £25 a month (pricing) |
Square's general pricing page lists Plus from £29 a month, which differs from the £69 on its restaurants page. We quote the restaurants page because it is the one written for restaurants.
Where Square is stronger
Square has a free plan, a wide range of its own hardware and published card rates, so you can know your processing cost before you start. It is a well known payments brand, and a one person business can begin without a monthly fee.
Where DineHarbor differs
DineHarbor includes the kitchen display, waiter app, loyalty, stamp cards and an AI copilot in the plan, and prices per location rather than per device. It does not process payments itself and does not sell hardware. It does not connect to Deliveroo, Uber Eats or Just Eat, and it has no iOS app in the App Store yet: its apps run in a browser, including on an iPad, and install on Android.
How to choose
Choose Square if you want the lowest possible start, your own hardware range and one company for payments. Choose DineHarbor if you want screens, ordering, loyalty and AI in a flat price per location, and are happy to bring your own payment provider. Total the devices and add-ons you need before deciding.
Sources
Spotted something out of date or unfair? Email sales@dineharbor.com and we will check it and correct it.
Questions and answers
Is Square cheaper than DineHarbor?
It can be at the very start, because Square has a free plan. Costs then depend on processing fees and add-ons per device. Compare your own totals for the devices you need.
Does DineHarbor process card payments itself?
No. It connects to your own payment provider, such as Stripe, Square, PayPal, Mollie, Adyen or Revolut, and the fees are between you and the provider.
Can I use Square payments with DineHarbor?
Square is one of the six online payment gateways DineHarbor supports.
Which one has more hardware?
Square sells its own range of registers, stands, terminals and readers, which DineHarbor does not. DineHarbor runs on tablets and phones you already own.
Related features
- Restaurant POS SystemA fast till for restaurants on tablets: search first ordering, card payments, split bills, shifts and cash up, linked to your kitchen and online orders.
- Online Ordering System for RestaurantsTake collection, delivery and table orders on your own website, with your menu, your payment provider and every order landing on the kitchen screen.
- Kitchen Display System for RestaurantsEvery order from the till, website, waiter and kiosk shows on the kitchen screen with timers, stations, holds and a recall list for tickets bumped by mistake.
- Self Order Kiosk for RestaurantsA self-order kiosk app for your counter with photo menus, four languages, options and allergens, sending each order to your kitchen with a pickup number.
- Card Reader for Restaurants With StripeTake card payments at the till with a Stripe smart reader linked to your own Stripe account. The till sends the amount and the payment records itself.
For your kind of business
- Cafe POS and Online OrderingA fast cafe till with search first ordering, stamp cards that guests keep, QR ordering at the table and orders that survive a patchy connection.
- Food Truck POS and OrderingRun a food truck from a tablet and a phone: a quick till, a card reader, a QR code for your menu and orders that wait for a signal at the pitch.
Comparisons
- DineHarbor vs Toast, ComparedA dated, careful comparison of DineHarbor and Toast for UK restaurants, using only what Toast's own pages show, with the gaps in what we could confirm.
- DineHarbor vs Lightspeed Restaurant, ComparedA dated comparison of DineHarbor and Lightspeed Restaurant based on Lightspeed's UK pricing page: plans, kitchen screens, inventory, kiosks and what to check.
Read more
- How Much Does a Restaurant POS Cost in 2026?Compare restaurant POS costs, card fees, hardware, support and add ons so you can calculate the real price before choosing the right system for your venue.
- Switch Restaurant Systems Safely in Seven StepsMove from an old restaurant POS or ordering system safely by exporting data, testing in parallel, checking the menu, rehearsing service and planning rollback.