Free POS plans compared: Square, Toast, Loyverse and VoVi
Free POS almost always means free software. Card fees, hardware and the extras you end up needing still cost money. Here is what is free, what is not, and how VoVi’s 14-day trial and its coming free Pro plan fit in.
We make VoVi, so we say plainly where the other system wins.
What is free, and what is not
Four offers, all US prices.
| Offer | Software | What still costs money |
|---|---|---|
| Square Free | $0 a month | Card fees (2.6% + 15¢ in person), hardware, Plus at $49 for purchase orders and Premium at $149 for transfer orders |
| Toast Starter Kit | $0 a month for new restaurants | Toast Payments is required, the card rate is not published, and online ordering, loyalty and gift cards are add-ons |
| Loyverse | $0 core, then $7 per store for history, $5 per employee, $25 per store for advanced inventory | Add-ons as your team and stock grow, plus your card processor |
| VoVi | 14-day Pro trial with no card, then Light $25 or Pro $39 per location | Your card processor and hardware. Coming soon in the US: Pro free with VoVi Payments at 2.95%, or we match your rate |
Where free works
Free works when your needs are simple. A solo shop on Square Free or Loyverse’s core can run for $0 in software. A new restaurant can start on Toast’s Starter Kit. Free stops working when you add staff, loyalty or stock across stores, because those are the pieces the paid plans and add-ons sell.
Look at the card fees first
Card fees are often the biggest line in a small shop’s POS bill. On $20,000 of card sales, a 2.6% + 15¢ rate over 1,000 sales is $670 a month, far more than most software plans. Compare the processing before you compare the software.
Where VoVi fits
VoVi starts with 14 days of Pro, no card, so you can test loyalty, gift cards and purchase orders on your own products. After that it is Light at $25 or Pro at $39 per location, no contract. Coming soon in the US, Pro becomes free with VoVi Payments: 2.95% per card sale, or we match your rate, with AMEX at 3.5%.
Is there a POS that is free forever?
Square Free and Loyverse’s core have no monthly software fee. You still pay card fees and hardware, and the paid features cost extra.
Is VoVi free?
There is a free 14-day Pro trial with no card. After that it is Light at $25 or Pro at $39 per location. Coming soon in the US, Pro becomes free with VoVi Payments.
Official pages
Prices checked October 11, 2026.