NoPOS

The best restaurant POS in South Africa: how to choose.

There is no single best POS: it depends on your store, your line and your budget. We make one of the products below, so read this as a guide with a stated interest.

Who wrote this: the NoPOS team at Novasys IT (Pty) Ltd. We sell NoPOS, so we are not neutral. We have not named the other products. Facts about them come from their public websites and terms, checked on 30 October 2026, and prices and features change.

Five questions to ask first.

What happens when the internet drops?

Ask to see it, not hear it: pull the cable during a demo, then ring a sale and send it to the kitchen.

What happens in load shedding?

Check what is saved when a till loses power, and what needs a UPS.

What is the full cost?

Add monthly fees per till or store, card fees, hardware, setup, integrations and yearly escalation.

How long is the contract?

Check the minimum term, renewal, notice and early-cancellation terms before you sign.

Does it fit how you trade?

Check delivery apps, kitchen screens, and head-office control if you have several stores.

The main options.

  • NoPOS (ours)

    Best suited to

    Pizza, QSR and sit-down stores and franchise groups that need to keep trading through outages

    Worth checking

    Newer product; Uber Eats and Mr D not live yet

    See the plans

  • Competitor 1

    Best suited to

    Restaurants, bars, hotels and groups that want an established hospitality system

    Worth checking

    Priced per terminal, with once-offs quoted separately

    Compare with NoPOS

  • Competitor 2

    Best suited to

    Independent and franchise restaurants that want a large supplier with local offices

    Worth checking

    Prices not published; read the rental terms

    Compare with NoPOS

  • Competitor 3

    Best suited to

    Small single outlets that want a low cost to start

    Worth checking

    Needs its own payments and a stable connection

    Compare with NoPOS

Our short version.

One small outlet on a tight budget: start with a payments-led option such as Competitor 3. Delivery apps needed live today: look at Competitor 1 or 2. A kitchen-led store or franchise group that can't stop trading when the line drops: look at NoPOS, or see NoPOS for pizza and for franchises.

Questions owners ask.

What should a small restaurant look for in a POS?

For one small outlet, a low-cost option can be enough. If you depend on a kitchen and can't stop when the line drops, compare a restaurant POS such as NoPOS.

What should a franchise look for in a POS?

Look for central menus, locked prices, staged rollouts and royalty statements, and ask each supplier to show head-office control.

Do I need a server for a restaurant POS?

Not always. NoPOS has no store server. Ask any supplier what stops working if a server or the internet fails.