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Restaurant POS review

Shift4 POS

Restaurant POS from Shift4 Payments that requires Shift4 payment processing. Software starts at $29.99 a month with loaned hardware and no upfront cost; the processing agreement runs 36 months and its early termination fee is a per-device amount for each month left.

By Shift4Parent company: Shift4 Payments, Inc. (NYSE: FOUR)
  • Lowest cost to get started (tied). Among 12 POS systems whose upfront prices are published, for our reference restaurant.
  • Longest equipment warranty (tied). Among 17 POS systems with a published warranty on the main terminal.

RTC SCORE

8.8

#1 of 13 with enough data

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Our verdict

Low entry cost in exchange for a 36-month exclusive processing agreement. Before signing, ask for your card rates in writing and run the exit cost for your own volume and devices.

What we like

  • No upfront cost for software and hardware.
  • 24/7 support, per its pricing page.
  • Defects on the loaned hardware are covered for as long as your agreement is active (Shift4 calls it a lifetime warranty); accidents and theft are not. Shift4's billing glossary says its yearly fees per device ($250 plus $189.99, or the maintenance fee that replaces them) are what pay for those replacements.
  • Marketing and loyalty tools listed as free on its pricing page.
  • Publishes its early termination table in the contract.

What to watch

  • 36-month term with exclusive Shift4 processing and 1-year automatic renewals unless you give 90 days' notice.
  • The early termination fee is charged per device for every month left, so it grows with your volume and number of devices.
  • The standard card rate (2.75% + 15¢) appears only in Shift4's online checkout, not on its pricing page or in the contracts, and annual fees per device apply on top.
  • With the Advantage Program your customers pay the card cost, 4% by default, and fees on tips added after the sale stay with you.

How the score breaks down

How the score of Shift4 POS is built: 8.8 out of 10#1 of 13 with enough data. We could verify 100% of the scoring data. Cost to get started (reference restaurant): 25 of 25; Switching or signing bonus you qualify for (reference restaurant): 25 of 25; 36-month total cost (reference restaurant): 17.1 of 20; Own online ordering: 5.5 of 11; Hardware warranty included: 8 of 8; Support 24/7 (as the vendor publishes it): 5 of 5; 6 criteria in one bar: 1.9 of 6; Initial term: Weight 2%; Early termination fee: Weight 2%; Exclusive processing commitment: Weight 1%; Trial or money-back period: Weight 1%; Length of automatic renewals: Weight 1%; Notice to avoid renewal: Weight 0%. Points earned: 87.5 out of 100 verified, or 87.5%. Multiplied by the completeness factor (1), that gives 8.8 out of 10. Methodology v0.5.0.8.8RTC Score,out of 10Shift4 POS#1 of 13 with enough dataData completeness100%We could verify 100% of thescoring dataMethodology v0.5.0How this score is builtEach bar is as long as the weight of its criterion.The filled part is what Shift4 POS earned.70% of the RTC ScoreCost to get started (reference restaurant)25 of 25Strongest · $0 to get startedSwitching or signing bonus you qualify for(reference restaurant)25 of 25Strongest36-month total cost (reference restaurant)17.1 of 20Strongest · $5,039 over 36 months24% of the RTC ScoreOwn online ordering5.5 of 11WeakestHardware warranty included8 of 8Support 24/7 (as the vendor publishes it)5 of 56% of the RTC Score6 criteria in one bar1.9 of 6The 6 criteria, enlarged1234561Initial termWeight 2%2Early termination feeWeight 2%3Exclusive processing commitmentWeight 1%4Trial or money-back periodWeight 1%5Length of automatic renewalsWeight 1%6Notice to avoid renewalWeight 0%Points earnedPoints possibleNo data: lowers completeness, never counts as zero87.5points earned÷100points verified=87.5%of the verified points×1completeness factor=8.8out of 10
How the score of Shift4 POS is built: 8.8 out of 10#1 of 13 with enough data. We could verify 100% of the scoring data. Cost to get started (reference restaurant): 25 of 25; Switching or signing bonus you qualify for (reference restaurant): 25 of 25; 36-month total cost (reference restaurant): 17.1 of 20; Own online ordering: 5.5 of 11; Hardware warranty included: 8 of 8; Support 24/7 (as the vendor publishes it): 5 of 5; 6 criteria in one bar: 1.9 of 6; Initial term: Weight 2%; Early termination fee: Weight 2%; Exclusive processing commitment: Weight 1%; Trial or money-back period: Weight 1%; Length of automatic renewals: Weight 1%; Notice to avoid renewal: Weight 0%. Points earned: 87.5 out of 100 verified, or 87.5%. Multiplied by the completeness factor (1), that gives 8.8 out of 10. Methodology v0.5.0.05108.8RTC Score, out of 10Shift4 POS#1 of 13 with enough dataData completeness100%We could verify 100% of the scoring dataMethodology v0.5.0How this score is builtEach bar is as long as the weight of its criterion. The filled part is what Shift4 POS earned.0510152025points70% of the RTC ScoreCost to get started (reference restaurant)Strongest · $0 to get started25 of 25Switching or signing bonus you qualify for(reference restaurant)Strongest25 of 2536-month total cost (reference restaurant)Strongest · $5,039 over 36 months17.1 of 2024% of the RTC ScoreOwn online orderingWeakest5.5 of 11Hardware warranty included8 of 8Support 24/7 (as the vendor publishes it)5 of 56% of the RTC Score6 criteria in one bar1.9 of 6The 6 criteria, enlargedInitial termWeight 2%Early termination feeWeight 2%Exclusive processing commitmentWeight 1%Trial or money-back periodWeight 1%Length of automatic renewalsWeight 1%Notice to avoid renewalWeight 0%Points earnedPoints possibleNo data: lowers completeness, never counts as zero87.5points earned÷100points verified=87.5%of the verifiedpoints×1completenessfactor=8.8out of 10
Verified Oct 1, 2026Each data point and its source are under “All the data, with sources”, further down this page.How we score

Points by criterion

#1 of 13 with enough data

  • 70% of the RTC Score
    • Cost to get started (reference restaurant): 25 of 25 · Strongest · $0 to get started
    • Switching or signing bonus you qualify for (reference restaurant): 25 of 25 · Strongest
    • 36-month total cost (reference restaurant): 17.1 of 20 · Strongest · $5,039 over 36 months
  • 24% of the RTC Score
    • Own online ordering: 5.5 of 11 · Weakest
    • Hardware warranty included: 8 of 8
    • Support 24/7 (as the vendor publishes it): 5 of 5
  • 6% of the RTC Score
    • 6 criteria in one bar: 1.9 of 6
    • Initial term: Weight 2%
    • Early termination fee: Weight 2%
    • Exclusive processing commitment: Weight 1%
    • Trial or money-back period: Weight 1%
    • Length of automatic renewals: Weight 1%
    • Notice to avoid renewal: Weight 0%

Points earned: 87.5 out of 100 verified, or 87.5%. Multiplied by the completeness factor (1), that gives 8.8 out of 10.

Methodology v0.5.0

RTC Score8.8out of 10

Methodology v0.5.0

Data completeness100%

We could verify 100% of the scoring data

Strongest points
Cost to get started (reference restaurant), Switching or signing bonus you qualify for (reference restaurant), 36-month total cost (reference restaurant)
Weakest point
Own online ordering

Score by criterion

  • Cost to get started (reference restaurant)Weight 25%Strongest10.0 out of 10

    $0 to get started

  • Switching or signing bonus you qualify for (reference restaurant)Weight 25%Strongest10.0 out of 10

    $5,000 in promotions our reference restaurant qualifies for

  • 36-month total cost (reference restaurant)Weight 20%Strongest8.5 out of 10

    $5,039 over 36 months

  • Own online orderingWeight 11%Weakest5.0 out of 10
  • Hardware warranty includedWeight 8%10.0 out of 10
  • Support 24/7 (as the vendor publishes it)Weight 5%10.0 out of 10
  • Initial termWeight 2%3.0 out of 10
  • Early termination feeWeight 2%2.5 out of 10
  • Exclusive processing commitmentWeight 1%0.0 out of 10
  • Trial or money-back periodWeight 1%5.0 out of 10
  • Length of automatic renewalsWeight 1%7.0 out of 10
  • Notice to avoid renewalWeight 0%3.0 out of 10

Cost to get started

The cash your restaurant puts in before it opens on the new POS, in our reference scenario ($30k/month in card sales, $35 average ticket, 2 terminals, 1 location, 36 months): equipment you buy up front plus one-time setup or installation fees. Same rows for every POS.

25% of the RTC Score

Terminals, upfront: POS station (loaned) (×2)$0
Total to get started$0

$0 up front: the equipment is loaned, rented or included with no upfront payment.

Left out and why

  • On-site installation (2 or 3 workstations): only applies in some cases, not included.
  • Monthly and yearly charges (rent, software, yearly fees per device) are part of the 36-month cost, not of the entry cost.

Switching or signing bonus

What the vendor's current promotions are worth to our reference restaurant ($30k/month in card sales, $35 average ticket, 2 terminals, 1 location, 36 months), an established restaurant switching from another company's POS.

25% of the RTC Score

Counted in the RTC Score

$5,000

  • Signing bonus · $5,000

    Counts: our reference restaurant meets its published conditions.

Promotions end and change, so we re-check them: one with no end date comes down if we can't re-check it within 30 days, and an expired one stops counting the day after it ends.

Current promotion

  • Signing bonus

    $5,000Source: Confirmación directa al comparador (1-oct-2026); pendiente de PDF público (opens in a new tab)The extension through October 31, 2026 was confirmed to us directly on October 1, 2026; Shift4's public terms (the version linked from shift4.com/legal) still say the promotion ended September 30, 2026. The conditions are those of that version. We will update the source when Shift4 publishes the new document.
    Conditions
    A $5,000 cash signing bonus for US restaurants open at least 12 months that move to Shift4 POS from another company's POS. You sign Shift4's standard processing agreement, install and run your first live transaction within the promotional period, and average at least $30,000 a month in card volume with Shift4 over your first two calendar months. Not for businesses that processed with Shift4 or its referral partners in the previous 6 months, that are already their leads, or that share ownership or a franchise with an existing merchant. Paid by ACH about 60 days after it is earned. Shift4 decides who qualifies and can change or withdraw it without notice. It does not pay your current provider's early termination fee, and the 36-month term and the per-device early termination fee still apply.
    What you need to qualify
    • An average of at least $30,000 a month in card sales over the first 2 months
    Valid until

Counts in the RTC Score only if our reference restaurant qualifies.

The switching or signing incentive is one of the criteria with the most weight in the RTC Score. We count a promotion only while it's current, with a fixed published amount and conditions our reference restaurant meets. "Up to" amounts, buyouts of your current contract and unpublished amounts don't count. The cost calculator subtracts one only when your numbers qualify.

Check it with your numbers

Hardware warranty

The same rows for every POS: how long the main terminal is covered against defects when you get it a standard way (buying, leasing, renting, a subscription or a loan), the conditions, including what it leaves out and what keeping it costs, and the price to replace that terminal outside the coverage.

Hardware warranty includedLifetime, while your agreement is activeSource: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)Lifetime here means for as long as your agreement is active, the same rule we apply to every vendor whose coverage lasts while you keep the contract, rental or subscription that carries it. The hardware is loaned, the Service Agreement runs as long as the 36-month processing agreement and its 1-year renewals (§2.c), and the equipment goes back to Shift4 when it ends. The word "lifetime" is on the pricing page, not in the contract: the contract commits Shift4 to repair or replace defective equipment at its discretion (Service Agreement §5.b). It covers defects only, and Shift4's billing glossary says the yearly fee per device is what pays for these replacements (see the conditions).
Warranty conditionsShift4 checks the problem remotely and decides whether to repair the unit, send parts or send a replacement, and it does not guarantee a fix (Service Agreement §5.b). The replacement ships first; you return the defective unit within 60 days or Shift4 can charge its replacement cost, typically $200 to $1,000 per device (MPA §8.5.4). Not covered, and fixed only for an extra charge whose rate is not published: accidents, natural disasters, negligence or misuse, changes you make, unauthorized repairs, relocation and theft (§5.f). The risk of loss or damage is yours from delivery, you must insure the equipment for at least 12 times your total monthly service fee (§4.g, §4.h), and damage beyond normal wear is billed at the full cost of the equipment, which is not published (§4.f). Coverage requires processing only with Shift4 (§2.a). What keeping the coverage costs: every device carries a $250 Annual Program Fee and a $189.99 Regulatory Assurance Fee a year, or an Annual Service and Maintenance fee that replaces both (MPA §5.4.1 to §5.4.3), and Shift4's billing glossary (updated July 8, 2026) says that maintenance fee is what covers the lifetime replacement of its devices, including overnight shipping. The Service Agreement, though, charges you for all shipping, $25 by ground per base package (§3.b; MPA §5.4.11); the contract prevails (§10.o). There is no published plan for accidental damage, and what a sales rep says is not a warranty (§10.o).Source: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)
Price to replace the main terminalNot publishedSee my price for Shift4 POS (opens a price request form)Source: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)The main terminal is the loaned POS workstation with a 14-inch touchscreen. Shift4 publishes no purchase or replacement price for it. If it is damaged beyond normal wear, lost, stolen or not returned, Shift4 charges the full cost of the equipment, which is not published (Service Agreement §4.f). The only public figure is the $200 to $1,000 per device that the processing agreement cites for unreturned devices (MPA §8.5.4).

The RTC Score only counts how long defects are covered. What the coverage leaves out (accidents, theft, loss) and what it costs to keep are in the conditions. A protection plan sold separately doesn't count; if the vendor offers one, it's in the conditions. The replacement price isn't added to the 36-month cost, because there's no public data on how often equipment fails.

Trial or money-back period

Whether you can try the POS and leave, and what it costs you if you do. Same rows for every POS.

Trial or money-back periodTrial: you can leave without the early termination fee, but the charges during the trial are yours()Source: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)Service Agreement §2.f. The trial covers the POS Service Agreement; all charges apply during it. The processing agreement (MPA) has no trial clause, and its early termination fee clause doesn't exempt the trial period.
Trial period30 daysSource: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)The trial starts at installation. Charges apply during the trial, and equipment added later is not eligible.
Charges during the trialYesSource: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)You also pay shipping both ways if you cancel during the trial.
Trial conditions30 calendar days from the Effective Date, which is the installation date (or your first transaction over $5, or 60 days after shipping). You can cancel the Service Agreement without penalty during that time, but every charge under the processing agreement and the Service Agreement applies during the trial, and you pay shipping both ways, any extra wiring and the cost of returning the equipment. Equipment added after the Effective Date isn't eligible. The processing agreement (MPA), which carries the per-device early termination fee, has no trial clause of its own.()Source: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)

In the RTC Score the trial is part of the contract block, the lowest weight in the model: full points when you can try it with no software charges or get your money back, half when you can cancel without the early termination fee but the charges during the trial are yours.

All the data, with sources

Each value links to its source. "Not published" means the vendor doesn't disclose it; "Unconfirmed" means we looked and couldn't confirm it. Data points we have for fewer than four vendors are left out until we can compare them.

Software
Data pointValue
Software from$29.99/moSource: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)The pricing page does not say whether the price is per station. The Service Agreement bills a Software Support Fee per terminal, as listed in your POS Exhibit A (§3.c).
Software billed perTerminal or deviceSource: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)
Kitchen display (KDS) feeNot publishedSee my price for Shift4 POS (opens a price request form)()Source: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)Shift4 doesn't publish the monthly fee for a kitchen screen; it is in your POS Exhibit A. We found no review from 2025 or 2026 that reports it.
Payment processing
Data pointValue
Who processes your cardsMust use the vendor's processingSource: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)
Pricing model for card feesFlat rateSource: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)Shift4's online checkout offers three options: Standard Pricing (a flat rate), the Advantage Program (dual pricing) or a custom quote. Merchant Cost Consulting, a firm that audits processing fees, reports that interchange-plus can be negotiated.
In-person card rate2.75%Source: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)Standard Pricing in Shift4's online checkout, with the $29.99 table-service bundle. The pricing page and the contracts don't list card rates; a custom quote can set others.
In-person fee per transaction15¢Source: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)
Online card rateNot publishedSee my price for Shift4 POS (opens a price request form)()Source: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)Shift4's checkout says its standard rate applies to all credit card transactions but lists no separate online or keyed-in rate, and its contracts list none.
Online fee per transactionNot publishedSee my price for Shift4 POS (opens a price request form)()Source: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)
Keyed-in card rateNot publishedSee my price for Shift4 POS (opens a price request form)()Source: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)Shift4 doesn't publish it, and we found no review from 2025 or 2026 that reports it.
Keyed-in fee per transactionNot publishedSee my price for Shift4 POS (opens a price request form)()Source: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)
Annual fees per device$439.99/yr per deviceSource: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)$250 Annual Program Fee per device, based on pricing program eligibility (§5.4.2), plus a $189.99 Regulatory Assurance Fee per device each January (§5.4.1). Shift4 may charge an Annual Service and Maintenance (ASM) fee instead of both, in a tiered amount that can be higher or lower (§5.4.3).
Dual pricing or surcharge programYesSource: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)The Advantage Program offers dual pricing, a supplemental fee or a cash discount (Advantage Program Terms §3). With it, card processing costs your restaurant $0 in our estimate and your customers pay the difference: 4% by default, which you can set lower or up to 5% (Shift4 help center, Advantage Program FAQs). Fees on tips added after the sale are yours. Card network rules and state laws apply, some states limit surcharges, and you must post signs and show the fee on receipts.
Cards the program coversEvery card, debit and credit (dual pricing or cash discount)Source: Shift4 Help Center (opens in a new tab)The Advantage Program works as dual pricing (cash vs. non-cash price), a supplemental fee applied to every transaction, or a cash discount, so every card payment pays the card price. The same FAQ says PIN debit through the Debit Gateway can't be used with the program, and that if you set a customer rate below the default, you pay the difference.
Other fees in the contractInactivity: $150 per device for each month without processing after 30 days (§5.4.4). Debit enablement: $20 per quarter (§5.4.8). Online ordering: $34.99 a month (§5.4.9); xDine: $49.99 a month (§5.4.10). Unreturned equipment: typically $200 to $1,000 per device (§8.5.4). Shift4 reserves the right to charge $79 per MID per year for free equipment (§8.5.4). Shipping is charged to you (§5.4.11). The agreement says the bank or Shift4 can change the fees at any time.Source: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)
Hardware
Data pointValue
HardwareLoaned: the vendor keeps ownershipSource: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)Hardware comes with $0 upfront cost and must be returned when the agreement ends (MPA §8.5.4).
Hardware works with another processorNoSource: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)
Contract and exit
Data pointValue
Initial term36 monthsSource: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)MPA §1.2. 30 months for agreements signed before December 1, 2025. The Service Agreement for the POS runs for the same term as the processing agreement.
Automatic renewal12 monthsSource: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)
Notice to avoid renewal90 daysSource: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)
How the early termination fee is calculatedAmount per device × months leftSource: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)
Early termination feeLiquidated damages: a base monthly amount per device, set by your estimated monthly card volume ($100 under $10k up to $750 over $250k), times the number of terminal IDs, times the months left in the term (MPA §8.5.5). Unreturned equipment is charged on top.Source: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)If your real volume differs materially from the estimate, Shift4 may use your average of the prior three months instead.
Exclusive processing commitmentYesSource: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)
Right to raise prices during the termFrom the first anniversary, Shift4 may raise total fees each year by the greater of CPI-U + 1% or 7% (MPA §12.15), and the agreement says the bank or Shift4 can change the fees at any time. The Service Agreement lets Shift4 change its rates and fees with 30 days' written notice (§3.e) and raise them each year by the greater of CPI-U + 1% or 4% (§3.g).Source: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)
Personal guarantee by the signerYesSource: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)
Online ordering and delivery
Data pointValue
Own online orderingPaid add-onSource: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)Online ordering costs $34.99 a month under the processing agreement (§5.4.9), and xDine, Shift4's online ordering platform, $49.99 a month (§5.4.10). The pricing page no longer lists online ordering among its free features.
No per-order commission on own online orderingYesSource: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)Shift4 calls its online ordering commission-free; it has a monthly fee instead ($34.99, or $49.99 for xDine, per the processing agreement).
Delivery app integrationsDoorDash, Uber EatsSource: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)Shift4's online ordering page names DoorDash and Uber Eats, not Grubhub.
Features
Data pointValue
Kitchen display system (KDS)Paid add-on()Source: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)Shift4's pricing page lists a kitchen display among its hardware. Like every loaned device, each kitchen screen carries the monthly Software Support Fee in your POS Exhibit A and the yearly fees per device of the processing agreement.
Loyalty programIncluded in the base planSource: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)
Support
Data pointValue
Support 24/7YesSource: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)
Language
Data pointValue
POS screen in SpanishYes, set per employeeSource: Shift4 Help Center (opens in a new tab)Each employee can switch the POS screen and reports to "Spanish (United States)". Login, kitchen tickets and receipts stay in the country language.
Back office in SpanishYesSource: Shift4 Help Center (opens in a new tab)Spanish was added to the Customer Hub (the back office) on May 6, 2026. Shift4's login guide (updated May 21, 2026) says only the Germany and Spain regions have full translation, so this is Spain's Spanish, chosen as a region with the globe icon, and that choice can also change date and currency formats. An older help article, edited May 13, 2026, still says the Customer Hub has no translations.
Kitchen display in SpanishYesSource: Shift4 Help Center (opens in a new tab)Set per device; menu item names are not translated.
Language of kitchen ticketsCountry language (English in the US)Source: Shift4 Help Center (opens in a new tab)
Language of customer receiptsCountry language (English in the US)Source: Shift4 Help Center (opens in a new tab)
Support in Spanish (as declared by the vendor)Not publishedSource: Shift4 Help Center (opens in a new tab)Shift4's help center does not document support in Spanish.
Website in Spanish for the USNoSource: Shift4 (opens in a new tab)Shift4's own Spanish pages are for Spain, with prices in euros. Its Mexico pages are in English, and there is no Spanish version for the US (dine.shift4.com/es-US returns "page not found"). The US pricing page links only to English versions for the US, Canada, the UK and Ireland.

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