Revel Systems POS Review [2025]

Thinking about making Ravel Systems your point-of-sale partner?

If so, join us today as we take a deep dive into one of the nation’s most popular modern iPad POS systems.

Trusted by over 20,000 businesses, Revel Systems POS has established itself as one of the best POS providers in the US. So yes, we’re not surprised you’re considering it for your business. 

However, the years of reviewing POS systems have taught us that reputation doesn’t necessarily go hand in hand with actual performance. 

So, is the Revel Systems point-of-sale product the best choice for your restaurant or small business? Let’s take a look at Revel Systems’ pros and cons and explore what this unique platform offers!

Key Takeaways

• Revel Systems POS is a cloud-based point-of-sale system trusted by over 20,000 companies across the United States.
• Revel Systems POS boasts an extensive range of products and features, including online ordering, self-service kiosks, inventory management, customer loyalty features, and delivery management. 
• The cost of Revel Systems POS starts at $99/month per terminal (billed annually). A one-time fee of $649 is required for a professional installation. 
• The software is exclusive to iOS and not available for Android. 
• Although very popular and considered one of the best POS options around, Revel Systems is quite pricey. Many users also report glitches and issues with customer support.

Overview of Revel Systems POS

Revel Systems is an Atlanta-based POS provider whose beginnings date back to 2010, making it one of the pioneers in the cloud-based POS landscape. Interestingly, their software app is operated exclusively on iPads and isn’t available on Android devices. 

Revel Systems offers a range of different features, including gift cards, loyalty programs, splitting bills, accessible menu building, discounts, and a host of other benefits. You can also easily view and manage your reporting and inventory data from an offsite location. 

Also, while Revel Systems does have a general POS platform for retail, we’ll look at their restaurant-specific service for our Revel POS review.

Revel Systems POS Key Features

What’s on offer at Revel Systems POS? Let’s take a deep dive into the various features available and what makes this POS system stand out:

Revel Systems POS Pricing

Revel Systems software starts at $99 per month per terminal. However, Revel isn’t overly transparent about its pricing. 

Sure, the monthly plans start at $99 a month, but this only applies if you order multiple terminals (at least two). This price is also exclusive to users who use Revel Systems’ credit card processing services. 

Another catch is that their software fees are billed annually and require Revel processing with a 3-year contract. This means you’re ‘forced’ to commit if you want to get the best price. 

You can also opt to have a professional install all your hardware and software – the price starts at $649. While this is quite steep, it can be a good idea if you need some onboarding help with your new POS software and hardware.

What’s our take here? Pricing is one of the most critical components of any new POS system. Revel’s price point is on the higher end of the POS spectrum but is still relatively affordable for small business owners. 

While many modern point-of-sale systems help you save time and money, they might do the opposite if the monthly price is too high. Also, keep in mind you’ll still need to invest in the various hardware products like iPads, stands, printers, and networking components you need to get up and operational.

Demo Video

Deep Dive Into Revel Systems POS Features & Functionality

With the core features covered, let’s dive deeper and discover the level of functionality and performance they offer.

Data Reporting

Revel offers extensive reporting and analytics, so you always have a complete snapshot of your business. You can access your reporting from anywhere to track your inventory, customer insights, and sales data to help you make savvy business decisions. 

Like most cloud-based systems, you can access sales, inventory, and labor reports from any computer with an internet connection and through a smartphone reporting app. As covered above, data reports are very insightful and extensive, providing you with all the data you need to optimize your business.

Deployment Type

Unless you’re using an ancient POS system, it’s hard to find anything entirely locally installed. Revel Systems uses a cloud-based mobile POS platform via software installed on your iPad device – in some ways, you could consider this a hybrid product. If your device crashes, all your data is securely stored on a cloud.

Another benefit you find with Revel Systems is that it doesn’t need an internet connection to operate. While some cloud-based systems require a constant connection, you can still use this platform if your internet drops out. You can even process sales and credit card payments using Revel’s Always on Mode if your internet goes down.

Industries Served

You can use the Revel Systems POS platform for a range of different industries from retail to hospitality. And it’s the latter where Revel Systems truly shines. 

It’s an excellent point-of-sale system for small and mid-sized restaurants. The company also offers plenty of specific features geared towards the following business types:

• Quick-service restaurants
• Full-service restaurants
• Pizza shops
• Coffee shops
• Self-service kiosks
• Retail stores

Additionally, while it’s best for small and mid-sized businesses, the ability to view multiple locations at once can provide more significant business owners with some robust capabilities.

The iPad-based hardware makes this POS easy to use mobile, and you can take orders tableside. If you’re looking for a flexible iPad POS system for your restaurant, this is certainly a top option.

Ease of Use

Ease of use is often overlooked, but it’s one of the first features you should prioritize when hunting for the best POS system. The easier and more user-friendly your software is, the more time you will save. It also means that training new staff members is much more effective.

Fortunately, this is a major strong point for Revel Systems. Building menus is a blast, and the entire system is brilliant to navigate. Other features like tab splitting and management are also easily accessible, whereas all staff and inventory management features are clearly arranged for seamless optimization. 

The only downside about the Revel Systems’ interface is that it’s almost too minimalist. While this is a preferred design feature for some people, especially Apple product users, others may find it annoying.

Hardware

At present, you can only use Revel Systems’ point-of-sale system with an Apple iPad. While this is a convenient hardware platform for many people, using Android devices or tablets is limited. Still, the familiar touch screen and nature of an iPad can make taking orders and processing transactions extremely easy.

You can choose to purchase your own iPad or buy one directly from Revel Systems. Revel Systems also offers a range of additional accessories, such as printers, kiosks, cash drawers, and barcode scanners, to help you upgrade your POS system.

If you need help with installation, you can purchase an onboarding service for $649; this includes:

• System Onboarding
• Management Console Training
• Menu Consultation
• Hardware Installation
• Payments Set Up

Is the professional installation necessary? Well, given the complexity of POS systems, we’d recommend taking advantage of the onboarding service. 

One thing to keep in mind is that the Revel Systems kiosk is heavily branded. If you don’t want ‘Revel Systems’ plastered all over your kiosks, you might want to purchase an independent setup. You can buy your own hardware accessories, but make sure to check that they’re compatible before.

Integrations

Revel Systems POS offers multiple add-ons to improve your system further. 

These include loyalty programs, gift cards, additional hardware, eCommerce and online ordering tools, employee management tools, mobile payment processors, customer displays, kitchen display systems, cryptocurrency payment processors, and accounting software (Quickbooks), to name a few.

Revel has all the integrations you’d expect from a full-service or quick-service restaurant POS. Using these integrations can help you take your Revel POS to the next level!

Payment Processing

Revel is now pushing its own credit card processing service called Real Advantage. According to them, it offers a “transparent flat fee.” Unfortunately, the information about it isn’t that transparent. We did some digging, though, and one thing is true: it is flat. 

Long story short, Revel charges a flat processing fee of $2.49 per transaction. That’s not that bad, but we’ve seen more beneficial deals. 

Besides the “transparent” fee, Real Advantage also includes: 

• EMV Ready
• Apply Pay Ready
• In-House Dedicated Support Team
• All Card Types Included
• Online Statements & Reporting

The good news is that you’re not restricted to a single payment processor when you decide to work with Revel Systems. While many POS systems try to lock you into a merchant agreement, you can stay flexible with your payment processor at Revel Systems.

In terms of payment gateways, you can choose between USAePay and FreedomPay. There are a wide variety of processors at your disposal as well, including Tyro, Moneris, WorldPay, FirstData, Heartland, and more. You can always check their site to see the latest gateways and payment processors on offer!

Revel Systems also offers some high-end payment security features. Card swipes purchased through Revel Systems are individually encrypted for each gateway and cannot be reused if clients decide to change gateways.

Another payment feature is Revel Systems’ support for EMV payments. EMV compliance can help you reduce your liability if fraudulent payments occur in your business.

Customer Service

You need your point-of-sale system to work at all times. Malfunctions can lead to disruptions. Disruptions to lesser service. Lesser service to lower income. 

Having a robust customer support team is one of the best ways to fix problems when they arise. Fortunately, Revel Systems’ point-of-sale platform offers 24/7 customer support to its clients, providing you with peace of mind that your POS system always performs as it should. 

On paper, at least. In practice, Revel’s customer service has been one of the most complained about features by its customers. 

Here’s one Capterra review that caught our eye:

“We have run into numerous technical issues with Revel and their customer service has not been very helpful when resolving some issues.”

And this is only one example. Other reviews were much more aggressive toward their customer support. 

Some customers also complain about the installation process — it appears some Revel Systems installers do a terrible job of setting up the platform. Some also complain that the system gets ‘glitchy.’

While these complaints are valid, it’s essential to ensure that everything is set up and working correctly before the installation team leaves. You can also request a free demo before you commit to purchasing the product.

Pros vs. Cons

Our Verdict

There’s plenty to like about Revel Systems. The company offers an excellent point-of-sale product if you’re set on using an iPad-based system.

You’ll benefit from a wide range of features that can help you engage with your customers and quickly perform transactions. If you’re looking for a restaurant POS system that can help you build menus, manage staff, create loyalty programs, and more, this is an option to consider.

As a business owner, you’re able to view all the reporting data you need from anywhere, as well as integrate it with QuickBooks and other platforms.

Flexible payment gateway and processing options also provide you with more control of your transactions. Still, it appears you’ll need to sign up with Revel Real Advantage payment processing to get the best price on the software.

The overall system (software and hardware) is on the higher end, and there are cheaper options available on the market with similar features. You can see some of our other POS reviews here.

The only real downsides are cost and some customer service issues. Some customers have also reported glitch issues and trouble contacting customer support, so that’s something to be mindful of when considering this product.

As always, we recommend trying before buying. The good news is that you can request a free demo to try out their software before you make any investments!

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Revel Systems POS FAQs

How much is Revel Systems POS?

Revel Systems POS pricing starts at $99 per month per terminal. However, pricing can vary depending on the number of terminals, the size of the business, and any additional features or services that may be required. This price is also available only for a 3-year commitment and a minimum order of two terminals. There’s also an optional onboarding cost, which is a one-time fee of $649. 

Who is Revel POS for?

Revel Systems is ideal for mid-sized to large restaurants, retail businesses, and multi-location franchises. It’s particularly well-suited for businesses needing advanced features like inventory management, employee tracking, and customer relationship management (CRM). Revel also excels in detailed reporting, multi-location management, and its ability to integrate with a wide range of third-party applications, making it a great fit for businesses looking to streamline operations and grow across multiple locations.

Is Revel Systems a good restaurant POS?

Yes, Revel is definitely a good point-of-sale system for a restaurant. It offers multiple great features designed specifically for restaurants and kitchens, such as advanced kitchen management, online ordering, menu builder, and many more. Is it the best POS for your restaurant, though? That depends on your needs. There are numerous POS systems that might be better suited for your business. Still, Revel is definitely worth considering.