- Bakery POS systems compared
- Nine bakery POS options
- Allergens your bakery system should track
- Counter POS, bakery system or restaurant POS?
- Setting up a bakery POS
- Custom order details to capture every time
- Cutting waste with your POS data
- Online ordering for bakeries
- Hardware that suits a bakery counter
- Seasonal peaks and pre-orders
- My plain advice on bakery POS systems
- Frequently asked questions
A bakery POS system takes payments at the counter, tracks stock, handles pre-orders and custom cakes, and in bakery-specific systems runs production and wholesale too. The right fit depends on whether you're a cafe-bakery, a custom cake business or a production bakery. Nine options follow in no particular order.
Bakeries juggle things most shops don't: daily production, items that sell out by noon, custom cake orders weeks ahead and, for many, wholesale customers on top. A standard till handles the counter but often leaves the rest on paper.
The nine options below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, from free POS apps to bakery management systems and restaurant POS for cafe-bakeries. Each description comes from the vendor's own site, re-checked this week. To get more local customers through the door, start with my Google Business Profile checklist.
Bakery POS systems compared
In the free plan column, Yes means the tool's own site describes free use or a free plan, Trial only means a time-limited trial and No means neither is stated on the pages we read.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| BakeSmart | Bakery management | Custom cake orders | No |
| CakeBoss | Home baker software | Home and small cake businesses | No |
| Clover | Countertop POS | Counter service with online orders | No |
| Epos Now | Retail and hospitality POS | UK bakeries and cafes | No |
| FlexiBake | Bakery ERP | Production and traceability | No |
| Hike | Retail POS | Bakeries with a retail shelf | Trial only |
| Lightspeed | Restaurant POS | Bakery cafes with table service | No |
| Loyverse | Free POS app | Starting on a free POS | Yes |
| TouchBistro | Restaurant POS | Cafe-bakeries on iPad | No |
Nine bakery POS options
BakeSmart
Best for: Bakeries taking lots of custom cake orders that want quoting, production schedules and wholesale handled in one system.
CakeBoss
Best for: Home bakers and small cake businesses that want recipes, orders and quotes organised without a full shop system.
Clover
Best for: Bakeries with a busy counter that want card payments, online ordering and delivery management together.
Epos Now
Best for: UK and US bakery cafes that want tills, stock and reporting from a provider known in UK hospitality.
FlexiBake
Best for: Production bakeries supplying wholesale customers that need recipes, batches, traceability and invoicing in one system.
Hike
Best for: Shops that also sell packaged goods and gifts and want retail-style stock tracking at the till.
Lightspeed
Best for: Bakery cafes with seating and table service that want a restaurant POS with reporting and integrations.
Loyverse
Best for: New and small bakeries that want a free POS on a tablet with loyalty and stock basics.
TouchBistro
Best for: Cafe-bakeries that want an iPad-based POS with menu management, staff tools and table service options.
Allergens your bakery system should track
The FDA says the major food allergens are milk, eggs, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame, and the FASTER Act declared sesame the 9th major food allergen recognized by the United States.
What that means for you: bakeries handle most of these every day. Choose a system that stores allergens against each product and can print them on labels, receipts and order confirmations, so staff can answer questions with confidence.
Counter POS, bakery system or restaurant POS?
Counter POS apps take payments, track stock and run loyalty, which suits small shops. Bakery-specific systems add custom order quoting, production planning, recipes and wholesale invoicing. Restaurant POS suits cafe-bakeries with seating, table service and a kitchen.
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If custom cakes or wholesale make up a big part of your business, a bakery-specific system will save the most time.
Setting up a bakery POS
- Add products with allergens, sizes and any pre-order rules.
- Set up custom order forms with deposit and pickup dates.
- Create a daily production list from orders and par levels.
- Connect online ordering so orders land in one place.
- Train staff on taking custom orders the same way every time.
- Review sell-outs and waste weekly to adjust production.
Custom order details to capture every time
- Pickup or delivery date and time. Confirmed in writing.
- Size, flavour and filling. No room for guesswork.
- Allergens and dietary needs. Checked twice.
- Design notes and photos. Attached to the order.
Cutting waste with your POS data
End-of-day leftovers eat into every bakery's margins. Use sales history to set par levels by day of the week, adjust for weather and holidays, and track what's thrown away. Small changes in daily production add up over a year.
Online ordering for bakeries
Customers increasingly want to pre-order online, especially for weekends and holidays. Connect online orders to your POS so they appear on the same production list as in-store orders, and you'll avoid the double-handling that leads to mistakes.
Hardware that suits a bakery counter
Flour, heat and busy mornings are hard on hardware. Ask about card readers that'll cope with queues, receipt and label printers for allergen labels, and whether the system runs on a tablet you already own. It's worth seeing the hardware in action before you commit, because a slow till at 8am is a problem you'll feel every day.
Seasonal peaks and pre-orders
Holidays bring a rush of pre-orders for cakes, pies and breads. Set order cut-off dates, cap daily quantities and send reminders before pickup. Your system can do most of this automatically, which means fewer frantic phone calls and fewer customers turning up for orders that don't exist.
Do you make a bakery POS system? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on bakery POS systems
Choose the system that handles your hardest orders. For most bakeries, that's custom cakes and pre-orders, where a missed detail means an unhappy customer on their big day.
Then use your sales data to bake smarter. Knowing what sells out, and when, helps you cut waste and keep shelves full when customers arrive. For more local visibility, work through my local SEO checklist.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best POS system for a bakery?
It depends on your mix: counter sales, custom orders, cafe seating or wholesale. Bakery-specific systems handle production and custom cakes best.
Is there a free bakery POS system?
One app on this list describes itself as free POS software, and several others offer free trials.
Can a POS handle custom cake orders?
Bakery-specific systems include custom order forms, deposits, pickup dates and production lists.
Which allergens should bakeries track?
The FDA lists milk, eggs, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame as major allergens.
Can bakery software manage wholesale accounts?
Some bakery systems handle wholesale orders, standing orders and invoicing alongside retail.
Do I need a restaurant POS for a cafe-bakery?
If you have seating and table service, a restaurant POS often fits better than a simple counter app.
