Simple vs SkyTab (now Shift4 Dine): The 2026 Comparison
"Free" hardware is the most expensive kind.
Simple is 2.39% flat with no contract and no exit fee. SkyTab's "free" hardware comes with a 36-month Shift4 processing agreement at 2.75% + 15¢ — with documented termination fees reaching five figures.
Comparison data verified July 2026 from skytab.com, Shift4's published service agreement, and verified 2026 reviews. SkyTab and Shift4 Dine are trademarks of Shift4 Payments, Inc.
Key facts — Simple vs SkyTab
- Simple bills month-to-month with no contract; SkyTab (Shift4 Dine) requires a 36-month processing contract with early-termination fees.
- Simple charges a flat 2.39% on all card transactions on every plan; SkyTab's standard rate is 2.75% + 15¢ (negotiable per merchant) under its 36-month Shift4 processing agreement.
- Simple is built for retail, salons, and service businesses with native swim-lane service queues, appointments, and delivery dispatch included; SkyTab is a restaurant-only POS with online ordering limited to restaurants — no retail storefront.
- SkyTab's hardware is provided "free" but is tied to the 36-month Shift4 processing agreement, with documented early-termination fees ranging from $295 to five figures; Simple has no contract and no exit fee.
- Simple includes task management, forms & checklists, expense management with live P&L, and a branded customer support portal on every plan; SkyTab does not sell these features.
Pricing at a glance
Every line, side by side — including SkyTab / Shift4 Dine's contract and termination terms.
| Simple | SkyTab (Shift4 Dine) | |
|---|---|---|
| Card processing | 2.39% — every plan, in person and online | 2.75% + 15¢ standard rate (negotiable); Shift4 processing required |
| Software | All features included | $29.99/month per workstation |
| Hardware | Standard hardware | "Free" — tied to the processing agreement |
| Contract | Month to month, cancel anytime | 30-day trial, then 36-month agreement |
| Early termination | No fee | Formula-based "liquidated damages" — documented cases from $295 to $10,000+, with one reported at $37,000 |
| Annual fees | None | Reported ~$400–$500 per device per year, plus PCI/statement/batch fees |
| Business types | Retail, service, delivery, e-commerce — one platform | Restaurants, bars, food trucks only |
| E-commerce | Included — full storefront with page builder | Restaurant online ordering only |
| Appointments | Included | Not available |
| Onboarding | Migration support on every plan; white-glove on Large | Install + training included |
Shift4's termination formula multiplies your remaining contract months by your average monthly processing fees. One documented case: a restaurant canceling at month 13 of 36 owed over $37,000. Simple's cancellation fee is $0, because there's no contract.
Feature by feature
Grouped the same way as our pricing page — Core, Back Office, and Operations Hub.
Core
| Feature | Simple | SkyTab (Shift4 Dine) |
|---|---|---|
| Point of Sale (sales, returns, exchanges) | Included | Restaurant POS (tableside, QR pay-at-table) |
| Invoicing (invoices, estimates, recurring) | Included | Not available |
| E-commerce with drag-and-drop page builder | Included — per-location themes, scheduled homepages, built-in SEO tools | Restaurant online ordering & reservations only |
| Appointments & online booking | Included | Not available |
| Loyalty program (with POS redemption) | Included | Tiered points program built in |
| Advanced discount engine (BOGO, bundles, smart clearance) | Included | Basic promos |
| Customer segmentation with live rule preview + AI recommendations | Included | Email segmentation built in |
| Text & email marketing | Included | Email marketing built in |
Back Office
| Feature | Simple | SkyTab (Shift4 Dine) |
|---|---|---|
| Inventory: POs, transfers, audits, variants, vendors | Included — full retail depth | Restaurant/ingredient inventory |
| Purchase-order returns & inventory rooms | Included | Not available |
| Expense management wired into live P&L | Included | Not available |
| Reports & analytics | Included | Reporting + SkyTab BI |
| Register with blind close & float accountability | Included | Cash management |
| Multi-location management | Included, unlimited users | Enterprise reporting via BI platform |
| Transparent payment onboarding (live status + corrections) | Included | Merchant account via Shift4 underwriting |
| Integrations hub | Included | Marketplace integrations |
Operations Hub
| Feature | Simple | SkyTab (Shift4 Dine) |
|---|---|---|
| Employee scheduler & shifts | Included | Basic labor tools |
| Time clock with GPS + geofence + PTO | Included | Clock-in at POS |
| Task management (recurring, read-&-sign) | Included | Not available |
| Forms & checklists with approvals | Included | Not available |
| Delivery & dispatch: your drivers, vehicles, map-drawn zones | Included | Online ordering hand-off; no fleet management |
| Service queues (swim lanes) | Included | Restaurant order screens only |
| Branded customer support portal + ticket inbox | Included | Not available |
| Help center builder | Included | Not available |
The details that matter
The 36-month math
$29.99/month sounds cheap. But at a standard 2.75% + 15¢, a business processing $40,000/month pays roughly $1,160/month in processing — about $42,000 over the contract. At Simple's 2.39%, the same volume costs $956/month — roughly $7,300 less over three years, with no contract at all.
Savings Calculator
Live math using verified July 2026 published rates.
Which of these do you use?
Simple
Processing only
$11,472
per year
SkyTab
Processing + feature add-ons
$16,080
per year
Annual total: processing + on-toggle feature costs. Base software shown below.
Simple software
SkyTab software
$29.99/mo per workstation + $450/yr device fee (you selected 2)
You save
$4,608
per year vs SkyTab
36-month contract — 3-year cost: $48,240
Not for sale at any price on SkyTab
Estimates based on published July 2026 rates and typical published app pricing. Courier fees (DoorDash/Uber) excluded for Square delivery. Your actuals may vary.
The exit fee
Shift4's service agreement calculates early-termination damages from your remaining months × average monthly processing fees. Documented cases range from $295 to five figures — one restaurant reportedly owed $37,000+ canceling at month 13.
Simple is month to month: if we stop earning your business, you leave for free.
Built for more than the dining room
SkyTab is a restaurant system. Simple runs retail, service, and delivery businesses end to end — full retail inventory with POs and audits, appointments, e-commerce with a real page builder, driver dispatch with map-drawn zones, task management, forms, expenses, and a branded support portal.
If your business is more than a menu, you need more than a restaurant POS.
The bottom line
SkyTab fits restaurants that want zero upfront hardware cost and accept a 3-year processing commitment. If your business is more than a menu — or you want the freedom to leave — it isn't a fit. Simple is month to month.
Frequently asked questions
No contract. No exit fee.
Everything, for 2.39%.
All SkyTab / Shift4 Dine pricing and feature information verified July 2026 from skytab.com, Shift4's published service agreement, and verified customer reviews. Standard rates shown; individual merchant terms may vary. Details may change; we update this page regularly. SkyTab and Shift4 Dine are trademarks of Shift4 Payments, Inc., which does not endorse Simple.