Great bar management software offers employee management tools and a POS system. Read on to learn about the 10 best bar management software options for 2024. 

In hospitality, giving your customers a great experience starts with effective management.

You must balance employee and inventory management to create the best environment for your guests. 

With so many aspects of bar and restaurant management, you need software you can rely on to support you and streamline your processes.

This article discusses the 10 best bar management software systems for 2024. This software can help to streamline your business operations so you can focus on happy hour!

If you don’t have the time to read through our research, jump down to our quick comparison table.

Our Top Picks

  1. Best all-in-one employee management system

  2. Mixology

    Good for app-based drinks recipes

  3. Good for point-of-sale (POS) systems

Why trust us?

Our team of unbiased software reviewers follows strict editorial guidelines, and our methodology is clear and open to everyone.
See our complete methodology

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Tools considered

25

Tools reviewed

10

Best tools
chosen

How to Choose Bar Management Software

There are many factors to think about when selecting bar management software. You may wish to consider whether a point-of-sale (POS) system would be a beneficial tool to incorporate into this software. If you already have a POS system, ensure that any new tools you’re considering will integrate with it. 

You should also consider capabilities such as inventory management and periodic automatic replacement (PAR) levels. Crucially, the bar management software you’re considering should help you manage a vital part of your operations—your team! 

Your employees are a crucial factor when it comes to selecting your bar management software. You need to consider all elements of employee management. This includes shift scheduling, communication, time-off requests, and any legislation changes that are relevant to your business, team, and operations. Whichever system you choose will need to encompass all these areas. 

Selecting the right bar management software has many benefits, including the following:

  • It saves you time. With great bar management software, you can ensure your shifts are scheduled in minutes rather than hours. This will save precious time that you can spend with your customers.
  • It saves you money. Using the right software with built-in payroll integration will save you money when it comes to preventing costly payroll mistakes.
  • Improves employee communication. Improve employee communication by updating all your employees at the same time. This is useful when it comes to any legislation or shift changes.

The 10 Best Bar Management Softwares of 2024

  1. Connecteam — Best for: All-in-one employee management software.

    Screenshot of a Connecteam webpage, depicting a height safety instruction course, including details about how many workers have been active on the course.

    Connecteam is an all-in-one solution for your employee management needs. It features tools like a built-in free work schedule app, in-app chat features, and extensive time management tools. All of which can help to streamline your ways of working and business operations. 

    The app was built specifically with frontline workers in mind. Because of this, the tools included will be aligned with your business operations. While it doesn’t currently include functions for managing inventory or a bar POS system, Connecteam does offer full-service management tools

    Connecteam’s strengths are in its ability to support you through all aspects of the employee lifecycle. You can easily track your employee’s timeline from their initial recruitment. This allows you to capture all their workplace milestones and ensure you celebrate the special times in their career. Connecteam also includes a self-service employee portal so your workers can request any paid time off (PTO) or vacation time they need.

    The employee management tools available can help you to stay on top of all your employee processes. The suite of digital tools includes online checklists and forms to help you keep organized and improve your productivity. You can also easily assign tasks to your employees to ensure your business runs smoothly and reduce your workload.

    Connecteam is the perfect tool to help keep your workforce engaged and unlock the very best of their capabilities. You can focus on your employee’s development with built-in training and support features. Connecteam also has tools that help you manage your employees throughout their whole lifecycle—from onboarding to promotions, and even termination

    Connecteam also offers multiple communication solutions in one app. This includes a personalized announcement tool and a secure chat function. These communication features allow you to stay in touch with your team and improve employee engagement. The combination of this and the digital training tools means you can transition to a 100% paperless workplace. 

    You can also build efficient and cost-effective employee schedules from scratch using Connecteam. Manage your employees from anywhere with the easy-to-use mobile app. And assign open shifts to available workers and approve PTO and vacation requests with one click.  Utilizing these tools will save you time and your business money, ultimately increasing your bottom line. 

    Turn any mobile device into a built-in employee time clock with Connecteam. This will allow your employees to clock in and out from anywhere—a great option for remote and deskless teams. Not only can this feature help to modernize your way of working, but it can also reduce payroll errors. This is because employees are responsible for their own shift times. 

    With all of these features and benefits, Connecteam is the perfect solution to manage your communications and employees’ time effectively. The available tools help to streamline the tasks which would usually detract you from your workforce. Crucially, they allow you to focus on what’s most important, your customers!

    Connecteam also offers a free for life plan – Get Started Now!

    Key Features

    Pros

    • Easy-to-use mobile app

    • Built-in time clock

    • Free for small businesses

    • Fully digital forms and checklists

    Cons

    • No specific bar POS tools

    Pricing

    Free-for-life plan availablePremium plans start at $29/month for 30 users

    14-day free trial, no credit card required

    Start your free trial
  2. Mixology

    Mixology — Good for: App-based drinks recipes

    Available on

    • iOS
    • Android
    Screenshot of the Mixology webpage

    Mixology is an app-based software that helps your team create the perfect cocktails for your customers. You can search by ingredient or cocktail name to find what customers need. There are video instructions for mixing every cocktail. You can also learn about bar terminology and find great tricks of the trade. 

    While this app is perfect for happy hour, it doesn’t support your business with employee management tools. Because of this, if you pick Mixology you will need a separate tool to support your employee management tasks.

    Key Features

    • Ingredient search feature
    • Glassware descriptions
    • Bartending tips and tricks
    • Bar terminology glossary

    Pros

    • Specifically designed for mixologists
    • Easy-to-use search feature

    Cons

    • No employee management tools
    • Only available on mobile devices

    Pricing

    Starts at $0.99 for iPhone, $1.49 for Android Trial: No Free Plan: Yes

  3. Toast — Good for: Bar-based POS system

    Available on

    • Web
    • iOS
    • Android
    Screenshot of the toast webpage

    Toast is a POS system specifically designed for bars and restaurants. It’s a great option for all businesses—from small independent establishments to large restaurant chains. 

    Some of their features include no-contact guest experiences, which reduces the need for person-to-person contact. This includes contactless payments, remote payment, tableside ordering, and curb-side pickup organizations. All of these tools create a seamless and safe experience for your guests. 

    Further to this, Toast offers back-of-house and back-office management systems. These tools allow you to monitor bar inventory, complete multi-location kitchen management, and finalize and process payroll in-house. All of these tools create a seamless employee and customer experience.

    Key Features

    • No-contact guest experience
    • Back-of-house management
    • Payroll functionality
    • Inventory management

    Pros

    • Specifically designed for bars and restaurants
    • Bar POS included

    Cons

    • No internal communication feature
    • No internal training tools

    Pricing

    Starting at $165/month + transaction fees Trial: Yes Free Plan: Yes

  4. WineRatings+

    WineRatings+ — Good for: Helping you pick the perfect wine

    Available on

    • iOS
    • Android
    Screenshot of WineRatings+ page on Apple Store

    WineRatings+ is an app-based wine review software. Perfect for use in bars or wine-tasting establishments, this app will help you pick the perfect wine for any occasion. 

    WineTasting+ has many built-in features to help bar owners pick the perfect selection of wines. Professional wine tasters specifically select all the wines on their app to ensure quality. You can use the search function to find the different notes you are looking for so you always have a full selection of wine. 

    The different notes and scores from world-renowned wine tasters categorize all the wines on WineRating+. With thousands of high-quality wines, you can easily save your favorites, so you know what to purchase for your next inventory top-up.

    Key Features

    • ‘Favorites’ features
    • Wine ranking tools
    • Recommendation lists
    • 400,000+ wine reviews

    Pros

    • Over 1000 new wines are added every month
    • Free-to-use option

    Cons

    • Only available on mobile devices
    • No employee management tools

    Pricing

    Starts at $2.99 per month Trial: Yes Free Plan: No

  5. BizImply — Good for: Workforce management

    Available on

    • Web
    • iOS
    • Android
    Screenshot of the BizImply webpage

    BizImply focuses on supporting the human element of your business. It does this through employee management and shift-scheduling software. Using this app, you can track all elements of your employee lifecycle, from digital absence records to performance monitoring. 

    You can create clear schedules in minutes using its drag-and-drop shift-scheduling feature. Your employees can easily access their schedules through the mobile app and request shift swaps with colleagues. Your team can also provide feedback on shifts to let you know whether they were over or understaffed. This can help to improve your team’s productivity.

    You can also record your daily activity through the operations management tools in BizImply. This app allows you to monitor daily sales and track KPIs to ensure you hit your daily targets. You can also save this information to the cloud-based storage feature—perfect for small businesses that don’t have the space to store IT servers!

    Key Features

    • Drag-and-drop shift scheduling
    • Easy-to-use mobile app
    • Shift feedback
    • Daily activity tracker

    Pros

    • Blend of employee management and bar management software
    • Cloud-based software

    Cons

    • No bar POS software
    • No internal communication tool

    Pricing

    Starts at $100/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: No

  6. Lavu POS — Good for: Restaurant POS system

    Available on

    • Web
    • iOS
    • Android
    Screenshot of the Lavu POS webpage

    Lavu POS is a full-service bar and restaurant POS system. The mobile app lets you keep on top of inventory management and track all past orders made. This gives you a full overview of your current stock and past sales to help estimate your periodic automatic replenishment (PAR) level.

    Lavu POS will help you make intelligent decisions about inventory purchasing. You can sync your orders—both online and offline—and payments into a straightforward reporting system. This will help you keep track of inventory and estimate which purchases you need to make in the future. You can also save your favorite orders to simplify your ordering process. 

    In addition, you can save customer profiles to your POS system to keep your regular’s favorites fully stocked up! You can also keep a log of their bar tabs and credit card details should you need them. These features will save you time and money by simplifying the stock ordering process and ensuring that your purchases sell well.

    Key Features

    • Inventory management tools
    • Reporting system
    • Customer profiles
    • Bar POS system

    Pros

    • Bar and restaurant POS system
    • Simplified ordering with a ‘favorites’ system

    Cons

    • No employee management features
    • No internal communication tools

    Pricing

    Starts at $59/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: No

  7. BevSpot — Good for: Smart ordering system

    Available on

    • Web
    • iOS
    • Android
    Screenshot of the BevSpot webpage

    BevSpot is a great tool to simplify your ordering process and ensure you keep on top of inventory management. Using BevSpots’ easy-to-use mobile app, you can order inventory with one click. It also has features such as “smart cart” and “expected inventory”. These ensure that you’re never overstocked—which can save bar owners time and money. 

    BevSpot also has tools that allow you to spot-check inventory and update your stock file in real-time. This will be especially useful around the holidays when you sometimes receive multiple deliveries of inventory orders per day. 

    Data analytics helps you understand your sales patterns and any fluctuations over time. You can compare your current sales versus your inventory. This allows you to determine where your PAR level should be and help you understand where your peak trade is. These data and analytics tools will help you run a smarter, more cost-effective business.

    Key Features

    • Easy-to-use mobile app
    • Smart inventory tools
    • Spot-check stock levels
    • Data and analytics tools

    Pros

    • Specifically designed for bars and restaurants
    • Useful data insights

    Cons

    • No shift management tools
    • No employee management tools

    Pricing

    Starts at $119/account/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: No

  8. Bar&ClubStats — Good for: Bar and nightclub use

    Available on

    • iOS
    • Android
    Screenshot of the Bar&ClubStats webpage

    Bar&ClubStats is geared towards bar and nightclub managers who want to remain compliant with card and ID checking. It’s an app-based solution that helps to verify a patron’s identification through ID scanning.

    While Bar&ClubStats app can turn any mobile device into an identification scanner, they also offer handheld scanners or scanner attachments for extra security. You can buy or rent this hardware depending on your business needs. 

    You can draw data from the IDs to understand how the app or scanner attachments have protected your business. This data can easily be exported for compliance checking or your own records.

    Key Features

    • Export data
    • Turn any phone into a scanner
    • Buy or rent additional scanners
    • Easy set-up

    Pros

    • Specifically designed for bars and nightclubs that scan a large number of IDs
    • Data available to export

    Cons

    • No employee management tools
    • No POS system

    Pricing

    Starts at $24.99 Trial: No Free Plan: Yes

  9. Untappd — Good for: Bar-based POS system

    Available on

    • iOS
    • Android
    Screenshot of the Untapped webpage

    Uptappd is a beer-rating app that will help you find the perfect selection of beers for your bar or restaurant. This app lets you share your beer menus with the world, maximizing visibility and drawing new patrons to your bar or restaurant. 

    Using Untappd, you can seamlessly create QR code menus for contact-free service. You can also use data and analytics to help you make informed decisions about stock purchases. See what you’re selling most and when you make intelligent decisions about your inventory.

    You can also keep your customers up to date on your social media by linking UnTapped to your Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook pages. This will increase your sales and engage your customers, creating a loyal fanbase for your business.

    Key Features

    • No-contact ordering experience
    • Integrated social media
    • Data and analytics tools
    • Digital menu creation

    Pros

    • World-class beer database
    • Easy-to-use mobile app

    Cons

    • No internal communication feature
    • No employee management tools

    Pricing

    Starts at $599/year Trial: Yes Free Plan: No

  10. Partender — Good for: Managing stock levels

    Available on

    • iOS
    • Android
    Screenshot of the Partender webpage

    Partender is an all-in-one bar inventory and order inventory tool. Using Partender will help keep your business operationally sound with its inventory management and payment processing tools. 

    Partender’s real-time inventory management software allows you to complete your purchase order and receive an invoice within 15 minutes. This is a great option for helping you keep on top of stock levels—especially around busy times like the holidays. 

    Partender’s app-based solution to inventory management will help you keep on top of stock and maintain PAR levels from anywhere. You can even split up your inventory across multiple sites if you’re a multisite owner.

    These operational features will save you time and money as you navigate the world of hospitality. To support your purchasing orders, you can also use their data and analytics tools to measure your consumption analytics and identify your best-selling stock. This can help you make more intelligent decisions about your stock levels and ensure you never have too much inventory.

    Key Features

    • Data and analytics tools
    • Inventory management tools
    • Easy-to-use app
    • Automatic invoicing

    Pros

    • Specifically designed for bars and restaurants
    • Bar POS included

    Cons

    • No shift scheduling feature
    • No employee management tools

    Pricing

    Starts at $299/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: No

Compare the Best Bar Management Softwares

Topic Start for free Mixology WineRatings+
Reviews
4.8
N/A
3.6
N/A
4.6
4.1
4.5
N/A
N/A
N/A
Pricing
Starts at
Starts at $0.99 for iPhone, $1.49 for Android
Starting at $165/month + transaction fees
Starts at $2.99 per month
Starts at $100/month
Starts at $59/month
Starts at $119/account/month
Starts at $24.99
Starts at $599/year
Starts at $299/month
Free Trial
yes
14-day
no
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
no
yes
yes
Free Plan
yes
Free Up to 10 users
yes
yes
no
no
no
no
yes
no
no
Use cases
Best for: All-in-one employee management software.
Good for: App-based drinks recipes
Good for: Bar-based POS system
Good for: Helping you pick the perfect wine
Good for: Workforce management
Good for: Restaurant POS system
Good for: Smart ordering system
Good for: Bar and nightclub use
Good for: Bar-based POS system
Good for: Managing stock levels
Available on
iOS, Android
Web, iOS, Android
iOS, Android
Web, iOS, Android
Web, iOS, Android
Web, iOS, Android
iOS, Android
iOS, Android
iOS, Android

What Is Bar Management Software?

Bar management software is a tool you can use to support the efficient running of your bar or restaurant. The software usually includes a POS system and inventory-management tools. However, the most important features of bar management software are the employee management tools.

Your business won’t work unless the right people are in the right place at the right time. This is where employee management tools step in. These tools allow you to schedule shifts seamlessly, approve time off, and manage your employees efficiently.

Proper employee management supports your workers and helps them give your customers the best experience possible. This will ultimately have a positive impact on your bottom line.

How Does Bar Management Software Work?

The basic tools usually included in bar management software are inventory, POS, and employee management. Striking a good balance between these three elements is a crucial feature of effective bar management software.

Usually, bar management software works by easing the pressure of your day-to-day operations. You need to look for software that will make your job as a manager easier and support you in your business decisions. The software you choose will be a big part of your day-to-day life. You need to pick an option that will streamline your business operations and support your team.

The Benefits of Bar Management Software

As mentioned above, great bar management software includes inventory-management tools, a POS system, and employee management tools.

Software with strong inventory-management capabilities—such as automatic ordering or invoicing—will help to reduce the stress of ordering stock. These tools can help you make more intelligent decisions about your stock levels and be a more profitable business overall.

POS tools will help you effectively sell the products you have purchased. These tools may include purchase histories, customer profiles, or consumption analytics to identify best-selling stock. If this ties in with your inventory-management tool, many of your purchasing processes will be streamlined.

Finally, employee management tools are a vital aspect of good bar management software. These tools ensure all your employees are in the right place at the right time. Great employee management functions include simple shift-scheduling software, an easy-to-use app with a self-service portal, and an integrated chat function. All of these features are available through Connecteam.

How much does Bar Management Software cost?

Bar management software can cost anywhere from $2.99 for a simple app to $299 per month for more comprehensive software. While it may be tempting to go for the most expensive option, it’s worth considering all the features on offer and whether you will genuinely use them.

Many companies offer a free trial of software to help you understand all the features the paid version includes. Some software options may even be free to use. 

Connecteam wants to support you in your start-up or small business. It offers its software completely free to use if you have under 10 employees. This can be a great option for when you’re first starting or if you’re new to bar management software.

FAQs

What is the best POS system for a bar?

Lavu POS is one of the most popular bar POS systems. It includes a full-service bar and restaurant POS system. The mobile app lets you keep on top of inventory management and track all past orders made from anywhere. The POS system gives a full overview of PAR levels.

Which management software do bars use?

Different bars will use different software depending on their business needs. The most popular bar management software includes human resource management (HRM) tools. This incorporates training and communication functions, drag-and-drop shift-scheduling tools, and inventory-management software. Connecteam, Mixology, and Toast are all great bar management software options for different reasons.

Which bar management software is best?

Connecteam is the best bar management software as it includes a suite of tools to streamline business operations. These tools include time management functions, a built-in time clock, and built-in communication features.

The Bottom Line On Bar Management Software

The most important thing to consider when selecting bar management software is how it will work for you and your business. While it may be tempting to go for the most expensive software, you need to consider whether you genuinely need the features they provide.

Your number one priority should be employee management tools. Ultimately, your business cannot run without your employees. Find software that offers the best employee management tools at the right price to help support your business.