CARDFREE
CardFree provides an end-to-end mobile ordering, payment, and loyalty platform for restaurants, hotels, and hospitality, deployed at 20,000+ stores and processing $4.2B+ in transactions. The company was acquired by Fiserv in September 2025 to power Clover's hospitality capabilities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What CARDFREE does
CardFree is a San Francisco-based mobile commerce platform founded in 2012 by Jon Squire, with a founding team drawn from the engineers who built the original Starbucks and Dunkin' mobile apps. The company provides an end-to-end Order, Pay, and Loyalty platform for restaurants, hotels, breweries, and convenience retail, delivered through a Universal API and pre-integrated with 40+ POS, payment processor, loyalty, and third-party delivery partners including Clover, Toast, Square, PAR Brink, NCR, Oracle Micros, DoorDash, Uber Eats, Punchh, and Epsilon.
The platform's technical core is the patented Universal Payment Layer and One Tap/One Scan technology, which consolidate ordering, offers, stored value, loyalty, and payment into a single transaction payload, producing a cross-channel 'universal source of truth' for customer data. The product suite spans core modules (Order, Pay, Loyalty) and add-ons (Pay@Table, Handhelds mobile POS, Text-To-Pay, Checkout SDK, Kiosk, Drive-Thru, Smart AI Upsell, Digital Concierge). The platform is deployed at 20,000+ stores and has processed $4.2B+ in transactions for clients including Dunkin', Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar, Torchy's Tacos, Great Wolf Lodge, Blue Ribbon Restaurants, and Taco Bell.
CardFree monetizes via enterprise SaaS/licensing subscriptions (quote-based annual contracts), transaction processing fees, and custom development services, with an API-first go-to-market that enables both direct enterprise sales and partner-embedded deployments. In September 2025, CardFree was acquired by Fiserv to integrate its capabilities into the Clover POS platform and Commerce Hub ecosystem, at which point the company ceased to operate as an independent entity.
CARDFREE firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CARDFREE
- Legal name
- CardFree
- Website
- https://cardfree.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- CardFree provides an end-to-end mobile ordering, payment, and loyalty platform for restaurants, hotels, and hospitality, deployed at 20,000+ stores and processing $4.2B+ in transactions. The company was acquired by Fiserv in September 2025 to power Clover's hospitality capabilities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CARDFREE industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Restaurant and Hospitality Mobile Commerce Platform
- akta.pro primary industry
- Card Issuing Platforms (Issuer Processing) (FSAGABAD)
Keywords
Where CARDFREE is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
CARDFREE business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Platform/SaaS Licensing: CardFree provides mobile ordering, payment, and loyalty platform solutions as a SaaS/platform service. The platform is described as battle-tested at enterprise level with white-label/merchant-branded capabilities, suggesting a subscription or licensing model.
- Transaction Processing: Processes payments through its Universal Payment Layer, handling credit cards, digital wallets, and stored value cards. Revenue likely includes transaction fees or take rates on payment processing.
- Custom Development Services: Provides merchant-branded app development services with highly customizable turnkey ordering apps developed by award-winning team for deployment.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Enterprise / Full Platform |
| Subscription | Annual | A la carte / Modular |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
CARDFREE product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CardFree provides an API-driven mobile ordering, payment, and loyalty platform for restaurants, hotels, breweries, and other hospitality merchants. The platform integrates ordering, payments (including tableside, mobile POS, kiosk, and SMS-based payments), loyalty programs, and offers into a single Universal Payment Layer, enabling omnichannel commerce across web, native apps, QR code, kiosk, drive-thru, and third-party delivery channels.
Product overview
CardFree is a comprehensive mobile ordering, payment, and loyalty platform for restaurants and hospitality. The platform operates as a unified system with three core products—Order (mobile ordering), Pay (payments), and Loyalty—along with specialized solutions for Quick Service Restaurants, Full Service Restaurants, On-Premise, Off-Premise, Drive-Thru, and Hotel Services (Digital Concierge). Key add-on modules include Pay@Table (tableside QR payment), Handhelds (EMV/tablet mobile POS), Text-To-Pay (SMS payments), Checkout (platform-agnostic payment interface), Kiosk (self-service ordering), and Smart AI Upsell (AI-powered recommendations). The platform features a Universal Payment Layer and Universal API for integration with existing tech stacks, enabling omnichannel operations across web, mobile apps, kiosk, QR code, and third-party delivery platforms. CardFree was acquired by Fiserv in September 2025 to expand Clover's hospitality capabilities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Order Omni-channel mobile ordering platform for restaurants supporting dine-in, order-ahead, and drive-thru channels via web, native apps, kiosk, tablet, QR code, and EMV-enabled mobile POS, with menu management, smart upsell, cross-sell, and third-party delivery integration.
- Pay Frictionless payment platform offering Handhelds (EMV/tablet mobile POS), Pay@Table tableside payments, Text-To-Pay SMS payments, and universal checkout, with support for Apple Pay, Google Pay, credit/debit, and gift cards at PCI Level 1 compliance.
- Loyalty Customizable restaurant loyalty platform with multi-tier rewards, membership tiers, banked points, campaign management via SMS/email/push notifications, geolocation-enabled triggered offers, and gift card support.
- Pay@Table Tableside mobile order and pay solution via QR code or web link that enables guests to add items, split checks, and pay via mobile device without app download, with charge-to-room support for hotels.
- Handhelds (Mobile POS) EMV device or tablet-based mobile POS platform for tableside, curbside, or line-busting orders and payments, supporting staff-directed or guest-directed ordering, custom marketing screens, loyalty enrollment, and P2P encrypted payments.
- Text-To-Pay SMS-based mobile payment platform that sends payment links to customers for phone orders and curbside pickup, with PCI Level 1 compliance and loyalty integration.
- Checkout Platform-agnostic, standalone payment interface embeddable via SDK or API in third-party native apps or web solutions, supporting digital wallets, built-in 3D-Secure fraud protection, and integrating regardless of digital ordering provider, POS, or payment processor.
- Kiosk Touchscreen self-service ordering and payment kiosk with POS integration, deployable for QSR, drive-thru, hotels, and brewery operations, with complex modifiers, combos, smart upsell, loyalty integration, and multiple payment options including Apple Pay and Google Pay.
- Drive-Thru Modernized drive-thru order and pay system with mobile POS (EMV Pay, EMV Order & Pay, iPad Order & Pay), kiosk, and mobile pay options, including single-scan payment with loyalty accrual and offer redemption.
- Smart AI Upsell AI-powered upsell feature that analyzes real-time cart data to suggest perfectly paired items based on customer behavior and preferences.
- Digital Concierge Hotel-specific digital ordering and payment solution with charge-to-room, geolocation-enabled delivery, room service, catering/event ordering, kiosk solutions, mobile tipping, and loyalty integration.
Quantifiable outcome
- 30% average increase in ticket value on digital orders
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use CARDFREE
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
CARDFREE technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration47 records
AI capability4 records
Feature5 records
CARDFREE partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- FiservcoreCardFree was acquired by Fiserv in September 2025 to integrate its order, payment, and loyalty solutions into the Clover point-of-sale platform and Commerce Hub ecosystem. This acquisition significantly expands CardFree's distribution and integration capabilities.
- ClovercoreCardFree has direct POS integration with Clover, one of the leading restaurant POS platforms. Integration enables CardFree's mobile ordering, payment, and loyalty solutions to work seamlessly with Clover hardware and software.
- PAR Technology (Brink POS)corePAR Technology partnered with CardFree to bring next-level digital ordering to PAR's Brink POS system, announced March 2022. Enables restaurants using Brink POS to access CardFree's full ordering and payment suite.
- Toast POScoreCardFree integrates with Toast POS platform, enabling restaurants using Toast to deploy CardFree's mobile ordering and payment solutions.
- Oracle (Micros/PMS)coreCardFree integrates with Oracle Micros POS systems and Opera PMS for hotel property management, enabling broad enterprise deployment.
- NCRcoreNCR is one of the major POS providers integrated with CardFree, enabling enterprise restaurant deployments.
- Apple PaycoreCardFree supports Apple Pay digital wallet payments across all its ordering and payment solutions, even if merchant's processor doesn't yet support it directly.
- Google PaycoreCardFree supports Google Pay digital wallet payments across all solutions, providing broad mobile wallet compatibility.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
CARDFREE competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Paytronix: Paytronix is a restaurant loyalty, gift, and engagement platform that competes directly with CardFree's Loyalty product and is integrated with the same POS and ordering ecosystems.
- Punchh (PAR Technology): Punchh is an enterprise restaurant loyalty platform now owned by PAR Technology. It is a partner and direct competitor to CardFree's Loyalty 2.0 offering for multi-unit restaurant chains.
- ChowNow: ChowNow is a direct-to-restaurant online ordering platform emphasizing commission-free ordering, similar in focus to CardFree's Order product. Both target independent and multi-unit restaurants seeking first-party digital channels.
- Olo: Olo is a direct restaurant digital ordering SaaS serving brands like Shake Shack and Sweetgreen via API-first ordering, similar in GTM and integration model to CardFree's Universal API. CardFree is more diversified into payments and loyalty but targets the same enterprise restaurant buyer.
Broad incumbents
- Square for Restaurants (Block): Block's Square offers an integrated POS, payments, and ordering stack aimed at SMB and mid-market restaurants. CardFree integrates with Square but is positioned against Square's native loyalty and online ordering modules.
- Toast: Toast is a leading restaurant POS platform that bundles native online ordering, payments, and loyalty. CardFree integrates with Toast but competes with its first-party ordering and loyalty modules at the same enterprise customers.
- Clover (Fiserv): Clover is Fiserv's SMB POS and commerce platform that acquired CardFree in September 2025. CardFree's ordering/pay/loyalty modules are being integrated into Clover, and Clover-native ordering and loyalty capabilities overlap with CardFree's product set.
- PAR Technology (Brink POS): PAR Technology provides the Brink POS platform and acquired Punchh for loyalty, forming an integrated restaurant tech stack. PAR partnered with CardFree for Brink integrations but now competes across loyalty and ordering.
Emerging players
- Lightspeed Restaurant: Lightspeed Restaurant offers POS, payments, and ordering for full-service and quick-service restaurants with a comparable API/integration architecture and a similar enterprise mid-market positioning.
- Revel Systems: Revel Systems is an iPad-based POS with integrated online ordering and payments for restaurants and hospitality. It targets similar QSR and full-service segments with a comparable omnichannel ordering pitch.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CARDFREE social profiles
Digital presenceCARDFREE compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
CARDFREE financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CARDFREE leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
CARDFREE funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CARDFREE M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CARDFREE
What does CARDFREE do?
CardFree provides an API-driven mobile ordering, payment, and loyalty platform for restaurants, hotels, breweries, and other hospitality merchants. The platform integrates ordering, payments (including tableside, mobile POS, kiosk, and SMS-based payments), loyalty programs, and offers into a single Universal Payment Layer, enabling omnichannel commerce across web, native apps, QR code, kiosk, drive-thru, and third-party delivery channels.
Is CARDFREE a public or private company?
CARDFREE is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was CARDFREE founded?
CARDFREE was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is CARDFREE based?
CARDFREE is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does CARDFREE make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Platform/SaaS Licensing is the primary driver. The others are transaction Processing and custom Development Services.
Who are CARDFREE's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Paytronix, Punchh (PAR Technology), ChowNow and Olo. Broad incumbents are Square for Restaurants (Block), Toast, Clover (Fiserv) and PAR Technology (Brink POS). Emerging players are Lightspeed Restaurant and Revel Systems.
Does CARDFREE have an API?
Yes. CardFree offers a Universal API-driven mobile ordering and payment platform designed with true end-to-end capabilities, built to fit into existing tech stacks. The platform enables integration of offers, payments, loyalty, and ordering with existing systems through multiple touchpoints including Web, Native Apps, Kiosk, and POS. A Mobile SDK is available for developers to integrate ordering capabilities into existing apps or websites. The Checkout product can be embedded in third-party native apps or web solutions via SDK or direct API calls.
What industry is CARDFREE in?
CARDFREE's product category is Restaurant and Hospitality Mobile Commerce Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAGABAD, Card Issuing Platforms (Issuer Processing).