Northstar KDS vs Square KDS
Northstar KDS is the kitchen display screen inside Northstar's Food & Beverage module, part of a club management platform for golf, country, city and yacht clubs and community associations. Square KDS is a kitchen display app from Square that replaces paper tickets and kitchen printers with digital tickets on Android devices. Both are listed under Kitchen Display System. They differ in price, audience and platforms.
Key differences
price
The only starting price published is Square KDS's: USD 20 per device per month. Northstar KDS does not publish a starting price.
audience
The audiences they list differ. Listed for one product only, for example: Northstar KDS: Private golf and country clubs; Square KDS: Restaurants already running Square POS.
platforms
They do not run on the same platforms. Northstar KDS: Web; Square KDS: Web, Android.
countries covered
Country coverage differs. Northstar KDS names 3 countries and Square KDS names 1 country. 1 country appears in every list.
security and compliance
The security and compliance details they list differ. Northstar KDS: PCI compliant; Square KDS: ISO 27001, PCI compliant.
Side by side
| Field | Northstar KDS | Square KDS |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Northstar KDS is the kitchen display screen inside Northstar's Food & Beverage module, part of a club management platform for golf, country, city and yacht clubs and community associations. | Square KDS is a kitchen display app from Square that replaces paper tickets and kitchen printers with digital tickets on Android devices. |
| Best for | Private golf and country clubs; City clubs, yacht clubs and community associations | Restaurants already running Square POS; Quick-service and fast-casual kitchens; Full-service restaurants with several prep stations |
| Pricing model | Quote only | Subscription per device |
| Starting price | Not published | USD 20 per device per month |
| Free plan | Not published | Not published |
| Free trial | Not published | Not published |
| Contract | Not published | None stated: Square says its plans have no locked-in contracts and can be cancelled or switched anytime |
| Platforms | Web | Web, Android |
| Countries | Australia, New Zealand, United States | United States |
| Languages | Not published | Not published |
| Number of integrations | Not published | 7 |
| Certifications | PCI compliant | ISO 27001, PCI compliant |
| Security practices | Not published | Not published |
| Founded | Not published | 2009 |
| Headquarters | Alpharetta, Georgia, United States | Not published |
| Owner | Not published | Block, Inc. (Square, Inc. was renamed Block, Inc. in 2021) |
| Last reviewed | 29 September 2026 | 29 September 2026 |
Integrations
No partner appears in every list.
Named only by Northstar KDS
Northstar KDS does not name any integrations in the material we reviewed.
Named only by Square KDS
- DoorDash
- OpenTable
- Postmates
- SevenRooms
- Square POS
- Square Online ordering
- Uber Eats
Which to choose
Northstar KDS
Choose Northstar KDS if you are in one of these groups: Private golf and country clubs; City clubs, yacht clubs and community associations.
Less suited to: Independent restaurants that only want a standalone kitchen display. The KDS is documented as part of a club management suite, not as a separate product.
Square KDS
Choose Square KDS if you fit its listed audience: Restaurants already running Square POS; Quick-service and fast-casual kitchens; Full-service restaurants with several prep stations.
Our profile lists a weaker fit: Kitchens that do not use Square POS or that cannot run Android devices: the app needs a Square Plus or Premium subscription and Android hardware.
What we could not confirm
Northstar KDS
- Prices and contract terms
- Whether the KDS is sold on its own
- Named third-party integrations
- Founding year
- Languages
Square KDS
- Length of the free trial of Square plans
- Languages the KDS app supports
- Countries where the KDS app is sold outside the US
- Company headquarters, employee count and funding (Block is a public company)
- Which Android devices are recommended or supported
Go further
Sources
Facts on this page come from the pages below. Prices and features change, so confirm with each vendor before you buy.
Northstar KDS, reviewed 29 September 2026
- F&B module and KDS featureshttps://www.globalnorthstar.com/solutions/optimize-operations/food-beverage
- Company overviewhttps://www.globalnorthstar.com/about-us
- Group and acquisitionshttps://www.globalnorthstar.com/about-us/northstar-group
- Modules, securityhttps://www.globalnorthstar.com/faqs
- Support, address, regionshttps://www.globalnorthstar.com/contact-us/support
- Target customershttps://www.globalnorthstar.com/who-we-serve/golf-and-country-clubs
- Customershttps://www.globalnorthstar.com/about-us/success-stories
Square KDS, reviewed 29 September 2026
- KDS product page: features, price, FAQ, hardwarehttps://squareup.com/us/en/point-of-sale/restaurants/kitchen-display-system
- Plans, no lock-in contracts, coursing, reservation integrationshttps://squareup.com/us/en/pricing
- Full-service restaurant fit and KDS pricinghttps://squareup.com/us/en/point-of-sale/restaurants/full-service
- Quick-service fit, delivery integrations, auto-86https://squareup.com/us/en/point-of-sale/restaurants/quick-service
- Company history, countries served, Block renamehttps://squareup.com/us/en/about
- PCI and ISO 27001https://squareup.com/us/en/security