Compare · Restaurants and cafés
SME AI Office vs iCHEF
iCHEF is an iPad restaurant POS from Taiwan with on-site setup; SME AI Office is a Singapore browser POS, ordering website and back office with a free plan.
Prices checked 30 September 2026
The short answer
Choose iCHEF if you want an iPad POS with on-site installation, menu and printer setup, on-site staff training and 24/7 phone support, and you can confirm it still serves Singapore.
Choose SME AI Office if you want a Singapore system you can start today for free, with table QR, a kitchen display, recipes and accounting. SME AI Office is free, with a small 0.5% fee only on card and automatic PayNow payments; iCHEF's price page shows US$100 a month per store, US$1,200 a year.
Side by side
| SME AI Office | iCHEF | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free. A small 0.5% platform fee, only on card and automatic PayNow paymentsYour own PayNow QR and cash: no fee | US$100 a month per store (1 iPad)Global price page; no Singapore price found |
| Free plan | Yes, for good. No monthly fee, no card, no cap on sales | No free plan shown; free demo |
| In Singapore | Singapore software, built for GST, CPF and PayNow | Singapore pages redirect to its Taiwan siteIts hardware page marks Singapore printers 'Sales discontinued in this region' |
| What the price covers | Every F&B feature on Free; Pro 365 adds the full back office | Single price for all features, no extra fee for extra functions |
| Extra devices | No per-device fee. As many POS stations as you need | US$25 a month per extra iPad |
| Runs on | Any browser on a laptop or tablet you own | iPad |
| Setup and support | Free setup: we move your menu over. Support by WhatsApp and Feedback | On-site installation, menu and printer setup, on-site training, 24/7 phone support |
Only on SME AI Office
- Free planYes, for good. No monthly fee, no card, no cap on sales
Which one fits
SME AI Office fits when
- A Singapore café or restaurant that wants a published price in Singapore dollars and a free start.
- You want to use the laptop or tablet you already have, with no per-device fee.
- You want accounting, GST, payroll and CPF in the same system.
iCHEF fits when
- You want an iPad POS installed on site, with staff trained in person.
- You want 24/7 phone support.
- You operate in Taiwan or Hong Kong, where iCHEF has local sites.
Free. A small 0.5% platform fee, only on card and automatic PayNow payments.
Questions
Is SME AI Office cheaper than iCHEF in Singapore?
Yes. iCHEF's price page shows US$100 a month per store for one iPad, about US$1,200 a year, plus US$25 a month for each extra iPad. SME AI Office is free, with no monthly fee and no per-device fee. A small 0.5% fee applies only to card and automatic PayNow payments; your own PayNow QR and cash cost nothing.
Is iCHEF still available in Singapore?
It is unclear. On 30 September 2026 iCHEF's Singapore web pages redirected to its Taiwan site, and its hardware support page marked the Singapore printers as 'Sales discontinued in this region'. If you use iCHEF in Singapore, ask iCHEF directly about support and how to export your data.
What is a Singapore alternative to iCHEF?
SME AI Office. It is Singapore software with a Free plan: no monthly fee, no card and no cap on sales. It runs in the browser on a laptop or tablet you own, and includes a counter POS, table QR ordering, a kitchen display, an ordering website, table bookings and recipes with food cost.
Does SME AI Office need an iPad like iCHEF?
No. SME AI Office runs in any browser, on a laptop or a tablet you already own, with as many POS stations as you need at no extra fee. A card taken on your own terminal is recorded at the POS. iCHEF runs on iPad and charges per extra iPad.
Can I move from iCHEF to SME AI Office?
Yes. Send us your menu, prices and photos, or any list you can export from iCHEF, and we set up your menu and website for free. Your old system stays running until you are happy. WhatsApp us on +65 9613 7676 and we help you move it over.
iCHEF facts are from ichefpos.com/pricing, support.ichefpos.com: POS system requirements, ichefpos.com/en-sg (redirects), checked on 30 September 2026. Prices are as shown there. iCHEF is a trademark of iCHEF Limited. SME AI Office is not connected with iCHEF.