TabPref
TabPref: A free, broad workforce platform with detailed tip rules and payroll exports. Ranked #9 of 23 in Restaurant Tip Management Software by our editors (8.5/10); pricing: Free plan; best for small teams wanting free tips plus workforce tools.
At a glance
- Editor score8.5 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forSmall teams wanting free tips plus workforce tools
- Free planYes
- Custom pool rulesYes
- Facts checked21 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Flexible hours-, points-, and sales-based tip distribution
- Shift-level calculations, audit trails, and manager sign-off
- Free starter plan includes scheduling and time-clock tools
Where it doesn't
- Payroll exports are limited to CSV and Excel files
- Paid plans use per-location monthly pricing
- Broader workforce features may exceed tip-only needs
Our verdict on TabPref
TabPref is a hospitality workforce management platform for restaurants, bars, hotels, catering companies, spas, and casinos. It brings together tip pooling, staff scheduling, time tracking, labor analytics, team messaging, vendor management, and event promotion. For small hospitality teams, the free starter plan combines scheduling, a digital time clock, team chat, and basic labor analytics with access through web, iOS, and Android apps.
Tip management is the product’s clearest differentiator. Teams can distribute tips by hours, points, or sales, then create custom pools with role percentages and concurrent pools. Shift-level and split-shift calculations provide more detailed allocation, while audit trails and manager sign-off add a documented approval step. Labor tools extend beyond distribution: TabPref includes labor cost tracking, overtime alerts, drag-and-drop scheduling, shift swaps, an open-shift marketplace, and mobile or kiosk time-clock access.
Its ecosystem covers restaurant POS, payments, payroll, calendar, and automation connections. Integrations include Toast, Square, Clover, Stripe Terminal, Union, ADP, Gusto, Paychex, Toast Payroll, Square Payroll, Heartland, Workday, Google Calendar, and Zapier. Payroll outputs are available as CSV and Excel exports, giving teams a file-based option alongside those integrations. TabPref fits operators that want tip rules, scheduling, time clocks, and labor oversight in one product. Teams seeking only a narrowly focused tip calculator may find its wider workforce scope unnecessary, while larger operators should compare the per-location paid tiers against their operational needs.
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TabPref pricing
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TabPref fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Not verified |
| Custom pool rules | Yes |
| Payroll export | File |
| POS integrations | 5 |
| Shift allocation | Yes |
| Employee app | Yes |
| Record granularity | Shift |
| Deployment | Cloud, Mobile |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android |
| Compliance & security | 2FA |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 14 integrations: Toast, Square, Clover, Stripe Terminal, Union, ADP … |
| Pricing | Free plan (source) |
| Website | tabpref.com |
| Facts checked | 21 Sep 2026 |
TabPref integrations
TabPref lists 14 integrations on its own site.
- Toast
- Square
- Clover
- Stripe Terminal
- Union
- ADP
- Gusto
- Paychex
- Toast Payroll
- Square Payroll
- Heartland
- Workday
- Google Calendar
- Zapier
Alternatives to TabPref
- GratShareA mature web-based tip engine for multi-location restaurant payroll workflows.9.4
- DivvyAffordable restaurant tip management with live POS sync and flexible payout rules.9.3
- eTipA strong fit for hospitality teams that need governed tip payouts and connected payroll workflows.9.1
See all TabPref alternatives →
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The editor score above is our own research. What this page doesn't have yet is a reader's view — what you used TabPref for, what worked and what didn't. No stars are seeded and no review is paid for; an editor reads every one before it appears.
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Featured on iTechGuides
TabPref is listed in our Restaurant Tip Management Software directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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