Side by side
Actual vs Kickfin
Both stand on restaurant tip management software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Hospitality businesses looking to automate tip distribution and manage payroll, scheduling, and workflows should consider Actual. Its tip tools include custom pool rules, shift allocation, and employee reports. Businesses that need published pricing or a platform beyond web should look elsewhere.
Visit ActualKickfin combines tip allocation, cashless payouts, and reporting for hospitality teams, with POS and payroll integrations. Its stated tax-reporting limitation is important for restaurants considering how they will handle tip reporting.
Visit KickfinThe facts
| Actual | Kickfin | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Not published | Not published |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Web | Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | onactual.com | kickfin.com |
| On restaurant tip management software | #15 of 23 | #19 of 23 |
Actual: what it does well
- Automates tip calculations, division, and payments.
- Provides employees with detailed tip reports.
- Supports custom pool rules and shift allocation.
- Lists integrations with nine hospitality and business systems.
- Offers payout schedules from daily to bi-weekly in the US.
What to know first
- Pricing is available on request.
- The listed platform is web.
- Some processing is handled by subprocessors outside Canada.
Kickfin: what it does well
- Custom tip rules can use hours, shifts, and check closes
- Reports can be filtered and exported as CSV
- Payout data can sync with payroll systems
- Advertises 24/7 customer support
What to know first
- Does not automatically report tips for tax purposes
- No employee app is listed
- Pricing is available by quote
Alternatives to Actual Alternatives to Kickfin The whole list

