Raw PrintIf you run a point of sale on Android phones or tablets, you need something between your POS and the thermal printer. Two of the most common choices are RawBT and ESC POS Bluetooth Print Service. Both work as Android print services, both support ESC/POS receipt printers, and both have a paid tier. They differ in what they connect to, how they charge, and how well they fit a web-based POS.
How we compared: this is based on what each developer publishes about their app, checked in October 2026, not on our own benchmarks. We make Raw Print, a competing app, which we mention at the end. Sources are linked at the bottom.
Side by side
| RawBT | ESC POS Bluetooth Print Service | |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | 402D | Looped Labs Pvt. Ltd. |
| Connections | Bluetooth, USB (if the phone supports it), Ethernet or Wi-Fi on port 9100 | Bluetooth |
| Free tier | Full features; a notice is printed on each printout | A test of up to 26 print jobs |
| Paid tier | License removes the notice; speed and quality are the same | Premium license for unlimited printing |
| Android Print menu | Yes | Yes |
| Share / "Open with" | Yes | Share menu |
| Printing from web pages | Yes, documented for websites and apps | Through the browser's Print menu |
| Printers listed | ESC/POS and Star-compatible receipt printers; Paperang, Peripage and "cat/panda" photo printers | Generic Bluetooth printers; Epson, Star, Woosim, HOIN, Bixolon, Zebra, SUNMI V1 and ZKC devices (graphics-capable models) |
Connections: the biggest practical difference
ESC POS Bluetooth Print Service is, as the name says, about Bluetooth. That covers most portable 58 mm printers and many countertop models.
RawBT also talks to USB printers and to network printers over Ethernet or Wi-Fi on port 9100 (the AppSocket protocol). If your kitchen printer is plugged into the router, or you share one printer between several tablets, that alone may decide it.
Licensing for a business
The two apps limit their free versions in different ways, and that matters more as you add devices:
- RawBT keeps working without a license but prints a notice on every printout. For customer-facing receipts most shops will want it gone, so plan on licensing each device that prints customer receipts. Its developer notes that the license doesn't include support or consultation.
- ESC POS Bluetooth Print Service stops being free after 26 print jobs, which is enough to test your printer but not to run a shop. Budget for the premium license from day one.
Before rolling out to many devices, check with each developer whether licenses are tied to a device or an account, and what happens when you replace a phone.
Web POS integration
This is where the apps differ most for developers:
- RawBT documents printing straight from websites and apps, which is why many web POS systems send receipts through it with a link and no print dialog.
- ESC POS Bluetooth Print Service plugs into Android's Print menu, so a web POS can print with the browser's normal print dialog. That works, but it adds a tap per receipt and gives you less control over receipt layout than sending ESC/POS commands directly.
Hardware stability: what actually matters
We haven't run these two apps side by side, so we won't claim one is more stable. In our experience building a print service, the things that decide whether receipts print reliably all day are:
- Reconnecting. Bluetooth links drop when a printer sleeps or a phone moves away. The app should reconnect on its own instead of failing the next job.
- Sending speed. Budget printers have small buffers. Sending too fast causes skipped lines and garbled pictures. A "slower" setting fixes it.
- One job at a time. Two receipts arriving together must not interleave on paper.
- Battery optimisation. Android may stop background apps to save battery. A foreground service with a notification keeps the connection alive.
Whatever you choose, test with your exact printer model for a full day of trading before rolling it out.
Which one should you choose?
- Choose RawBT if you need network (port 9100) printers, cat-style photo printers, or link-based printing from a web POS, and you're happy to license each device.
- Choose ESC POS Bluetooth Print Service if you only print to Bluetooth printers from the Print menu or share menu, and a premium license fits your budget.
A third option: Raw Print
Raw Print is free with nothing added to receipts. It works with Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy and USB printers, and accepts the same rawbt: link format, so most web POS systems built for RawBT print with it unchanged. It doesn't support network printers or photo printers yet, so if you need those, RawBT is the better fit today.
Sources
- RawBT app description (developer 402D), as published on APKMirror
- ESC POS Bluetooth Print Service listing (Looped Labs), as published on BlueStacks
RawBT and ESC POS Bluetooth Print Service are products of their respective developers. Raw Print is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by either of them.