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Offline mode

Last updated 2026-05-10

Rundoo doesn't have an offline mode. When the internet goes out, you connect to a cellular backup and keep ringing sales.

Why Rundoo has no offline mode

We experimented with a version that would run locally in your browser, cache data, and sync when the internet reconnected. A few downsides pushed us away from it:

  • An offline experience is a degraded experience. Delivering full history, fast search, and vendor integrations on a single computer isn't feasible, so we'd have to ship a subset — the one time you need offline mode, the thing you need probably isn't there.

  • Syncing is error-prone. Even limited to sales, carefully saving data and uploading it with no duplicates when the connection returns is fraught.

  • Installed software is harder to maintain. Rundoo is web-based — open your browser and you're on the latest version. Offline mode would mean installed versions both you and we have to track. We ship updates daily; that breaks quickly.

But the biggest reason is simpler: this hasn't been a problem for live stores. Cellular signal has been a reliable, cheap backup.

Use cellular signal instead

Cellular is significantly more reliable than Wi-Fi. During Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024, a number of our clients lost Wi-Fi, but no one lost cellular signal. Here are three ways to set that up.

Option 1: Tether to your phone's hotspot (likely no extra cost)

Turn on your phone's hotspot and connect Rundoo to it. Apple and Google both have guides:

Your carrier data plan may or may not include hotspot use — worth checking before you lean on it.

Option 2: Buy a dedicated mobile hotspot (around $50)

If you don't want staff tethering personal phones, a dedicated hotspot is cheap insurance. The Rundoo office keeps a $50 Moxee Mobile Hotspot from Best Buy plugged in year-round. It's prepaid with no monthly fee — you forget it's there until the internet goes out, then everyone connects to it until service is back.

Option 3: Switch to 5G internet (around $60/mo)

With 5G, major carriers now sell Wi-Fi service that runs entirely over cellular instead of wired internet. T-Mobile's small business 5G plan is $60/mo for internet alone. A couple of clients have switched and been happy with it — worth a look if you're shopping for a new connection anyway.

Still worried? We're happy to talk

If the lack of offline mode is a concern, reach out. We can help you pick the right backup for your store. See Rundoo Support for ways to get in touch.