Best Toast alternatives

Toast: Restaurant and food retail Android POS and payment facilitator running about 180,000 locations, with a $0 plan that costs 3.09% + $0.15 a card sale.. If you’re weighing up Toast, here are 8 payment processors worth comparing on fees, features, and verified merchant reviews, especially for restaurants and hospitality.

Why consider alternatives to Toast?

  • The Starter Kit checkout states a 2 year agreement, and section 8.4 of the merchant agreement sets the early termination fee at the remaining software subscription fees for the term, or $150 times the months left on a pay-as-you-go plan
  • Section 6.2 lets Toast change card processing rates at any time during the term on 30 days' written notice, and continuing to trade past the effective date counts as accepting the increase
  • Hardware is locked to the platform. Section 4.7 says the services may only be used on approved Toast Hardware, so a $749 Flex terminal or a $599 Toast Go 3 is a write-off the day you switch
  • Modules stack on both plans. On the free plan online ordering moves the card rate from 3.09% to 3.39% and loyalty plus marketing takes it to 3.69%, while Merchant Maverick lists the same modules at $50 to $100 a month each on the paid plan

8 alternatives to Toast

Compare side by side
Square logo

Square

Verified

All-in-one point of sale and payments for in-person businesses.

2.9% + $0.30

online rate

$0

monthly fee

Next day

payout

Retail
Restaurants
Small business
Rated 4.5 out of 5 from 4 reviews.
Compare Toast vs Square
Merchant One logo
No reviews

Merchant One is a Miami Beach-based ISO that resells Wells Fargo merchant accounts with tiered pricing, Clover hardware and a $13.95 monthly fee.

0.29% to 1.99% qualified

online rate

$13.95

monthly fee

Varies

payout

Small business
Retail
Restaurants
Compare Toast vs Merchant One
Windcave logo
No reviews

New Zealand-based omnichannel processor and acquirer covering online, in-store and unattended payments in more than 40 countries.

Custom quote

online rate

Custom quote

monthly fee

Next day

payout

Omnichannel retail
Unattended payments
Enterprise
+1
Compare Toast vs Windcave
Tidal Commerce logo
No reviews

Chicago ISO selling interchange-plus card processing, a branded gateway and its own Waves POS system. Sponsored into the card networks by Westamerica Bank.

Custom quote

online rate

Custom quote

monthly fee

2-day

payout

Retail stores
Restaurants
Hotels and hospitality
+1
Compare Toast vs Tidal Commerce
MYR POS logo
No reviews

Cloud iPad point of sale for quick-service restaurants. MYR runs the ordering and the terminal integration. A partner processor sets the card rates.

Set by your processor

online rate

$80 to $150 per month

monthly fee

Varies

payout

Quick-service restaurants
Coffee shops and bubble tea
Takeaway and drive-thru
+1
Compare Toast vs MYR POS
SumUp logo
No reviews

Card readers and payments for over 4 million small businesses in 36 markets, with no monthly fees on the standard plan.

3.5% + $0.15 US, 2.5% UK

online rate

$0 standard

monthly fee

Next day

payout

Mobile and market sellers
Cafes and salons
Trades
+1
Compare Toast vs SumUp
Clover logo
No reviews

Fiserv-owned POS sold direct and through banks and ISOs, at 2.6% + $0.10 in person on Starter and 2.3% + $0.10 on the Retail and Restaurant Growth plans.

3.5% + $0.10

online rate

$0 to $89.95 per software plan

monthly fee

Varies

payout

Counter-service restaurants
Retail shops
Appointment-based services
+1
Compare Toast vs Clover
Stripe logo

Stripe

Verified
Sponsored

Developer-first payments infrastructure for internet businesses.

2.9% + $0.30

online rate

$0

monthly fee

2-day

payout

Developers
SaaS
Marketplaces
Rated 4.5 out of 5 from 4 reviews.
Compare Toast vs Stripe

Toast alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Toast?
Square is one of the most-compared Toast alternatives, but the best choice depends on your pricing model, payment methods, and integrations. Compare each option side by side before deciding.
Why do merchants look for Toast alternatives?
Merchants usually switch to lower processing fees, get better support, avoid restrictive contract or reserve terms, or find payment methods and integrations that fit their business more closely.
How do I compare Toast with its alternatives?
Use the side-by-side compare tool to line up Toast against any alternative on pricing, payment methods, integrations, features, and company facts, then read verified merchant reviews for each.

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