February 25th, 2026
Toast is a powerful restaurant POS, but it’s not always the best fit especially for operators looking to reduce fees, simplify their tech stack, or gain more control over customer relationships.
Many restaurants start with Toast and later switch when they realize the true cost of add-ons, payment processing lock-in, or limited built-in marketing capabilities.
If you’re evaluating alternatives, here are the top Toast POS competitors, ranked for restaurants that want to scale efficiently.
Snappy POS – Best All-in-One POS for Restaurants
TouchBistro – Best for iPad-Based Operations
Lightspeed Restaurant – Best for Data & Multi-Location Insights
Square for Restaurants – Best for Simplicity & Fast Setup
Clover POS – Best for Hardware Variety & Resellers
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Feature Category
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Snappy POS
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TouchBistro
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Lightspeed
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Square For Restaurants
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Clover POS
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Pricing
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From $79/m
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From $89/m
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From $99/m
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From $89/m
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From $85/m
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Payments
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Flexible
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Flexible
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Flexible
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Built-in
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Reseller Based
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Online Ordering
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Add on, commission free
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Add-on
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Add-on
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Built-in basic
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App-based
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Marketing Tools
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Advanced (SMS, email, loyalty)
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Minimal
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Limited
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Basic
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App marketplace
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Multi-Location
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Built for scaling
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Moderate
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Strong
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Basic
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Basic
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Kiosk / Self-Serve
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Native support
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Not native
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Limited
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Limited
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Optional
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Ease Of Setup
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Easy
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Easy
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Moderate
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Very Easy
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Moderate
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Best For
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Growth focused restaurants
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Full service restaurants
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Multi unit groups
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Small operators
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Flexible setups
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Starting at $79/month
Snappy POS is designed for restaurants that want to own their customer relationships and maximize direct revenue not just process transactions.
While Toast focuses heavily on payments and add-ons, Snappy consolidates everything into one unified platform making it easier to manage operations, marketing, and guest experience without stacking multiple tools.
Top Features
End-to-end POS system with integrated payments
Direct online ordering with zero commission fees
Built-in CRM with SMS and email automation
Loyalty, rewards, and membership programs
Review management and reputation tools
Reservations, waitlist, and table flow management
Self-serve kiosks for labour efficiency
Strengths
More control over margins: No reliance on high commission marketplaces
Better retention tools: Built-in marketing vs paid add-ons
Simpler tech stack: Replace 4–6 tools with one platform
Scales easily: Works for single units and multi-location brands
Transparent pricing: No surprise add-on stacking
Pricing
Starts at $79/month
Modular upgrades available based on growth stage
No requirement to bundle multiple third-party tools
Ideal For
Restaurants that want to increase direct orders, improve customer retention, and scale without increasing operational complexity.
Starting at ~$89/month
TouchBistro is built for restaurants that prioritize ease of use and a smooth dine-in experience. It focuses on front-of-house efficiency with a clean iPad-based interface, making it a popular choice for full-service restaurants.
While Toast offers a broader ecosystem, TouchBistro keeps things simple by focusing on core POS functionality though many advanced features require additional integrations.
Top Features
iPad-based POS system
Table, menu, and floor plan management
Staff scheduling and permissions
Basic reporting and analytics
Offline mode for uninterrupted service
Strengths
Simpler setup: Easier onboarding compared to Toast’s ecosystem
Lower upfront complexity: Focused on core POS features
Flexible payments: Not locked into a single processor
Strong dine-in tools: Built specifically for table service
Clean UI: Easy for staff to learn and use
Pricing
Starts at approximately $89/month
Additional costs for online ordering, loyalty, and integrations
Hardware and payment processing billed separately
Ideal For
Full-service restaurants that want a simple, reliable POS focused on dine-in operations without heavy system complexity.
Starting at ~$99/month
Lightspeed is designed for restaurant operators who want deeper visibility into performance, inventory, and multi-location operations. It’s a strong choice for data-driven teams that prioritize analytics and operational control.
Compared to Toast, Lightspeed leans more heavily into reporting and backend insights, though many customer-facing tools require integrations.
Top Features
Advanced reporting and analytics dashboards
Inventory and ingredient tracking
Multi-location management tools
Menu engineering and performance insights
Integrations with accounting and third-party apps
Strengths
Better reporting depth: Strong analytics across locations
Inventory control: Detailed tracking and cost management
Scalable infrastructure: Supports growing restaurant groups
Operational visibility: Clear insights into performance metrics
Flexible integrations: Connect with external tools
Pricing
Starts at approximately $99/month
Additional modules (inventory, loyalty, integrations) may increase costs
Custom pricing for multi-location setups
Ideal For
Multi-location restaurants and hospitality brands focused on performance reporting.
Starting at $89/month
Square for Restaurants is built for simplicity and speed, making it one of the easiest POS systems to launch. It’s especially popular among smaller restaurants that want minimal setup and transparent pricing.
Compared to Toast, Square offers a more lightweight solution with fewer add-ons, but also fewer advanced features for scaling.
Top Features
Simple and intuitive POS interface
Integrated payment processing
Basic online ordering
Inventory and staff management
Quick hardware setup
Strengths
Fast onboarding: Get started in hours, not weeks
Transparent pricing: No complex contracts or bundles
Low barrier to entry: Free plan available
Ease of use: Minimal staff training required
All-in-one payments: Seamless payment integration
Pricing
Free plan available
Paid plans start at $89/month
Additional fees for processing and hardware
Ideal For
Small restaurants, cafes, and food trucks that want a simple, affordable POS with minimal setup.
Starting at ~$85/month
Clover is a flexible POS solution typically offered through payment providers, giving restaurants a range of hardware options and customizable setups.
Unlike Toast’s standardized ecosystem, Clover allows more flexibility but that also means the experience can vary depending on the provider.
Top Features
Multiple hardware options (terminals, handhelds, kiosks)
App marketplace for added functionality
Payment processing integration
Inventory and employee management tools
Customizable workflows through apps
Strengths
Hardware flexibility: Choose devices that fit your setup
Customizable system: Add features through apps
Quick deployment: Often faster to install via resellers
Variety of configurations: Works for different restaurant types
Less rigid ecosystem: More flexibility than Toast
Pricing
Ideal For
Restaurants that want flexible hardware options and customizeable POS setups through a provider network.
If you’re moving away from Toast, the right alternative depends on your priorities.
But if your goal is to grow revenue, increase direct orders, and reduce reliance on third-party tools, Snappy POS stands out as the best Toast alternative.
It combines POS, ordering, marketing, loyalty, and guest experience into one platform helping restaurants not just operate, but scale.
Snappy POS is one of the best alternatives for restaurants looking for an all-in-one system with built-in marketing, ordering, and loyalty tools.
Square offers the lowest entry cost
