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Toast POS Pricing Guide 2026: Plans, Costs & Real Restaurant Examples

Jason Feemster

January 25, 2026

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By Jason Feemster, POS Industry Analyst | Last Updated: January 2026

A clear, up-to-date breakdown of Toast software fees, hardware costs, payment processing rates, add-ons, and real-world monthly cost estimates for cafés, bars, fast-casual, and full-service restaurants.

How We Researched Toast Pricing

We compiled this pricing guide from multiple sources: Toast’s official pricing page, live demo calls with Toast sales reps, published third-party reviews (NerdWallet, Merchant Maverick), and real restaurant owner reports from Reddit and industry forums. Toast pricing is highly variable and changes frequently, so treat these numbers as guideposts — your actual quote will depend on your specific situation.

Toast POS Pricing Breakdown (2026)

Toast pricing has three main components that stack on top of each other:

1. Software subscription — your monthly plan fee ($0–$165+/month)
2. Payment processing — a percentage of every card transaction (2.49%–3.50%+ per swipe)
3. Hardware — terminals, handhelds, KDS screens ($500–$5,000+ upfront or financed)

The software fee gets all the marketing attention, but processing is where Toast really makes money — and where most restaurants underestimate their costs.

Toast Software Plans and Monthly Fees

Toast Payment Processing Rates

Unlike Square or Clover, you cannot use your own payment processor with Toast. You’re locked into Toast Payments, which means these rates are non-negotiable for most small restaurants:

How this compares:

• Square for Restaurants: 2.6% + $0.10 (in-person)
• Clover: 2.3% + $0.10 (in-person)
• SpotOn: 1.99% + $0.25 (in-person)

Toast’s rates are on the higher end. For a restaurant processing $80,000/month in card sales, that 0.2%–0.5% difference versus competitors adds up to $160–$400/month in extra fees.

Toast Hardware Costs

Toast uses proprietary hardware — you can’t use iPads or bring your own terminals. Here’s what the equipment costs:

Typical hardware costs by restaurant type:

• Small café (1 terminal): $800–$1,200
• Fast-casual (2 terminals + KDS): $2,000–$3,500
• Full-service (3 terminals + 2 handhelds + 2 KDS): $5,000–$8,000

Toast offers 0% financing on hardware, which spreads the cost over time but increases your monthly payment.

Toast Add-On Costs

This is where Toast gets expensive fast. The base POS is just the starting point — most restaurants end up adding several modules:

The add-on trap: A restaurant that starts at $69/month can easily hit $300–$400/month once they add online ordering, loyalty, and gift cards. Factor this into your budget from day one.

Toast Contract Terms and Hidden Fees

This is the part most Toast reviews gloss over. Before you sign:

• Contract length: Most Toast agreements are 2 years. Some promotions require 3-year commitments.
• Early termination fee: If you cancel early, you’ll owe the remaining balance on hardware plus potential software fees. We’ve seen ETFs range from $1,000 to $5,000+.
• Rate increases: Toast can raise processing rates with 30 days’ notice.
• Auto-renewal: Contracts typically auto-renew, so mark your calendar 60–90 days before renewal to renegotiate or cancel.
• Hardware ownership: Even after paying off hardware, it only works with Toast. If you switch POS systems, the hardware becomes a paperweight.

Real-World Toast Cost Examples

Here’s what actual restaurants might pay, based on common setups we’ve seen:

Example 1: Coffee Shop / Small Café

• 1 Toast Flex terminal
• Starter Kit with standard pricing ($69/month)
• $25,000/month in card sales
• No add-ons

Example 2: Fast-Casual Restaurant

• 2 terminals, 1 KDS
• Point of Sale plan ($69/month)
• Online ordering add-on ($75/month)
• $60,000/month in card sales (70% in-person, 30% online)

Example 3: Full-Service Restaurant with Bar

• 3 terminals, 3 handhelds, 2 KDS screens
• Custom/Growth plan (~$200/month estimated)
• Online ordering, loyalty, gift cards, team management
• $120,000/month in card sales

The pattern: Processing fees are 70–80% of your total Toast cost. The software subscription is almost a rounding error by comparison.

Pay-as-You-Go vs. Standard Pricing: Which Is Better?

Toast’s pay-as-you-go option sounds appealing — $0/month software, free hardware upfront. But you pay for it in higher processing rates.

Here’s the math:

Bottom line: Pay-as-you-go only makes sense if you’re processing under ~$14,000/month in card sales. Above that, you’re losing money every month.

Toast Pricing: Pros and Cons

✅ Where Toast Pricing Works

• You want an all-in-one platform and don’t mind paying a premium for convenience
• You plan to use handhelds, KDS, online ordering, and loyalty — Toast’s integrated ecosystem shines here
• You’re a multi-location operator who needs centralized reporting
• You value 24/7 support and restaurant-specific hardware built for grease, heat, and spills

❌ Where Toast Pricing Hurts

• You’re cost-conscious and want the lowest possible processing rates
• You want to use your own payment processor or negotiate rates independently
• You don’t want to sign a 2-year contract
• You’re a small, low-volume operation where simpler systems (Square, Clover) would cost less
• You might switch POS systems in the future — Toast’s proprietary hardware has zero resale value

Toast vs. Competitors: Quick Price Comparison

Our take: Square is the easiest low-risk option for small restaurants. SpotOn often beats Toast on processing rates. TouchBistro gives you processor flexibility. Toast wins on features and restaurant-specific design — but you pay for it.

Who Should (and Shouldn’t) Use Toast

✅ Toast is a good fit if:

• You’re a serious restaurant operation planning to invest in technology (handhelds, KDS, online ordering)
• You want everything under one roof and don’t mind the cost
• You do $50K+ monthly in sales where Toast’s features can drive efficiency and revenue
• You’re opening multiple locations and need centralized management

❌ Consider alternatives if:

• You’re a small café or food truck doing under $20K/month — Square is simpler and cheaper
• You want to negotiate your own processing rates — look at SkyTab or traditional POS with separate merchant account
• You hate long-term contracts — Square and SpotOn offer month-to-month
• You’re on a tight budget and just need basic POS functionality

For a deeper look at Toast’s features, interface, and real-world performance, see our complete Toast POS review.

Alternatives Worth Comparing

• Square for Restaurants — Free plan available, no contracts, lower barrier to entry. Best for small operations.
• Lightspeed Restaurant — Strong for multi-location and inventory-heavy concepts. Higher software cost but solid features.
• SkyTab POS — Free hardware programs and competitive processing. Worth a quote if budget matters.
• TouchBistro — iPad-based, lets you choose your own processor. Good middle ground.
• SpotOn — Lower processing rates (1.99% + $0.25), month-to-month options available.

Toast POS Pricing FAQs

Get Your Toast POS Quote

Toast pricing is customized based on your restaurant type, volume, hardware needs, and which features you want. The fastest way to get accurate numbers is a direct quote — most operators get full pricing details within 15–20 minutes on a demo call.

Before your call, know your monthly card volume, how many terminals/handhelds you need, and which add-ons matter to you. This helps you get an apples-to-apples quote you can compare against competitors.

About the Author

Jason Feemster
POS systems expert and founder of POSUSA.com, a trusted industry resource since 2011. With over a decade of hands-on experience testing and reviewing point-of-sale systems, he helps business owners choose solutions that actually fit their needs.