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A clear, up-to-date breakdown of Toast software fees, hardware costs, payment processing, add-ons, and real-world monthly cost estimates for cafés, bars, fast-casual, and full-service restaurants.
Table of Contents
- 1 How Toast POS Pricing Works
- 2 Toast POS Plans and Pricing at a Glance (2025)
- 3 Pay-As-You-Go vs. Traditional Toast Pricing
- 4 Toast Hardware and Upfront Costs
- 5 Common Toast Add-On Costs
- 6 Real-World Toast POS Cost Examples
- 7 Pros and Cons of Toast POS Pricing
- 8 Who Is Toast POS Best For?
- 9 Alternatives if Toast Isn’t the Right Fit
- 10 Toast POS Pricing FAQs
- 11 Get Your Exact Toast POS Pricing (Fast & Personalized)
How much does Toast POS cost?
Many single-location restaurants using Toast report ongoing software and add-on costs (excluding processing) in the ballpark of $100-$400/month, depending on features and devices. For larger full-service or multi-location operations, total monthly service/subscription costs can reach $1,000+, especially when premium hardware, multiple locations, and full add-on suites are involved.
How Toast POS Pricing Works
Toast pricing is built from several pieces rather than a single flat fee. Your quote typically includes:- Software subscriptions – your monthly plan fees.
- Payment processing – Toast Payments handles card processing; pricing varies by plan and structure.
- Hardware and onboarding – terminals, handhelds, KDS screens, routers, installation, and setup.
- Monthly sales volume and card mix
- Number of terminals, handhelds, and KDS screens
- Whether you choose pay-as-you-go or traditional subscription pricing
- How many add-ons you enable (online ordering, loyalty, marketing, payroll, etc.)
Toast POS Plans and Pricing at a Glance (2025)
Toast currently groups its pricing into a few core buckets. Names and exact inclusions can vary by promotion, but most restaurant quotes fall into one of these plan types.| Plan | Software Cost | Model | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter Kit | $0/month on eligible setups | Pay-as-you-go or traditional | New/small restaurants, cafés, food trucks |
| Core / Standard | From ~$69/month | Traditional | Growing restaurants needing multiple devices |
| Custom / Growth | Custom quote | Traditional | High-volume or multi-location operations |
🎯 Limited Time Offer
For a limited time, get a free Toast Starter Kit hardware bundle when you qualify.
See the latest details here: Toast Discount Promotion.
Pay-As-You-Go vs. Traditional Toast Pricing
One of the biggest decisions you’ll make with Toast is whether to use a pay-as-you-go setup or a traditional monthly software fee. Both use Toast Payments, but they package costs differently.Pay-As-You-Go
- $0 monthly software fee on eligible Starter configurations.
- A greater share of your overall technology cost is built into each transaction.
- Appealing for very small or new restaurants that want to minimize upfront costs.
- Lets your technology costs scale alongside your card volume.
Traditional Monthly Pricing
- Monthly software fee (commonly starting around $69/month and increasing with tiers/add-ons).
- More of your cost sits in a predictable monthly subscription instead of being tied as closely to each sale.
- Often preferred by established restaurants with steady revenue and clearer volume forecasts.
- Frequently part of a multi-year agreement, so it’s important to understand contract terms.
Toast Hardware and Upfront Costs
Toast hardware is proprietary and built specifically for restaurants. Your hardware setup will vary based on your concept, but most deployments include a mix of terminals, handhelds, and KDS screens.| Hardware Component | Typical Use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Toast Flex Terminal | Main POS terminal at counter or bar | Often deployed at each service station or bar well |
| Toast Go Handheld | Tableside ordering and payments | Popular for full-service, patios, and busy dining rooms |
| Kitchen Display System (KDS) | Digital ticket management in the kitchen | Replaces or supplements paper ticket printers |
| Receipt / Kitchen Printers | Guest receipts and kitchen chits | Restaurant-standard thermal or impact printers |
| Routers & Network Hardware | Connectivity and reliability | Sometimes supplied by Toast; sometimes integrated with existing network |
Common Toast Add-On Costs
Toast’s power comes from its add-on modules. These are optional, but many restaurants end up turning on several of them as they grow.| Add-On | Typical Use | Cost Range (Estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| Online Ordering | Native web ordering for pickup/delivery | Often in the ~$75/month range |
| Delivery Integrations | Third-party delivery platform aggregation | Typically an additional monthly fee |
| Loyalty | Points-based customer rewards | Commonly cited around ~$50/month |
| Gift Cards | Physical and digital gift card management | Often an additional ~$50/month |
| Email & SMS Marketing | Promotions, newsletters, and retention campaigns | Often around ~$75/month depending on usage |
| Payroll & Team Management | Scheduling, time tracking, payroll processing | Typically a base fee plus per-employee fees |
| Advanced Reporting / Multi-Location Tools | Roll-up reporting and deeper analytics | Quote-based; more common on growth/multi-unit plans |
Real-World Toast POS Cost Examples
Every restaurant is different, but the scenarios below illustrate how Toast pricing can stack up in common situations. These are simplified estimates, not official quotes.Scenario 1: Small Café or Coffee Shop
- 1 main counter terminal, 1 handheld for line-busting or patio.
- Starter-style configuration with pay-as-you-go pricing.
- Approximately $30,000/month in card sales.
- No advanced add-ons beyond basic POS and possibly online ordering.
Scenario 2: Fast-Casual Counter-Service Restaurant
- 2 terminals at the counter and 1 KDS in the kitchen.
- Traditional POS plan with a monthly software fee.
- Online ordering and delivery integrations enabled.
- Roughly $50,000/month in card sales.
Scenario 3: Full-Service Restaurant with Bar
- 3–4 terminals, 2–3 handhelds, and 2 KDS screens.
- Traditional POS plan at a higher tier.
- Loyalty, gift cards, marketing, and potentially payroll/team management activated.
- $90,000–$120,000/month in card sales.
Ready to see exact numbers for your restaurant?
Pros and Cons of Toast POS Pricing
Where Toast Pricing Makes Sense
- You want an all-in-one restaurant platform with POS, online ordering, loyalty, marketing, and payroll under one roof.
- You prefer restaurant-specific hardware and workflows over generic retail POS systems.
- You’re comfortable using Toast Payments as your integrated processor.
- You operate a busy full-service, fast-casual, or multi-location concept where advanced features justify a higher monthly spend.
Potential Drawbacks
- You’re committed to Toast Payments rather than sourcing your own processor.
- Add-ons can push your monthly cost significantly above the base software fee.
- Upfront hardware and onboarding can be substantial for larger installs.
- Contracts and early termination fees may apply, so it’s important to understand the fine print.
Who Is Toast POS Best For?
Toast tends to be strongest for operators who plan to lean into modern restaurant tech: handhelds, KDS, online ordering, loyalty, and marketing. If your goal is to centralize as much of your front- and back-of-house technology as possible, Toast is worth serious consideration. For a deeper look at features, workflows, and real-world use cases, see our full Toast POS review.Alternatives if Toast Isn’t the Right Fit
If you like the idea of a modern restaurant POS but want to compare different pricing models or hardware approaches, it’s worth looking at a few alternatives:- Square for Restaurants – Simple entry-level pricing with a well-known free or low-cost tier. Read our Square Restaurant POS review.
- Lightspeed Restaurant – Strong option for multi-location and concepts that need more advanced reporting and inventory. See our Lightspeed Restaurant review.
- SkyTab (Shift4) – Often attractive for operators who want free or low-cost hardware bundles and competitive economics. Review: SkyTab POS review.
- TouchBistro – iPad-based restaurant POS that can work well for independents and smaller full-service concepts. See our TouchBistro POS review.
Toast POS Pricing FAQs
Is there a free version of Toast POS?
Toast sometimes promotes $0/month Starter configurations under its pay-as-you-go model, especially for qualifying Starter Kit setups. You’ll still pay for hardware and processing, but it can be a low-barrier way to get started with Toast.
How much does Toast POS cost per month?
Most single-location restaurants typically see software and add-on subscriptions in roughly the $100–$400/month range before payment processing. Larger full-service or multi-location groups can be in the $1,000–$3,000+ per month range once you add more devices, locations, and modules.
Can I use my own payment processor with Toast?
No. Toast requires you to use Toast Payments for card processing. If you want to keep an existing merchant account or shop processors independently, you may be better off with a POS provider that supports third-party processors.
Does Toast offer month-to-month contracts?
Contract terms can vary by promotion and deal size, but many restaurants sign multi-year agreements, especially when hardware, software, and processing are bundled together. Always ask about contract length, renewal terms, and early termination fees during your demo.
What affects my total Toast POS cost the most?
Your total cost is driven by card volume, number of terminals and handhelds, which add-ons you activate (like online ordering, loyalty, marketing, and payroll), and whether you choose pay-as-you-go or traditional monthly pricing. Small changes in processing rates can have a bigger impact than the software subscription itself.
Is Toast worth the price for a small restaurant?
For some small cafés, food trucks, or pop-ups, a simpler or lower-cost POS might make more sense. For concepts that plan to use handhelds, KDS, online ordering, loyalty, and built-in marketing, Toast’s higher price can be justified by efficiency and revenue tools. It really comes down to your concept, volume, and how deeply you plan to use the platform.
