Square POS vs Toast
Updated November 2026 · AppBreakup editorial
Square POS
Point-of-sale app and hardware from Square for restaurants, retail and service businesses.
Toast
Restaurant point-of-sale platform with its own hardware, payments, online ordering and payroll.
The short answer
Square POS suits small cafes, food trucks and shops that want to start with no monthly fee and open, listed pricing. Toast suits US restaurants, from counter service to full-service dining, that want POS, payments, handhelds, online ordering and payroll from one restaurant-only vendor. The biggest difference is focus and pricing: Square covers many business types with a free plan, while Toast is restaurant-only and mostly sold by quote.
Square POS or Toast: our take
Square POS runs on iPhones, iPads and Android devices or on Square's own terminals and kiosks, with tailored versions for restaurants, retail and appointment businesses. The Free plan has no monthly fee and charges only processing, at 2.6% + 15¢ for in-person cards. The Plus plan costs $49/month per location and adds features such as advanced floor plans, kitchen display and multi-location tools, while add-ons like the KDS and kiosk software are billed per device. Card payments keep working offline for up to 24 hours, though failed offline payments are the seller's loss. Hardware is sold separately, and the POS connects to Square's payroll, banking and online stores.
Toast is built only for restaurants. It pairs rugged Android-based terminals and handhelds, which let servers take orders and payments at the table, with software for menus, kitchen display, online ordering, delivery, loyalty, gift cards, reporting and optional payroll. Toast processes the payments itself, so you can't shop around for card rates. Pricing combines monthly software, processing and hardware bought up front or financed, and most plans need a sales quote. Developers get standard, analytics and custom API access plus a partner integrations program. Toast is based in Boston and mainly serves the US.
Both tie you to their own payment processing. A new cafe, food truck or pop-up, or any business selling beyond food, will find Square easier to try because it costs nothing upfront in software and its prices are public. A busy full-service restaurant or a multi-location group that wants table-side ordering and a deeper restaurant feature set from one vendor is the typical Toast customer.
Which should you pick?
Choose Square POS if…
- Small cafes, food trucks and shops that want a POS with no monthly fee to start
- You want a free option (Toast is paid only)
- Free plan with no monthly fee, only processing charges
- Pricing and hardware are listed openly and sold online
Choose Toast if…
- US restaurants that want POS, payments, online ordering and payroll from one vendor
- Built only for restaurants, from counter service to fine dining
- Handhelds let servers take orders and payments at the table
About each app
What is Square POS?
Square POS is the point-of-sale system from Square, part of Block. It runs on iPhones, iPads and Android devices or on Square's own terminals, registers, stands and kiosks, and covers checkout, orders, menus, inventory, customer profiles, gift cards and reports. Restaurant, retail and appointment businesses each get a tailored version of the app. The Free plan has no monthly fee and charges only card processing, which makes it a common first POS for food trucks, cafes and pop-up sellers. Paid Plus and Premium plans add features such as advanced floor plans, kitchen display, multi-location tools and lower processing rates, and add-ons like the KDS and kiosk software are billed per device. Card payments can keep working offline for a limited time. Square also sells payroll, banking, online stores and marketing tools that connect to the POS, and it publishes its pricing openly.
What is Toast?
Toast is a point-of-sale platform made only for restaurants, from quick-service counters and cafes to full-service dining rooms and multi-location groups. It combines rugged Android-based terminals and handhelds with software for ordering, menus, kitchen display screens, online ordering, delivery, gift cards, loyalty and reporting, plus optional payroll and team management. Payments are processed by Toast itself, so card fees and software come from the same company. Restaurant owners manage everything from a web back office and a mobile app, and developers can connect other systems through Toast's APIs and partner integrations. Pricing is a mix of monthly software plans, card processing rates and hardware bought up front or financed, and most plans are quoted after a call with sales. Toast is based in Boston and mainly serves restaurants in the United States, with operations in a few other countries.
Side by side
| Attribute | Square POS | Toast |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan + paid | Paid |
| Open source | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, Web | Android, iOS, Web |
| Best for | Small cafes, food trucks and shops that want a POS with no monthly fee to start | US restaurants that want POS, payments, online ordering and payroll from one vendor |
| Status | Active | Active |
Square POS vs Toast pricing
Square POS: free plan + paid
- Free plan: Yes, Square Free at $0/month source
- Plus plan: $49/month per location source
- Starting price: $49/month per location (Square Plus) source
- Premium plan: $149/month per location source
Toast: paid
We couldn't verify Toast's plan details on its own site yet, so we don't list them.
Toast pricing pagePlatforms
| Platform | Square POS | Toast |
|---|---|---|
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android |
Square POS facts
7 of 7 verified- Free plan
- Yes, Square Free at $0/month
- Checked Nov 8, 2026squareup.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “$0/mo. per location $49/mo. per location $149/mo.”
- Plus plan
- $49/month per location
- Checked Nov 8, 2026squareup.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “$0/mo. per location $49/mo. per location $149/mo.”
- In-person card fee
- 2.6% + 15¢ (Free plan)
- Checked Nov 8, 2026squareup.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “card is present. 2.6% + 15¢”
- Offline mode
- Offline payments for up to 24 hours
- Checked Nov 8, 2026squareup.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “offline payments for up to 24 hours.”
- Hardware
- Sold separately
- Checked Nov 8, 2026squareup.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Hardware is not included with your subscription.”
- Starting price
- $49/month per location (Square Plus)
- Checked Nov 8, 2026squareup.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “$0/mo. per location $49/mo. per location $149/mo.”
- Premium plan
- $149/month per location
- Checked Nov 8, 2026squareup.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “per location $49/mo. per location $149/mo. per location”
Toast facts
4 of 4 verified- API
- Standard, analytics and custom API access
- Checked Nov 8, 2026doc.toasttab.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Next steps You purchased self-service standard API access from the Toast Shop.”
- Headquarters
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Checked Nov 8, 2026central.toasttab.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Schedule a free demo with a Toast specialist Get a demo 333 Summer Street Boston, MA 02210”
- Mobile app
- Toast Now app for support
- Checked Nov 8, 2026central.toasttab.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Connect with support in the Toast Now app”
- Partner integrations
- Toast Partner Integrations program
- Checked Nov 8, 2026doc.toasttab.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Your API access is granted through the Toast Partner Integrations program, which includes a formal application and certification process.”
Pros and cons of Square POS
- Free plan with no monthly fee, only processing charges
- Pricing and hardware are listed openly and sold online
- Takes offline card payments for up to 24 hours
- Connects to Square's payroll, banking and online store
- Payments must run through Square's own processing
- Kitchen display and kiosk software cost extra per device
- Offline payments that fail later are the seller's loss
Pros and cons of Toast
- Built only for restaurants, from counter service to fine dining
- Handhelds let servers take orders and payments at the table
- Online ordering, loyalty and payroll available in the same system
- Open APIs and a partner program for third-party integrations
- Card processing is tied to Toast, so you can't shop around for rates
- Most pricing needs a sales quote and hardware is a separate cost
- Mainly available in the US and a handful of other countries
Other apps to consider
CloverInstead of Square POS
Sold through banks and resellers with bundled hardware financing and a big app market.
PetpoojaInstead of Square POS
A better fit for Indian restaurants, with Zomato and Swiggy orders flowing straight into billing.
Square OnlineInstead of Square POS
If you mostly sell online, Square's store builder shares the same catalog and payments.
TouchBistroInstead of Toast
Restaurant-only POS that runs on iPads instead of proprietary Android hardware.
Square POS vs Toast: common questions
Is Square POS better than Toast?
Square POS suits small cafes, food trucks and shops that want to start with no monthly fee and open, listed pricing. Toast suits US restaurants, from counter service to full-service dining, that want POS, payments, handhelds, online ordering and payroll from one restaurant-only vendor. The biggest difference is focus and pricing: Square covers many business types with a free plan, while Toast is restaurant-only and mostly sold by quote.
Is Square POS free?
Square POS has a free plan, with paid plans for more features. See its verified pricing facts above for current limits.
Is Toast free?
No. Toast is paid, though it may offer a trial.
Is Square POS or Toast open source?
Neither is open source.
Which platforms do Square POS and Toast support?
Square POS: iOS, Android and Web. Toast: Android, iOS and Web.