Best Toast Alternatives
Toast is built for restaurants, but these POS alternatives suit retail, omnichannel, or flexible multi-industry setups.
We compared 4 Toast alternatives. Square is the top pick at 4.5/5 (from Free). 3 have a free plan. 1 rate higher than Toast itself (4.4/5).
Why look for a Toast alternative?
Toast rates 4.4/5 and is genuinely strong at built for restaurants — most people switch because of a specific trade-off:
- •Restaurant-only focus
- •Processing rates + hardware cost
Toast alternatives compared
| Tool | Starts at | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toast (the original) | Free | 4.4/5 | Restaurants & food service |
| Square | Free | 4.5/5 | Retail, food & omnichannel SMBs |
| Shopify POS | Free | 4.4/5 | Shopify merchants going omnichannel |
| Lightspeed | $89/mo | 4.2/5 | Retail & multi-location |
| Clover | Free | 4.1/5 | Retail, restaurants & services |
The best Toast alternatives, ranked
Unified online + in-person payments
Why switch: Great for in-person. Best for Retail, food & omnichannel SMBs.
In-person selling for Shopify stores
Why switch: Seamless with Shopify. Best for Shopify merchants going omnichannel.
POS for retail & restaurants
Why switch: Strong inventory. Best for Retail & multi-location.
Flexible POS with an app marketplace
Why switch: Great hardware. Best for Retail, restaurants & services.
Pick by priority
Best rated → Square
4.5/5 across 12,600 reviews. Great for in-person.
Free option → Square
Has a genuine free plan — the cheapest way to test a switch.
Closest fit → Square
Our top overall pick for people leaving Toast. Suits Retail, food & omnichannel SMBs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Toast?+
Square is our top-ranked Toast alternative, rated 4.5/5 and starting at Free. Great for in-person is its standout strength, and it suits Retail, food & omnichannel SMBs.
Are there free alternatives to Toast?+
Yes — Square, Shopify POS, Clover offer a free plan. Paid tiers unlock more, but the free tier is enough to test the fit.
Why do people look for Toast alternatives?+
The most common reasons are: restaurant-only focus, processing rates + hardware cost. Toast still rates 4.4/5, so the right move depends on which trade-off matters to you.
Which Toast alternative is rated highest?+
Square at 4.5/5, versus 4.4/5 for Toast.