The short answer
- Low card fees on a $0 plan: SumUp. The Free plan costs $0 a month, with 2.6% + 10¢ per in-person card sale. SumUp says it pays out next day “regardless of your plan.” Its pricing page doesn’t show hardware prices.
- Want food features and published hardware prices: Square. The Free plan costs $0 a month, with 2.6% + 15¢ per in-person card sale. Square lists its contactless and chip reader at $59, and says its food and beverage features are “included in any Square plan.”
- Often out of signal range: Toast. Its food truck page says its offline mode lets you “continue taking orders and accepting card payments.” Pay-as-you-go costs 3.09% per card sale, with no upfront hardware cost. Toast doesn’t publish a cents fee per payment.
- Want hardware in one monthly payment: Clover’s Quick Service Starter. It’s $135 a month for 36 months, with cards at 2.3% + 10¢.
Visit SumUp or visit Square. Read our SumUp and Square breakdowns first.
Food truck POS options side by side
- SumUpVisit SumUp
Flat rate
- In person
- 2.6% + 10¢
- Online
- 3.5% + 15¢
- Monthly
- $0 · Free plan (reader bought separately)
- Contract
- Not published
- SquareVisit Square
Flat rate
- In person
- 2.6% + 15¢
- Online
- 3.3% + 30¢
- Monthly
- $0 · Free plan
- Contract
- No contract
- ToastVisit Toast
Flat or custom
- In person
- 2.49%
- Online
- By quote
- Monthly
- From $0 · Free plan available
- Contract
- Not published for restaurants; retail requires 12 months
- CloverVisit Clover
Flat or custom
- In person
- 2.3% + 10¢
- Online
- By quote
- Monthly
- From $16 · POS plan
- Contract
- 36-month hardware subscription option; terms vary by reseller
Prices checked Oct 19, 2026 on each provider's own pricing page (how we check).
| POS | Price per month | In-person card rate | What’s extra |
|---|---|---|---|
| SumUp | Free $0. POS Plus $49. SumUp POS from $99. | 2.6% + 10¢ on every plan. | Hardware is a one-time cost, not priced on the pricing page. Online and typed-in cards cost 3.5% + 15¢. |
| Square | Free $0. Plus $49 and Premium $149, each per location. | Free 2.6% + 15¢. Plus 2.5% + 15¢. Premium 2.4% + 15¢. | Reader $59. Typed-in cards 3.5% + 15¢. Kitchen display app $30 a month per device on Plus. |
| Toast | Starter Kit from $0 (1 location, up to 2 terminals). POS from $69. | 3.09% pay-as-you-go, or 2.49% traditional. Cents fee not published. | Hardware and setup costs “vary.” Toast only runs on approved Toast hardware. |
| Clover Quick Service Starter | $135 a month for 36 months (Mini hardware included). Or $849 for the hardware plus $89.95 a month. | 2.3% + 10¢. | Typed-in cards 3.5% + 10¢. Rapid Deposit costs 1.75%. |
Sources: SumUp, Square, Toast and Toast pricing, Clover. Toast’s food truck page publishes no prices, so its general plans apply.
What it costs: a truck doing $8,000 a month
These are estimates. They assume $8,000 a month in card sales across 640 orders (a $12.50 average), one truck, and every card tapped, dipped or swiped in person.
| Provider and plan | Card fees | Monthly fee | Estimated total |
|---|---|---|---|
| SumUp Free | $208 + $64 (640 × 10¢) | $0 | $272, reader bought separately |
| Square Free | $208 + $96 (640 × 15¢) | $0 | $304, reader bought separately |
| Clover Quick Service Starter | $184 + $64 (640 × 10¢) | $135 | $383, hardware included, 36 months |
| Toast pay-as-you-go | $247.20 | $0 basic software | $247.20, plus any cents fee Toast charges |
On one $12.50 order, that’s about 43¢ at SumUp, 48¢ at Square, 39¢ at Clover and 39¢ at Toast pay-as-you-go before any cents fee. For Toast, every 1¢ of per-sale fee would add $6.40 a month at this size. Get its answer in writing.
The off-season matters too. In a month with no sales, SumUp Free and Square Free cost $0. Toast says pay-as-you-go has no monthly basic software fee. Clover’s $135 bundle payment is due every month of the 36, whether you’re parked or not.
Try your own numbers in the fee calculator.
What food trucks need, in the providers’ own words
- Offline card taking. Toast’s food truck page says its offline mode lets you “continue taking orders and accepting card payments.” We haven’t confirmed offline payments for SumUp, Square or Clover on the pages we checked, so ask.
- Low upfront cost. SumUp’s Free plan says: “Simply pay the one time hardware cost and start transacting.” Toast says its pay-as-you-go 3.09% “covers all costs, except for shipping and taxes,” with no upfront hardware cost.
- Fast cash. SumUp pays out next day on every plan. Square is free next business day for payments before 5 PM PT. Faster costs 1.95% at Square and 1.75% at Clover.
Who each one is for, and who should skip it
SumUp. For new and seasonal trucks that want low card fees with no monthly bill. Skip it if you want hardware prices before you sign up. Its US pricing page also carries some euro FAQ text that doesn’t match the US rate table. We used the US table.
Square. For trucks that want a $0 start, a $59 reader and room to add food features later. Square says there are no “locked-in contracts.” Skip it if every cent counts. Its 15¢ per sale costs 5¢ more than SumUp on every order.
Toast. For trucks that lose signal often, or that want restaurant software. Skip it if you already own a card reader or tablet. Toast only runs on approved Toast hardware, and it doesn’t publish online or keyed-in rates.
Clover. For busy trucks that want hardware, software and processing in one payment. Skip it if your season is short. The bundle runs 36 months, and at the end it carries on at the same monthly charge unless you buy or return the hardware, with 30 days’ notice.
The catch: fees to ask about before you sign
- Typed-in cards cost more. SumUp and Square charge 3.5% + 15¢, and Clover 3.5% + 10¢.
- Contracts. Square says there are no locked-in contracts. Clover’s bundle runs 36 months. SumUp doesn’t publish contract terms, and Toast doesn’t for restaurants.
- Toast’s cents fee. Toast doesn’t say whether either of its rates carries a fixed fee per sale. On small orders, that answer can change which option is cheapest.
Comparing more? Read our pages on Square, Toast and Clover, see the coffee shop POS page, or go back to all POS systems.
Common questions
What is the best POS for a food truck?
For most new trucks, a $0 plan is the place to start. SumUp Free charges 2.6% + 10¢ per in-person sale and Square Free charges 2.6% + 15¢, with no monthly fee on either. If you often lose signal, look at Toast. Its food truck page says its offline mode lets you keep taking orders and card payments.
Can a food truck POS take cards without internet?
Toast's food truck page says its offline mode lets you "continue taking orders and accepting card payments." We haven't confirmed offline card taking for SumUp, Square or Clover on the pages we checked. Ask each one how it handles a dead signal, and get the answer in writing, before you buy any hardware.
How much does a food truck POS cost?
SumUp Free and Square Free cost $0 a month, plus card fees and a reader. Square lists its reader at $59. SumUp doesn't show hardware prices on its pricing page. Toast's Starter Kit starts at $0 a month. Clover's Quick Service Starter costs $135 a month for 36 months, with the hardware included.
Is SumUp or Square cheaper for a food truck?
On card fees, SumUp. Both charge 2.6% in person, but SumUp's fixed fee is 10¢ and Square's is 15¢. On 640 sales a month, that's $32 less at SumUp, by our math. Typed-in cards cost 3.5% + 15¢ at both. Square publishes its hardware prices. SumUp's pricing page doesn't.