The short answer
- Cafe, food truck or counter service: Square. The Free plan is $0 a month and in-person cards cost 2.6% + 15¢. Square says its POS includes “business solutions for restaurants.”
- Full-service restaurant that wants restaurant-only software: Toast. POS plans start at $69 a month, and cards cost 2.49% on traditional pricing. Toast doesn’t publish a per-payment cents fee, so ask.
- Want month to month with every rate published: SpotOn’s POS Essentials plan. It’s $55 per station a month, with cards at 2.45% + 15¢.
- Want hardware bundled in, at a lower card rate: Clover. Restaurant bundles cost $179 to $354 a month for 36 months, with cards at 2.3% + 10¢.
- Established room with lots of screens: Lightspeed Restaurant, from $69 a month. Price its screen fees and ask for its restaurant card rate.
Visit Square for a counter-service spot, or visit Toast for a full-service room. Read our Square and Toast breakdowns first.
Restaurant POS options side by side
- 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
- SquareVisit Square
Flat rate
- In person
- 2.6% + 15¢
- Online
- 3.3% + 30¢
- Monthly
- $0 · Free plan
- Contract
- No contract
- SpotOnVisit SpotOn
Flat or custom
- In person
- 2.45% + 15¢
- Online
- By quote
- Monthly
- From $0 · Free plan available
- Contract
- All-In plan: 2-year minimum. Essentials: month to month
- 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
- LightspeedVisit Lightspeed
Flat or custom
- In person
- 2.6% + 10¢
- Online
- By quote
- Monthly
- $109 · Retail Basic, billed monthly ($89 if billed yearly)
- Contract
- Not published
Prices checked Oct 19, 2026 on each provider's own pricing page (how we check).
| POS | Software price per month | What’s extra |
|---|---|---|
| Toast | Starter Kit from $0 (1 location, up to 2 terminals). POS from $69. POS + Payroll $69 plus $9 per employee. Build Your Own is custom priced. | Hardware and setup, which Toast says “vary depending on your specific hardware packages and installation needs.” Extra devices cost more. |
| Square | Free $0. Plus $49 and Premium $149, each per location. | Kitchen display app: $30 a month per device on Plus, $20 on Premium. Square lists its Stand at $149, Handheld at $399 and Register at $899. |
| SpotOn | All-In $0 per station, hardware included. POS Essentials $55 per station. | Essentials: hardware bought separately “plus implementation costs.” SpotOn lists its Station 15 at $750 (list price $995) and Handheld at $297 (list price $495). |
| Clover | Bundles at $179, $239 or $354 a month for 36 months. Or buy the hardware ($1,799, $2,548 or $4,447) and pay $89.95, $109.90 or $129.85 a month. | Kitchen display: $799 or $899, plus $25 a month per device. |
| Lightspeed Restaurant | Starter $69, Essential $189, Premium $399. Lightspeed doesn’t label the billing period. | $30 per screen per month. |
Sources: Toast, Square, SpotOn, Clover, Lightspeed.
Who each one is for, and who should skip it
Toast. For restaurants that want software built only for restaurants. Toast offers two ways in. With traditional pricing you pay for hardware up front and software monthly, and cards cost 2.49%. With the pay-as-you-go Starter Kit there’s no upfront hardware cost and no monthly basic software fee, but cards cost 3.09%. Skip it if you want every fee in writing before a sales call. Toast doesn’t publish a cents fee per payment, or its online and keyed-in rates.
Square. For cafes, bakeries, food trucks and quick-service spots that want to start cheap. There’s no monthly fee on the Free plan, and Square says there are no “locked-in contracts.” Paid plans offer a free 30-day trial. Skip it if your average ticket is small and you sell a lot. Square’s 15¢ per payment adds up on coffee-sized sales (more on that below).
SpotOn. For restaurants that want a month-to-month plan with published rates. SpotOn calls Essentials “ideal for most restaurants, with month-to-month flexibility” (their words). Amex costs more, at 3.19% + 15¢. Skip the All-In plan unless you’re sure you’ll stay. It has “processing minimums,” a 2-year minimum term and a higher rate of 2.79% + 20¢.
Clover. For owners who want hardware, software and processing in one monthly payment. Cards cost 2.3% + 10¢ in person on every restaurant bundle. Skip it if you might switch soon. The bundles run 36 months, and at the end the subscription carries on at the same monthly charge unless you buy or return the hardware, with 30 days’ notice. Clover’s web prices “are only available on Clover.com,” so a bank’s offer can differ.
Lightspeed Restaurant. For established restaurants that need more from their POS. Skip it if you’re new or small. Lightspeed doesn’t publish a restaurant card rate. Its retail payments page lists 2.6% + 10¢, so confirm what you’d pay. Kitchen screens cost $30 each per month.
What about Shopify? Shopify POS is built around products and inventory. Shopify recommends POS Pro for businesses with “a large inventory catalog.” If you need table service or kitchen tickets, start with the restaurant-built options above. If you run a cafe that also sells beans and mugs online, see our retail POS page.
Cafes: small tickets change the math
A cafe takes lots of small payments. On a small sale, the fixed cents per payment can cost more than the percentage. Here’s what one $8 sale and one $60 dinner bill cost at each published in-person rate:
| Provider and plan | Published in-person rate | Fee on an $8 sale | Fee on a $60 sale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clover (restaurant bundles) | 2.3% + 10¢ | about 28¢ | $1.48 |
| Lightspeed (retail rate) | 2.6% + 10¢ | about 31¢ | $1.66 |
| SpotOn Essentials | 2.45% + 15¢ | about 35¢ | $1.62 |
| Square Free | 2.6% + 15¢ | about 36¢ | $1.71 |
| SpotOn All-In | 2.79% + 20¢ | about 42¢ | $1.87 |
| Toast pay-as-you-go | 3.09% | about 25¢ | $1.85 |
| Toast traditional | 2.49%, cents fee not published | about 20¢, plus any cents fee | $1.49, plus any cents fee |
These are our calculations from each provider’s published rate, rounded to the nearest cent. They don’t include monthly fees, hardware or Amex surcharges.
The rate is only half of it. Clover’s lower rate saves about 7¢ on each $8 sale compared with Square Free. That’s about $74 a month at 1,000 sales, but Clover’s cheapest restaurant bundle costs $179 a month. At $8 a sale, the savings only cover that bundle at about 2,400 sales a month. To be fair, Clover’s bundle includes hardware, while on Square you buy it. A small cafe on Square’s Free plan pays nothing in a quiet month. Run your own numbers in the fee calculator with your real sales and number of payments.
What a month costs at three restaurant sizes
Here are three restaurants, priced at each provider’s published rates and plan fees. These are our estimates. They assume every payment is a card used in person, one location, and no Amex surcharges. They leave out hardware unless the plan includes it, plus tips, chargebacks and payroll.
A counter-service spot: $15,000 a month, 1,000 payments of $15, one register.
| Setup | Card fees | Plan fee | Estimated month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toast traditional | $373.50 (2.49%) | $69 | $442.50, plus any cents fee, hardware and setup |
| Toast pay-as-you-go Starter Kit | $463.50 (3.09%) | $0 | $463.50, hardware included |
| Square Free | $390 + $150 = $540 | $0 | $540, plus hardware |
| SpotOn Essentials, 1 station | $367.50 + $150 = $517.50 | $55 | $572.50, plus hardware and setup |
| SpotOn All-In | $418.50 + $200 = $618.50 | $0 | $618.50, hardware included, 2-year term |
| Clover Restaurant Starter, rented | $345 + $100 = $445 | $179 | $624, hardware included |
A busy quick-service restaurant: $40,000 a month, 2,000 payments of $20, two registers.
| Setup | Card fees | Plan fee | Estimated month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toast traditional | $996 (2.49%) | $69 | $1,065, plus any cents fee, hardware, setup and extra devices |
| Toast pay-as-you-go Starter Kit | $1,236 (3.09%) | $0 | $1,236, hardware included |
| Clover Restaurant Starter, rented | $920 + $200 = $1,120 | $179 | $1,299, hardware included |
| Square Free | $1,040 + $300 = $1,340 | $0 | $1,340, plus hardware |
| SpotOn Essentials, 2 stations | $980 + $300 = $1,280 | $110 | $1,390, plus hardware and setup |
| SpotOn All-In | $1,116 + $400 = $1,516 | $0 | $1,516, hardware included, 2-year term |
A full-service restaurant: $80,000 a month, 1,600 checks of $50, three stations.
| Setup | Card fees | Plan fee | Estimated month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toast traditional | $1,992 (2.49%) | $69 | $2,061, plus any cents fee, hardware, setup and extra devices |
| Clover Restaurant Standard, rented | $1,840 + $160 = $2,000 | $239 | $2,239, hardware included |
| Square Plus | $2,000 + $240 = $2,240 | $49 | $2,289, plus hardware and $30 a month per KDS device |
| SpotOn Essentials, 3 stations | $1,960 + $240 = $2,200 | $165 | $2,365, plus hardware and setup |
| Toast pay-as-you-go Starter Kit | $2,472 (3.09%) | $0 | $2,472, but the kit covers only up to 2 terminals |
| SpotOn All-In | $2,232 + $320 = $2,552 | $0 | $2,552, hardware included, 2-year term |
Three things stand out.
- Toast’s traditional pricing looks cheapest, but it’s missing pieces. Toast doesn’t publish a per-payment cents fee, its hardware prices or its setup costs. Add those and the gap can close. Get them in writing.
- Toast’s pay-as-you-go kit is strong for small tickets. With no cents fee and no upfront hardware cost, it’s the lowest complete price in the counter-service example. Its 3.09% rate hurts as checks get bigger.
- “Hardware included” plans charge for it somewhere. SpotOn All-In charges a higher rate, and Clover’s bundles charge a bigger monthly fee. Over a 2- or 3-year term, that adds up.
Is Toast a good POS?
For many restaurants, yes, but go in with your eyes open. Toast is built only for restaurants, and our examples show its pay-as-you-go kit competing well on small checks. Here’s what Toast’s own pages say you’re signing up for:
- You must use Toast’s processing. Toast’s billing FAQ asks, “Can I use a different credit card processor with Toast?” and answers, “No.”
- Toast hardware only. Toast says its services “may only be used on approved Toast hardware.”
- Unpublished numbers. No per-payment cents fee, no online or keyed-in rates, and hardware is priced by quote.
- Payout holds. Toast’s processing terms say it may delay payouts or require a reserve “for any reason” to protect itself from losses.
- Support. Toast says chat is available 24/7, and US phone support runs 7 a.m. to midnight Eastern, seven days a week.
If those terms work for you, Toast belongs on your shortlist. Read our Toast breakdown, or compare it head to head in Square vs Toast and Toast vs Clover.
When the internet drops on a Friday night
A POS that stops taking cards during a dinner rush costs more than any fee. Here’s what each provider says about offline payments and support, from its own help pages:
| POS | Offline card payments | Support hours |
|---|---|---|
| Square | Yes. Payments must upload within 72 hours (Square recommends 24). You set a per-payment limit, from $1 to $50,000. | Live chat Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific. Square says phone support isn’t guaranteed for all sellers. |
| Toast | Yes. Payments show as pending until the device reconnects. Pre-authorization doesn’t work offline unless done before the outage. | Chat 24/7. Phone 7 a.m. to midnight Eastern, every day. |
| Clover | Yes, for up to 7 days, once turned on for each device. You can set payment limits. Not for EBT or gift cards. | 24/7/365, by Clover’s claim. |
| SpotOn | Yes, on SpotOn Terminal. Card details are stored and processed once you’re back online, and you can set limits. No time limit is published. | 24/7 for payment devices and hardware, by SpotOn’s claim. Menu and online ordering support keeps set hours. |
| Lightspeed | Not checked for its restaurant products. Its retail POS has a payment-only offline mode. | 24/7, by Lightspeed’s claim on its retail payments page. |
Every provider in this table says the same thing in its own words: if an offline card is declined later, the loss is yours. Set a sensible offline limit, and keep large checks for when you’re back online.
If your restaurant is open late, Square’s chat hours matter. They end at 6 p.m. Pacific on weekdays.
Also worth pricing: TouchBistro
TouchBistro sells POS software “built just for restaurants.” Its Point of Sale plan starts at $69 a month, with hardware and processing extra. Its Essentials Bundle starts at $119 a month and includes hardware and integrated payments, with processing fees on top.
Two things set it apart. TouchBistro says it’s “compatible with a wide range of payment processing solutions,” so you aren’t forced onto one processor the way you are with Toast. But it doesn’t publish its processing rates, and add-ons like online ordering and reservations are quote only. See our TouchBistro page.
The catch: fees to ask about before you sign
- Chargebacks. Lightspeed charges $15. Square charges no dispute fee, but it keeps the processing fee on the disputed payment. Toast, SpotOn and Clover don’t list a chargeback fee on the pricing pages we checked, so ask.
- Contract. Square says there are no locked-in contracts. SpotOn Essentials is month to month, but All-In has a 2-year minimum. Clover bundles run 36 months. Toast and Lightspeed don’t publish restaurant contract terms.
- Hardware lock-in. Toast only works on approved Toast hardware, and SpotOn says you can’t use your own. Lightspeed says terminals you already own can’t be reused.
- Processor lock-in. Toast says you must use Toast’s processing. Clover says its devices can’t be used with other payment processors. TouchBistro says it works with a wide range of processors, so you can shop around for your rate.
- Extra screens and terminals. Lightspeed lists $30 per screen per month, Clover $25 per kitchen display, and Square $30 per kitchen display device on Plus. Toast says “additional charges apply for subsequent devices.” Count every screen before comparing.
Running a counter-service spot? See Square. Comparing more? Read our pages on SpotOn, Clover and Lightspeed, or go back to all POS systems.
Common questions
How much does a restaurant POS system cost?
Software runs from $0 to $399 a month at the providers that publish prices, before card fees and hardware. Toast's Starter Kit starts at $0 and its POS at $69. Square's Free plan is $0 and Plus is $49 per location. SpotOn Essentials is $55 per station. Lightspeed Restaurant is $69, $189 or $399. Clover's restaurant bundles are $179 to $354 a month.
Is Toast or Square better for a restaurant?
It depends on the room. Square's Free plan costs $0 a month and lists every rate, so it suits cafes and counter service. Toast is built only for restaurants, with POS plans from $69 a month and cards at 2.49% on traditional pricing. But Toast doesn't publish a per-payment cents fee, so get its full rate in writing first.
Can I use my own hardware with a restaurant POS?
Usually not. Toast says its services only work on approved Toast hardware. SpotOn answers its own question, "Can I use my own POS hardware or tablets?", with "No." Lightspeed says you can't reuse terminals you already own. So whichever you pick, budget for new hardware, and expect to buy again if you ever switch.
What is the best POS for a small cafe?
A cafe takes lots of small payments, so the cents per payment matter. On an $8 sale, Square's Free plan costs about 36¢ and Clover's restaurant rate about 28¢. But Clover's bundles cost $179 a month or more, with hardware included, while Square Free costs $0. At $8 a sale, Clover only comes out ahead at about 2,400 sales a month.
Is Toast a good POS for restaurants?
It can be, if you want software built only for restaurants and accept its limits. Toast's pay-as-you-go Starter Kit is 3.09% with no upfront hardware cost, which is hard to beat on small tickets. But Toast says you must use its processing, its services run only on Toast hardware, and it doesn't publish a per-payment cents fee.
Does a restaurant POS work when the internet goes down?
Square, Toast and Clover say their POS can take card payments offline, and SpotOn says its Terminal can. The limits differ. Clover says up to 7 days. Square says payments must upload within 72 hours and recommends 24. Toast holds them as pending until you reconnect. In every case, the provider says you carry the risk if a card is declined later.