POS Ranked

Home / US / Best restaurant POS systems in the US

Toast vs Square

Plan prices, card rates and contracts in the US, side by side, from each vendor's own website.

Restaurant POS built for food service.

5.0/10

#5 of 10 in best restaurant POS systems in the US

Read more about ToastVisit Toast

Higher score

Free POS app and card readers from Square.

9.0/10

#2 of 10 in best restaurant POS systems in the US

Read more about SquareVisit Square

Which one?

Choose Toast if

Its published prices and terms do not beat Square on any line we score. Choose it for something only it offers.

Choose Square if

  • Lower card rate: 2.6% + 15¢, where Toast does not publish it
  • Easier to leave: cancel anytime against 30 days notice, renews automatically
  • Publishes more of its prices

Side by side

LineToastSquare
Our score5.0 / 109.0 / 10
Starts atNo monthly feeNo monthly fee
PlansStarter Kit: Free; Point of Sale: $69/moSquare Free: Free; Square Plus: $49 per location a month; Square Premium: $149 per location a month
In-person card rateNot published2.6% + 15¢
Online card rateNot stated3.3% + 30¢
Commission on ordersNot publishedNot published
Contract30 days notice, renews automaticallyCancel anytime
Early exit feeRemaining Software Subscription Fees for the rest of the current Term, or for a Pay-as-you-go subscription 150 dollars multiplied by the months remaining; plus any Software financing processing feeNot stated
Hardware fromNot statedFrom $59
Last checked9 Oct 20269 Oct 2026

“Not published” and “Not stated” mean the vendor's own pricing and terms pages did not give the figure when we read them; the sources below name each page and date. Hover a figure to see the vendor's words.

How the scores add up

Toast: 5.0

  • Prices published1/2Some prices published
  • Entry price3/3No monthly fee
  • Fees0/2Card rate not published
  • Contract1/330 days notice, renews automatically

Square: 9.0

  • Prices published2/2All plan prices published
  • Entry price3/3No monthly fee
  • Fees1/2Card rate 2.6% + 15¢
  • Contract3/3Cancel anytime

Same formula for every system. How we score

Toast vs Square: questions owners ask

Which is cheaper to start, Toast or Square?

Toast: no monthly fee. Square: no monthly fee.

Which has the lower card rate?

Toast: we did not find an in-person card rate on Toast's own pages. Square: 2.6% + 15¢ in person.

What do they charge on online payments?

Toast: we did not find an online card rate on Toast's own pages. Square: 3.3% + 30¢.

Do Toast or Square take commission on orders?

Toast: we did not find a commission figure on Toast's own pages. Square: we did not find a commission figure on Square's own pages.

Which has the more flexible contract?

Toast: 30 days notice, renews automatically. Square: cancel anytime.

How much notice do they need to cancel?

Toast: at least 30 days written notice of intent not to renew before the end of the then-current Term (either party). Square: cancel a Subscription Service at any time from Square Account settings; no notice period stated.

Do their contracts renew automatically?

Toast: yes, the contract renews automatically. Square: yes, the contract renews automatically.

What does it cost to leave early?

Toast: remaining Software Subscription Fees for the rest of the current Term, or for a Pay-as-you-go subscription 150 dollars multiplied by the months remaining; plus any Software financing processing fee. Square: no fixed term, so no exit fee.

Who owns my customer data?

Toast: merchant owns all Merchant Data, licensed to Toast. Square: seller retains all rights in its Content, subject to a broad licence granted to Square.

Do I need to buy hardware?

Toast: we did not find a hardware price on Toast's own pages. Square: hardware from $59.

Which publishes more of its prices?

Toast: some prices published. Square: all plan prices published.

Which scores higher, Toast or Square?

Toast 5.0/10 and Square 9.0/10 on the same formula: prices published, entry price, fees and contract. The breakdown on this page shows where each point comes from.

Should I choose Toast or Square?

Choose Square for: lower card rate: 2.6% + 15¢, where Toast does not publish it; easier to leave: cancel anytime against 30 days notice, renews automatically; publishes more of its prices. Then check the features you need on each vendor's own site: the score covers price and terms only.

Where every figure on this page comes from

Toast

  • Starter Kit plan. “Starter Kit Starting at $0 /month” pos.toasttab.com/pricing, read 9 Oct 2026
  • Point of Sale plan. “Point Of Sale Starting at $69 /month” pos.toasttab.com/pricing, read 9 Oct 2026
  • Automatic renewal. “shall automatically renew for successive one (1) year periods” pos.toasttab.com/merchant-agreement, read 9 Oct 2026
  • Notice period, from the terms. “either party may terminate an Order, and this Agreement with respect to such Order, by providing at least thirty (30) days’ written notice of its intent not to renew prior to the end of the then-current Term” pos.toasttab.com/merchant-agreement, read 9 Oct 2026
  • Early exit fee. “an early termination fee equal to either (i) the remaining Fees for Software Subscription Fees that would have otherwise been due for the remainder of the then-current Term, or ii) for a Pay-as-you-go subscription, one-hundred and fifty dollars ($150.00) multiplied by the number of months remaining in the then-current Term, as applicable (“Early Termination Fee”)” pos.toasttab.com/merchant-agreement, read 9 Oct 2026
  • Leaving early, from the terms. “Unless otherwise agreed to by Toast, Merchant acknowledges and agrees that it may terminate this Agreement at any time following the Effective Date, provided that Merchant shall remain responsible for payment of all Fees for Services provided by Toast through the effective date of termination. Additionally, Merchant shall incur and pay (a) an early termination fee equal to either (i) the remaining Fees for Software Subscription Fees that would have otherwise been due for the remainder of the then-current Term, or ii) for a Pay-as-you-go subscription, one-hundred and fifty dollars ($150.00) multiplied by the number of months remaining in the then-current Term, as applicable (“Early Termination Fee”), and (b) any applicable processing fee related to Software financing.” pos.toasttab.com/merchant-agreement, read 9 Oct 2026
  • Who owns your data, from the terms. “Merchant owns all Merchant Data.” pos.toasttab.com/merchant-agreement, read 9 Oct 2026
  • Your data, from the terms. “Merchant owns all Merchant Data. Merchant hereby grants to Toast a non-exclusive, royalty-free, fully paid up, and worldwide license to use, copy, modify (including the right to create derivative works of), display and transmit Merchant Data solely in connection with the Services including the development of potential offerings or other future products and services under consideration by Toast (whether developed independently by Toast or through a third party).” pos.toasttab.com/merchant-agreement, read 9 Oct 2026
  • Hardware terms. “If Merchant elects to finance Hardware through a third-party lender and, either (a) fails to consummate the financing transaction with such lender, or (b) due to Merchant's default or any other purpose, Toast purchases the related credit agreement from such lender” pos.toasttab.com/merchant-agreement, read 9 Oct 2026
  • Card rate, commission on orders: not published. Not stated on pos.toasttab.com/pricing when read on 9 Oct 2026.

Square

  • Square Free plan. “The essentials your business needs to sell in-person, online, over the phone, or out in the field. Only pay when you take a payment. $0/mo. per location” squareup.com/us/en/pricing, read 9 Oct 2026
  • Square Plus plan. “Best value A full suite of features built specifically for food, retail, and appointment-based businesses. Designed to help you grow and thrive. $49/mo. per location” squareup.com/us/en/pricing, read 9 Oct 2026
  • Square Premium plan. “Our most advanced capabilities backed by 24/7 support. Built to streamline operations and help you scale with confidence. $149/mo. per location” squareup.com/us/en/pricing, read 9 Oct 2026
  • In-person card rate. “Tap, dip, or swipe 2.6% + 15¢ Online 3.3% + 30¢” squareup.com/us/en/pricing, read 9 Oct 2026
  • Fixed fee per card payment. “Tap, dip, or swipe 2.6% + 15¢ Online 3.3% + 30¢” squareup.com/us/en/pricing, read 9 Oct 2026
  • Online card rate. “Tap, dip, or swipe 2.6% + 15¢ Online 3.3% + 30¢” squareup.com/us/en/pricing, read 9 Oct 2026
  • Fixed fee per online payment. “Tap, dip, or swipe 2.6% + 15¢ Online 3.3% + 30¢” squareup.com/us/en/pricing, read 9 Oct 2026
  • Cancelling, from the terms. “You may cancel a Subscription Service at any time from your Square Account settings.” squareup.com/us/en/legal/general/ua, read 9 Oct 2026
  • Cheapest hardware. “Get the right hardware for how you sell with options starting at $59.” squareup.com/us/en/pricing, read 9 Oct 2026
  • Notice period, from the terms. “You may cancel a Subscription Service at any time from your Square Account settings.” squareup.com/us/en/legal/general/ua, read 9 Oct 2026
  • Automatic renewal. “Unless otherwise provided in a Subscription Service’s terms, Subscription Fees will be charged on the first of every month until canceled.” squareup.com/us/en/legal/general/ua, read 9 Oct 2026
  • Leaving early, from the terms. “Unless otherwise provided in a Subscription Service’s terms, Subscription Fees will be charged on the first of every month until canceled. You may cancel a Subscription Service at any time from your Square Account settings. If you cancel a Subscription Service, you will continue to have access to that Subscription Service through the end of your then-current billing period, but you will not be entitled to a refund or credit for any Subscription Fee already due or paid.” squareup.com/us/en/legal/general/ua, read 9 Oct 2026
  • Who owns your data, from the terms. “You retain all rights in your Content, subject to the rights you granted to us in these General Terms.” squareup.com/us/en/legal/general/ua, read 9 Oct 2026
  • Your data, from the terms. “You retain all rights in your Content, subject to the rights you granted to us in these General Terms.” squareup.com/us/en/legal/general/ua, read 9 Oct 2026
  • Free plan. “With Square Free, there are no monthly subscription costs - you only pay processing fees when you take a payment.” squareup.com/us/en/pricing, read 9 Oct 2026
  • Commission on orders: not published. Not stated on squareup.com/us/en/pricing when read on 9 Oct 2026.