When someone asks me about Toast pricing, they usually expect one clear number. In reality, your Toast POS cost comes from software, payment processing, Toast hardware, and add-ons that stack up over time.
Industry data shows that about 73% of restaurant operators increased their technology investments in 2024, so the wrong point-of-sale decision can hit your margins fast.
In this guide, I will break down what you actually pay for with Toast and show you how to avoid the most common pricing traps.
Key Takeaways
- Your biggest Toast cost isn’t the POS plan: It’s the payment processing rates that lock you into long-term fees far higher than the monthly subscription.
- Hardware is proprietary and non-transferable: Meaning every extra terminal, handheld, or KDS you add increases both upfront cost and future replacement costs.
- Add-ons stack fast: Online ordering system, loyalty, marketing, delivery, inventory, and payroll can easily double your monthly bill if you’re not careful.
- Hidden fees matter: Early termination, chargebacks, PCI non-compliance, SMS overages, and hardware financing interest all appear after you sign.
- Your real monthly cost depends on restaurant size: Most small operators end up paying $300–$700/month, while full-service locations commonly exceed $1,000/month once processing and add-ons are included.
What Toast Pricing Looks Like in 2025
Toast pricing in 2025 is not one simple number. Your Toast POS costs come from the basic plan, payment processing, Toast hardware, and the add-ons you switch on over time.
Even if you start with a Starter Kit or a low-entry Toast plan, you still commit to Toast’s payment processing, which often becomes the largest long-term expense.
On the Toast platform, the most valuable tools are in paid modules. You can add online ordering, loyalty programs, inventory management, team management, and Toast payroll on top of the core POS software.
Each module adds another line to your invoice, so two restaurants on the same Toast POS plan can pay very different totals every month.
One of our clients in Miami kept a basic Toast terminal for payments but moved online ordering and loyalty to UpMenu, and our 2025 data shows they save about $180 per month compared to Toast’s add-on pricing.
This kind of hybrid setup is often the easiest way to save money without changing your entire restaurant pos systems.
Toast POS Plans & Monthly Software Costs
Toast’s pricing structure starts with three main software options. Each plan looks simple at first, but the total cost depends on the plan you choose and the payment processing rate attached to it.
Before choosing a plan, it’s critical to understand how the monthly fee and processing fee work together, as they determine your actual Toast POS cost.
Below is a clear breakdown of the most common Toast plans and what you can expect to pay.
| Plan | Monthly software fee | Typical processing fees* | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter Kit | $0/month | About 3.09%–3.69% + $0.15 (pay-as-you-go) | Small cafés, food trucks, single-terminal setups |
| Point of Sale plan | $69/month | About 2.49% + $0.15 (in-person) | Independent restaurants, 1–2 terminals |
| Custom & Multi-Location | Quote-based | Negotiated by volume and setup | Multi-location restaurants and high-volume operators |
*Sources: Toast Pricing, Toast Costs Calculator, Toast Pricing Guide, Toast Overview
Starter Plan
The Starter Kit plan lets you launch with $0/month software fees. That seems attractive if you want to minimize upfront monthly cost.
But the trade-off is higher processing fees per transaction. For a low-volume café or food truck, it may make sense. Once volume grows, processing costs add up quickly.
Also note: hardware and onboarding (up to $95 per hour) are not included in the “free” plan. You must still pay for terminals or handheld devices.
Point of Sale Plan
For $69/month, you get Toast’s core POS software. Processing fees are lower than with Starter, which helps if you handle a moderate number of payments. Hardware is still purchased separately.
This plan works well if you want a balance: fixed monthly fee + lower per-transaction cost. It’s often the entry point for full-service restaurants or cafés expecting steady volume.
Custom & Multi-Location Plans
If your business runs multiple locations or high volume, Toast offers a custom plan with tailored pricing and volume-based fees. Terms, hardware setup, and add-ons are negotiated on a customer-by-customer basis.
This route makes sense when scaling, but you’ll need to carefully review the quote and factor in processing fees, hardware costs, and add-ons.
Toast Hardware Costs
Toast hardware is one of the most significant parts of your POS cost. Even with a Starter Kit or a low-entry plan, you still need Toast hardware to run the system.
Most restaurant owners realize the real cost when they add extra terminals, handheld POS devices, or KDS screens.
Our recent POS system cost guide shows that restaurant hardware typically starts at $600–$1,000+ per terminal, which aligns with Toast’s pricing ranges below.
Here is a simple breakdown of what you can expect to pay.
| Hardware | Typical 2025 Price* | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Toast Flex Terminal (Countertop) | $799–$1,199 | Requires Toast payments |
| Toast Go 2 Handheld | $409–$699 | Battery replacements not included |
| Kitchen Display System (KDS) | $599–$1,199 | Mount sold separately |
| Self-Serve Kiosk | $1,099–$1,899 | Requires kiosk software |
| Receipt Printers | $200–$350 | Additional units increase cost |
| Card Readers | $50–$100 | Per device |
| Network Hardware | $100–$500 | Access points, switches, cables |
*Sources: Toast Pricing, Toast Costs Calculator, Toast Pricing Guide, Toast Overview
For many restaurants, keeping hardware to a minimum is the easiest way to save money on Toast.
Toast Payment Processing Fees & Extra Charges
Payment processing directly impacts your restaurant’s profit margins. Even with a Starter Kit or a low-cost plan, a large share of your Toast pricing will be driven by card volume.
Recent payment industry sources indicate that average credit card processing fees range from 1.5% to 3.5%, with a global average of 2.4%. Toast’s fees usually sit above that baseline, which is why restaurants pay more over time than they expect.
Toast requires you to use Toast payments on every plan, and this ties your long-term pricing structure to your sales volume.
For restaurant owners operating multi-location restaurants or handling high online ordering volume, payment processing quickly becomes the biggest monthly expense.
Standard & Custom Processing Rates
Toast offers two main approaches: standard published rates for Starter Kit and Point of Sale plan, and custom pricing for multiple locations or higher volume operators.
Standard rates typically include:
- In-person payments around 2.49% + $0.15
- Online ordering or keyed-in transactions at higher percentages
- Pay-as-you-go Starter Kit with higher per-transaction fees
Custom pricing applies to larger restaurants that negotiate based on volume.
This makes sense for restaurants with predictable card flow, but you still need to watch how processing impacts your monthly software subscription and add-ons.
Additional & Hidden Fees
Toast also adds fees that many restaurant owners overlook during onboarding. The most common include:
- Chargeback fees
- PCI compliance or non-compliance fees connected to PCI-compliant payments
- Higher online ordering rates, especially for Toast delivery services
- SMS and email overages tied to loyalty programs
- Extra fees for self-serve kiosks, handheld POS setups, or additional Toast hardware
- Higher online ordering fees during rush periods in some setups
These add-ons can raise your total monthly pos cost faster than the software fee itself.
I see this with single-location restaurants and food trucks that start with a simple Toast plan, then activate online ordering, inventory management, and menu management tools, only to end up with a much larger bill than expected.
The safest way to save money with Toast is to calculate your expected payment processing volume for the entire year and match it to the right point-of-sale plan before you choose your hardware setup or add-ons.
Add-Ons & Extra Modules
Toast pricing increases as you add modules. Many restaurant owners tell me they prefer flexible payment options, especially when choosing between Toast’s modules and outside tools that help control monthly costs.
This is where a hybrid setup with UpMenu often helps restaurants save money, since we offer online ordering, loyalty, delivery, and restaurant marketing tools at a lower cost without forcing a change to your Toast platform or payment setup.
To give you some scope of add-ons prices, here’s a list from a Reddit thread where an operator lists Toast module prices:
- Gift cards: $50/month
- Third-party delivery integration: $30/month per service
- Catering: $100/month
- Handheld device license: $50/month
- Payroll & POS bundle: $90/month + $9/month per employee.
Online Ordering & Delivery Tools
Toast’s online ordering tools add monthly fees plus higher payment processing rates for online orders.
Restaurants using Toast delivery services, Toast TakeOut, or Toast mobile order pay see these costs increase quickly, especially across multiple locations.
Many food trucks and single-location restaurants switch their digital storefront and delivery flow to UpMenu because it offers the same features at a lower software fee and without extra Toast hardware setup.
Loyalty, Rewards & Marketing
Loyalty programs, marketing automation, SMS credits, and email broadcasting are billed as separate add-ons.
These tools increase processing volume and often require extra Toast hardware.
UpMenu includes loyalty, marketing, and customer engagement in one flat monthly fee, helping restaurants save money while keeping their existing Toast POS terminals.
Inventory, Menu Management & Reporting
Inventory management, order management, digital menus, and advanced reporting features are paid upgrades on the Toast platform.
These add-ons help track menu items and run food cost analytics, but they can quickly raise your Toast POS costs.
Restaurateurs often see their software fees increase once they activate more detailed restaurant analytics or add extra point-of-sale terminals to support the workflow.
Payroll & Team Management
Toast payroll and team management tools require a separate software fee and optional payroll bundle upgrades.
Costs rise as you add more employees, more shifts, or more locations.
You should review these fees carefully, as payroll, scheduling, and management tools can add more to their monthly bill than the base POS plan alone.
Hidden Costs, Contract Terms & What Most Restaurants Miss
The biggest Toast pricing surprises usually come from contract terms and additional fees, not the advertised point-of-sale plan. If you read any recent toast pos review, you will see the same pattern: low entry pricing at first, followed by higher costs once processing and add-ons are added.
Every plan requires Toast payments, so your real Toast POS cost depends on card volume, online ordering mix, and how many add-ons you switch on over time.
You also need to watch for early termination fees, multi-year agreements, higher rates on online ordering, support packages, and service work related to hardware setup or network configuration, automatic feature changes.
These items rarely appear on the first quote but do on invoices.
“Recently Toast implemented a $.99 service charge, where Toast is charging the restaurant’s customers this fee. Please note that restaurants already pay a monthly subscription service fee for the ability to have online ordering.”
Leonard H., Restaurant Owner (Source: G2)
To save money, keep contracts as short as possible, limit extra modules to what you really use, and always calculate the total yearly payment for processing and software fees instead of focusing only on the Starter Kit marketing price.
Real Toast Pricing Scenarios
Here’s what Toast pricing looks like in real life once you combine software, payment processing, Toast hardware, and add-ons.
These are ranges, not official quotes, but they line up with what restaurant owners share in reviews and forums.
| Scenario | Typical setup | Software + add ons* | Payment processing estimate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small café / food truck | 1 terminal, Starter Kit, or basic point of sale plan, some online ordering | $100–$300 | $200–$400 |
| Full-service restaurant | 2–3 terminals, handheld POS, online ordering, loyalty programs, and inventory management | $400–$800 | $600–$1,200 |
| Multi-location group | Multiple locations, custom pricing, Toast payroll, and team management tools | $1,000–$2,500+ (across sites) | $2,000–$5,000+ |
One restaurateur on Reddit reported paying around $1,400 a month in Toast module subscriptions plus $800 for Toast payroll, which puts a single full-service location at roughly $2,200 per month before any new hardware setup or software upgrades.
If you want to save money, the fastest levers are limiting add-ons, keeping Toast hardware to what you truly need, and moving some online ordering or marketing tools outside the Toast platform. Hence, payment processing volume stays lower inside Toast.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How much does Toast cost per month?
For a small café or food truck, Toast usually lands around $300–$700 per month total (software + payment processing).
A typical full-service restaurant often pays $1,000–$2,000+ per month, depending on hardware, online ordering, and add-ons.
What are Toast payment processing fees?
Published and reported ranges usually sit around:
- In-person: about 2.49% + $0.15 per transaction
- Online / keyed-in: often 3.5% + $0.15 or more
These are higher than the general market average of 1.5%–3.5%.
Are there hidden Toast fees?
Yes, you can expect extra items like:
- Chargeback fees (roughly $15–$25 per dispute)
- PCI compliance or non-compliance fees
- Higher fees on online ordering, including service fees on guest checks
- Module charges for things like loyalty, marketing, inventory, Toast payroll, and team management that sit on top of the base software fee
