PalomaPOS vs Toast
Toast lists a Starter Kit from $0/month and a Point of Sale plan from $69/month, with a 3.09% card fee on Pay-as-you-Go. PalomaPOS charges $0/month for POS software when you process with PalomaPOS, quotes processing from your current statement, and runs month-to-month with no cancellation fee.
| Feature | PalomaPOS | Toast |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly software fee | $0/month with PalomaPOS processing | Starter Kit from $0/month (new, single-location customers, up to 2 terminals); Point of Sale plan from $69/month[1] |
| In-person card rate | Custom quote from your current statement | 3.09% per transaction on Pay-as-you-Go; 2.49% on Traditional pricing (hardware paid up front + monthly software)[2] |
| POS hardware | At cost, or free placement for qualifying volume | Toast-approved hardware only; Starter Kit hardware with no upfront cost[1] |
| Payouts | Same-day funding, with an instant funding option | Instant deposit option: funds typically within seconds, up to $5,000 a day[3] |
| Contract & cancellation | Month-to-month, no cancellation fee; return the terminal if you leave | Varies — check current terms |
| Setup & menu build | Free menu build and data migration; remote setup by video call | Self-service install included; paid remote installation option[2] |
| Support | People, in English & Spanish, Mon–Fri 9 AM–6 PM ET | 24/7/365 by phone or web messaging (Toast Care)[1] |
| Offline mode | Orders, cash, printing & KDS keep working; cards offline on Valor terminals only | Keeps taking orders, printing, and credit card payments until back online[1] |
| Cash discount program | Varies — check current terms | |
| Business banking | Embedded banking | Toast Checking account available[3] |
Toast facts are quoted from the vendor's own website as checked on October 24, 2026; the number after each one points to its source below. Prices and terms change — verify them on the vendor's site before you decide. Toast is a trademark of its owner; PalomaPOS is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Toast.
Sources (checked October 24, 2026)
- [1] Toast — Restaurant POS Pricing & Plans https://pos.toasttab.com/pricing
- [2] Toast — Starter Kits: pricing plans and FAQ https://pos.toasttab.com/shop/starter-kits
- [3] Toast — Instant deposit https://pos.toasttab.com/products/instant-deposit
Vendors change their prices and terms, and they can depend on your plan, location, and volume — verify current terms on the vendor's site before you decide. “Varies — check current terms” means we haven't verified a published figure.
How PalomaPOS differs from Toast
Toast publishes two ways to pay for its Starter Kits: Pay-as-you-Go, where basic hardware and basic POS software carry no upfront or monthly charge and every transaction costs 3.09%, and Traditional pricing at 2.49%, where you buy the hardware up front and pay monthly for software. Toast says its services run only on hardware Toast approves.
PalomaPOS takes a different route: POS software is $0/month when you process with PalomaPOS, the processing rate is a custom quote built from your current statement, hardware is at cost or free placement for qualifying volume, and the agreement is month-to-month with no cancellation fee — if you leave, you send the terminal back.
Toast has real strengths: Toast Care support is 24/7/365, its offline mode keeps taking credit card payments, and it sells payroll, xtraCHEF inventory and online-ordering suites on top of the POS. If you're comparing, send us a recent Toast statement — a person reviews it for free and replies with a written quote.
Who should switch — and who should stay with Toast
Switch to PalomaPOS if…
- You want POS software at $0/month instead of a monthly plan or a higher per-transaction rate
- You'd like a processing quote built from your own statement, reviewed by a person
- You want month-to-month terms with no cancellation fee
- You want free menu build and migration, and support in English and Spanish
Stay with Toast if…
- You need support around the clock — Toast Care is 24/7/365 by phone or web messaging
- You need card payments offline on every device — Toast's offline mode takes credit cards; PalomaPOS takes cards offline on Valor terminals only
- You use Toast Payroll, xtraCHEF or Toast's online ordering and want them from one vendor
- You run many locations and rely on Toast's multilocation management and analytics API
FAQ
How much does Toast cost compared with PalomaPOS?
Toast's pricing page lists a Starter Kit from $0/month and a Point of Sale plan from $69/month, and its Starter Kit page lists a 3.09% card fee on Pay-as-you-Go or 2.49% on Traditional pricing (checked October 24, 2026). PalomaPOS software is $0/month with PalomaPOS processing, hardware is at cost or free placement for qualifying volume, and processing is quoted from your current statement — send one for a free review, or check your effective rate at /calculator.
Will I have to break my Toast contract to switch?
It depends on the terms of your Toast agreement — check them before you switch. You can start PalomaPOS at one location first and move the rest later; we'll help you plan it on the demo.
Can I keep my Toast hardware?
Toast says its services run only on Toast-approved devices. PalomaPOS runs on Valor and Sunmi POS terminals with built-in printers, on Android tablets and phones, and on iPhone and iPad; tell us what you have on the demo and we'll say what can be reused.
How fast do Toast and PalomaPOS pay out?
Toast offers an instant deposit option that it says typically arrives within a few seconds, up to $5,000 a day. PalomaPOS funds card sales the same day and also has an instant funding option.
Does PalomaPOS keep working offline like Toast?
Orders, cash payments, printing and the kitchen display keep working without internet, and devices on the same network stay in sync; card payments work offline on Valor terminals only. Toast says its offline mode keeps taking credit card payments until the connection is back.
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Ready to grow your food business without the busywork?
Book a free 15‑minute demo. We'll walk through your menu and your current processing statement — and answer every question, no pressure.
Same‑day funding
Get paid the same day, every day.
Hardware at cost
Or free placement for qualifying processing volume.
Setup included
Menu build, data migration, and staff training.
Or email sales@palomapos.com