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Card processing review

Toast Payments

Toast's card processing, required with Toast POS: a flat rate Toast quotes to each restaurant and doesn't publish. Toast Dual Pricing, for eligible new customers, passes the card cost to your customers. The term is set in your order form, and leaving early costs the software fees left in it.

By ToastParent company: Toast, Inc. (NYSE: TOST)
Not enough data to score

Not enough verified data yet

We've verified 8 of 12 key facts for this processor. Until we reach 80%, this page shows what we have, with sources, and it isn't a full review.

Our verdict

Toast's processing only comes with Toast POS and its rates are quoted, so you can't compare its cost before talking to sales. What is public is its contract: a term set in your order, renewals of a year at a time, and an early termination fee equal to the software fees left. Ask for the rate, any monthly minimum and the term in writing before you sign.

What we like

  • Instant deposit puts your card sales in your account in seconds (Toast doesn't publish its cost).
  • Toast Dual Pricing covers credit and debit cards, so your customers pay the card cost (for eligible new customers).
  • 24/7 support by phone or web messaging, included.
  • If Toast raises your card rates, you can terminate without the early termination fee.

What to watch

  • Toast doesn't publish its card rates or processing fees: they're in your quote. The rates we show come from a third-party review, and without the fees we can't calculate its full cost.
  • Processing is only with Toast POS, and the term is set in your order form; leaving early costs the software fees left in it ($150 for each month left on pay-as-you-go).
  • Toast Dual Pricing packages can carry a monthly processing minimum.
  • Toast can change your card rates with 30 days' notice.
  • Next-day deposits need your batch to close before 9:30 p.m. ET; Toast says most restaurants batch later, so deposits often take two to three business days.

How the score breaks down

RTC ScoreNot enough data

Methodology v0.1.0

We could verify less than 60% of what we score, so we don't rank it.

Data completeness49%

We could verify 49% of the scoring data

Strongest points
24/7 support, Price increases during the contract, Standard deposit speed
Weakest point
Published pricing

Score by criterion

  • 12-month cost of the reference restaurantWeight 37%No data
  • Standard deposit speedWeight 11%Strongest5.0 out of 10
  • What leaving in month 12 costsWeight 9%No data
  • Price increases during the contractWeight 8%Strongest7.0 out of 10
  • Published pricingWeight 7%Weakest2.0 out of 10
  • 24/7 supportWeight 6%Strongest10.0 out of 10
  • Contract termWeight 4%No data
  • Support channelsWeight 4%8.0 out of 10
  • No equipment lease you can't cancelWeight 3%0.0 out of 10
  • Works with restaurant POS systemsWeight 3%1.7 out of 10
  • Automatic renewalWeight 2%5.0 out of 10
  • Equipment works with another processorWeight 2%0.0 out of 10
  • Offers dual pricing or a surcharge programWeight 2%10.0 out of 10
  • Works without the vendor's own POSWeight 1%0.0 out of 10

Before you pass the card fee to your customers

This vendor offers a program that passes the card cost to your customers. Card network rules cap credit card surcharges (Visa 3%, Mastercard 4%) and never allow them on debit, and some states ban or limit them.

This is general information, not legal advice. Card network rules and state laws change, and how they apply depends on your business: check with a lawyer and with your processor before adding a surcharge or a cash discount.

See the rules by state

Current promotion

  • Discount

    Not publishedSource: Toast (opens in a new tab)The discount is 60% of the hardware in your first order. Toast does not publish its hardware prices, so the dollar amount is not known.
    Conditions
    Joint offer from Toast and Uber, limited time with no published end date: 60% off the Toast hardware in your first order and 12 months without the monthly fee for a Digital Storefront tier and the Uber Eats integration. Only for businesses with fewer than 15 locations that are new to Toast, are referred between Toast and Uber, and sign a Toast Merchant Agreement; businesses new to both also sign an Uber Eats agreement. Uber adds credits toward Uber Eats ads and offers ($5,000 if you are new to both, $1,500 if you already use Uber Eats), applied as discounts on Uber fees over 3 months, not as cash. It cannot be redeemed for cash, it is not a payment of your current provider's early termination fee, and Toast and Uber can end it at any time.
    Valid until
    The vendor publishes no end date. We take it down if we can't re-check it within 30 days.

Counts in the RTC Score only if our reference restaurant qualifies.

The switching or signing incentive is one of the criteria with the most weight in the RTC Score. We count a promotion only while it's current, with a fixed published amount and conditions our reference restaurant meets. "Up to" amounts, buyouts of your current contract and unpublished amounts don't count. The cost calculator subtracts one only when your numbers qualify.

Check it with your numbers

All the data, with sources

Each value links to its source. "Not published" means the vendor doesn't disclose it; "Unconfirmed" means we looked and couldn't confirm it. Data points we have for fewer than four vendors are left out until we can compare them.

Type of processor and pricing
Data pointValue
Type of processorProcessing built into a restaurant POSSource: Toast (opens in a new tab)This is the processing that comes with Toast POS: you also pay the POS software, which we compare in our restaurant POS section.
Pricing modelFlat rate()Source: Toast (opens in a new tab)Flat rates by card-present and card-not-present sale, quoted per restaurant. Toast's help center also mentions interchange-plus customers.
Published pricing (points out of 100)20Source: Toast (opens in a new tab)Early termination fee published (the software fees left, or $150 a month on pay-as-you-go) 20. Card rates, monthly and other processing fees are only in your quote: 0.
Card rates
Data pointValue
In-person rate2.49%()(due for a re-check)Source: NerdWallet (opens in a new tab)Rate with hardware paid up front, as reported by NerdWallet; Toast does not publish its rates on its own site. Pay-as-you-go (Starter Kit) is 3.09% to 3.69% + 15¢.
In-person fee per transaction15¢()(due for a re-check)Source: NerdWallet (opens in a new tab)As reported by NerdWallet (Aug 6, 2026). Toast quotes each restaurant its own rate ("custom-built rate") and doesn't publish it.
Online rate3.5%()(due for a re-check)Source: NerdWallet (opens in a new tab)As reported by NerdWallet (Aug 6, 2026). Toast quotes each restaurant its own rate ("custom-built rate") and doesn't publish it.
Online fee per transaction15¢()(due for a re-check)Source: NerdWallet (opens in a new tab)As reported by NerdWallet (Aug 6, 2026). Toast quotes each restaurant its own rate ("custom-built rate") and doesn't publish it.
Keyed-in rate3.5%()(due for a re-check)Source: NerdWallet (opens in a new tab)NerdWallet reports one card-not-present rate for keyed and online payments (Aug 6, 2026); Toast quotes its rates and doesn't publish them.
Keyed-in fee per transaction15¢()(due for a re-check)Source: NerdWallet (opens in a new tab)As reported by NerdWallet (Aug 6, 2026). Toast quotes each restaurant its own rate ("custom-built rate") and doesn't publish it.
American Express pricingQuote onlySource: Toast (opens in a new tab)Toast accepts American Express through the Amex OptBlue program; its rate is in your quote.
American Express rateQuote onlySource: Toast (opens in a new tab)Toast quotes each restaurant its own rate and doesn't publish it; you see it in your order form and on your processing statement.
Rates by monthly volumeQuote onlySource: Toast (opens in a new tab)Toast publishes no tiers: it builds a custom rate for each restaurant.
Monthly and other fees
Data pointValue
Monthly account or plan feeQuote onlySource: Toast Central (help center) (opens in a new tab)Any monthly processing fee is set in your order form. The POS software subscription is apart (from $69 a month on the Point of Sale plan), and we compare it in our restaurant POS section.
Annual fee per accountNot publishedSource: Toast Central (help center) (opens in a new tab)Toast publishes no fee schedule for its processing: the line items of its processing statement show card fees based on your rate, monthly adjustments and withholdings, but Toast doesn't say it charges no such fee. The fees are in your order form.
Annual fees per device or locationNot publishedSource: Toast Central (help center) (opens in a new tab)Toast publishes no fee schedule for its processing: the line items of its processing statement show card fees based on your rate, monthly adjustments and withholdings, but Toast doesn't say it charges no such fee. The fees are in your order form.
PCI compliance fee (yearly)Not publishedSource: Toast Central (help center) (opens in a new tab)Toast publishes no fee schedule for its processing: the line items of its processing statement show card fees based on your rate, monthly adjustments and withholdings, but Toast doesn't say it charges no such fee. The fees are in your order form.
PCI non-compliance fee (monthly)Not publishedSource: Toast Central (help center) (opens in a new tab)Toast publishes no fee schedule for its processing: the line items of its processing statement show card fees based on your rate, monthly adjustments and withholdings, but Toast doesn't say it charges no such fee. The fees are in your order form.
Statement feeNot publishedSource: Toast Central (help center) (opens in a new tab)Toast publishes no fee schedule for its processing: the line items of its processing statement show card fees based on your rate, monthly adjustments and withholdings, but Toast doesn't say it charges no such fee. The fees are in your order form.
Monthly minimumQuote only()Source: Toast Central (help center) (opens in a new tab)With Toast Dual Pricing packages: if your card fees in a month are below the minimum, you pay the difference (Toast's example is a $1,600 minimum). It's waived the month you go live and the next two. Pay-as-you-go plans can also carry processing minimums.
Fee per batchNot publishedSource: Toast Central (help center) (opens in a new tab)Toast publishes no fee schedule for its processing: the line items of its processing statement show card fees based on your rate, monthly adjustments and withholdings, but Toast doesn't say it charges no such fee. The fees are in your order form.
Chargeback feeNot publishedSource: Toast Central (help center) (opens in a new tab)Toast doesn't publish it; a Toast order form a county made public in 2025 charged $15 per chargeback.
Other feesToast Easy Pay (hardware lease): Toast keeps 0.75% of your daily card sales (1.75% before you go live) for 180 days. Instant deposit: Toast doesn't publish its cost. Toast Dual Pricing packages can carry a Monthly Minimum Processing Fee, and pay-as-you-go plans an inactivity fee when you miss their processing minimums.Source: Toast (opens in a new tab)
Equipment
Data pointValue
How you get the equipmentYou buy it, LeaseSource: Toast (opens in a new tab)You pay the hardware upfront (0% financing by application) or with Toast Easy Pay, a 180-day lease paid from your card sales.
Price of a countertop terminalQuote onlySource: Toast (opens in a new tab)Toast doesn't publish the price of a terminal on its own.
Equipment lease you can't cancelYesSource: Toast (opens in a new tab)Only if you choose Toast Easy Pay: you owe the whole lease amount, and Toast collects what's left at the end of the term. Buying the hardware upfront avoids it.
Equipment lease term6 monthsSource: Toast (opens in a new tab)180 days.
Equipment at $0 upfront: what it commits you toToast's pay-as-you-go plan in the Starter Package lowers the upfront hardware cost through a higher all-in rate; leaving it early costs $150 for each month left in the term.Source: Toast (opens in a new tab)
Equipment only works with this processorYesSource: Toast Central (help center) (opens in a new tab)Toast's services only run on approved Toast hardware, and Toast requires its own processing.
Getting your money
Data pointValue
Standard deposit speedTwo business daysSource: Toast Central (help center) (opens in a new tab)Batches that process before 9:30 p.m. ET deposit the next business day, but Toast says most restaurants batch after closing and often miss that cutoff; then the deposit takes two to three business days. We count two business days, because Toast says most restaurants miss the cutoff. Toast's processing terms say 1 to 2 business days after settlement, and instant deposit is also available.
Instant payout feeNot publishedSource: Toast (opens in a new tab)Toast offers instant deposit (up to $10,000 a day, not for American Express Direct sales) but doesn't publish its cost.
Holds and reservesToast may delay payouts, set a reserve of your funds or require you to keep funds in your account to cover risks, and may defer payouts during an investigation or dispute (Payment Processing Terms §4 and §8).Source: Toast (opens in a new tab)
Contract and exit
Data pointValue
Contract termQuote onlySource: Toast (opens in a new tab)Set in your order form (Merchant Agreement §8.1). NerdWallet reports terms of two to three years, and Toast order forms made public by local governments show 36 months (2023) and 24 months (2025).
Automatic renewal12 monthsSource: Toast (opens in a new tab)A renewal is under the then-current Merchant Agreement, and earlier promotions no longer apply (§8.1).
Notice to avoid renewal30 daysSource: Toast (opens in a new tab)
Notice to cancel0 daysSource: Toast (opens in a new tab)You can end the agreement before its term if you pay the early termination fee; the agreement sets no notice period for that. To stop the automatic renewal you give 30 days' written notice.
Early termination feeThe software subscription fees left in the term; on a pay-as-you-go plan such as the Starter Kit, $150 for each month left. Plus any processing fee tied to software financing (Merchant Agreement §8.4). If Toast raises your card rates and you terminate before they take effect, the fee doesn't apply (§6.2).Source: Toast (opens in a new tab)
How the early termination fee is calculatedLiquidated damages: the fees or processing left in the termSource: Toast (opens in a new tab)The software fees left in the term, or $150 for each month left on pay-as-you-go (Merchant Agreement §8.4).
Liquidated damages clauseYesSource: Toast (opens in a new tab)
Price increases during the contractWith notice, and you can leave without a feeSource: Toast (opens in a new tab)Scored on card processing rates, the same for every vendor: Toast can change them with 30 days' written notice, and if it raises them you can terminate without the early termination fee (Merchant Agreement §6.2). If it raises another non-software fee, you can only drop that product or service, not the agreement; at or during a renewal Toast can change any fee with 30 days' notice; and prepaid amounts aren't refunded.
Right to raise pricesSoftware fees stay the same during the initial term. Toast may change card rates and other non-software fees at any time with 30 days' written notice, and any fee at or during a renewal. If it raises card rates or the core POS fee, you can terminate without the early termination fee (Merchant Agreement §6.2).Source: Toast (opens in a new tab)
Personal guarantee by the signerNoSource: Toast (opens in a new tab)Neither the Merchant Agreement, its payment processing terms nor a public Toast order form (2025) contains a personal guarantee. Each owner of 25% or more authorizes Toast to pull personal credit reports.
Dual pricing and surcharges
Data pointValue
Dual pricing or surcharge programYesSource: Toast (opens in a new tab)Toast publishes two programs: Toast Dual Pricing (card price and a cash price 4% lower by default; for now only for eligible new US customers) and Credit Card Surcharging (credit cards only, up to 3%, not in CT, ME or MA). With the program, card processing costs your restaurant $0 in our estimate and your customers pay the difference. Toast itself says surcharging offsets your costs by adding revenue, not by lowering your fees. Toast's cash discount applies to the subtotal before tax and tip, so the card fee on tax and tips isn't offset. Card network rules and state laws apply, and some states limit or ban surcharges.
Cards the program coversEvery card, debit and credit (dual pricing or cash discount)Source: Toast Central (opens in a new tab)Toast also offers credit card surcharging, which only covers credit cards. When a vendor publishes both, we use the program that covers every card, the same for every vendor. Toast says you still pay your contract rate on every card sale; the card price your customers pay offsets it. Toast Dual Pricing is for eligible new US customers.
Monthly fee for the programUnconfirmed()Source: Toast Central (help center) (opens in a new tab)Toast doesn't publish a separate fee for Dual Pricing or surcharging; its Dual Pricing packages can carry a monthly processing minimum.
Your POS and your business
Data pointValue
Works with these restaurant POSToastSource: Toast Central (help center) (opens in a new tab)Processing built into this POS: it lists its own POS.
Requires the vendor's own POSYesSource: Toast Central (help center) (opens in a new tab)Toast's processing only runs through Toast POS, and Toast POS only works with it; Toast documents no way to use its processing with another POS. Same rule for every vendor: "yes" unless the vendor documents a way to use its processing with another POS.
Monthly volume it's built forQuote onlySource: Toast (opens in a new tab)Toast publishes no minimum volume; pay-as-you-go plans and Dual Pricing packages can carry processing minimums set in your order.
Accepts high-risk businessesUnconfirmedSource: Toast (opens in a new tab)Toast serves restaurants and retail; its terms don't publish a list of accepted or refused business types.
Routes debit to the lowest-cost networkNot publishedSource: Toast (opens in a new tab)Toast doesn't publish how it routes debit cards.
Support
Data pointValue
24/7 support for merchantsYesSource: Toast (opens in a new tab)
Support channelsPhone, ChatSource: Toast (opens in a new tab)
Language
Data pointValue
Support in SpanishChat in SpanishSource: Toast Central (help center) (opens in a new tab)Support chat in Spanish (and other languages) when your browser or phone is set to Spanish; Toast doesn't publish a Spanish phone line.
Merchant dashboard in SpanishYes()Source: Toast Central (help center) (opens in a new tab)The same help article shows how to pick the language in Toast Web, the back office, from your account settings.
Contract or terms in SpanishNoSource: Toast (opens in a new tab)Toast publishes its Merchant Agreement and processing terms in English; we found no Spanish version. Same rule for every vendor: we mark it "No" when we searched and found the terms only in other languages.
US website in SpanishYesSource: Toast (opens in a new tab)Toast's sales site has a US Spanish version (es-US), and its help center is also in US Spanish.

More about Toast Payments

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