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- SpotOn. RTC Score: 6.0 out of 10. #2 of 13 with enough data. Software from: $0/mo.
- Toast. RTC Score: 3.4 out of 10. #13 of 13 with enough data. Software from: $69/mo.
- The lines without a name are the other 11 with enough data: 8.8, 5.8, 5.7, 5.3, 4.9, 4.7, 4.5, 4.5, 4.1, 3.8, 3.7.
- Methodology v0.5.0.
RTC SCORE
6.0
#2 of 13 with enough data
SpotOn
- Lowest cost to get started (tied). Among 12 POS systems whose upfront prices are published, for our reference restaurant.
Restaurant POS with two published plans. All-In costs $0 per station with hardware included and a 2-year minimum; POS Essentials costs $55 per station a month with month-to-month software and lower card rates. Payments run through SpotOn under a processing agreement with a 3-year initial term.
RTC SCORE
3.4
#13 of 13 with enough data
Toast
All-in-one restaurant POS that runs card payments through Toast. The Point of Sale plan costs $69 a month; the Starter Kit has no monthly software fee but higher pay-as-you-go card rates. The term is set in your order form.
Key differences
| Data point | SpotOn | Toast |
|---|---|---|
| Software from | $0/mo | $69/mo |
| In-person card rate | 2.79% | 2.49% |
| In-person fee per transaction | 20¢ | 15¢ |
| Online card rate | 3.79% | 3.5% |
| Online fee per transaction | 20¢ | 15¢ |
| Keyed-in card rate | 3.79% | 3.5% |
| Keyed-in fee per transaction | 20¢ | 15¢ |
- Best value: In-person card rate (Toast); In-person fee per transaction (Toast); Online card rate (Toast); Online fee per transaction (Toast); Keyed-in card rate (Toast); Keyed-in fee per transaction (Toast).
- Values per NerdWallet: In-person card rate (Toast); In-person fee per transaction (Toast); Online card rate (Toast); Online fee per transaction (Toast); Keyed-in card rate (Toast); Keyed-in fee per transaction (Toast).
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Score by criterion
- RTC ScoreSpotOn: 6.0 · Toast: 3.4
- Cost to get started (reference restaurant)Weight 25%SpotOn: 10.0 · Toast: 5.5
- Switching or signing bonus you qualify for (reference restaurant)Weight 25%SpotOn: 0.0 · Toast: 0.0
- 36-month total cost (reference restaurant)Weight 20%SpotOn: 10.0 · Toast: No data
- Own online orderingWeight 11%SpotOn: 5.0 · Toast: 5.0
- Hardware warranty includedWeight 8%SpotOn: 3.0 · Toast: 5.5
- Support 24/7 (as the vendor publishes it)Weight 5%SpotOn: 10.0 · Toast: 10.0
- Initial termWeight 2%SpotOn: 3.0 · Toast: No data
- Early termination feeWeight 2%SpotOn: 5.0 · Toast: 5.0
- Exclusive processing commitmentWeight 1%SpotOn: 0.0 · Toast: 0.0
- Trial or money-back periodWeight 1%SpotOn: 0.0 · Toast: 0.0
- Length of automatic renewalsWeight 1%SpotOn: 7.0 · Toast: 7.0
- Notice to avoid renewalWeight 0%SpotOn: 10.0 · Toast: 10.0
- Data completenessSpotOn: 100% · Toast: 79%
No data: lowers data completeness, never counts as zero. Methodology v0.5.0.
Side by side
| Feature | SpotOnRTC Score: 6.0 out of 10 | ToastRTC Score: 3.4 out of 10 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | ||
| Software from | $0/moSource: SpotOn (opens in a new tab)All-In: $0 per station with a 2-year minimum and processing minimums. POS Essentials: $55 per station a month, month to month. | $69/moSource: Toast (opens in a new tab)Point of Sale plan, the one whose card rates we list. The Starter Kit has no monthly software fee but uses pay-as-you-go card rates (3.09% to 3.69% + 15¢, per NerdWallet), and leaving it early costs $150 for each month left. |
| Software billed per | Terminal or deviceSource: SpotOn (opens in a new tab) | Location()Source: Toast (opens in a new tab)The $69 plan covers one location with its first terminal; each additional device adds a monthly subscription whose price Toast doesn't publish. |
| Kitchen display (KDS) fee | $20/mo per deviceSource: SpotOn (opens in a new tab)Plus $500 per screen and $100 for installation. | Being re-verified()(due for a re-check)Source: Merchant Maverick (opens in a new tab)As reported by Merchant Maverick; Toast doesn't publish it. The same guide lists the kitchen display screen hardware at $674 plus $35 a month. |
| Payment processing | ||
| Who processes your cards | Must use the vendor's processingSource: SpotOn (TSYS processing terms) (opens in a new tab) | Must use the vendor's processing()Source: NerdWallet (opens in a new tab)Card payments on Toast run through Toast Payments. |
| Pricing model for card fees | Flat rateSource: SpotOn (opens in a new tab) | Flat rateSource: Toast (opens in a new tab) |
| In-person card rate | 2.79%Source: SpotOn (opens in a new tab)All-In plan. POS Essentials is 2.45% + 15¢ (American Express 3.19% + 15¢). | 2.49%(Best value)()(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 transaction | 20¢Source: SpotOn (opens in a new tab) | 15¢(Best value)()(due for a re-check)Source: NerdWallet (opens in a new tab) |
| Online card rate | 3.79%Source: SpotOn (opens in a new tab)All-In plan; online orders pay the keyed-in rate. On POS Essentials it is 3.45% + 15¢. | 3.5%(Best value)()(due for a re-check)Source: NerdWallet (opens in a new tab) |
| Online fee per transaction | 20¢Source: SpotOn (opens in a new tab) | 15¢(Best value)()(due for a re-check)Source: NerdWallet (opens in a new tab) |
| Keyed-in card rate | 3.79%Source: SpotOn (opens in a new tab)All-In plan. POS Essentials is 3.45% + 15¢. | 3.5%(Best value)()(due for a re-check)Source: NerdWallet (opens in a new tab)NerdWallet reports one card-not-present rate for keyed and online payments. |
| Keyed-in fee per transaction | 20¢Source: SpotOn (opens in a new tab) | 15¢(Best value)()(due for a re-check)Source: NerdWallet (opens in a new tab) |
| Annual fees per device | $0/yr per deviceSource: SpotOn (opens in a new tab)SpotOn's pricing and payments pages list no annual, PCI or regulatory fee per device, and Merchant Cost Consulting, a firm that audits processing fees, reported in May 2026 that SpotOn charges no annual or PCI fees. | Being re-verified()(due for a re-check)Source: Effingham County, GA (public meeting records) (opens in a new tab)A Toast order form made public by a county government lists card rates and a $15 chargeback fee but no annual, PCI or regulatory fee per device, and the Merchant Agreement and its processing terms publish none either. Toast does charge a monthly subscription for each device after the first (amount not published). |
| Dual pricing or surcharge program | YesSource: SpotOn (opens in a new tab)SpotOn Dual Pricing (a card price and a lower cash price, covering every card type; it needs SpotOn's approval 30 days ahead) and Credit Card Surcharging (credit only, up to 3%, 2% in Colorado and Oklahoma, not in CT, ME or MA). With the program, card processing costs your restaurant $0 in our estimate and your customers pay the difference. Card network rules and state laws apply, and some states limit or ban surcharges. | YesSource: 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. Card network rules and state laws apply, and some states limit or ban surcharges. |
| Cards the program covers | Every card, debit and credit (dual pricing or cash discount)Source: SpotOn Help Center (opens in a new tab)SpotOn also offers a surcharge program, which only covers credit cards. When a vendor publishes both, we use the program that covers every card, the same for every vendor. | Every 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. |
| Other fees in the contract | Implementation (menu build, installation and training) is charged on top; the amount is not on the pricing page. The All-In plan has processing minimums. Leaving within two years can trigger the hardware discount clawback (Merchant Terms §1.4).Source: SpotOn (opens in a new tab) | Installation: about $1,000 per day on site or $800 per day remote, per NerdWallet. Modules such as online ordering and payroll are billed separately.()(due for a re-check)Source: NerdWallet (opens in a new tab) |
| Hardware | ||
| Hardware | Included in the planSource: SpotOn (opens in a new tab)Included in the All-In plan. With POS Essentials you buy the hardware (financing available). | You buy it()Source: NerdWallet (opens in a new tab)Bought up front or financed; with the Starter Kit the hardware kit has no upfront cost in exchange for higher card rates. |
| Hardware works with another processor | No()Source: SpotOn (opens in a new tab)This applies to hardware SpotOn loans, leases or rents, such as the stations in the All-In plan, which stay SpotOn's and go back when the agreement ends (Merchant Terms §1.4). The terms don't say whether hardware you buy outright on POS Essentials can be used with another processor. | No()Source: NerdWallet (opens in a new tab)As reported by NerdWallet (Aug 2026) and Merchant Maverick (2025): using Toast requires Toast Payments, and Toast software runs only on Toast's own Android hardware, so the equipment doesn't move with you to another processor. |
| Hardware warranty included | 1 yearSource: SpotOn (opens in a new tab)One year from shipment. It comes from SpotOn's 2019 restaurant POS terms, which are still published and linked from its legal pages; the current Merchant Terms (December 16, 2024) give no hardware warranty length. No longer coverage is published for the hardware included in the All-In plan. | 2 yearsSource: Toast (opens in a new tab)Two years on the countertop terminal (Toast Flex) and other hardware that is not handheld; one year on handhelds such as the Toast Go 3. It covers only hardware bought directly from Toast, and the Merchant Agreement incorporates it (§9.3). |
| Warranty conditions | SpotOn repairs or replaces the unit at its discretion. You need SpotOn's written approval, proof of purchase and a backup of your data. SpotOn pays shipping both ways on covered claims; if it decides a claim is not covered, you pay the repair or replacement and the shipping. No advance replacement is promised. The warranty does not apply to damage from negligence, misuse, abuse, accidents, electrical problems, theft, vandalism, water or force majeure, or to unauthorized changes or devices SpotOn has not approved. On the All-In plan the hardware stays SpotOn's: you must keep it in good working condition, return it within 15 business days after the agreement ends, and a unit you don't return is charged the replacement fee in your Fee Summary or, if none is set, its fair market value (Merchant Terms §1.4). SpotOn publishes no paid protection plan.Source: SpotOn (opens in a new tab) | Defects only. Toast chooses the fix: help by phone, a new or refurbished replacement, or a credit. The warranty terms say Toast makes reasonable efforts to ship an advance replacement by next-day air, but its replacement help article says standard shipping takes 3 to 5 business days and 1-to-2-day shipping may cost extra. You return the old unit within 30 days or pay the replacement price plus shipping, and a replacement is covered for the rest of the original period or 30 days, whichever is longer. Not covered: abuse, negligence, accidents, misuse, loss, theft, abnormal wear, improper transport, acts of God and unauthorized service; cracked screens, drops and liquid damage are billed at the full replacement price, and units outside the warranty are repaired or replaced at Toast's standard rates. Card readers built into handhelds have 1 year and other readers 2 years, although the same help article also says 1 year for readers in general. Toast publishes no paid extended warranty or accidental-damage plan. Software support continues for 3 years after the hardware warranty ends (Product Lifetime Policy); that covers software, not hardware. Hardware bought directly from Toast in the US can be returned within 90 days of shipment if it is in its original condition with all packaging and accessories: Toast credits the purchase price and pays the return shipping.Source: Toast (opens in a new tab) |
| Price to replace the main terminal | $750 one-timeSource: SpotOn (opens in a new tab)SpotOn Station 15 on its own, the standard countertop station, listed at its current price of $750 (list price shown crossed out at $995). On the All-In plan the station is included, and the charge for a lost or unreturned one is the replacement fee in your Fee Summary or its fair market value, which is not published. | Being re-verified()(due for a re-check)Source: Merchant Maverick (opens in a new tab)As reported by Merchant Maverick: the Toast Flex countertop terminal with the Toast Tap card reader, without printer or cash drawer; the $50 a month is the device's software subscription. Toast doesn't publish this price itself: it bills damaged or out-of-warranty units at the full replacement price, and its online shop shows no prices without logging in. Other reviewers report $799 or more for the terminal. |
| Contract and exit | ||
| Initial term | 36 monthsSource: SpotOn (TSYS processing terms) (opens in a new tab)Same rule for every vendor, the longest binding term among the software and processing agreements. SpotOn's published processing terms set a 3-year initial term (§4.1). The All-In plan also has a 2-year software minimum, and POS Essentials software is month to month. | Quote 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 renewal | 12 monthsSource: SpotOn (TSYS processing terms) (opens in a new tab)Renewal of the processing agreement. | 12 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 renewal | 30 daysSource: SpotOn (TSYS processing terms) (opens in a new tab) | 30 daysSource: Toast (opens in a new tab) |
| How the early termination fee is calculated | Software or subscription fees left in the termSource: SpotOn (opens in a new tab)The processing agreement adds an Account Closure Fee whose amount is only in your application. | Software or subscription fees left in the termSource: Toast (opens in a new tab)On subscription plans. On a pay-as-you-go plan such as the Starter Kit it is $150 for each month left in the term (§8.4). |
| Early termination fee | Software: all monthly subscription fees left in the term (Merchant Terms §10.4), and if you leave within two years you may be charged the difference between the hardware list price and the discounted price you paid (§1.4). Processing: 30 days' notice plus an Account Closure Fee whose amount is in your application (§5.2.C).Source: SpotOn (opens in a new tab) | On subscription plans, the 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).Source: Toast (opens in a new tab)The example in dollars uses the Point of Sale plan. If Toast raises card rates or the core POS fee, you can terminate without this fee (§6.2). |
| Exclusive processing commitment | YesSource: SpotOn (TSYS processing terms) (opens in a new tab) | Yes()Source: NerdWallet (opens in a new tab) |
| Right to raise prices during the term | SpotOn may change its fees with at least 30 days' notice (Merchant Terms §3.3); the processing agreement can be amended with 30 days' notice.Source: SpotOn (opens in a new tab) | Software 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) |
| Trial or money-back period | None published()Source: SpotOn (opens in a new tab)We checked SpotOn's pricing page, Point of Sale Terms, payments terms and merchant terms: no trial or refund window for the restaurant POS is published. | None published()Source: Toast (opens in a new tab)We checked Toast's pricing page and Merchant Agreement: no trial or refund window for the POS is published. |
| Trial conditions | No trial is published. SpotOn's Point of Sale Terms say the restaurant POS and processing agreement is month to month, the $400 deposit is refundable until your installation date, and if you cancel within a year of installation you pay the difference between what you paid for the hardware and its full list price.()Source: SpotOn (opens in a new tab) | No trial is published. Fees can't be canceled or refunded (Merchant Agreement §6.1). Leaving early costs the subscription fees left in the term, or $150 a month on pay-as-you-go.()Source: Toast (opens in a new tab) |
| Trial period | N/A()Source: SpotOn (opens in a new tab)SpotOn publishes no trial period. | N/A()Source: Toast (opens in a new tab)Toast publishes no trial period. |
| Charges during the trial | N/A()Source: SpotOn (opens in a new tab)SpotOn publishes no trial period. | N/A()Source: Toast (opens in a new tab)Toast publishes no trial period. |
| Personal guarantee by the signer | Not published()Source: SpotOn (TSYS processing terms) (opens in a new tab)SpotOn's processing terms refer to a personal guarantor identified in the merchant application, if one is designated; whether you must sign one depends on your application. | No()Source: 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. |
| Online ordering and delivery | ||
| Own online ordering | Paid add-onSource: SpotOn (opens in a new tab)SpotOn Order is part of the Core Bundle add-on: $50 a month per location plus 0.20% of your card volume, capped at $200 a month. | Paid add-onSource: Toast (opens in a new tab)Toast's pricing table marks Digital Storefront Essentials (Toast Online Ordering) as an add-on on the Starter Kit and the Point of Sale plan; its price is by quote. |
| No per-order commission on own online ordering | YesSource: SpotOn (opens in a new tab) | YesSource: Toast (opens in a new tab) |
| Delivery app integrations | DoorDash, Uber EatsSource: SpotOn (opens in a new tab)SpotOn's online ordering page lists the DoorDash and Uber Eats integrations at $25 a month each. Grubhub is not named; Deliverect is a third-party hub. | DoorDash, Uber Eats, GrubhubSource: Toast (opens in a new tab) |
| Features | ||
| Kitchen display system (KDS) | Paid add-onSource: SpotOn (opens in a new tab) | Paid add-onSource: Toast Central (help center) (opens in a new tab)Toast's help center says the account must be subscribed to the Kitchen Display Screen Software product, and each KDS screen has its own subscription, added through your Toast sales rep. |
| Loyalty program | Paid add-onSource: SpotOn (opens in a new tab) | Paid add-on()Source: Toast (opens in a new tab)Toast's pricing table marks Marketing Essentials (Toast Loyalty, email marketing and gift cards) as an add-on on every plan; its price is by quote. Merchant Maverick reports Toast Loyalty at $50 a month. |
| Support | ||
| Support 24/7 | YesSource: SpotOn (opens in a new tab) | YesSource: Toast (opens in a new tab) |
Contracts compared
| Product | Initial term | Auto-renewal | Early termination fee | Exclusive processing commitment | Price increases during the term | Trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SpotOnSource: SpotOn (opens in a new tab) | 36 monthsSource: SpotOn (TSYS processing terms) (opens in a new tab)Same rule for every vendor, the longest binding term among the software and processing agreements. SpotOn's published processing terms set a 3-year initial term (§4.1). The All-In plan also has a 2-year software minimum, and POS Essentials software is month to month. | Renews for 12 monthsSource: SpotOn (TSYS processing terms) (opens in a new tab)Renewal of the processing agreement.30 days' notice to cancel renewal | Software: all monthly subscription fees left in the term (Merchant Terms §10.4), and if you leave within two years you may be charged the difference between the hardware list price and the discounted price you paid (§1.4). Processing: 30 days' notice plus an Account Closure Fee whose amount is in your application (§5.2.C). | Yes, for the whole termSource: SpotOn (TSYS processing terms) (opens in a new tab) | SpotOn may change its fees with at least 30 days' notice (Merchant Terms §3.3); the processing agreement can be amended with 30 days' notice. | N/A()Source: SpotOn (opens in a new tab)SpotOn publishes no trial period. |
| ToastSource: Toast (opens in a new tab) | Quote only | Renews for 12 months30 days' notice to cancel renewal | On subscription plans, the 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).How it's calculated: 100% of the fees left in the term | Yes, for the whole term()Source: NerdWallet (opens in a new tab) | Software 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). | N/A |
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