Shopify POS vs Toast: Complete Comparison 2026

An in-depth comparison of features, pricing, and user experience to help you make the right choice.

Shopify POS

8.0(14,200 reviews)

Shopify's in-store POS that unifies online and physical retail. Included with Shopify plans; Pro upgrade at $89/mo per location.

8.4(31,200 reviews)

Restaurant-focused POS with kitchen displays, online ordering, and tableside payments. Free Starter plan; paid plans from $69/mo.

Aspect	Shopify POS	Toast
Best For	Shopify merchants expanding from online-only to physical retail locations	Full-service restaurants that need kitchen display systems and tableside ordering
Pricing Model	Subscription	Freemium
Starting Price	$39/mo	Free
Deployment	cloud	cloud
Platforms	WEB, IOS, ANDROID	WEB, ANDROID
Rating	8.0/10	8.4/10

Seamless omnichannel sync between online and physical store for inventory, customers, and orders
POS Lite is included free with any Shopify plan — no additional software cost to start selling in-person
Access to 8,000+ Shopify apps that extend POS functionality with loyalty, marketing, and more
Buy-online-pickup-in-store (BOPIS) and ship-from-store workflows are best in class
Works on existing iPhones and iPads so you can start with hardware you already own

Not competitive as a standalone POS — the value is only realized if you also run a Shopify online store
Restaurant features are completely absent — this is a retail-only POS system
Requires a Shopify subscription ($39-399/month) even if your online store is secondary to physical retail
Inventory management on POS Lite lacks depth — no purchase orders, vendor management, or aging reports
In-store analytics and staff performance tracking require the $89/month POS Pro upgrade per location

Purpose-built for restaurants with kitchen display systems, coursing, and auto-86 functionality
Built-in online ordering eliminates expensive third-party delivery commissions of 15-30%
Tableside ordering with Toast Go handhelds speeds up service and increases table turnover
Free Starter plan lets small restaurants get started without upfront software costs
Comprehensive payroll and team management tools designed specifically for restaurant staff

Proprietary hardware is mandatory — you cannot run Toast on an iPad or any third-party device
Early termination fees can reach $5,000-10,000+ if you try to leave your contract early
Customer support quality is inconsistent — some reps are great, others clearly read from scripts
The system depends heavily on internet connectivity and offline mode has significant limitations
Hardware costs for a full restaurant setup can hit $2,500-4,000 before you serve your first customer

Product	Pricing Model	Starting Price
Shopify POS	subscription	$39/mo
Toast	freemium	Free0

Choose Shopify POS if...

Shopify merchants expanding from online-only to physical retail locations

Choose Toast if...

Full-service restaurants that need kitchen display systems and tableside ordering

Explore more alternatives or read in-depth reviews to make your decision.