Choosing the best Point of Sale (POS) system can feel like a big decision, especially with today’s fast-changing business environment and customer expectations at an all-time high. As small business owners work to boost efficiency and keep customers happy, the right POS can mean the difference between smooth operations and daily headaches. In 2025, Toast POS and Loyverse POS have both gained substantial followings, each offering solutions that cater to different business needs and budgets. Toast continues to make waves as a leader in restaurant technology, while Loyverse appeals to those seeking a capable yet affordable POS. With the market shifting rapidly and business needs evolving, understanding how these two platforms stack up is more relevant than ever.
Toast POS has secured its position as an industry heavyweight, commanding a substantial 21.50% market share and establishing itself as a go-to solution for restaurant operations. The platform focuses exclusively on food service businesses, offering deep functionality tailored specifically for the complex workflows restaurants face daily. Its comprehensive ecosystem includes proprietary hardware, integrated payment processing, and specialized features like table mapping and kitchen display systems that streamline restaurant operations from order taking to food delivery.
Loyverse takes a fundamentally different approach by offering a free basic POS solution that appeals to budget-conscious entrepreneurs across various industries. Rather than specializing in one vertical, Loyverse provides versatile functionality suitable for retail stores, cafes, boutiques, and service-based businesses. This flexibility allows small business owners to implement professional POS capabilities without the financial burden typically associated with comprehensive systems.
The contrast between these platforms extends beyond pricing to encompass different philosophies about POS systems. Toast represents the premium, specialized approach with deep industry-specific features and robust support infrastructure. Loyverse embodies the accessible, flexible approach that prioritizes affordability and ease of use over specialized functionality. Your choice between them ultimately depends on whether you value depth in restaurant-specific features or prefer broad applicability with minimal financial investment.
The pricing structures of these platforms reflect their different market positioning strategies. Toast operates on a subscription model starting at approximately $69 monthly for basic functionality, with additional costs for premium features, hardware, and mandatory payment processing through their system. This approach can result in substantial monthly expenses, particularly when businesses require multiple terminals or advanced capabilities. Toast typically charges around 2.49% + $0.15 per transaction for payment processing, creating ongoing operational costs that scale with sales volume.
Loyverse offers a genuinely free basic version that includes essential POS features like sales processing, basic inventory management, and fundamental reporting capabilities. This allows small businesses to implement functional POS systems with zero upfront software costs. When businesses need advanced features, Loyverse provides affordable add-ons such as Employee Management at $5 monthly per employee and Advanced Inventory at $25 monthly. This modular approach enables businesses to scale their POS capabilities gradually without overwhelming financial commitments.
Hardware requirements also significantly impact total cost considerations. Toast requires proprietary hardware that must be purchased or leased directly from them, typically starting around $799 per terminal. Loyverse functions on existing iOS and Android devices, potentially eliminating dedicated hardware purchases if businesses already own suitable tablets or smartphones. This flexibility represents substantial savings opportunities, especially for multi-location businesses or startups with limited capital resources.
Both systems deliver comprehensive POS capabilities, but with notable differences in specialization and depth. Toast excels in restaurant-specific functionality, offering sophisticated table mapping, course management, and kitchen display system integration. Its order management system handles complex modifications, split checks, and tableside ordering with ease—features that prove invaluable in full-service dining environments. Toast also provides integrated online ordering, delivery management, and digital gift card systems, creating a unified ecosystem for modern restaurant operations.
Loyverse delivers essential POS capabilities suitable for diverse small business types. Its interface facilitates quick transactions, discount applications, and basic customer management without overwhelming users with complexity. The system includes kitchen display features and customer-facing displays at no additional cost, proving particularly valuable for cafes and quick-service establishments. Loyverse also offers offline functionality, allowing continued sales processing during internet outages—a critical feature for businesses in areas with unreliable connectivity.
For inventory tracking, Toast provides real-time monitoring with automatic depletion based on sales, though advanced inventory features require premium subscriptions. The system offers ingredient-level tracking for recipes, helping restaurants manage food costs more effectively. Toast’s inventory system integrates seamlessly with purchasing workflows, enabling automated reorder points and vendor management capabilities that streamline operations for busy restaurants.
Loyverse’s free version includes basic inventory tracking suitable for small operations, while their Advanced Inventory add-on enables purchase orders, inventory valuation reports, and ingredient-level tracking for food service businesses. Both systems support barcode scanning and label printing, though Toast’s implementation tends toward greater automation and sophisticated reporting. The reporting functions also differ significantly, with Toast offering comprehensive analytics and forecasting tools, while Loyverse provides essential sales, tax, and inventory reports sufficient for small business decision-making needs.
Toast features a polished, professional interface designed specifically for restaurant environments. Its customizable layout allows businesses to organize menu items according to their specific operational needs, with color coding and categorization options that facilitate quick order entry during busy periods. The system employs logical workflows that guide users through ordering processes from item selection to payment completion. While powerful, Toast’s comprehensive feature set can present steeper learning curves for new users due to multiple configuration options and advanced capabilities.
Loyverse presents a clean, intuitive interface that prioritizes simplicity and immediate accessibility. The system utilizes a grid-based layout with customizable buttons for products and categories, making it immediately usable even for technologically inexperienced staff members. Navigation follows straightforward patterns with minimal submenus, reducing training time and operational errors during busy periods. The visual simplicity doesn’t compromise functionality for basic operations, though accessing advanced features may require additional interface exploration.
Mobile accessibility differs significantly between platforms. Toast’s mobile capabilities focus primarily on tableside ordering and payment processing through proprietary hardware solutions. Loyverse offers greater flexibility by functioning on virtually any iOS or Android device, allowing businesses to use smartphones or tablets they already own. This approach enables small businesses to implement mobile POS capabilities without significant hardware investments, though it may lack some of the specialized features designed for restaurant-specific workflows.
Restaurant owners facing constant phone interruptions and missed opportunities need specialized solutions that go beyond traditional POS systems. Loman’s AI for restaurants transforms how establishments handle customer communications by providing 24/7 automated phone support that never misses calls or loses potential sales. This intelligent system integrates seamlessly with existing POS platforms like Toast, Square, Clover, and others while adding crucial communication capabilities that traditional systems often overlook.
The platform trains on your restaurant’s specific menus, policies, and customer preferences to provide accurate information and take orders with precision that matches your staff’s knowledge. Loman reduces missed calls that cost restaurants an average of $7,000 monthly in lost revenue, shortens customer wait times during peak periods, and improves overall sales conversion by ensuring every inquiry receives professional attention. Built-in analytics provide real-time insights into call patterns, popular menu items, and customer preferences that help optimize operations and marketing strategies. Unlike complex POS implementations that can take weeks, Loman goes live in under 24 hours and scales effortlessly for single locations, chains, or franchises without disrupting existing workflows.
Toast offers extensive integration options, connecting with over 70 third-party applications across accounting, inventory management, employee scheduling, and customer relationship management categories. Notable integrations include QuickBooks, Xero, 7shifts for scheduling, and various delivery platforms that create comprehensive operational environments. Toast also provides open APIs for custom integrations, though implementation typically requires developer resources. These capabilities prove particularly valuable for businesses with complex management requirements or existing technology investments.
Loyverse provides more focused integration options covering essential business functions:
While fewer than Toast’s offerings, Loyverse’s integrations address fundamental small business needs without overwhelming users with excessive options. The platform’s approach prioritizes essential functionality over comprehensive coverage, making it suitable for businesses with straightforward operational requirements.
Toast operates on a proprietary payment processing model requiring businesses to use Toast as their exclusive processor. This approach simplifies setup and ensures seamless integration but eliminates the ability to negotiate competitive processing rates with alternative providers. Toast’s standard processing fees start at approximately 2.49% + $0.15 per transaction, with higher rates for keyed transactions and specialty card types. While this integrated approach streamlines operations, it may result in higher processing costs for high-volume businesses.
Loyverse offers greater payment processing flexibility, integrating with WorldPay and SumUp in the United States while supporting regional processors internationally. The platform also accommodates external card terminals with preferred processors by recording transactions as “card payments” within the system. This flexibility enables businesses to negotiate competitive processing rates or maintain existing processor relationships, potentially creating significant cost savings for operations with substantial transaction volumes.
Both systems support modern payment methods including contactless transactions, digital wallets, and gift cards, though Toast’s implementation benefits from tighter hardware integration. Cash management features include drawer tracking, payout recording, and shift-end reconciliation capabilities. Toast provides more sophisticated tip management with automatic distribution and detailed reporting, while Loyverse offers simpler tip handling suitable for basic service models.
Toast provides comprehensive support infrastructure including 24/7 phone support, email assistance, and extensive knowledge base documentation. New customers receive dedicated onboarding assistance covering menu setup and staff training, though implementation typically includes fees starting around $499. Toast offers ongoing webinars and training materials to maximize system utilization, ensuring businesses have reliable assistance when needed.
Loyverse offers more limited but accessible support options:
While Loyverse lacks direct phone support, detailed self-help resources and active user communities compensate for this limitation. The platform’s approach requires more user initiative but provides flexibility for businesses to learn at their own pace without scheduled training constraints.
Toast offers robust scalability designed for growing restaurant operations. The system accommodates additional terminals, locations, and menu complexity without performance degradation while providing enterprise-level features like centralized menu management and cross-location reporting. Role-based access controls maintain operational consistency during expansion while allowing location-specific customizations. However, scalability comes with additional monthly fees for each terminal and location added.
Loyverse provides functional scaling capabilities supporting multiple locations under single accounts with consolidated reporting and inventory visibility. The system handles additional registers effectively, though it lacks some sophisticated multi-location management tools. Loyverse’s modular add-on approach allows incremental capability expansion, paying only for actively used features. This makes scaling more economically feasible for resource-constrained businesses, though complex operations may eventually encounter capability limitations.
Data handling during scaling also differs between platforms. Toast utilizes robust cloud infrastructure managing substantial transaction volumes while maintaining performance during peak periods. Loyverse’s cloud system handles moderate volumes effectively but may experience constraints under extremely heavy loads. Both systems offer data export capabilities, allowing transitions to enterprise solutions if businesses outgrow either platform’s capabilities.
Toast POS represents the superior choice for dedicated restaurant operations seeking comprehensive management tools and willing to invest in robust systems. Full-service restaurants, growing restaurant groups, and establishments with complex service models benefit most from Toast’s specialized features, extensive integrations, and scalability options. Businesses with adequate budgets prioritizing dedicated support and restaurant-specific functionality will find Toast’s ecosystem advantageous despite higher costs.
Loyverse stands as the optimal solution for budget-conscious small businesses seeking fundamental POS capabilities without significant financial investment. Its free basic version provides exceptional value for cafes, small retail shops, and businesses beginning digital transformation journeys. The platform’s cross-industry flexibility makes it particularly suitable for hybrid operations or businesses uncertain about long-term operational models. Entrepreneurs with limited technical resources appreciate Loyverse’s intuitive interface and straightforward implementation, though they should consider whether its simplified approach accommodates future growth requirements.
Your final decision should align with specific business requirements, financial constraints, and growth projections over the next 2-3 years. Consider not only current operational needs but also anticipated changes in service models, customer expectations, and competitive pressures. Remember that switching POS systems typically involves significant operational disruption and data migration challenges, making thorough initial evaluation crucial for long-term success. For restaurants specifically, combining either system with specialized communication solutions like Loman creates comprehensive operational coverage that addresses both transaction processing and customer interaction needs, ensuring no revenue opportunities slip through operational gaps while maintaining the efficiency and scalability essential for sustainable growth.
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