A frequent restaurant shortlist. Clover is a general-purpose POS often bundled by your bank; Toast is a restaurant-specific platform sold direct.
Clover vs Toast at a glance
| Clover | Toast | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 3.9 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Software cost | $0+ per month (reseller-set) | $0–$69+ per month |
| In-person rate | ~2.5% + 10¢ (reseller-set) | 2.49% + 15¢ (quote-based) |
| Commitment | 3-year contract | 3-year contract |
| Best for | Choosing your own processor | Restaurants (dine-in + online) |
Choose Clover if…
- You want lighter, more general-purpose software
- You prefer to keep your current merchant-services provider
- Your menu and kitchen workflow are simple
Choose Toast if…
- You need KDS, coursing, tableside and 86ing
- You want first-party online ordering and delivery dispatch
- You run multiple locations or high covers
Pricing side by side
| Plan | Starter | Standard | Advanced | Starter Kit | Point of Sale | Build Your Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | From ~$0–$15/mo | From ~$50/mo | From ~$85/mo | $0 | $69/mo per terminal | Custom |
| In-person rate | ~2.6% + 10¢ (reseller-dependent) | ~2.3%–2.6% + 10¢ | Reseller-dependent | Quote-based | Quote-based | Quote-based |
| Online rate | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Keyed rate | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Hardware | From ~$799 or financed | — | — | $0 down (pay-as-you-go) | — | — |
| Commitment | 3-year contract | 3-year contract | 3-year contract | 3-year contract | 3-year contract | 3-year contract |
Feature comparison
| Feature | Clover | Toast |
|---|---|---|
| Payments | ||
| Card-present payments | Yes | Yes |
| Offline mode | Yes | Yes |
| Inventory | ||
| Inventory tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Purchase orders | Partial | Yes |
| Reporting & analytics | ||
| Sales reporting | Yes | Yes |
| Online ordering | ||
| Menu / modifier management | Yes | Yes |
| First-party online ordering | Partial | Yes |
| Loyalty & marketing | ||
| Loyalty program | Partial | Yes |
| Gift cards | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-location | ||
| Multi-location management | Partial | Yes |
| Integrations & API | ||
| Open API | Yes | Yes |
| App marketplace | Yes | Yes |
Our verdict
Choose Toast for full-service and multi-unit restaurants that need real kitchen and labor tooling. Choose Clover for a simple bar, café or counter-service spot where a familiar processor relationship and lower complexity matter more than restaurant depth.
Frequently asked questions
Is Clover good enough for a full-service restaurant?
It can work for smaller operations, but it lacks the depth of coursing, prep-station routing and labor tools that Toast provides out of the box.
Not sure which to pick?
Tell us about your business and we’ll recommend the better fit.