Head-to-head comparison

CMC POS vs Toast — the restaurant showdown.

Toast's true cost is buried in add-ons: online ordering ($75/mo), loyalty ($75/mo), marketing ($75/mo), plus 2.49% processing. CMC POS bundles everything at a lower rate — with a 0% Fee Saver option Toast doesn't offer.

Switch from Toast Calculate your savings

Save $3,000–$6,000+

per year vs Toast all-in

No hardware lock-in

use your existing equipment

All-in-one pricing

no loyalty, marketing, or ordering add-ons

Processing cost comparison

Toast rates assume card-present processing. Add-on costs (online ordering, loyalty, marketing) not included here — those add $150–$225/mo more.

Monthly VolumeToast FeesCMC POS FeesAnnual Savings
$10,000/mo$249–$350$183$792–$2,004/yr
$25,000/mo$623–$875$458$1,980–$5,004/yr
$50,000/mo$1,245–$1,750$0 (Fee Saver)$14,940–$21,000/yr
$100,000/mo$2,490–$3,500$0 (Fee Saver)$29,880–$42,000/yr

Processing fees only. Add Toast's online ordering, loyalty, and marketing add-ons for full cost picture. Fee Saver passes fees to customer — your processing cost is $0.

Feature-by-feature comparison

Feature
CMC POS
Toast POS
Monthly software fee
From $50/mo
$0 (Starter, limited) / $69–$165+/mo
In-person processing rate
1.83% (0% with Fee Saver)
2.49% + $0.15 (card present)
Online ordering processing
2.61% + $0.08
3.5% + $0.15
Zero-fee processing option
✓ Fee Saver available
✗ Not available
Hardware cost
Works with existing POS hardware
Toast proprietary hardware only ($627–$999+)
Hardware locked to Toast
✗ No lock-in
✓ Hardware non-transferable
Online ordering platform
✓ Included
Toast Online Ordering ($75/mo add-on)
Loyalty program
✓ Included
Toast Loyalty ($25–$75/mo add-on)
Email & SMS marketing
✓ Included
Toast Marketing ($75/mo add-on)
Scheduling / labor management
✓ Scheduling included
Toast Payroll & Team Mgmt ($13+/employee)
Menu management
✓ Full menu builder
✓ Strong restaurant menu builder
Table management
✓ Included
✓ Available
Kitchen display system
✓ Included
✓ Available (hardware extra)
Contract / lock-in
Month-to-month
2-year hardware financing common

Why restaurants switch from Toast to CMC POS

Toast's add-ons drain your margins

Online ordering, loyalty, and marketing each cost $25–$75/month extra. CMC POS includes all of these in your base subscription — no nickel-and-diming.

No hardware lock-in

Toast hardware is proprietary. If you leave Toast, your terminals are worthless. CMC POS works with standard industry hardware so you're never trapped.

2-year contracts are the Toast norm

Toast frequently bundles hardware financing with 2-year service agreements. CMC POS is month-to-month — leave any time with no penalties.

Fee Saver cuts processing to zero

Toast has no zero-fee option. CMC POS's Fee Saver lets you pass processing fees transparently to customers — completely legal and compliant in all 50 states.

Common questions about switching from Toast

Is CMC POS good for restaurants?+
Yes. CMC POS supports menu management, table management, kitchen display, online ordering, and loyalty programs — all the features restaurants need, at a lower monthly cost than Toast and with no hardware lock-in.
Does Toast charge extra for online ordering?+
Toast Online Ordering is an add-on starting at $75/month. CMC POS includes online ordering in the standard subscription. Toast also charges 3.5% + $0.15 for online transactions vs CMC POS's 2.61% + $0.08.
Can I use my existing hardware if I switch from Toast to CMC POS?+
Toast hardware is proprietary and cannot be repurposed. CMC POS works with most standard POS terminals and card readers. Our team will confirm hardware compatibility during onboarding.
What is the total monthly cost of Toast vs CMC POS for a restaurant doing $30,000/month?+
Toast: $69–$165 plan + $747–$1,050 processing + $75 online ordering + $25–$75 loyalty = $916–$1,365/month. CMC POS: $50–$80 plan + $549 processing (or $0 with Fee Saver) + all features included = $549–$630/month. Savings of $300–$800/month.

Done with Toast's add-on pricing?

Switch to CMC POS for everything included, lower fees, and a 0% processing option. Migration is free.

Switch from Toast — Free Migration