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E-Commerce · head to head

3dcart vs Toast

3dcart logo

3dcart

E-Commerce

All-in-one ecommerce platform for online retailers

From
$19/month
Rated
-
Toast logo

Toast

E-Commerce

Cloud POS platform for restaurants and hospitality

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Toast has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 3dcart limited scalability compared to enterprise e-commerce platforms; Toast starter tier lacks advanced features; most capabilities require paid plans above $69/month
  • They diverge on capability: 3dcart covers Store builder, Toast covers Point of sale.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which 3dcart and Toast actually diverge.

Attributes where 3dcart and Toast differ
Attribute3dcartToast
Starting price$19/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android, Tablets, Web browsers
Founded19972011

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), user rating (Not yet rated), category (E-Commerce).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in 3dcart

  • Store builder
  • Unlimited products
  • Shopping cart
  • Payment processing
  • Inventory management
  • Email marketing
  • SEO optimization
  • Mobile responsive

Only in Toast

  • Point of sale
  • Order management
  • Kitchen display system
  • Employee scheduling
  • Customer management
  • Inventory tracking
  • Analytics & reporting
  • Delivery integration

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

3dcart

  • Building multi-channel stores across Facebook, eBay, Amazon in parallelnot Toast
  • Recovering abandoned shopping carts with automated email sequencesnot Toast
  • Calculating real-time shipping costs and integrating carrier APIsnot Toast
  • Protecting payment processing with VISA PCI certificationnot Toast

Toast

No use cases recorded yet. See the Toast review.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

3dcart

  • Limited scalability compared to enterprise e-commerce platforms
  • Payment processing tied to Shift4 Payments after acquisition
  • Fewer advanced marketing and analytics features than competitors

Toast

  • Starter tier lacks advanced features; most capabilities require paid plans above $69/month
  • No free tier for advanced features like employee scheduling, inventory, or loyalty programs
  • Setup and training time required for complex multi-location deployments
  • Payment processing tied to Toast ecosystem; limited flexibility for alternative payment processors
  • Hardware costs can be substantial for full-featured setups with multiple terminals and kitchen displays

Pricing, plan by plan

3dcart

$19/month
  • Starter$19/month
    • Unlimited products
    • Basic templates
    • Email support

Toast

Free
  • Starter KitFree
    • Cloud-based POS
    • Payment processing
    • 1-2 terminals
  • Point of Sale$69/month
    • Custom hardware configurations
    • Advanced reporting
    • Core POS features

Which should you pick?

Choose 3dcart if

  • You need store builder.
  • You also want unlimited products.

Choose Toast if

  • You need point of sale.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Tablets, Web browsers.
  • You also want order management.

Questions people ask

Is 3dcart or Toast better?
Neither clearly leads. 3dcart starts at $19/month and Toast at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, 3dcart or Toast?
Toast has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $19/month for 3dcart and Free for Toast.
Does 3dcart or Toast run on more platforms?
3dcart runs on Web. Toast runs on Web, iOS, Android, Tablets, Web browsers.
Can I use Toast for free?
Yes. Toast has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. 3dcart starts at $19/month.
What is 3dcart best used for?
3dcart is most often used for building multi-channel stores across facebook, ebay, amazon in parallel, recovering abandoned shopping carts with automated email sequences, calculating real-time shipping costs and integrating carrier apis, protecting payment processing with visa pci certification. Of those, building multi-channel stores across facebook, ebay, amazon in parallel and recovering abandoned shopping carts with automated email sequences are not what Toast is typically brought in for.
What can 3dcart do that Toast cannot?
3dcart covers Store builder, Unlimited products, Shopping cart, Payment processing. Toast covers Point of sale, Order management, Kitchen display system, Employee scheduling.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

3dcart: What is the starting price for 3dcart?

3dcart (now Shift4Shop) starts at $19/month with no setup fees, transaction fees, or hidden fees.

Source
Toast: What is the cost of Toast POS?

Toast offers a free Starter Kit tier for one or two terminals with POS and payment processing at no upfront cost, though costs are built into payment processing rates. Paid plans start at $69/month for the Point of Sale plan, with Custom tier available via quote for advanced features.

Source
3dcart: Does 3dcart include hosting?

Yes. 3dcart includes web hosting, domain support, and built-in website building tools with no separate hosting costs.

Source
Toast: Does Toast include online ordering?

Yes. Toast offers online ordering capabilities where customers can order via QR code while seated (Order & Pay) or through standalone online ordering integrated with the POS for kitchen automation.

Source
3dcart: What happened to 3dcart?

Shift4 Payments acquired 3dcart in November 2020. The platform is now operated under the name Shift4Shop but maintains the same core functionality and pricing.

Source
Toast: Does Toast offer drive-through capabilities?

Yes. In April 2026, Toast launched a drive-thru product supporting voice ordering through integrations, allowing restaurants to automate drive-through workflows.

Source
3dcart: Does 3dcart offer free templates?

Yes. 3dcart provides dozens of professionally designed, industry-specific templates that are mobile-friendly, SEO optimized, and highly customizable.

Source
3dcart: What payment methods does 3dcart support?

3dcart integrates with multiple payment gateways including Shift4 Payments, Stripe, PayPal, and other major payment processors.

Source
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