Softwr

Food & Restaurant · head to head

Aloha POS vs Toast POS

Aloha POS logo

Aloha POS

Food & Restaurant

Industry-leading restaurant POS solution

From
$150/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Toast POS logo

Toast POS

Food & Restaurant

All-in-one restaurant management platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Aloha POS high upfront hardware costs ($1,000+ per terminal) make it expensive to deploy across multiple locations; Toast POS free tier limited to one or two terminals
  • They diverge on capability: Aloha POS covers Table management, Toast POS covers Cloud POS.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Aloha POS and Toast POS actually diverge.

Attributes where Aloha POS and Toast POS differ
AttributeAloha POSToast POS
Starting price$150/monthOn request
PlatformsWindows, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android
Founded19882011

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Food & Restaurant).

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 Aloha POS

  • Table management
  • Order management
  • Labor scheduling
  • Inventory control
  • Enterprise reporting
  • Loyalty programs
  • NCR Back Office
  • Third-party delivery

Only in Toast POS

  • Cloud POS
  • Menu management
  • Real-time reporting
  • Inventory tracking
  • Employee management
  • Online ordering
  • DoorDash
  • Grubhub

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Aloha POS

  • Point of Sale
  • Order Management
  • Inventory Control
  • Staff Scheduling

Toast POS

  • Point of Sale
  • Order Management
  • Inventory Control
  • Staff Scheduling

Both are used for point of sale, order management, inventory control, staff scheduling, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

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

Aloha POS

  • High upfront hardware costs ($1,000+ per terminal) make it expensive to deploy across multiple locations
  • User interface is dated with functionality from 2005-era design, requiring training for staff familiar with modern applications
  • Network connectivity issues cause terminals to lose access to central database when Wi-Fi drops, leading to transaction failures
  • Requires proprietary terminals unlike competitors that run on standard iPads or Android tablets
  • Complex customization requires expensive professional services and cannot be configured by restaurant staff

Toast POS

  • Free tier limited to one or two terminals
  • Setup fees and hardware requirements for paid plans
  • Mobile ordering requires additional configuration
  • Reporting and analytics features limited on entry-level plans

Pricing, plan by plan

Aloha POS

$150/month
  • Essentials$150/month
    • POS
    • Basic reporting
  • Professional$250/month
    • Advanced features
    • Labor management
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Custom pricing
    • Full suite

Toast POS

On request
  • Starter KitFree
    • Cloud-based POS
    • Order management
    • Reporting
  • Point of Sale$69/month
    • Menu management
    • Reporting & analytics
    • 24/7 support
  • Build Your Own$165/month
    • Online ordering
    • Delivery
    • Marketing

Which should you pick?

Choose Aloha POS if

  • You need table management.
  • You work on Windows, Android.
  • You also want order management.
Aloha POS review

Choose Toast POS if

  • You need cloud pos.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want menu management.
Toast POS review

Questions people ask

Is Aloha POS or Toast POS better?
Neither clearly leads. Aloha POS starts at $150/month and Toast POS at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Aloha POS or Toast POS?
Aloha POS starts at $150/month and Toast POS at On request.
Does Aloha POS or Toast POS run on more platforms?
Aloha POS runs on Windows, Android. Toast POS runs on Web, Ios, Android.
What is Aloha POS best used for?
Aloha POS is most often used for point of sale, order management, inventory control, staff scheduling.
What can Aloha POS do that Toast POS cannot?
Aloha POS covers Table management, Order management, Labor scheduling, Inventory control. Toast POS covers Cloud POS, Menu management, Real-time reporting, Inventory tracking. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Aloha POS: What are the hardware options for Aloha POS?

Aloha offers two main products: Aloha Essentials POS which runs on Windows servers at your location, and Aloha Cloud POS which operates on Android-based mobile terminals connected to cloud systems. Hardware costs approximately $1,000 per terminal or available through subscription.

Source
Toast POS: Does Toast POS have a free tier?

Yes. Toast's Starter Kit is free and designed for small restaurants with one or two terminals. It includes cloud-based POS, payment processing, order and table management, real-time reporting, and 24/7 customer support.

Source
Aloha POS: What features does Aloha include for restaurant operations?

Aloha includes kitchen automation, table management, staff rosters, payment processing, inventory tracking, reporting, customer loyalty programs, and employee time tracking.

Source
Toast POS: What integrations does Toast POS support?

Toast integrates with payment processors, online ordering platforms, delivery services, accounting software, and customer data platforms for comprehensive restaurant operations management.

Source
Aloha POS: Is Aloha POS available as a subscription?

Yes. NCR Aloha offers an all-in-one monthly subscription model that includes software, hardware, payment processing, and 24/7 customer support. Upfront implementation costs vary based on specific needs.

Source
Aloha POS: What are the network requirements for Aloha POS?

Aloha Essentials requires a stable network connection between terminals and the Windows server. Network disruptions cause terminals to lose access to the central database, resulting in transaction failures and payment errors.

Source
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Aloha POS

More on Toast POS

Keep looking

Other head to heads