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E-commerce & Retail · head to head

Ecwid vs Toast

Ecwid logo

Ecwid

E-commerce & Retail

Sell anywhere ecommerce platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Toast logo

Toast

E-commerce & Retail

Cloud POS platform for restaurants and hospitality

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Ecwid the $5 a month Starter plan caps the catalogue at 10 products; Toast starter tier lacks advanced features; most capabilities require paid plans above $69/month
  • They diverge on capability: Ecwid covers Omnichannel selling, Toast covers Point of sale.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Ecwid and Toast actually diverge.

Attributes where Ecwid and Toast differ
AttributeEcwidToast
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android, Tablets, Web browsers
Founded20092011

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (E-commerce & Retail).

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 Ecwid

  • Omnichannel selling
  • Product catalog
  • Payment processing
  • Inventory management
  • Email marketing
  • Analytics
  • Mobile app
  • API access

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.

Ecwid

  • Adding a store to an existing website or social pagenot Toast
  • Selling physical goods and digital downloads from one cataloguenot 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.

Ecwid

  • The $5 a month Starter plan caps the catalogue at 10 products
  • Staff accounts start at the Business plan, and are limited to 2 until the Unlimited plan
  • Abandoned cart recovery requires the Business plan at $65 a month
  • In person selling through POS integration is Unlimited only, at $149 a month
  • The Venture plan at $35 a month still caps products at 100

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

Ecwid

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 10 products
    • Basic storefront
    • Standard payment methods
  • Unlimited$99.08/month
    • Unlimited products
    • Advanced features
    • Priority 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 Ecwid if

  • You need omnichannel selling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want product catalog.
Ecwid review

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.
Toast review

Questions people ask

Is Ecwid or Toast better?
Neither clearly leads. Ecwid starts at Free and Toast at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Ecwid or Toast?
Ecwid starts at Free and Toast at Free.
Does Ecwid or Toast run on more platforms?
Ecwid runs on Web. Toast runs on Web, iOS, Android, Tablets, Web browsers.
Can I use Ecwid for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Ecwid best used for?
Ecwid is most often used for adding a store to an existing website or social page, selling physical goods and digital downloads from one catalogue. Of those, adding a store to an existing website or social page and selling physical goods and digital downloads from one catalogue are not what Toast is typically brought in for.
What can Ecwid do that Toast cannot?
Ecwid covers Omnichannel selling, Product catalog, Payment processing, Inventory management. Toast covers Point of sale, Order management, Kitchen display system, Employee scheduling.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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
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Related pages

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