Restaurants · head to head
Epos Now vs Toast POS
Epos Now
Restaurants
Cloud point of sale for hospitality and retail sold with hardware finance and attached payment processing
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Epos Now hardware is often placed on a finance agreement with a third party, so cancelling the software subscription leaves the equipment payments running for the remainder of the term.; Toast POS free tier limited to one or two terminals
- They diverge on capability: Epos Now covers Cloud till software, Toast POS covers Cloud POS.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Epos Now and Toast POS actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Restaurants).
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 Epos Now
- Cloud till software
- Hardware bundles
- Integrated payments
- AppStore add ons
- Stock and product management
- Multi site reporting
Only in Toast POS
- Cloud POS
- Menu management
- Real-time reporting
- Inventory tracking
- Employee management
- Online ordering
- DoorDash
- Grubhub
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Epos Now
- A single site cafe or bar wanting a low upfront cost till system installed quicklynot Toast POS
- An independent needing basic stock, staff and sales reporting without an implementation projectnot Toast POS
- An operator running both a small retail line and a food offer on one systemnot Toast POS
- A business replacing a mechanical till that has no reporting or remote access at allnot Toast POS
Toast POS
- Point of Salenot Epos Now
- Order Managementnot Epos Now
- Inventory Controlnot Epos Now
- Staff Schedulingnot Epos Now
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Epos Now
- Hardware is often placed on a finance agreement with a third party, so cancelling the software subscription leaves the equipment payments running for the remainder of the term.
- Software, hardware finance and card processing are three separate agreements with different notice periods, which makes a clean exit difficult and is the source of most published complaints.
- The vendor makes its margin on payment processing, so the low advertised software price is offset by a card rate that costs far more across a year of trading.
- Sales is telesales led and buyers report pressure to sign quickly, which is a poor fit for a decision involving multi year finance commitments.
- Useful capability is spread across paid add ons in the application store, so the functional system a restaurant actually needs costs considerably more than the entry subscription.
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
Epos Now
On request- Epos Now$undefined/year
- Software subscription quoted per till
- Hardware frequently supplied under a separate finance or lease agreement
- Card processing contracted separately and priced by negotiated rate
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 Epos Now if
- You need cloud till software.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android, Windows.
- You also want hardware bundles.
Choose Toast POS if
- You need cloud pos.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want menu management.
Questions people ask
- Is Epos Now or Toast POS better?
- Neither clearly leads. Epos Now starts at On request and Toast POS at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Epos Now or Toast POS?
- Epos Now starts at On request and Toast POS at On request.
- Does Epos Now or Toast POS run on more platforms?
- Epos Now runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows. Toast POS runs on Web, Ios, Android.
- What is Epos Now best used for?
- Epos Now is most often used for a single site cafe or bar wanting a low upfront cost till system installed quickly, an independent needing basic stock, staff and sales reporting without an implementation project, an operator running both a small retail line and a food offer on one system, a business replacing a mechanical till that has no reporting or remote access at all. Of those, a single site cafe or bar wanting a low upfront cost till system installed quickly and an independent needing basic stock, staff and sales reporting without an implementation project are not what Toast POS is typically brought in for.
- What can Epos Now do that Toast POS cannot?
- Epos Now covers Cloud till software, Hardware bundles, Integrated payments, AppStore add ons. Toast POS covers Cloud POS, Menu management, Real-time reporting, Inventory tracking.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Epos Now: Is the hardware bought or leased?
Frequently financed through a third party agreement rather than bought outright. Ask explicitly which it is and read the term before signing.
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.
SourceEpos Now: Can I cancel the software and keep trading?
You can stop the subscription, but a separate hardware finance agreement continues to its own end date, and processing is contracted separately again.
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.
SourceEpos Now: Do I have to use their card processing?
It is the commercial basis of the pricing. Using another acquirer, where permitted, changes the software quote.
Epos Now: Is it suitable for a busy full service restaurant?
It handles straightforward hospitality service. Complex coursing, large table management and high volume kitchens are better served by restaurant specific systems.
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- Toast POS vs CAKE POS
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- Toast POS vs CrunchTime
- Toast POS vs SpotOn
- Toast POS vs Revel Systems
- Toast POS vs Lavu
- Toast POS vs Owner.com
- Toast POS vs Talech
- Toast POS vs ChowNow
- Toast POS vs Heartland Restaurant
- Toast POS vs BentoBox
- Toast POS vs Rezku POS
- Toast POS vs Deliveroo
- Toast POS vs Popmenu
- Toast POS vs 7shifts
- Toast POS vs Apicbase