Toast POS vs thMenu
Toast is the largest US restaurant POS — bundled hardware + payments + membership. thMenu is the lightweight, hardware-free, multilingual, instant-start alternative.
Toast: "$0 software" then locked into Toast Payments (~2.49% + 15¢ swipe) + hardware $799+. Real all-in $169-$300+/mo. thMenu: Starter free, Pro $29/mo, Platinum $59/mo. BYO payments (Stripe/Iyzico), 0% platform cut.
Migration savings calculator
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Feature comparison
| thMenu | Toast POS | |
|---|---|---|
| Free starter tier | ✓ Forever-free | ✗ "$0" hides payment cut |
| Native multi-language menu | ✓ 20 languages | ✗ EN + ES + CA-FR only |
| No hardware required | ✓ | ✗ $799+ POS terminal |
| Per-transaction platform fee | ✗ 0% | ~ 2.49%+ Toast Payments lock-in |
| Setup time | 15 minutes | 2-4 weeks onboarding |
| Contract | ✗ Month-to-month | ~ 2-year typical |
| Custom domain on free tier | ✓ | ✗ |
| Global edge (sub-100ms TTFB) | ✓ Cloudflare 330+ cities | ~ US-East origin |
| Lifetime affiliate program | ✓ 20% | ~ Reseller-only, quote |
Where Toast POS wins
- •Bundled hardware + Toast ecosystem in the US — one-vendor convenience for large chains.
- •20+ years of payment-integration track record; easier sell to finance teams.
Where thMenu wins
- •No credit card needed today — Starter tier is free forever.
- •20-language menus: tourist zones get a real wedge Toast simply doesn't cover.
- •No annual contract — month-to-month, walk away whenever.
- •0% platform fee — bring your own Stripe / Iyzico, no payments lock-in.
- •20% lifetime affiliate program vs. Toast's quote-only reseller plan.
Try it in 15 minutes
Starter is free; you can test Pro under the 15-day money-back guarantee. Migration from Toast POS takes ~1 business day.
Comparison based on publicly available information about Toast POS and may change over time. Toast POS and other brand names are trademarks of their respective owners; this page is an independent comparison and does not imply partnership or endorsement.