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Toast vs ShopKeep Comparison

Last updated:

Toast

4.2

Starting at $90 /month

  • Large Enterprises
  • Medium Business

Toast is a versatile POS platform designed specifically for restaurants. It streamlines operations, enhances customer service, and boosts revenue. This comprehensive solution combines online ordering, loyalty and gift ca…

ShopKeep

3.1(135 reviews)

Starting at Contact for pricing

  • Free Trial
  • Medium Business
  • Small Business

ShopKeep is an easy-to-use, cloud-based iPad POS software. It's powerful enough for big businesses and light enough for small ones. There's rich reporting, customer analytics and integration with all the products you use…

Toast leads on user satisfaction with a 4.2-star rating across -1 reviews.

Toast vs ShopKeep — at a glance

FeatureToastShopKeep
Rating4.2 / 53.1 / 5
Reviews135
Starting price$90 /monthContact for pricing
Free trial No Yes
Free version No No
Best forLarge Enterprises, Medium Business, Small BusinessMedium Business, Small Business
CategoryPOS SoftwareRetail Software
Integrations8+ apps
PlatformsSaaS/Web/CloudSaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - iOS
APIAvailable
Support modes24/7 (Live rep)24/7 (Live rep), Business Hours, Online
CertificationsSOC 2, GDPR
Data residencyGlobalGlobal

Key differences between Toast and ShopKeep

  • Pricing: Toast starts at $90 /month. ShopKeep pricing is not publicly listed.
  • Free trial: ShopKeep offers a free trial; Toast does not.
  • Target audience: Toast is built for Large Enterprises and Medium Business, while ShopKeep targets Medium Business and Small Business.
  • User satisfaction: Toast scores higher with a 4.2-star average.
  • Deployment: Toast supports SaaS/Web/Cloud; ShopKeep supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - iOS.

Toast vs ShopKeep — find the better fit before you commit.

01

Which tool fits your team best

02

Which is actually cheaper for your team size

03

Where each product wins, per real buyers

Most POS Software tools look identical on paper. This comparison cuts to the differences that matter — pricing structure, team fit, and what real buyers found after signing up.

Toast - POS Software
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Talk to an expert
ShopKeep - Retail Software
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Talk to an expert

Free PDF comparison

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Biggest differences

Start here before you go deeper into features.

Toast

Best for restaurants needing an integrated, scalable POS with labor management.

Choose if
  • You operate a full-service or quick-service restaurant or bar needing unified hardware and payments.
  • You require labor scheduling and analytics tied directly to real-time sales data for cost control.
  • You manage multiple locations or franchises needing centralized POS management and scalability.
Consider alternatives if
  • Your restaurant requires highly customized or non-standard POS workflows beyond Toast’s flexibility.
  • You prioritize flawless payment processing and top-tier customer support without risk of glitches.

ShopKeep

Best for small to mid-sized retail and hospitality businesses needing easy iPad POS.

Choose if
  • You want a simple, cloud-based iPad POS that works right out of the box.
  • Your business is a retail shop, restaurant, or salon with up to 200 employees.
  • You need quick setup with reliable performance and useful business analytics.
Consider alternatives if
  • You are a large enterprise requiring complex POS customizations and hardware integrations.
  • You need consistently responsive customer service and guaranteed hardware compatibility.

Toast: Best for restaurants needing an integrated, scalable POS with labor management. ShopKeep: Best for small to mid-sized retail and hospitality businesses needing easy iPad POS.

Description

Toast is a versatile POS platform designed specifically for restaurants. It streamlines operations, enhances customer service, and boosts revenue. This comprehensive solution combines ... Read More about Toast

ShopKeep is an easy-to-use, cloud-based iPad POS software. It's powerful enough for big businesses and light enough for small ones. There's rich reporting, customer analytics and ... Read More about ShopKeep

Entry Level Pricing

  • Starts from $90 , monthly
  • Not Available

Free Trial Availability

  • No free trial

Spotsaas Score

What's this? ↗

9.8/10

9.8/10

User Ratings

Based on verified Spotsaas reviews

4.2

Best Company Size

Small BusinessMedium Business
1-50 employees51-200 employees
Get pricing help
Get pricing help

Where each option fits best

See where each product is strongest, which teams it fits, and what causes buyers to keep looking — before you commit.

Based on buyer reviews and verified product data collected by Spotsaas.

Strengths

Key strengths

Toast

  • Scales effectively for growing brands: Toast supports multi-location management, centralized menu updates, and location-level reporting. This makes it a strong option for restaurants planning to expand from a single location to multi-unit or franchise operations.
  • Labor management tied to real sales data: Toast connects scheduling, time tracking, and labor analytics to actual sales performance. Managers can forecast staffing needs more accurately and adjust schedules to control labor costs while maintaining service quality.
  • Fully integrated payments and hardware: With Toast Payments and native hardware, restaurants benefit from a unified checkout experience. Transactions, tips, and reports are automatically linked to orders, simplifying reconciliation and reducing end-of-day errors.
Best fit

Best fit

Toast

  • 500+
  • Restaurants, Quick-Service Restaurants (QSR), Full-Service Restaurants, Cafés & Bakeries, Bars & Breweries, Food Trucks, Hospitality
  • Restaurant Owner, General Manager, Operations Manager, Food & Beverage Manager, Restaurant Manager, Director of Operations, Franchise Owner

ShopKeep

No best-fit guidance available yet.

Watchouts

Reasons buyers look elsewhere

Toast

  • Toast tightly integrates POS software, payments, and hardware. While this simplifies setup, some operators prefer greater flexibility to choose payment processors, third-party tools, or custom integrations. Alternatives can offer more freedom to build a personalized tech stack.
  • Toast is purpose-built for restaurants, which can be limiting for businesses that blend retail, catering, events, or merchandise sales. Hybrid concepts may choose more flexible POS platforms that handle both food service and retail workflows in a single system.
  • Some restaurants don’t require advanced features like labor forecasting, detailed reporting, or delivery marketplace integrations. Concepts with limited menus, counter service only, or predictable traffic may prefer simpler POS tools that focus on fast ordering and payments without added operational complexity.

ShopKeep

No alternatives guidance available yet.

Software Demo

Demo

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Step 1 of 4

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How do Toast and ShopKeep Compare on Features?

Total Features

14 Features

24 Features

Unique Features

No unique features

No unique features

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Get Quote

Compare Toast and ShopKeep on pricing

Review starting price, plan structure, and free-trial access side by side so you can see which option fits your budget and buying process.

Pricing Option

      Starting From

      • $90 , monthly
      • Not Available

      Pricing Plans

      • Point of Sale

        $90

        /month

        • Cloud-based point of sale

        • Custom hardware configuration

      • Not Available

      Pricing Page

      Toast pricing

      Pricing information not available

      Other Details

      Organization Types supported

      • Large Enterprises
      • Medium Business
      • Small Business
      • Individuals
      • Freelancers
      • Large Enterprises
      • Medium Business
      • Small Business
      • Individuals
      • Freelancers

      Platforms Supported

      • Browser Based (Cloud)
      • Mobile - Android
      • Mobile - iOS
      • Installed - Windows
      • Installed - Mac
      • Browser Based (Cloud)
      • Mobile - Android
      • Mobile - iOS
      • Installed - Windows
      • Installed - Mac

      Modes of support

      • 24/7 (Live rep)
      • Business Hours
      • Online
      • 24/7 (Live rep)
      • Business Hours
      • Online

      API Support

      • Available
      • Not Available
      Get help choosing
      Get help choosing

      Security & Compliance

      Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.

      SOC 2

      ✓ Yes

      HIPAA

      ✗ No
      ✗ No

      GDPR

      ✓ Yes

      Single Sign-On (SSO)

      ✓ Yes

      Multi-Factor Auth (MFA)

      ✓ Yes

      Data Encryption

      ✓ Yes

      Audit Logs

      ✓ Yes

      Data Residency

      🌐 Global
      🌐 Global

      Toast User Reviews & Rating Comparison

      User Ratings

      No reviews available for the product

      Rating Distribution

      726

      170

      73

      65

      209

      77

      17

      8

      6

      79

      Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI

      Buyer sentiment

      Overall positive sentiment highlights Toast's innovative features and scalability, tempered by concerns over customer service and occasional system glitches.

      What buyers like

      • Feature-rich POS functionality
      • Scalability for multi-location operations
      • Integrated payment and hardware solutions

      Common complaints

      • Customer service responsiveness
      • Payment processing reliability

      Buyer sentiment

      Users generally appreciate the ease of use and business insights but express frustration with inconsistent support and hardware issues.

      What buyers like

      • Ease of use
      • Business analytics
      • Customer support availability

      Common complaints

      • Customer service inconsistency
      • Hardware compatibility problems

      Pros and Cons

      • Comprehensive POS system with advanced features including integrated payments and hardware

      • Labor management tied directly to real sales data for accurate staffing and cost control

      • Scales effectively for multi-location and franchise operations with centralized management

      • Reported system glitches causing double charges and payment processing issues

      • Inconsistent customer service experiences with long wait times and unresolved issues

      • User-friendly interface providing valuable business insights

      • Easy setup and integration with online stores

      • Reliable system performance supporting small business growth

      • Inconsistent customer service quality causing delays

      • Hardware compatibility issues with printers and scanners

      Positive Reviews

      No reviews available for the product

      No reviews available for the product

      Negative Reviews

      No reviews available for the product

      No reviews available for the product

      Integrations

      Integration with other apps

      No Integration information available.

      List of Customers

      Customers

      Buffalo Wild Wings

      Buffalo Wild Wings

      The Melting Pot

      The Melting Pot

      Maple Leaf

      Maple Leaf

      No Customers information available.

      Media and Screenshots

      Screenshots

      Toast Payroll and Team Management

      3 Screenshots

      screenshots

      5 Screenshots

      Videos

      video-0

      4 Videos

      video-0

      3 Videos

      Top Alternatives to Toast and ShopKeep in 2026

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      Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].

      Frequently asked questions

      Which is better, Toast or ShopKeep?
      Toast edges out the other on user ratings (4.2 vs 3.1). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
      Do Toast and ShopKeep offer a free trial?
      ShopKeep offers a free trial. Toast does not.
      What is the starting price of Toast vs ShopKeep?
      Toast starts at $90 /month. ShopKeep starts at Contact for pricing.
      What are the top alternatives to Toast?
      Top alternatives to Toast include SumUp, Square Point of Sale, ShopKeep, Lightspeed Retail, SlickPOS.
      What are the top alternatives to ShopKeep?
      Top alternatives to ShopKeep include SpotOn, LivePOS, Lightspeed eCom, Square Point of Sale, LightSpeed Restaurant.

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