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Toast built a POS for traditional restaurants. GoTab built a platform around the guest tab. Both are capable systems — here’s how to tell which one fits how your venue actually operates.
| GoTab | Toast | |
|---|---|---|
| Service model | Hybrid: QR ordering, server ordering, kiosks, and mobile pay all feed one persistent tab and one KDS | Traditional terminal-driven POS; QR ordering available but tied to the table |
| Pricing model | Transparent SaaS: $15/mo (Basic), $99/mo (Pro), $229/mo (Sync) | Toast publishes a $0-per-month Starter option and a Point of Sale plan starting at $69 per month, with additional software, processing, hardware and feature costs depending on the package. |
| Hardware | Open - runs on iOS or Android devices you already own, or lease through Easy Pay. Note: minimum hardware and operating system specifications apply. | Proprietary Toast hardware required |
| Contracts | 2-year standard terms, transparent, with flexible options available | Multi-year contracts are standard in the POS industry — review your agreement’s renewal and termination terms |
| QR ordering | A persistent tab can connect staff ordering and guest mobile ordering across multiple rounds, service zones and experiences during the same visit. | Mobile Order & Pay allows guests to place additional orders from a table-specific experience. |
| Multi-vendor support | Native: built for food halls, with per-vendor routing and revenue splits | Not a native capability; typically requires separate transactions per vendor |
| Kitchen display (KDS) | Multi-state item tracking, smart batching, zone-based routing, two-way guest texting | Ticket display with color-coded aging and station routing |
| Integrations | Open API; native QuickBooks Online sync at no extra cost | Broad marketplace; some integrations (e.g., QuickBooks) require a paid add-on |
| Offline mode | OPServer keeps the full system running across devices during an outage | Toast offers offline ordering, printing and payment capabilities. Without local sync, order data is stored on individual devices and does not synchronize across terminals until connectivity returns. Eligible configurations can use Toast’s local-sync functionality. |
| Loyalty & marketing | Guest marketing and relationship-management capabilities available through Fishbowl, a GoTab company. | Available as separate paid modules |
GoTab’s software starts at $15/month (Basic), compared to Toast’s plans starting at $0–$69+/month per location plus required payment processing. Total cost depends on your transaction volume, hardware needs, and which add-ons each platform requires — request a demo for a quote based on your venue.
Toast’s QR ordering (Mobile Order & Pay) is tied to the table where the guest scanned, and guests can’t edit an order after submitting it. GoTab’s QR ordering opens a persistent tab that travels with the guest across zones and stays open until they choose to close it.
Yes. GoTab runs on any iOS, Android, or Windows tablet or phone you already own. Toast requires its own proprietary hardware.
Yes — this is a core, purpose-built use case for GoTab, including per-vendor order routing and automated revenue splits across vendors. Toast does not have a native multi-vendor solution.
GoTab’s OPServer keeps the full system — POS, KDS, and ordering — running across all connected devices during an outage, with no manual switching required.
GoTab and Toast are both excellent choices in your search for a new POS. It really comes down to the type of operation you run, the features you need, and which one of these solutions best positions you to grow your business.
GoTab works fantastically for us! It does exactly what we need, gets people in, gets a drink in their hand, and gets them on their way; we are very happy about it. Being across from a large concert venue means we need to serve guests promptly and efficiently; GoTab does that for us!
Owner, Craftworx Taproom
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