If you’re looking for a new restaurant point-of-sale system for your restaurant, you’ve probably heard SpotOn mentioned alongside Toast, TouchBistro, NCR Aloha, Square, and others. As one of the leading software and payments companies in the field, SpotOn is a favorite among restaurant operators, managers, and staff alike, thanks to its tremendous value, ease-of-use, and personalized support. While both systems offer comprehensive cloud-based point-of-sale solutions for restaurants, SpotOn consistently scores higher than Toast in real user reviews*.
It's also important to remember that in 2023, when Toast began charging a 99 cent fee directly to guests on all online orders over $10, many Toast users were outraged, going so far as to write open letters to Toast on LinkedIn. And while Toast reversed course on the fee due to customer backlash less than a month later, it still left a bad taste in the mouths of many Toast users.
In contrast, SpotOn has a long track record of offering commission-free online ordering with no additional fees added on to the end consumer, with full POS integration, 2-way texting, pacing controls, advanced reporting, and the free GoTo Place app that features the restaurant's branding and menu, not SpotOn's. Additionally, SpotOn is the first POS company to offer an AI-powered P&L analysis tool, Profit Assist, helping restaurants save 4.3% on overall costs, on average.
It's all part of SpotOn's commitment to empowering independent restaurants with the tools they need to improve profitability and guest relationships, with fair, affordable, and transparent POS pricing.
Let’s take a look at the differences between SpotOn vs Toast POS systems so you can make an educated decision about which solution makes the most sense for your restaurant.
About SpotOn Restaurant POS
SpotOn is a software and payments company that’s garnered a reputation for providing the technology and support that helps local businesses—and the people who run them—to succeed on their own terms. Known for its flexible, cloud-based technology and personalized support, SpotOn offers an end-to-end platform to accept payments, boost revenue, streamline operations, and create exceptional guest experiences. SpotOn’s integrated product set for restaurants includes point-of-sale, online ordering, labor management, QR order & pay, waitlist & reservations, marketing & loyalty, automated cost analysis, and comprehensive reporting.
G2 recently named SpotOn as the #1 Restaurant POS System in Fall 2025, outranking other competing point-of-sale companies. G2 reviewers specifically mention how they enjoy SpotOn's support that connects to real people, a seamless user experience for FOH and BOH systems, and more.
SpotOn provides intuitive technology that "works the way you work,” and backs it up with a 24/7 support team that make sure it always does—with fairness, flexibility, and a personal touch. Many of SpotOn's employees have worked in hospitality for years and deliver the level of expert service and support that sets SpotOn apart from other POS companies.
About Toast POS systems
Toast is a cloud-based point-of-sale company offering a range of features for restaurants and bars. As a point-of-sale provider, Toast offers online ordering, inventory management, reporting, and much more to help streamline operations. Toast is a market leader in the restaurant industry, so many restaurant employees are familiar using their POS system.
Toast vs SpotOn | G2 comparison
Choosing the right POS system is essential for your restaurant’s operations, but it’s not always easy to compare cloud-based POS solutions with similar offerings. To compare Toast vs SpotOn, we rely on ratings from G2, a trusted third-party service that uses real user reviews to help businesses find the right software solutions. G2 conducts quarterly reports designed to rank software and help companies make informed buying decisions.
Results are current as of September 9, 2025, based on real user reviews and rankings from G2
As you can see in the comparison chart above, SpotOn outranks Toast in key categories, including Quality of Support, Satisfaction, and overall G2 Score. User reviews on G2 also call out the high level of service and support SpotOn provides:
SpotOn made the switch from Toast very easy and guided us along the way. Without a doubt my favorite thing about SpotOn has been the level of service we received from day one. SpotOn makes you feel like you are part of the family and fully supported.
- Vegas B.
Methodology: G2 Score
G2 uses a proprietary algorithm to rank products based on reviews gathered from the user community as well as data aggregated from online sources and social networks. The result of this algorithm is the G2 Score, which is a standardized score used to compare products within the same G2 category.
Toast vs SpotOn | Capterra comparison
What do other third-party review sites say? Capterra is a trusted online service that helps organizations find the right software solutions for their operations. In addition to providing an overall rating, Capterra provides specific scores across various categories including ease of use, customer service, features, and value for money.
As you can see in the comparison grid below, SpotOn and Toast have very similar scores, with SpotOn's 4.3 overall rating slightly edging out Toast's overall rating of 4.2.
Results current as of 10/03/2025 based on Capterra ratings from verified user reviews. Ratings are collected on a 1-to-5 basis.
Ease of use
When it comes to ease of use, SpotOn beats out Toast, 4.6 to 4.1. Users love that SpotOn is easy to train staff on and edit settings. Other reviews highlighyt how SpotOn helps save managers time by making back office changes and real-time menu adjustments on all stations immediately, including across multiple locations.
Customer support
More than in any other category, customer support is where SpotOn outshines Toast and other Toast competitors, with a Capterra score of 4.2 compared to Toast’s score of 3.7. SpotOn users love having expert support available 24/7, knowing a having a dedicated team to support them, personalized implementation and training, quick response time, local sales reps who meet their needs, proactive support after installation, and overall transparency in communications.
The customer service is top notch. Every time I call in, whoever is on the other line is always ready and eager to answer any questions I may have. They also provide useful input on strategy with how to create a button, modifier or how to implement an idea I have in my head and put it to use via our POS.
-Christopher H
Features
When it comes to features, Toast edges out SpotOn with a score 4.4 to 4.2. Toast users, in particular, like that the software is well organized and accessible online.
Similarly, SpotOn users like how SpotOn is customizable to their workflows for both the front-of-house and back-of-house, as well as the easy-to-understand and customizable reporting. Users also love the flexible hardware and software options, and appreciate the integrated software solutions that all work together, such as handhelds, QR order & pay, online ordering, waitlist & reservations, digital loyalty, and labor management.
Value for money
When it comes to value, SpotOn once again ranks higher than Toast with a Capterra score of 4.2 compared to Toast’s 3.8. Users appreciate SpotOn’s transparent pricing, lack of junk fees, and the overall features for a fair price. One user even reported that SpotOn’s costs were 90% lower than their previous point-of-sale system company’s.
Toast POS system: overall strengths
According to user reviews, Toast POS systems offer a variety of tools and modernization for its users. In particular, users like that Toast is a tremendous upgrade over old legacy POS systems. Toast also has a good reputation for providing strong features to improve restaurant operations. These features include contactless payments, loyalty programs, robust handhelds, KDS, and more.
Toast POS system: overall weaknesses
Toast users have complained about aggressive sales tactics, expensive pricing, including overcharging for unwanted products, which can have a lasting effect on profit margins for restaurants in today’s challenging hospitality environment. Additionally, some users have reported clunky user experiences and subpar customer support, forcing them to switch to Toast POS competitors.
SpotOn delivers over Toast
As a restaurant operator, you’re facing increased costs, changing guest expectations, and a seemingly never-ending labor shortage. SpotOn’s team is here to help you overcome those challenges—and whatever challenges come next—with flexible solutions and personalized service and support.
As Kevin Bryla, SpotOn’s CMO and Head of Customer Experience noted with the most recent announcement of G2's results, "Independent restaurants are under enormous pressure, and the last thing they need is another system that lets them down. These G2 results make it clear—operators who switch to SpotOn are getting real value, better support, and a partner that has their back. This isn’t just about being rated higher than Toast. It’s about showing up for restaurants, proving we actually give a sh*t, and making sure they succeed no matter what 2025 throws at them."
Curious how SpotOn compares against other Toast competitors? Find more SpotOn reviews here, or check out the comparisons below to discover more.
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*This content is provided for informational purposes only. All claims based on real user reviews from third-party review sites, G2 and Capterra.
