Toast charges $69-$165/mo plus 2.49-2.99% processing and $75/mo for online ordering. DirectOrders charges $249/mo flat with zero commission, 15+ ordering channels, and same-day payouts - no per-order fees ever.
* Toast requires their POS system. Online ordering is an add-on module with additional fees.
Toast sells hardware and POS. We focus 100% on maximizing your direct orders.
Toast requires expensive hardware and 2-year contracts. DirectOrders works with your existing setup, launches in under 2 hours, and you can cancel anytime.
While Toast bolts on basic features, we built AI into our core - powering smart search, voice ordering, and personalized recommendations.
We optimize for Google, ChatGPT, Alexa, and every way customers find restaurants today. Toast's SEO is an afterthought.
Our AI answers every call, takes orders, and never puts customers on hold. Toast has no voice ordering capability.
Choose your own drivers, Uber Direct, or DoorDash Drive per order. Toast locks you into DoorDash with limited flexibility.
Get paid today. Toast's standard 2-day payout means waiting for your money while bills pile up.
Beyond the monthly fee, Toast's costs add up fast
* Founding rate. Standard pricing $449-799/mo
No platform is right for every restaurant. Here are scenarios where Toast may be the better fit.
Toast provides POS terminals, kitchen display screens, and handheld devices for tableside ordering, all tightly integrated with their software. If you are starting from scratch and want one vendor responsible for both hardware and software, Toast's all-in-one approach simplifies operations.
Toast offers integrated payroll processing, tip management, employee scheduling, and online ordering as add-on modules. If consolidating these back-office functions into a single platform is a priority, Toast provides that single-vendor convenience.
Toast's enterprise tier offers centralized menu management, cross-location reporting, and standardized operations across dozens or hundreds of locations. If you operate 10+ locations and need tight POS-level consistency across all stores, Toast's enterprise infrastructure is purpose-built for this.
Toast's 2-year hardware contracts include early termination fees. If you are mid-contract, adding DirectOrders alongside Toast for direct ordering is often more practical than switching POS vendors. The two platforms integrate, so you can use both without disruption.
Last verified: April 2026
DirectOrders integrates with Square, Clover, Lightspeed, and more. Add AI-powered direct ordering without replacing your existing system.
See why restaurants are choosing DirectOrders over Toast for a simpler, more powerful direct ordering solution.
Explore what sets DirectOrders apart:
Compare DirectOrders to other platforms: