TOAST ONLINE ORDERING ALTERNATIVE

Fee Free Ordering vs Toast

An all-in-one restaurant POS system with online ordering as one of many modules. Strong at in-restaurant operations; online ordering is competent but expensive to add on top of the base POS contract.If you're comparing the two, here's how Fee Free Ordering stacks up.

No credit card · No commission on direct orders · Cancel anytime

Fee Free Ordering
$0

Free core platform. Optional add-ons (Online Payments $29.99/mo, Hosted Website $19.99/mo) only when you need them. Marketplace at $3 max/order or $199.99/mo unlimited.

Toast
Toast POS hardware + monthly software fee ($69-$165+/mo per terminal).

Online ordering add-on extra.

Why restaurants switch

The specific reasons owners moving from Toast pick Fee Free Ordering.

No POS hardware required

Fee Free Ordering runs in a web browser on any tablet — Android, iPad, Windows. Toast requires Toast-branded hardware (terminals + handhelds + kitchen display) at thousands of dollars upfront.

$0 to start vs. multi-year Toast contract

Sign up at /signup and you're taking orders today. Toast contracts are typically 2-3 years with hardware leases, processing-fee lock-ins, and significant early-termination costs.

Best for restaurants that already have a POS

Already running on Clover, Square, Lightspeed, or a legacy POS? Fee Free is an ordering layer on top — keep your POS, add online ordering for $0.

Side-by-side comparison

Every meaningful difference, laid out plainly.

FeatureFee Free OrderingToast
Hardware requiredNone (any device with a browser)Toast POS terminals (paid)
Software cost / month$0 core$69-$165+/mo per terminal
Contract lengthMonth-to-month2-3 years typical
Card processing rateStripe standard (2.9% + $0.30)Toast Payments (locked in)
Online orderingCore featureToast Now add-on, extra cost

Facts checked against Toast's public pricing as of June 2026. We update this page when their pricing changes — flag anything stale at hello@feefreeordering.com.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use Toast for POS and Fee Free for online ordering?

Yes — Fee Free Ordering is an independent online-ordering layer that doesn't replace your POS. Many restaurants pair it with Toast / Square / Clover to add online ordering without paying their POS provider's online module fee. Orders print to your existing kitchen receipt printer.

Ready to switch from Toast?

5 minutes to set up. No credit card. No commission on direct orders. Email us if you'd like help moving your menu over — we're a small team and we'll do it for you.