4.5QuoteToast POS
Best for: restaurants
Stronger for large or multi-location restaurants.

If TouchBistro isn't the right fit—because of cost, preference for different restaurant focus, or scale—these POS alternatives offer strong options for restaurants.
Read our TouchBistro review for full details on features, pricing, and pros and cons.
Who should switch and which alternative fits best.
TouchBistro is a strong restaurant POS; alternatives include Toast for larger or multi-location restaurants, Square for simplicity and cost, and Clover for general-purpose with restaurant apps. Toast and Square are the main alternatives.
Common reasons teams look for a change.
Toast is stronger for large or multi-location restaurants with a more comprehensive suite.
Square is simpler and cheaper for very simple food service or cafes.
Clover is general-purpose with restaurant apps; less depth than TouchBistro for full-service.
Editorially ranked alternatives we recommend.
4.5QuoteBest for: restaurants
Stronger for large or multi-location restaurants.
4.6Free softwareBest for: simplicity
Simpler and cheaper for very simple food service or cafes.
4.3From ~$69/moBest for: general POS
General-purpose POS with restaurant apps.
4.4From ~$69/moBest for: retail
Retail-focused; less restaurant depth.
4.2QuoteBest for: flexibility
Flexible POS with various integrations.
Side-by-side at a glance.
| Software | Best for | Starting price | Standout feature | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
TouchBistro | restaurants; hospitality | Quote | Restaurant; ease of use | Read review |
Toast POS | restaurants | Quote | Restaurant suite | Read review |
Square POS | simplicity | Free software | Free; simple | Read review |
Clover POS | general POS | From ~$69/mo | Hardware; apps | Read review |
Lightspeed POS | retail | From ~$69/mo | Retail | Read review |
Epos Now | flexibility | Quote | Flexible | Read review |
When to choose each alternative.
Best for restaurants
Toast is stronger for large or multi-location restaurants with more comprehensive restaurant suite.
Best for simplicity
Square is simpler and cheaper for very simple food service or cafes.
Best for general POS
Clover is general-purpose with restaurant apps; less depth than TouchBistro for full-service.
Best for retail
Lightspeed is retail-focused. For businesses that need retail more than restaurant features.
Best for flexibility
Epos Now offers flexible POS with various integrations.
What to look for when comparing options.
Retail POS (Square, Lightspeed, Vend, Clover) focus on inventory and multi-location. Restaurant POS (Toast, TouchBistro) add table management, kitchen display, and online ordering. Choose by your primary use case.
Check which terminals, readers, and printers are supported. Square and Clover offer their own hardware; others support a range. Payment processing may be integrated or through a separate processor.
If you sell online and in-store, Shopify POS and Lightspeed unify inventory and orders. Square links to its online store. Compare how well each ties online and in-person sales.
Retail and multi-location businesses need stock levels, reorders, and consolidated reporting. Compare depth of inventory and reporting across locations.
Square has free software and pay-per-swipe; others charge monthly plus processing. Compare software fees, hardware cost, and contract terms.
Head-to-head comparisons to narrow your choice.
More ways to explore.
Quick answers.