Toast vs. Clover vs. Square Fees: What Restaurants Really Pay

By the MTech Distributors team

Every POS company has a number they lead with. 2.49%. 2.6%. "No monthly fee." And every restaurant owner we talk to has the same story: the number on the sales call wasn't the number on the statement.

So let's put Toast vs. Clover vs. Square fees side by side, using what each company and the big review sites publish, and then talk about the stuff that doesn't make the brochure.

Pricing changes often. These figures come from published 2026 pricing and reviews. Always get the current numbers in writing before you sign.

What are Toast's fees per transaction?

According to NerdWallet's Toast review:

• In person, if you buy the hardware upfront: 2.49% + 15¢.

• In person, on the pay-as-you-go plan (hardware for $0 down): 3.09% + 15¢ and up.

• Keyed in or online: 3.50% + 15¢.

• Software: $0 on the starter kit, $69 a month on the Point of Sale plan, with online ordering, marketing and payroll as paid add-ons.

• Contract: typically two to three years.

The catch most owners don't see coming is the contract. Toast agreements renew automatically for one-year terms unless you send written notice at least 30 days before the term ends. Leave early and you're typically on the hook for the remaining software fees, or $150 for every month left on pay-as-you-go plans.

What are Clover's fees?

Clover is harder to pin down, and that's the problem. Clover is sold through banks and resellers, and each one can set its own processing rates and monthly fees. Two restaurants on the same Clover hardware can be paying completely different prices.

• Software plans: commonly listed around $14.95, $49.95 and $69.95 a month per location, depending on the plan.

• Processing rates: set by whoever sold you the Clover, so check your agreement, not the Clover website.

• Hardware leases: this is where people get hurt. Leases through third parties can run 48 months, are often non-cancellable, and can add up to far more than buying the device outright.

• Extras: kitchen display subscriptions, reseller "service fees," and app add-ons.

If you see "Clover" on your bank statement and don't know who your actual processor is, that's the first thing to find out.

What are Square's fees?

Square is the most upfront about its rates:

• In person: 2.6% + 15¢ on the free plan, a little lower on paid plans.

• Online: 3.3% + 30¢ on the free plan.

• Keyed in or card on file: 3.5% + 15¢ on every plan.

• Contract: none on the standard plans.

Simple, but you pay the same flat rate on a cheap debit card as on a premium rewards card. For a busy restaurant, that difference adds up fast.

Toast vs. Clover vs. Square: what does it actually cost you?

Let's run the math on a restaurant doing $60,000 a month in card sales, mostly in person.

• At 2.49% + 15¢ (Toast, hardware paid upfront, $30 average check): about $1,794 a month in processing.

• At 2.6% + 15¢ (Square free plan): about $1,860 a month.

• At 3.09% + 15¢ (Toast pay-as-you-go): about $2,154 a month.

That's $21,000 to $26,000 a year handed to the processor, before software, add-ons or hardware. And the cheapest one on that list still costs you over $21,000.

What should you ask before you sign with anyone?

• Is this a flat rate, tiered or interchange plus?

• How long is the contract, does it auto-renew, and what's the early termination fee?

• Do I own the hardware, or is it leased or financed? Who holds the lease?

• What happens to my rate if you change pricing?

• When I call at 8 p.m. on a Friday, who picks up?

Is there a cheaper way to run a restaurant POS?

Comparing rates gets you a few tenths of a percent. Changing the model gets you a lot more.

That's why we pair our DEXA POS system with dual pricing. A cash price and a card price posted upfront means the card price covers the processing cost. Instead of $20,000+ a year in fees, merchants on a properly set up program are essentially paying zero. DEXA also pulls your delivery apps into one screen, gives you real-time reporting, and keeps running when the internet drops.

Quick answers

What are Toast fees per transaction? About 2.49% + 15¢ in person if you buy hardware upfront, 3.09% + 15¢ and up on pay-as-you-go, and 3.50% + 15¢ keyed or online.

What are Clover fees per transaction? It depends on who sold you the Clover. Banks and resellers set their own processing rates.

Is Square cheaper than Toast? On paper, Square's 2.6% + 15¢ is close to Toast's upfront-hardware rate. The real difference is contracts, add-ons and how you buy the hardware.

Can I get out of a Toast contract? Toast contracts auto-renew yearly. You need written notice at least 30 days before the term ends, and leaving early usually means an early termination fee.

Find out what you're really paying

Stuck in a contract and not sure what it'll cost to leave? Send it over. We'll tell you straight whether switching makes sense.

Send us one recent statement. We'll show you your real rate, where the padding is, and exactly what you'd keep with dual pricing. No contract, no cancellation fee, and a real person on the phone.

Call 888-411-7583 or get your free savings quote.

MTech Distributors has helped 5,000+ businesses across all 50 states since 2017.