The Toast alternative for counters that run on Stripe
NectarPay vs. Toast
Toast ties its point of sale to Toast Payments and Toast hardware. NectarPay runs on Stripe Terminal, so the payments account, the readers and the payment history are yours, whichever software you use.
How NectarPay compares to Toast
|
Toast | |
|---|---|---|
| Payments | ||
| Payments into your own Stripe account | ||
| Payments into your own Stripe account | Yes | No Toast Payments is required with Toast's POS |
| Card readers that aren't locked to the software | ||
| Card readers that aren't locked to the software | Yes | No Toast hardware works only with Toast |
| Tap to Pay on Android | ||
| Tap to Pay on Android | Yes | Not in their documentation |
| Hold a card now, capture it later | ||
| Hold a card now, capture it later | Yes | Yes For bar tabs |
| Phone and mail orders keyed on the reader | ||
| Phone and mail orders keyed on the reader | Yes | Yes |
| A cut of each vendor's sale, paid out to the venue | ||
| A cut of each vendor's sale, paid out to the venue | Yes | Not in their documentation |
| Selling | ||
| Self-checkout kiosks | ||
| Self-checkout kiosks | Yes | Partly, as an add-on or on some plans Self-ordering kiosk, sold separately |
| Payment links and QR codes | ||
| Payment links and QR codes | Yes | Yes Through Toast Invoicing |
| Checkout on your own website | ||
| Checkout on your own website | Yes | No Online ordering is hosted by Toast |
| Questions and forms at checkout | ||
| Questions and forms at checkout | Yes | Not in their documentation |
| Variants and modifiers | ||
| Variants and modifiers | Yes | Yes |
| Fulfilment | ||
| Pickup, local delivery and shipping | ||
| Pickup, local delivery and shipping | Yes | Partly, as an add-on or on some plans Pickup and delivery; no shipping found |
| Orders split across locations with the stock | ||
| Orders split across locations with the stock | Yes | Not in their documentation |
| Inventory | ||
| Stock per location, with low-stock alerts | ||
| Stock per location, with low-stock alerts | Yes | Yes With Toast Retail |
| Transfers between locations | ||
| Transfers between locations | Yes | Yes With Toast Retail |
| Stock changes with reasons, and their history | ||
| Stock changes with reasons, and their history | Yes | Yes With Toast Retail |
| Stock held during checkout | ||
| Stock held during checkout | Yes | Not in their documentation |
| Locations and team | ||
| Prices per location | ||
| Prices per location | Yes | Partly, as an add-on or on some plans With multi-location management |
| Several businesses, each with its own payouts | ||
| Several businesses, each with its own payouts | Yes | Not in their documentation |
| Roles limited to the accounts people work in | ||
| Roles limited to the accounts people work in | Yes | Yes |
| Company sign-in and required two-factor | ||
| Company sign-in and required two-factor | Yes | Partly, as an add-on or on some plans Company sign-in for select customers |
| A log of who changed what | ||
| A log of who changed what | Yes | Not in their documentation |
| Your own logo and colours | ||
| Your own logo and colours | Yes | Partly, as an add-on or on some plans Branded app on higher plans; kiosk says Powered by Toast |
| ERP and API | ||
| A REST API for products, stock, orders and reports | ||
| A REST API for products, stock, orders and reports | Yes | Partly, as an add-on or on some plans Read-only, on paid plans |
| Webhooks for orders and stock | ||
| Webhooks for orders and stock | Yes | Partly, as an add-on or on some plans On paid plans, set up by Toast |
| Reports made on a schedule, delivered as files | ||
| Reports made on a schedule, delivered as files | Yes | Yes Nightly export files, turned on by Toast |
| Products, stock and customers in and out by spreadsheet | ||
| Products, stock and customers in and out by spreadsheet | Yes | Partly, as an add-on or on some plans Menu by spreadsheet; stock not found |
Yes Partly, as an add-on or on some plans No Not in their documentation
Why counters switch from Toast
Your account, not a sub-account
Readers that aren't locked in
Moved over in an afternoon
The FTC is suing Toast
On October 29, 2026 the FTC, with California and the attorneys general of Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Utah, sued Toast. The complaint alleges:
- Subscription add-ons charged without the restaurant's consent
- Fees on the cost of hardware and software that weren't clearly disclosed, on a plan sold as $0 a month
- An early termination fee of $150 for each month left on the contract
- A $0.99 fee on some online orders over $10, from September 2021 to July 2023, kept by Toast
- A cancellation process that needs 30 days' written notice of intent not to renew, not clearly disclosed at sign-up
These are allegations; the court will decide the case. Read the FTC's press release
Bring everything over from Toast
Your menu
In Toast Web, open Menus, Menu management, Menu manager. Show Items, choose Export data from the menu at the top of the list, and pick Items. Toast emails you a CSV. Toast is still rolling this export out; if you don't see it, send us your menu and we'll import it.
In NectarPay, open Products, Import, and choose the file. Name, price, PLU and menu group are matched for you; check the preview before anything is saved.
Your guests
In Toast Web, open Guests, Guestbook, and choose Download list. Toast emails you a link to the CSV.
Open Customers, Import, and choose it. Each guest needs a name, an email or a phone; anyone already here isn't added twice.
Your modifiers and stock
Set up modifier groups in NectarPay, or import them from a spreadsheet.
Import stock counts per location, or count them on your first day.
Before you cancel Toast
Find your renewal date
Check any Toast Capital loan
Export before you go
Moving several locations? We'll do it with you.
Send us your Toast exports and we'll set up your catalog, locations and readers alongside you.
Switching from Toast: questions people ask
Can I use my Toast terminals with NectarPay?
No. Toast's hardware works only with Toast. NectarPay runs on Stripe Terminal readers, such as the Stripe Reader S700, the BBPOS WisePOS E and the Stripe Reader M2, and on Android tablets with Tap to Pay.
Can I bring my Toast menu over?
Yes. Export your items from Toast's Menu manager as a CSV and import it under Products. NectarPay matches the name, price, PLU and menu group columns and shows a preview before it saves anything.
Do I need my own Stripe account?
Yes, and it's yours. Connect the Stripe account you have, or open one from inside NectarPay; Stripe pays your sales out to your bank.
What is the FTC's case against Toast about?
On October 29, 2026 the FTC, with California and the attorneys general of Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Utah, sued Toast over alleged hidden and unauthorized fees and its subscription and cancellation practices. These are allegations; the court will decide the case.
Is NectarPay a fit for my restaurant?
NectarPay suits cafés, quick-service counters and food stands: a register with modifiers and tips, self-checkout kiosks, payment links and online orders, and stock per location.
Open your first location today
Connect Stripe, add a location and take a payment. Moving several accounts over? We'll help.
What this page says about Toast comes from its own documentation and public records, as of October 2026:
Toast is a trademark of its owner, used here only to identify it.