Meta Description: Comparing SumUp vs Toast for your restaurant or cafe? We break down the costs, features, and hardware of these top POS systems to help you find the best fit for your business in 2026.
Choosing a new epos system is a bit like choosing a new head chef. You need something reliable, hardworking, and capable of handling a massive rush without breaking a sweat. In the world of hospitality, two names tend to pop up more than most: SumUp and Toast.
But which one actually deserves a spot on your counter? Whether you’re running a bustling London bistro or a quiet village coffee shop, picking the best pos system can be the difference between a smooth service and a total nightmare. At What EPOS, we’ve spent years digging into the nuts and bolts of these platforms, and today, we’re pitting them against each other to see which one comes out on top.
SumUp vs Toast: The Quick Verdict
If you’re in a rush and just want the "too long; didn't read" version, here it is.
SumUp is generally the better shout for smaller businesses, pop-ups, and cafes that want transparent pricing and simple hardware. It’s arguably the cheapest pos system to get started with because of its low entry costs.
Toast, on the other hand, is a powerhouse specifically built for the restaurant pos system market. It offers incredibly deep features like ingredient tracking and recipe costing, but it comes with a steeper learning curve and can get quite pricey once you start adding extras.
However, before you commit to either, it’s always worth checking out our Epos Now till system review because they often offer the perfect middle ground for UK hospitality owners.
Alt Text: A comparison chart showing SumUp and Toast key features side by side.
Diving Into SumUp: The King of Simplicity
We’ve always been big fans of how accessible SumUp is. If you’ve ever used one of their little white card readers at a craft fair, you already know their vibe: clean, white, and incredibly easy to use.
Why You’ll Love SumUp
SumUp isn't just about card readers anymore. Their sumup pos software has evolved into a full hospitality suite. One of the biggest perks is that it works on both iOS and Android. If you’ve already got an iPad kicking around, you can be up and running in minutes.
In terms of user satisfaction, SumUp hits the ball out of the park with a 90% satisfaction rating. It’s intuitive, which means you won't have to spend hours training new staff members on how to put through a flat white. It also offers solid QR code ordering: something that’s become a must-have for many pubs and cafes.
The Downside
The simplicity is a double-edged sword. While it’s great for a retail pos system or a small cafe, it lacks the "heavy lifting" features that a high-volume restaurant might need. You won't find granular ingredient tracking here. If you need to know exactly how many grams of mozzarella you have left in the fridge, SumUp might leave you wanting more.
You can read more in our full SumUp POS system review to see if it fits your specific workflow.
Deep Dive Into Toast: Built for Restaurants
Toast is a different beast entirely. It wasn't designed for shops or hairdressers; it was built from the ground up specifically as a toast pos for the hospitality industry.
Why Toast Stands Out
If you run a complex operation, Toast is impressive. It offers "best-in-class" features for things like kitchen display systems (KDS) and inventory management. We love their recipe costing tools: it helps you see exactly how much profit you’re making on every single dish.
Toast also excels at multi-location management. If you’re planning on opening your second or third site, Toast makes it very easy to sync menus and reports across all of them.
The Catch
The main "gotcha" with Toast is the hardware and the cost. Toast runs on its own proprietary Android hardware. You can’t just go out and buy a cheap tablet from Argos; you have to buy their gear. This can make the initial setup quite expensive.
Additionally, while they have a "starter" plan, many of the best features (like loyalty programs or gift cards) are paid add-ons. It’s also worth noting that their customer support has seen some mixed reviews recently as they've scaled up.
Alt Text: A modern restaurant kitchen using a Toast POS system and Kitchen Display Screen.
Pricing: Which is Actually the Cheapest?
When you’re looking for the cheapest pos system, you have to look beyond the initial purchase price. You’ve got to think about transaction fees and monthly subscriptions.
- SumUp: They offer a "POS Lite" version with no monthly fee (you just pay for the hardware and transaction fees). Their "Connect" plans range from £0 to around £289 per month for the top-tier Pro version. It’s very transparent.
- Toast: They often offer a £0/month starter kit, but don't let that fool you. They usually make that money back through higher transaction fees or by charging for the "essential" modules you'll eventually need.
For a more detailed breakdown of transaction costs, check out our guide on how much SumUp charges per transaction. If you're really pinching pennies, you might also want to look at our list of the cheapest POS systems for restaurants.
Hardware and Setup
In the UK, we value flexibility.
SumUp is great because of its "bring your own device" (BYOD) approach. It’s small, sleek, and doesn't take up much room on a counter. It's perfect if you're opening a shop in the UK and space is at a premium.
Toast hardware is "restaurant-grade," which basically means it's built to survive being splashed with gravy or dropped on a greasy floor. It’s much bulkier than SumUp’s kit, but it feels incredibly sturdy.
The "Third Option": Why Epos Now Might Be Better
We’ve compared SumUp and Toast, but we’d be doing you a disservice if we didn’t mention the middle ground. In our experience, many UK business owners find that Epos Now hits the sweet spot that neither SumUp nor Toast quite reaches.
Why? Because the Epos Now till system offers the advanced inventory features of Toast but with the flexibility and hardware choices closer to SumUp. They have a massive range of integrations (including Zapier), which means you can connect your POS to your accounting software, marketing tools, and more.
If you’re feeling a bit stuck between the "too simple" SumUp and the "too complex/expensive" Toast, we highly recommend getting a quote from Epos Now. It’s often the best POS system in the UK for those who want a bit of everything.
Alt Text: A staff member using an Epos Now terminal in a busy UK cafe.
Key Comparison Table
| Feature | SumUp | Toast |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Cafes, Small Bars, Pop-ups | Full-service Restaurants |
| Platform | iOS & Android | Android Only (Proprietary) |
| Pricing | Transparent & Low Entry | Opaque (Add-ons get expensive) |
| Inventory | Basic | Advanced (Ingredient level) |
| User Rating | 90% Satisfaction | 86% Satisfaction |
| Offline Mode | Limited | Very Strong |
Which One Should You Choose?
Deciding between these two comes down to your daily workflow.
Go with SumUp if:
- You want to be set up in under 30 minutes.
- You prefer using an iPad or your own tablet.
- You have a simple menu and don't need to track every slice of pepperoni.
- You want the cheapest pos system for a low-volume business.
Go with Toast if:
- You run a high-volume, full-service restaurant.
- You need a "bomb-proof" Kitchen Display System.
- You want to dive deep into your margins and food waste.
- You don't mind being locked into their specific hardware and ecosystem.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, both SumUp and Toast are fantastic tools. SumUp has made taking payments easier for thousands of small businesses, while Toast has revolutionised how kitchens communicate with the front of house.
However, don't forget that the EPOS market is huge. If you’re still not 100% sure, take a look at our Shopify POS review if you do a lot of online sales, or dive back into our main blog for more comparisons.
If we had to pick one for a growing UK hospitality business today? We’d suggest looking at the Epos Now system. It offers a great balance of power and price that’s hard to beat in the current market.
Whatever you choose, make sure you get a demo first. Most of these companies will give you a free walkthrough of the software, and it’s the only way to know if the interface "clicks" with the way you work. Good luck with the business( we're sure you'll make the right call!)