Toast is a capable POS — wrapped in a 2-year contract, a four-figure exit fee, and hardware that only works with Toast. Shisu is month-to-month, published-price, and comes with AI staff Toast doesn't offer.
Every figure is real and public. Scroll the table on mobile.
| Best valueShisu | Toast | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & fees | ||
| Entry price software / month | $0–$55per station | $0–$69+per terminal |
| Transparent public pricing | Partial | |
| Card-present rate | 2.45% + 15¢ | 2.49% + 15¢2.99% pay-as-you-go |
| Online / keyed rate | 3.45% + 15¢ | 3.50% + 15¢ |
| Mid-contract rate increases | Flat, published | 30 days' notice |
| Contract | ||
| Term | Month-to-month | ~2 yearsauto-renews |
| Early-termination fee | None | $1k–$5k+ |
| Hardware | ||
| Countertop terminal | $750financing available | $799–$999proprietary |
| Locked to the vendor | No junk lock-in | "Only works with Toast" |
| AI staff | ||
| AI phone host answers & books calls | ||
| AI shift coverage | ||
| AI hiring & training | ||
| AI inventory & reordering | ||
| Shows its work full audit trail | ||
| Multilingual voice Cantonese · Mandarin · English | ||
| Restaurant software | ||
| Commission-free online ordering | $49/mo | $75/mo + |
| Kitchen display (KDS) | $25/screen | $499–$699 hardware |
| Loyalty | $49/mo | $50/mo |
| Support | ||
| 24/7 support |
Competitor pricing and terms compiled from public listings as of June 2026 and subject to change — see toasttab.com for current terms.
Toast typically signs you to ~2 years with auto-renewal; leaving early runs $1,000–$5,000+. Shisu is month-to-month — turn features on for a busy season, off when it's over.
Toast hardware is proprietary — "even after you pay it off, it only works with Toast." Shisu Terminal is $750 with financing, and your software isn't held hostage to it.
Toast rings up an order; it can't pick up the phone. Shisu's AI host answers on the first ring in any language, books the table, and fires the order to the kitchen.
Toast has a deep, mature ecosystem and a large first-party hardware lineup, and it's a proven fit for big multi-location groups with a dedicated back office. If you want hands-off AI staffing and published, month-to-month pricing, Shisu is the lighter, more modern fit.