An honest, feature-by-feature comparison. We'll let the data do the talking.
All information sourced from publicly available data as of early 2026.
| Feature | Skyline POS | Toast | Square | Lightspeed | TouchBistro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 💰 Pricing | |||||
| Starting Monthly Software | From $89/mo | $110/mo | $0–$60/mo | $89/mo | $69/mo |
| Card Processing Rate | 2.65% + 10¢ | 2.49% + 15¢ | 2.6% + 10¢ | Varies | Varies |
| Equipment Included | ✓ In monthly fee | Lease / purchase | Separate purchase | Varies | Required |
| Month-to-Month Option | ✓ | Annual only | ✓ | Annual only | Annual only |
| Free Trial | Demo + quote | Demo only | Free plan | 14 days | 14 days |
| On-Site Install | ✓ Included | Paid | Self-serve | Varies | Paid |
| BYOP (Own Processor) | ✓ +$39/mo | No | Limited | Varies | Varies |
| 🖥️ Hardware | |||||
| Works on Any Windows PC | ✓ | No | Limited | Limited | No |
| Works on Any Android Tablet | ✓ | No | ✓ | Partial | No |
| Proprietary Hardware Required | Never | Yes (Toast Hub) | Encouraged | Recommended | Yes |
| Works with Any Receipt Printer | ✓ | Toast-certified only | Limited | ✓ | Limited |
| 📶 Connectivity | |||||
| Full Offline Operation | ✓ Always | Limited offline | Requires internet | Requires internet | Limited |
| No Cloud for Restaurant | ✓ Local LAN only | Cloud required | Cloud required | Cloud required | Cloud required |
| Real-Time Multi-Tablet Sync | ✓ WebSocket | ✓ | Limited | ✓ | ✓ |
| 🛒 Retail Features | |||||
| Owner Mobile App (PWA) | ✓ Included | No | Limited | Add-on | No |
| Smart Label Designer | ✓ Included | No | No | Limited | No |
| AI Invoice OCR | ✓ Built-in | No | No | No | No |
| Text / SMS Receipts | ✓ | No | Limited | No | No |
| AGDC Scan Data (Tobacco) | ✅ Tiers 1–3 | No | No | No | No |
| TPSP Scan Data | ✓ | No | No | No | No |
| Lottery Module | ✓ | No | No | Varies | No |
| Built-in Loyalty Program | ✓ Pro+ plans | $50+/mo add-on | Limited / add-on | Add-on | Add-on |
| Scale / Weight Integration | ✓ | No | No | ✓ | No |
| Customer Facing Display | ✓ Network | Hardware extra | Hardware extra | Hardware extra | No |
| Barcode Label Printing | ✓ | No | Limited | ✓ | No |
| BOGO Promotions | ✓ | ✓ | Limited | ✓ | Limited |
| 🍽️ Restaurant Features | |||||
| Kitchen Display (KDS) | ✓ Included | Add-on $$$ | Add-on | Add-on | ✓ |
| Seat-Based Ordering | ✓ | ✓ | No | Limited | ✓ |
| Course Management | ✓ | ✓ | No | Limited | ✓ |
| Split Checks | ✓ | ✓ | Limited | ✓ | ✓ |
| Server Tablet (Waiter) | ✓ Any Android | Toast HW | Limited | Add-on | Handheld |
| 🎧 Support | |||||
| US-Based Support | ✓ All plans | Paid tiers | Slow / limited | Business hrs | Paid |
| Contact via Web Form / Chat | ✓ | Paid plans | Email only | Higher plans | Higher plans |
| Free Onboarding | ✓ Included | Paid | Self-serve | Paid | Paid |
* Square's free plan has significant feature limitations and higher transaction fees. Competitor information may be out of date. Verify current pricing at each vendor's website.
No other major POS platform has native AGDC scan data integration. Smoke shops using Toast or Square leave hundreds in tobacco promotional dollars on the table every month.
Terminal and hardware are included in your monthly fee. We install on-site and support you directly — not a self-serve app download.
Software from $89/mo with processing at 2.65% + 10¢ — on par with Square for card fees, with a full POS built for c-stores and tobacco retail.
See Skyline live and get a custom quote for your store — software, equipment, and processing.