An honest, feature-by-feature comparison. We'll let the data do the talking.
All information sourced from publicly available data as of early 2025.
| Feature | Skyline POS | Toast | Square | Lightspeed | TouchBistro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 💰 Pricing | |||||
| Starting Monthly Price | $39/mo | $110/mo | $0* | $89/mo | $69/mo |
| Transaction Fees | None | 0.15%+ | 2.6% + 10¢ | None | None |
| Month-to-Month Option | ? | Annual only | ? | Annual only | Annual only |
| Free Trial | 30 days | Demo only | Free plan | 14 days | 14 days |
| Setup Fees | None | $499+ | None | Varies | $499+ |
| 🖥️ Hardware | |||||
| Works on Any Windows PC | ? | ? | Limited | Limited | ? |
| Works on Any Android Tablet | ? | ? | ? | Partial | ? |
| 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 | |||||
| AGDC Scan Data (Tobacco) | ✅ Tiers 1–3 | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| Built-in Loyalty Program | ? Included | $50+/mo add-on | Limited / add-on | Add-on | Add-on |
| Scale / Weight Integration | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| Customer Facing Display | ? Network | Hardware extra | Hardware extra | Hardware extra | ? |
| Barcode Label Printing | ? | ? | Limited | ? | ? |
| BOGO Promotions | ? | ? | Limited | ? | Limited |
| 🍽️ Restaurant Features | |||||
| Kitchen Display (KDS) | ? Included | Add-on $$$ | Add-on | Add-on | ? |
| Seat-Based Ordering | ? | ? | ? | Limited | ? |
| Course Management | ? | ? | ? | 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 |
| Phone Support | ? | 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 Competitor information may be out of date.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.
Toast requires their $700+ hub. Skyline works on any Windows touchscreen PC you already own — or any $200 Android tablet. You keep ownership of your hardware forever.
The average Skyline customer saves over $800/year compared to Toast — and gets more features, including features Toast charges add-on fees for.
No hardware purchase. No credit card. Cancel any time.