Custom Alternative to Toast

Toast operates on custom pricing that typically ranges from $0 (with higher payment processing fees) to several hundred dollars per month per location. The catch is that Toast requires proprietary hardware, which can cost $1,000 to $5,000 USD per terminal depending on configuration. For an Australian business, these costs convert to approximately $1,500 to $7,500 AUD per terminal, plus shipping and import considerations since Toast does not have Australian distribution. Payment processing through Toast typically runs 2.49% to 3.69% per transaction in the US market. Australian businesses face additional complexity because Toast payment processing is not optimised for the local market. You may need supplementary payment solutions for EFTPOS, which adds cost and complexity. Monthly software fees, hardware lease payments, and processing fees together can easily exceed $1,000 to $3,000 AUD per month per location. For Australian hospitality businesses, the total cost of ownership with Toast is almost always higher than a locally-focused alternative. A custom automation solution built around Australian POS platforms, local payment processors, and domestic workforce management tools typically costs 40 to 60 percent less while providing better support for Australian business requirements. The upfront investment is lower because you use standard, locally-available hardware.

You will have a working prototype to test within 2 weeks of starting, with the complete Toast replacement delivered in 4-8 weeks. We run both systems in parallel during transition so your operations are never disrupted.

We replicate what you actually use - not the hundreds of features Toast bundles that clutter your interface. After mapping your daily Toast usage, we build purpose-fit equivalents of Restaurant POS, Online ordering, Kitchen display and anything else your team depends on.

Your team will find it simpler than Toast. Why? Because the interface shows only what they need, labelled in their own terminology. We design with your end users in mind and run usability testing during the build. Adoption is fast - most teams are fully productive within a day.

If you are currently using Toast in Australia, migration should be a priority given the platform mismatch with the local market. Begin by documenting your complete workflow: menu management, ordering flow, kitchen operations, payment processing, reporting, and any integrations. Toast provides limited data export capabilities, so extracting your menu, customer data, and historical transactions may require API access or manual extraction. The first phase focuses on selecting an Australian-appropriate POS platform and payment processor. Systems like Lightspeed Restaurant, Square for Restaurants, or similar local options offer Australian-native experiences. Your menu, pricing, and floor plans migrate to the new platform while custom automations handle the operational workflows that no single POS covers, such as supplier ordering, waste tracking, and staff scheduling optimisation. Toast hardware cannot be repurposed, so factor in replacement hardware costs. However, Australian-market POS hardware is typically less expensive and more readily available than Toast proprietary equipment. A full Toast migration typically takes six to ten weeks, with the most critical period being the weekend switchover when you go live on the new system. Most venues complete the transition over a quiet trading period, running a single day of parallel operation before fully committing.

You get direct access to your build team in Gippsland, Victoria - not a generic helpdesk. 3 months of post-launch support is included, covering bug fixes, performance tuning, and minor enhancements. After that, ongoing support plans keep your system maintained and evolving. Our 98% client retention rate reflects the quality of our long-term relationships.

A custom system is built to scale. Double your team, enter new markets, launch new products - the platform handles it without the pricing cliffs Toast imposes at each tier. Incremental enhancements keep the system aligned with your strategy as you grow.

Another SaaS tool means another subscription, another set of compromises, and another vendor controlling your data. A custom build breaks that cycle entirely: you own the code, pay once, and evolve the system on your terms. For mid-market Australian businesses, that independence is transformative.