Toast vs Hike POS

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Our analysts compared Toast vs Hike POS based on data from our 400+ point analysis of POS Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Product Basics

Toast is a cloud-based point-of-sale (POS) system designed to streamline operations for restaurants and businesses in the hospitality industry. It offers a comprehensive suite of features, including order processing, inventory management, employee scheduling, and customer relationship management (CRM) tools. Toast caters to businesses of all sizes, from independent cafes to multi-location restaurant chains. One of its key strengths lies in its ease of use and intuitive interface, making it suitable for both tech-savvy and non-technical users. Additionally, Toast boasts robust reporting capabilities, providing valuable insights into sales trends, customer behavior, and staff performance. Integration with third-party delivery services and online ordering platforms further enhances its functionality. While Toast offers a free basic plan with limited features, paid subscriptions are required to access its full potential. Pricing varies depending on the number of users, terminals, and desired functionalities. Compared to similar POS systems, Toast generally falls within the mid-range price bracket, offering a good balance between affordability and feature richness. However, user reviews highlight that its pricing structure can become complex for businesses with intricate needs.

Pros
  • Easy to use interface
  • Robust reporting tools
  • Third-party integrations
  • Scalable for all businesses
  • Free basic plan option
Cons
  • Mid-range pricing complexity
  • Limited customization options
  • Occasional technical issues
  • Long customer support wait times
  • Not ideal for complex inventory
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Hike POS is a cloud-based point-of-sale software designed for adventure and leisure businesses like ski shops, bike rentals, and escape rooms. It streamlines operations with inventory management, online bookings, and rental tracking. Its mobile-first interface makes it easy to manage sales and customer interactions on the go. Hike POS boasts features like membership programs, loyalty rewards, and automated marketing tools, fostering customer engagement and repeat business. Users praise its intuitive interface, robust reporting, and seamless integrations with popular payment gateways and accounting platforms. Compared to other POS systems, Hike POS stands out for its industry-specific features, flexible pricing plans based on user count, and exceptional customer support. While it may lack some advanced functionalities of enterprise-level solutions, Hike POS shines for its affordability and ease of use, making it a strong contender for small and medium-sized businesses in the adventure and leisure industry.

Pros
  • Easy to use
  • Mobile-first interface
  • Industry-specific features
  • Robust reporting
  • Great customer support
Cons
  • Limited advanced features
  • Occasional glitches
  • Pricier than some options
  • Click-intensive tasks
  • Mobile app can be clunky
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$69/Terminal, Monthly, Freemium
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$19 Monthly, Freemium
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Tailored to your specific needs
Small 
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Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Smooth Onboarding: Simplify the training process with access to a knowledge base in Toast University that offers informative videos and interactive tutorials. 
  • Tech-Enabled: Allow dine-in guests to order and pay from their own devices. Save time and expedite processes by accepting payments for orders made using the in-store kiosk, on the app or in the restaurant with the Order & Pay tool. 
  • Ideal for the Enterprise: Improve capabilities and enhance the performance of the new business with Starter Kit. Place orders in less than 15 minutes and customize with preferred hardware and software solutions available at flat-rate pricing. 
  • Profitable: Integrate with third-party software providers, including Grubhub and OpenTable, to expand the customer base and boost sales. 
  • Accessible: Save efforts and complete time-sensitive tasks by storing information for multiple outlets, viewing data by location, updating menus, accessing employee activity, monitoring performance reports and more with remote and offline accessibility. 
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  • Boost Efficiency, Save Time: Shorten checkout lines, automate repetitive tasks, and manage inventory seamlessly, freeing up your time to focus on what matters most - your customers and growing your business.
  • Data-Driven Decisions: Gain valuable insights from comprehensive sales reports and real-time inventory tracking. Make informed decisions about purchasing, promotions, and staffing based on accurate data.
  • Happy Customers, Repeat Business: Offer a smooth and personalized shopping experience with omnichannel capabilities, flexible payment options, and loyalty programs. Keep customers coming back for more.
  • Scalability for the Future: Easily adapt Hike POS to your evolving needs, whether you're a small startup or an expanding enterprise. Add new stores, manage multiple locations, and integrate with other business tools effortlessly.
  • Peace of Mind with Security: Enjoy secure cloud-based storage with industry-standard encryption and data protection. Rest assured knowing your business information is safe and accessible from anywhere.
  • Effortless Setup and Use: Get started quickly with a user-friendly interface and intuitive design. Hike POS is easy to learn and navigate, even for non-technical users. No need for expensive IT support.
  • Affordable and Transparent Pricing: Choose a plan that fits your budget and needs. Hike POS offers transparent pricing with no hidden fees, so you know exactly what you're paying for.
  • Always Connected, Always Supported: Access your POS system and get help anytime, anywhere with 24/7 customer support. Hike's dedicated team is always available to answer your questions and assist you.
  • Join a Thriving Community: Benefit from a network of successful Hike POS users who share best practices, tips, and insights. Learn from others and contribute to the community's growth.
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  • Online Ordering: Allow guests to order food online for takeout and delivery, schedule orders in advance, access the online menu and make contactless payments. Receive new orders directly in the restaurant’s point of sale system, customize the online ordering page, access customer insights and request guest feedback to modify services. 
  • Gift Cards and Rewards: Boost customer influx and increase revenue by selling modern e-Gift Cards. Allow users to text or email cards for in-store and online purchases. Check card balance and schedule gift cards in advance to build relationships with customers. Sell customized physical gift cards and review detailed reports on gift card sales. 
  • Expedited Delivery: Create an on-demand delivery network with local drivers at a single per-order fee. Simplify the process with real-time order tracking and advance scheduling, online payment options and review restaurant services based on customer behavior with reporting and analytics. 
  • Email Marketing: Improve communication and drive customer retention with emails. Run targeted promotions, increase revenue, automate outreach and campaigns, create custom email lists, run A/B tests to refine communication, and send customized messages to deepen brand loyalty. 
  • Self-help Services: Accelerate the online ordering experience with self-help kiosks. Leverage quick restaurant service, reduce wait times and increase staff productivity. Offer a personalized dining experience with order add-ons, SMS notifications and real-time menu updates. 
  • Workspace Management: Facilitate efficient team regulation with a centralized labor management system. Log and track work hours, monitor timesheets, calculate tips, ensure paycheck accuracy with automated wage recording, register new staff electronically and more. Get insight into employee performance with detailed reports and analytics. 
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  • Inventory Management: Categorize products, add descriptions, update status, use barcodes, count merchandise, set reminders, transfer stocks and more. Create purchase orders and record supplier information for automated assignment of orders. Customize tax rates, apply price margins and schedule inventory counts on an easy-to-use system. 
  • Reporting: Leverage powerful analytics and real-time reporting capabilities to evaluate business performance. Keep track of payments, gift cards, transactions, account sales and returns. Analyze employee activity, customer profiles, product performance and create custom reports to understand the business better. 
  • Faster Checkouts: Record payments, park orders, apply discounts, process returns, add taxes, set credit limits and more for a seamless customer service experience. 
  • Integrations: Integrate with eCommerce platforms like Shopify, QuickBooks, BigCommerce and WooCommerce to streamline all business operations with smooth data syncs and a consolidated dashboard. 
  • Store Management: Generate daily totals reports, set individual staff pins, view order history, process returns and perform calculations on a cloud-based platform.
  • Customer Marketing: Create individual customer profiles to organize crucial information in one place. Analyze directories to offer gift cards, build loyalty programs, send personalized emails, identify current trends and boost customer retention. 
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Product Ranking

#5

among all
POS Software

#240

among all
POS Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

79
77
67
42
100
100
100
100
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Customer and Loyalty Management
Employee Management
POS Hardware
Integration and Extensibility
Reporting and Insights
Customer and Loyalty Management
Employee Management
Reporting and Insights
Inventory Management
Types of POS

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Toast
Hike POS
+ Add Product + Add Product
Compliance And Security Customer And Loyalty Management Employee Management Inventory Management Items And Service Management Payment Transactions And Cash Management POS Hardware Reporting And Insights Sales And Marketing Management Store Management Types Of POS 67 100 100 68 85 76 93 88 52 54 85 42 100 100 87 75 83 41 88 76 61 87 0 25 50 75 100
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33%
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67%
100%
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67%
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33%
89%
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11%
86%
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14%
71%
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29%
78%
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22%
67%
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33%
90%
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88%
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88%
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70%
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44%
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56%
56%
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44%
75%
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25%
88%
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12%

Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

100%
0%
0%
80%
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20%

User Sentiment Summary

Great User Sentiment 451 reviews
Great User Sentiment 41 reviews
86%
of users recommend this product

Toast has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 86% when considering 451 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

81%
of users recommend this product

Hike POS has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 81% when considering 41 user reviews from 2 recognized software review sites.

4.7 (27)
n/a
4.4 (144)
4.2 (6)
n/a
4.0 (35)
4.2 (270)
n/a
4.3 (10)
n/a

Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Toast and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Customer and Loyalty Management and POS Hardware.

Customer and Loyalty Management Award
POS Hardware Award

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Hike POS and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Customer and Loyalty Management.

Customer and Loyalty Management Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Intuitive interface: Users consistently praise Toast's easy-to-learn and navigate interface, with clear menus, large buttons, and simple workflows, making it accessible for staff of all technical levels.
Robust reporting: Toast's comprehensive reporting tools provide valuable insights into sales, inventory, labor costs, customer behavior, and more, empowering data-driven decision-making.
Mobile flexibility: Staff can take orders, process payments, and manage tables directly from tablets or smartphones, enhancing tableside service and flexibility during busy periods.
Reliable payment processing: Users commend Toast's integrated payment processing for its speed, reliability, and security, ensuring smooth transactions and minimizing downtime.
Scalability for growth: Toast's ability to accommodate multiple locations, expanding menus, and growing staff needs makes it a popular choice for businesses with expansion plans.
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Streamlined Checkout & Efficiency: Users praise Hike POS for speeding up transactions with features like self-checkout kiosks, mobile checkout, and express lanes, reducing wait times and queues. One bakery owner shared how Hike POS cut their average checkout time in half.
Inventory Management Made Easy: Real-time stock tracking, automated purchase orders, and low-stock alerts are lauded for keeping inventory levels optimal and preventing stockouts. A clothing boutique owner appreciates how Hike POS helps them avoid losing sales due to overselling.
Actionable Data & Insights: Users value the comprehensive sales reports, customer behavior analytics, and customizable dashboards that provide data-driven insights. A restaurant owner credits Hike POS with helping them identify peak sales hours and optimize staffing.
Seamless Omnichannel Experience: Users love the omnichannel capabilities that integrate online stores, mobile apps, and physical locations. A bookstore owner highlights how Hike POS simplifies online orders and in-store pickup, creating a smooth experience for customers.
Exceptional Customer Support: Users rave about the 24/7 customer support via phone, email, and live chat. A cafe owner appreciates the prompt and helpful assistance they receive whenever they need it.
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Pricing complexity: Users express frustration with Toast's tiered pricing structure, which can become confusing and expensive, especially for businesses with multiple locations or add-on features.
Limited customization: Some users find Toast's customization options for menus, reporting, and workflows to be somewhat restrictive, hindering their ability to tailor the system to unique business processes.
Technical glitches: Users occasionally report software glitches, hardware issues, or slow performance during peak hours, leading to temporary disruptions in operations.
Customer support wait times: While Toast offers 24/7 support, users sometimes experience long wait times for phone assistance or delayed responses to inquiries, causing frustration when urgent issues arise.
Inventory management limitations: Users with complex inventory needs, such as multiple suppliers or intricate recipe tracking, find Toast's inventory management capabilities to be somewhat basic and lacking in advanced features.
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Unreliable iPad App: Users reported frequent crashes, freezes, and connection issues with the iPad app, requiring daily reinstallation for basic functionality. Data inaccuracies and random currency changes were also mentioned.
Limited Reporting: Hike was criticized for its lack of in-depth reports, making it difficult to generate custom reports and gain insights into sales and inventory. Data syncing issues with customer details and sales were also reported.
Click-intensive Interface: Users found the interface repetitive and click-intensive, requiring multiple actions for tasks like purchase orders. Limited "apply to all" functionality and occasional browser compatibility issues (mainly with Chrome recommended) were additional pain points.
Customer Support Concerns: The lack of phone support and reliance solely on live chat was a concern for some users. Repetitive troubleshooting suggestions and unresolved issues despite contacting support were also reported.
Other Potential Drawbacks: While generally praised for ease of use, Hike might not be ideal for businesses with complex product variations. Occasional lag and performance issues, as well as a less intuitive interface for some users, were also mentioned as potential drawbacks.
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Toast garners praise for its user-friendly interface, robust reporting, and mobile capabilities, making it a popular choice for restaurants of various sizes. Users appreciate its intuitive design, which simplifies training and streamlines daily operations compared to competitors like Square and Lightspeed POS. Toast's extensive reporting, often highlighted as superior to competitors, empowers data-driven decision-making by offering detailed insights into sales, labor, and customer behavior. Additionally, the ability to manage orders and payments tableside using mobile devices sets Toast apart, enhancing staff flexibility and customer service during peak hours. However, concerns arise regarding Toast's pricing structure, customization options, and technical glitches. The multi-tiered pricing, perceived as more complex than competitors, can become expensive for businesses with specific needs or multiple locations. While Toast offers various features, users sometimes find them less customizable than those in competitors like Revel Systems, restricting their ability to tailor the system to their unique workflows. Occasional technical issues and reported long wait times for customer support raise concerns about reliability compared to competitors known for their robust technical support, such as Micros. Ultimately, Toast's strengths in user-friendliness, reporting, and mobility resonate with many users, but its pricing complexity, limited customization, and potential technical issues demand careful consideration. Deciding factors often boil down to individual business needs, budget constraints, and desired level of customization. Weighing Toast's strengths against its potential drawbacks alongside competitor offerings becomes crucial for making an informed decision.

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Hike POS garners mixed reviews from users, often contrasting its user-friendly interface and 24/7 chat support with limitations in reporting, reliability, and certain functionalities. While praised for its ease of use compared to competitors like Square and Shopify POS (especially for non-tech-savvy users), Hike struggles with stability issues on its iPad app, leading to crashes, data inaccuracies, and even daily reinstallation needs. This unreliability can be a dealbreaker for businesses requiring consistent performance. Reporting capabilities are another point of contention. Users find Hike's reports basic and lack customization options compared to Square's robust analytics or Vend's detailed inventory insights. This makes it difficult to gain in-depth business intelligence, a crucial aspect for informed decision-making. While Hike boasts 24/7 chat support, some users report repetitive troubleshooting suggestions and unresolved issues, raising concerns about the effectiveness of their support structure. However, Hike shines in its user-friendly interface and affordable pricing. Users appreciate its intuitive layout and straightforward functionalities, making it a good option for small businesses with basic POS needs. Additionally, its 24/7 chat support, though lacking phone options, caters to those seeking readily available assistance. Ultimately, Hike's value proposition hinges on prioritizing ease of use and affordability over advanced features and robust reporting. Businesses requiring in-depth data analysis or seamless app stability might need to consider alternatives like Square or Vend.

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Screenshots

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