Same features. No monthly fees. No hardware lock-in. No payment processor markup. TabForge is everything Toast offers — at a fraction of the 5-year cost.
TabForge covers the full restaurant workflow — floor to kitchen to close — without the monthly invoice.
| Feature | TabForge | Toast |
|---|---|---|
| Ordering | ||
| Order taking & menu navigation | Included | Included |
| Modifiers & item customization | Included | Included |
| Split checks (by seat, item, or %) | Included | Add-on fee |
| Bar tabs & open tabs | Included | Included |
| Discounts & comps | Included | Limited on Starter |
| Kitchen & Display | ||
| Kitchen Display System (KDS) | Included | $25+/mo add-on |
| Thermal receipt printing (ESC/POS) | Any USB printer | Toast hardware only |
| Bar ticket printing | Included | Requires Toast printer |
| 86'd item management | Included | Included |
| Payments & Tips | ||
| Tip entry & tip pooling | Included | Included |
| Voids & refunds with audit trail | Included | Included |
| Choose your payment processor | Any processor | Toast Payments only |
| Payment processing markup | $0 — bring your own | 2.49–3.09% + fees |
| Reporting & Management | ||
| Shift closeout & cash reconciliation | Included | Included |
| Manager reports & daily sales | Included | Basic on Starter |
| Table status board | Included | Add-on required |
| Staff PINs & role permissions | Included | Included |
| Infrastructure & Ownership | ||
| Monthly software fee | $0 forever | $69–165+/mo |
| Proprietary hardware required | No — any device | Yes — Toast terminals |
| Self-hosted / your servers | Yes | No — Toast cloud only |
| Source code access | Full source | Closed source |
| Works on iPad, Android, laptop | Any browser | Toast hardware only |
| Data portability | Your database, export anytime | Locked in Toast cloud |
Toast's published prices are just the start. Add hardware, KDS, processing markup — and a 2-terminal setup easily runs $400+/mo.
Adjust your terminal count and see exactly what you'd save over time by switching to TabForge.
Try the live demo — no account, no credit card. See exactly what you're getting before you buy.
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