TORO POS vs Fastrax for Tobacco Shops
Comparing two tobacco-focused POS systems
The Good News
Both TORO and Fastrax are built specifically for tobacco retail, so you're choosing between two legitimate tobacco-focused systems - not forcing a general retail POS to work for your cigar shop. The question is: which features matter most to you and which offers better value?
Choose TORO If...
- You want transparent, published pricing (no surprises)
- You do phone/mail orders and want a low CNP rate
- You want the option to pass processing fees to customers
- You need proven multi-pack inventory (stick/pack/box/carton)
- You want support from actual tobacco retailers
Choose Fastrax If...
- You prefer their pricing model (request a quote to compare)
- You like their specific feature set for your workflow
- Their processing rates are competitive for your volume
- Their support meets your needs (test it before committing)
- You have an existing relationship with their team
Cost Comparison (3 Years)
Estimated total cost for a tobacco shop doing $50,000/month in credit card sales
| Cost Category | Fastrax (3 Years) | TORO (3 Years) |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront Cost | Contact for quote | $5,000 |
| Monthly Software (36 mo) | Contact for quote | $4,284$119/mo x 36 |
| Processing Fees (36 mo) | Varies by processor | $36,0002.0% x $50k x 36Or $0 with fee pass-through* |
| Hardware | Contact for quote | $1,200Touchscreen terminal |
*Fee pass-through = customers pay credit card fees, you pay $0 in processing costs
Transparent Pricing Matters
TORO publishes pricing upfront: $5,000 + $119/month. Contact Fastrax for their pricing and compare total 3-year costs including processing fees.
Card-Not-Present Rate Comparison
Phone Orders: Ask Fastrax for Their CNP Rate
Fastrax CNP Rate
Ask Them
Not published - request their rate
Industry avg: ~3.6%
TORO CNP Rate
2.0%
Same rate as in-store
Estimated Annual Savings on $10k/month Phone Orders:
~$1,920/year
If Fastrax charges industry avg 3.6%, TORO saves you $1,920/year
Ask Fastrax for their exact CNP rate to calculate your actual savings
Note on Processing Rates:
Fastrax does not publish their processing rates publicly. We used industry average estimates (~3.6% for CNP).
Ask them directly for actual rates - lack of transparency in pricing is a red flag. See our industry average rate methodology.
No Price Increase Since 2013
TORO launched in 2013 at $5,000 + $119/month.
That's still our price today. Zero increases in 13 years.
When was Fastrax's last price increase? Ask them.
Feature Comparison
Multi-Pack Inventory
Native support. One product, sell at any level (stick/pack/box/carton). Inventory automatically adjusts. Buy a box of 25, sell 3 singles - shows 22 remaining.
Proven multi-pack accuracy
Tobacco-specific. Fastrax is built for tobacco, so likely includes multi-pack management. Verify with them how it handles breaking up boxes and selling at different pack levels.
Built for tobacco retail
Payment Processing
Premium Tobacco Processing. PCA-recommended, tobacco-specific processor. 1.8-2.2% avg 2%. No shutdown risk. Fee pass-through available = you pay $0 in processing.
Transparent, tobacco-safe
Processor options vary. Ask Fastrax: Which processors do they integrate with? Are they tobacco-friendly? What are the actual rates? Can you pass fees to customers?
Verify processing details
Support
Tobacco expert support. Unlimited phone/email/remote from actual tobacco retailers. We know how to handle cigars in cello. Free training. Business hours support.
Real tobacco knowledge
Ask about support. What are support hours? Phone or email? Response times? Do they understand tobacco-specific issues? Try the "Support Test" - call and ask about cigars without barcodes.
Verify support quality
Age Verification
Mandatory enforcement. Cannot complete tobacco transaction without ID verification. Configurable age (18/19/21+). Non-bypassable. Protects your license.
License protection built-in
Likely included. As a tobacco-specific POS, Fastrax should have age verification. Ask: Is it mandatory or optional? Can staff bypass it? Configurable age limits?
Verify compliance features
6 Questions to Ask Fastrax
Before choosing Fastrax, ask them these questions directly:
- 1
What is your exact in-store processing rate?
(Get the specific rate for YOUR volume)
- 2
What is your card-not-present rate?
(Phone/mail order rate - this matters!)
- 3
What is your online e-commerce rate?
(If you do any online sales)
- 4
Do you make money from processing margins?
(Are they marking up processing?)
- 5
When was your last price increase?
(Ask for pricing history)
- 6
Why aren't your rates published?
(Lack of transparency is a concern)
If they won't answer these questions clearly, that's a red flag.
The TORO Advantage
Transparent pricing: $5,000 + $119/month - no surprises
Premium Tobacco Processing: PCA-recommended, no shutdown risk
Fee pass-through: Option to pay $0 in processing fees
Built by retailers: Not a tech company profiting from fees
Support Test proven: Call us about cigars in cello - we know the answer
85+ tobacco shops: Proven track record
The Bottom Line
Compare total costs, not just monthly fees.
Both systems are built for tobacco, which is good. Get a detailed quote from Fastrax including all fees over 3 years and compare to TORO's transparent pricing. Pay special attention to processing rates and whether you can pass fees to customers. That $36,000 in processing fees over 3 years (or $0 with pass-through) makes a huge difference.
Compare TORO to Other POS Systems
See TORO's Transparent Pricing
No games, no hidden fees. See exactly what TORO costs and how fee pass-through can eliminate your processing costs entirely.