TORO POS vs Square
Which POS is right for your tobacco shop? An honest comparison.
Choose TORO If...
- Tobacco is your primary business
- Monthly sales exceed $30k
- You sell cigars by stick, pack, and box
- You want to eliminate monthly transaction fees
- You need tobacco-specific features (humidor, compliance, multi-pack)
Choose Square If...
- Tobacco is less than 30% of your sales
- Monthly sales are under $20k
- You prefer a low upfront cost
- You value cloud-based mobile access
- Simple inventory management is sufficient
3-Year Cost Comparison
$50,000/month in sales, 2 employees
| Cost Category | TORO | Square |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Software | $5,000 | $0 |
| Monthly Software (36 mo) | $4,284 | $1,764 |
| Transaction Fees (36 mo) | $0* | $45,000 |
| Total 3-Year Cost | $9,284 | $46,764 |
*With fee pass-through enabled. Processing costs passed to customer.
Save $37,000+ over 3 years
TORO pays for itself in the first few months.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
Multi-Pack Inventory Management
Track singles, packs, and boxes as linked units. Sell a single stick and the box count adjusts automatically. Pre-loaded with 57,000+ cigars.
Basic inventory with no multi-pack linking. Each SKU is independent. No cigar database.
Age Verification & Compliance
Built-in ID scanning, age prompts (18/19/21+), compliance reporting, and state-specific rules. Non-bypassable -- staff cannot skip verification.
Basic manual age prompt on Free plan. ID scanning available on Plus/Premium plans. However, verification can be bypassed by staff and is not tobacco-specific.
Tobacco Tax Management
Flexible tax module handles OTP, MSA, and any state-specific tobacco taxes. One-on-one Tax Call with Kosta during setup to configure your rates.
Basic tax rates only. No tobacco-specific tax support. Manual configuration required.
Customer Management & Marketing
Full CRM with profiles, loyalty tiers, SMS marketing, two-way messaging, and customer segmentation.
Basic customer directory. SMS marketing requires Square Marketing add-on ($15+/mo extra).
Reporting & Analytics
Product-level profitability, sales trends, customer behavior, employee performance, and inventory analytics.
Standard sales reports. Advanced analytics requires Square Analytics add-on.
Hardware & Platform
Windows PC with touchscreen, barcode scanner, receipt printer, and cash drawer. Runs locally for speed and reliability.
iPad or Square Terminal. Cloud-based. Limited offline mode available but primarily requires internet.
Support
Unlimited phone, email, and remote support from tobacco experts. Direct access to the developer who built the system.
Phone support available on Plus ($49/mo) and Premium ($149/mo) plans. Free plan has phone support for first 90 days only. Support team is general retail -- no tobacco expertise.
Compare TORO to Other POS Systems
Ready to Switch?
See how TORO handles your specific needs with a one-on-one demo.