TORO vs. Cigars POS: Which POS System Is Best for Your Tobacco Store?

Finding a point of sale (POS) system for your tobacco store can feel overwhelming, right?

Generic POS systems won’t do. Providers promise the moon and deliver a flashlight. They don't understand age verification requirements, compliance tracking, or why you need to break cases and track individual cigars.

If you’re shopping for a tobacco-specific POS, you’ve probably come across TORO and Cigars POS. But even within this niche, TORO and Cigars POS take very different approaches to pricing, support, and features.

This guide breaks down what matters so you can make the right call for your tobacco store.

TL;DR: Which Should You Choose?

Cigars POS is the better fit for most tobacco store owners.

We know, shocking, right? Choosing ourselves on our own blog.

But we’ve done the research — we know who we’re a great fit for, and who we’re not. With predictable monthly pricing (no revenue sharing), 24/7 phone support included on every plan, and age verification baked in from day one. You won’t pay extra for basics.

TORO might be worth considering if you're a cigar-focused shop that wants seamless e-commerce integration and you're comfortable with their revenue-share pricing model — just know that costs scale with your sales. Sell more, pay more. That's the deal.

Key Similarities

Before diving into differences, here's what both systems get right.

Tobacco-specific design: Neither system is a generic point of sale. You won’t have to worry about bolting on features just to get working software. Both understand age verification, compliance requirements, and how tobacco shops operate.

Cloud-based access: You can check sales reports, adjust inventory, and monitor your store from anywhere with an internet connection. Both systems let you manage your business remotely — whether you're at home, traveling, or running between multiple locations.

Related Read: 5 Best Tobacco POS Solutions [Updated for 2025]

Age verification: If you sell to a minor, you risk fines, license suspension, or the closure of your store. With age verification through ID scanning built in, you won’t have to worry about slipping up. You’ll also have a paper trail if regulators come asking questions.

Inventory management: You can track cigars, cigarettes, and accessories with systems built for tobacco-specific SKUs. TORO comes with 35,000 cigars preloaded in the database. Cigars POS color-codes products by sales velocity so you know what's moving and what's collecting dust.

Loyalty programs: Repeat customers keep your shop running. Both systems offer loyalty features to keep them coming back — and give you their contact info for future marketing (within tobacco advertising rules, of course).

Key Differences:

While both TORO and Cigars POS are tobacco-specific systems, there are distinct differences to consider.

TORO Cigar POS

TORO (falsely) positions itself as “The ONLY Tobacco POS” and wants to build a strong reputation in the cigar retail space. A few things stand out.

E-commerce integration: TORO’s biggest selling point is its fully-integrated, tobacco-compliant online store. Inventory syncs between your physical location and your website. You won’t need to manually update anything, oversell, or deal with angry customers wondering where their Padróns are.

This is a significant advantage for cigar shops looking to expand beyond their local market.

Preloaded cigar database: The system includes 35,000 cigars in the database, complete with size and blend information. If you're a cigar-heavy shop, this saves serious setup time. Instead of manually entering every product (and inevitably misspelling "Fuente"), you can select from an existing catalog.

Revenue-share pricing: TORO offers a unique pricing model: $15/month plus 1% of all sales (minimum $119/month). This sounds affordable at first, but the math changes as you grow.

At $30,000/month in sales, you'll pay $315/month. At $50,000, that's $515/month. And there's no cap, meaning the more successful you are, the more you pay.

Alternatively, you can pay $5,000 upfront and own the software outright. That's a significant capital investment, but it eliminates the ongoing percentage fees.

WhatsApp-only support: All support happens through WhatsApp groups. Each store gets two groups: one for credit card issues and one for general support. Some retailers love this approach for its efficiency — others want to pick up the phone when the register crashes during a Friday night rush.

Cigars POS

Cigars POS takes a different approach, offering predictable pricing, phone support, and features designed for both tobacco and vape retailers.

Related Read: 4 Must-Have Smoke Shop POS Software Features [+ Top Providers]

Predictable monthly pricing: Our packages start at $69/month, and your costs don’t increase as your sales grow. There’s no revenue sharing or percentage fees.

24/7 phone support included: Every plan includes access to in-house technicians by phone — not just chat or WhatsApp. When something breaks at 7 p.m. on a Saturday, you talk to a real person who can help you fix it.

Tobacco and vape in one system: If you sell vapes alongside cigars and cigarettes, Cigars POS handles both in a single inventory system. TORO is cigar-focused, so if vape is a significant part of your business, check with their team on how well they support it.

Dual pricing on all plans: Credit card processing fees eat into your margins. Dual pricing displays a cash price and a card price, meaning cardholders pay processing fees. This feature is included on every Cigars POS plan, not locked behind a premium tier.

What Do Real Users Say?

Neither TORO nor Cigars POS is listed on major review platforms, so you’ll have to rely on testimonials.

W. Curtis Draper, a 132-year-old tobacconist, credits TORO with helping them launch their first online store with "seamless" inventory integration.

Check out what Corey Grant, owner of Tobacco Town Cigar Lounge, has to say about Cigars POS.

Support Comparison

TORO's WhatsApp-based support is efficient for quick questions, and they've "never raised their support fees since creation." Their hardware includes a 3-year warranty and an optional Allstate extension. But if you bring your own hardware, you're on your own for support.

Cigars POS assigns you a dedicated Customer Success Manager who handles onboarding. We’ll walk you through hardware setup, software training, inventory import, and employee training. After go-live, our in-house support team is available 24/7 by phone on every plan.

TORO vs. Cigars POS: Which Is the Best POS System for Your Tobacco Store?

Both TORO and Cigars POS are legitimate tobacco-specific POS systems. They're not generic retail software with tobacco features tacked on. But they serve different needs and different business models.

Choose TORO Cigar POS if you:

• Want integrated e-commerce with seamless inventory sync
• Are a cigar-heavy shop that values the 35,000 preloaded database
• Prefer WhatsApp-based support over phone calls
• Are comfortable with revenue-share pricing (and your sales volume is lower)
• Have $5,000 to invest upfront to avoid ongoing percentage fees

Choose Cigars POS if you:

• Want predictable monthly costs that don't scale with your success
• Prefer 24/7 phone support over WhatsApp groups
• Sell vape alongside tobacco and need one unified system
• Want dual pricing included on every plan
• Prefer month-to-month flexibility over long-term commitments

For most tobacco store owners, Cigars POS offers better value — especially as your business grows.

You're not penalized for success with percentage-based fees, and phone support is included from day one. Predictable pricing makes budgeting easier, and month-to-month flexibility means you're not locked in if your needs change.

Ready To See It in Action?

Comparison articles can only tell you so much. The best way to know if a POS system works for your store is to see it handle your products, your workflow, and your day-to-day operations.

Schedule a demo with Cigars POS to see exactly how it handles age verification, inventory, and loyalty for tobacco retailers. There’s no pressure, and it’s not a sales pitch. We’ll just walk you through what the system can do for your specific situation.