Lightspeed POS Review and Pricing

Why We Chose Lightspeed for Retail Businesses

Lightspeed is our choice for the best POS system for retail businesses because it provides all the necessary features to run a successful brick-and-mortar or e-commerce retail operation. We like that its three retail POS plans include essential features, such as tools to streamline inventory management, which is typically a massive undertaking for many retailers. When testing the software, we were also impressed that Lightspeed has preloaded product catalogs with millions of items — a feature most competitors don’t offer. These catalogs can significantly reduce the time spent adding new inventory items to your POS system.

Other retail-specific features we appreciated include bulk uploads, low-stock alerts and e-commerce store integrations. We like that Lightspeed supports popular payment methods and offers free, 24/7 customer service — not all competitors are this accessible. Another huge perk is the one-on-one onboarding training Lightspeed provides at no extra cost.

We were also impressed by Lightspeed’s customer loyalty tools, employee management features, reporting functionality and extensive integrations. You can use its internal payment processing system or partner with a third party, which is a crucial option that allows retailers to manage both sales and processing rates. For these reasons and more, Lightspeed is our choice for the best POS system for retail businesses.

Lightspeed’s inventory management tools let you track stock, manage inventory levels, set reorder points and much more. Source: Lightspeed

Ease of Use

Lightspeed offers user-friendly software for various business types. We like that Lightspeed’s industry-specific POS plans enhance usability for each vertical:

• Retail: Lightspeed’s POS features are ideal for retail stores in industries like apparel, cannabidiol, electronics, gifts, health, home decor, jewelry, liquor, pets, sporting goods and toys. 
• Restaurants: Lightspeed is also among the best restaurant POS systems and can serve as a hotel or bar POS system. 
• Golf: Lightspeed has customized solutions for golf businesses, including multicourse, municipal, private, semi-private, public and resort courses. 

When testing the platform, we were impressed by Lightspeed’s mobile-friendly interface, which allows businesses to operate seamlessly on the go. We also appreciated its hundreds of integrations that help streamline business processes. It integrates with top credit card processors, analytics tools, marketing services, the best accounting software and other business applications. Many competitors offer far fewer integrations.

Additionally, you and your team can easily set up personalized dashboards and use customizable templates, making the software easy to navigate. After customizing the Lightspeed dashboard, it didn’t take us more than a few minutes to become familiar with its layout. We were impressed by how seamless Lightspeed made the implementation process and how helpful its guides are when clients encounter issues.

We were also impressed by Lightspeed’s customization options, which allow retailers to create optimal and unique user experiences. Consider the following:

• Item grouping: Users can add and group items by brand and type using subscreens, and color-code categories for easier management.
• Item controls: Users can adjust item descriptions and monitor stock levels in real time. The system syncs with all devices on the same network, so updates apply everywhere.

Restaurants can customize the following: 

• Table controls: Restaurants can easily customize tables and dining room layouts with drag-and-drop functionality. Servers can assign items by seat or course, and subscreens allow them to enter detailed modifications.
• Check splitting: Lightspeed makes it easy to split and process checks. Servers can even divide individual items, such as bottles of wine.

Lightspeed Features

When evaluating the best retail POS systems, Lightspeed immediately stood out for the essential features in its Basic package and the advanced e-commerce and loyalty tools in higher-tier plans. We were also impressed by Lightspeed’s built-in SEO tools, which support retail marketing strategies, and the fact that the vendor regularly updates the software with new features.

Inventory Management

We loved Lightspeed’s robust suite of inventory management tools designed specifically for retailers, including its free templates for inventory tracking and purchase orders. The platform lets you track stock, bundle items, create product variations, and manage vendors and inventory across multiple locations.

Lightspeed’s retail POS software includes the following inventory management features:

• Preloaded catalogs with more than 8 million items
• Bulk uploads of up to 10,000 SKUs at a time
• Low-stock alerts
• Tools to create, maintain and manage inventory reports for physical and online stores

Numerous inventory management tools make Lightspeed an excellent POS system for retailers. Source: Lightspeed

Customer Management and Loyalty Programs

Lightspeed’s customer management tools can help retailers earn repeat business and build customer loyalty. Its built-in customer relationship management (CRM) features let you create customer profiles, add notes about preferences and run sales analytics reports. You can also view purchase histories, assign VIP status and offer targeted rewards and promotions.

Restaurants will appreciate the ability to segment customers by spending habits and view their order history, which is helpful for crafting personalized rewards and offers.

During testing, we found the following loyalty tool functions particularly impressive: 

• Create customer loyalty programs for online and offline channels.
• Run special events where customers can earn double or triple points.
• Send personalized deals and product recommendations for birthdays or VIPs.
• Use email and SMS promotions tied to customer behavior.
• Let customers digitally track their loyalty points in one central location.

Lightspeed’s customer management and loyalty features are comparable to those of leading competitors but still deliver substantial value.

Lightspeed makes it easy to track customer loyalty program information. Source: Lightspeed

Employee Management

During our analysis, we found Lightspeed’s employee management features both helpful and insightful. For retail businesses, we liked that the POS system includes a built-in time clock and the ability to generate reports on employee hours, sales and profits.

Lightspeed’s restaurant-specific employee management options are also helpful. For example, you can assign roles and allow staff to clock in and out directly through the system.

Lightspeed’s built-in time clock makes shift management easier. Source: Lightspeed

E-Commerce

We were impressed by Lightspeed’s strong e-commerce support for retailers. The platform includes tools for setting up an online store, selling products from any location and building a solid e-commerce marketing strategy. You can choose from more than 50 professional themes and several mobile-responsive, customizable templates. We also liked that you can showcase products in high definition — a valuable feature for online retailers.

We also love that Lightspeed Retail syncs your online and in-store operations, allowing for more organized inventory management across all your sales channels. The system also provides in-store analytics to help you make better and smarter sales and inventory decisions.

Reporting

Retailers will appreciate that Lightspeed offers more than 50 built-in POS reports, ranging from simple overviews to highly detailed breakdowns. Notable retail-focused reporting tools include:

• Revenue reports that track sales, profits and trends
• Inventory reports covering costs, margins, transfers and negative stock
• Employee performance reports based on sales, voids and other metrics
• Product performance reports to analyze individual product success

Restaurant owners and managers will also appreciate how Lightspeed’s reporting tools help them manage their staff and gain customer insights. Restaurant-specific features include:

• A sales dashboard for setting custom date ranges and viewing top-level sales summaries
• Reports comparing items, categories and order types across specific periods or locations
• Advanced Insights to build customer profiles and track online campaigns in real time
• Visibility into sales by time of day to help with scheduling and staffing
• Data on popular menu items to guide stocking decisions
• Server performance reports showing top-selling staff and order volume

Lightspeed Restaurant’s Guestbook platform allows users to segment customers and analyze their behaviors to adjust operations. Source: Lightspeed

Hardware

We like that Lightspeed’s POS system is iPad-based, giving retailers flexibility. An iPad can function as a mobile POS device, a stationary terminal with a stand or a customer-facing display.

You can purchase third-party POS hardware directly from Lightspeed, either as bundled kits or individual components. Available hardware includes barcode scanners, cash drawers, receipt printers, iPad stands and more. Some equipment is suitable for both retail and restaurant businesses; however, you should contact Lightspeed directly for quotes specific to restaurant hardware.

We also appreciate that many businesses can use existing hardware with Lightspeed, potentially saving them money. The Lightspeed Help Center includes a full list of compatible devices.

Another perk: Lightspeed is an authorized Apple reseller, so you can buy your iPad kit and accessories directly from the company — a convenience many competitors don’t offer.

Purchase your iPad-based retail POS hardware and accessories directly from Lightspeed. Source: Lightspeed

Lightspeed Pricing

Lightspeed’s POS pricing differs by product (Retail, Restaurant or Golf). Here’s how it breaks down: 

Lightspeed Retail POS Pricing

Lightspeed’s Retail POS plans include the Lightspeed Payments payment processing service. However, you may incur a monthly fee of up to $400 if you choose to use a third-party payment processor.

Note the following: 

• Pricing includes one register; additional iPad and desktop POS hardware kits are available by quote.
• Unlike some competitors, Lightspeed charges no setup or installation fees and offers a 14-day free trial.

Lightspeed Restaurant POS Pricing

Although we chose Lightspeed as the best POS system for retail businesses, it’s also considered among the best restaurant POS systems. In addition to the following monthly costs, you’ll also pay payment processing fees and hardware costs.

Lightspeed Golf Pricing

You’ll need to contact Lightspeed for a custom quote if you want to use its robust golf POS software. It includes inventory management features, e-commerce integrations, the ability to process transactions from the tee sheet, pro shop features, data analysis and more. 

Payment Processing Pricing

Lightspeed’s in-house payment processing service, Lightspeed Payments, has flat-rate pricing and no additional POS charges or fees. (As mentioned, using a third-party processor may incur extra charges — up to $400 per month.)

Lightspeed Payments rates are as follows:

• In-person using a card reader: 2.6 percent plus 10 cents per transaction
• Manually keyed-in or online: 2.6 percent plus 30 cents per transaction

Money deposited with Lightspeed Payments will be in your account within two business days.

Implementation and Onboarding

We were impressed that Lightspeed offers one-on-one onboarding via phone or video chat, plus free staff training to ensure you’re getting the most out of the platform. We especially like that every plan includes a dedicated account manager — a rare perk among competitors.

Implementation typically takes four to six weeks. After setup, customers transition to the support team, but there’s a grace period during which users can still contact onboarding agents. Most users run into few issues, and Lightspeed provides a detailed setup guide to help troubleshoot common problems.

We were also impressed that Lightspeed is rolling out field implementation specialists for larger clients. These reps ensure infrastructure (like cabling) is in place and can make on-site adjustments at launch.

Customer Support

Lightspeed’s customer support options are varied and well-executed: 

• 24/7 service: We like that Lightspeed offers 24/7 customer support. Its representatives can answer questions about the company’s hardware or software at any time via chat (with phone support available, though its availability varies by language). Although this is standard in the POS industry, we always like to see it in our best picks.
• Personalized support: We also appreciate that Lightspeed’s plans include one-on-one onboarding, additional free training and a dedicated account manager.
• Responsive help: We found Lightspeed’s customer service to be very responsive, patient and efficient in resolving customer issues and using feedback to improve operations.
• Online resources: Lightspeed offers free online tools specifically designed for golf courses, restaurants and retailers. For example, you can access blogs, guidebooks, videos and templates. We found its free barcode generator and preloaded retail catalogs especially helpful. Lightspeed’s prebuilt templates can also save retailers hours when organizing and managing inventory.
• Community forum: If you want to connect with other entrepreneurs to collaborate or learn more about the product, Lightspeed offers a community forum online. It’s free to join. To hear from other Lightspeed users about their experiences, you can also listen to testimonials on Lightspeed’s YouTube page.

Limitations

While Lightspeed is an excellent POS for retailers, we discovered several potential drawbacks:  

• Higher pricing: Lightspeed’s plans are priced somewhat higher than those of other POS systems we reviewed.
• Third-party payment processor fees: Although Lightspeed allows integration with third-party payment processors, you’ll incur an additional monthly fee. You may want to consider this extra cost before proceeding.
• Fewer payment processors: Lightspeed offers fewer payment processor options than some rivals, so you may need to forgo your current processor to use Lightspeed. Check out our Epos Now review if you’re looking for a solution with more payment processor flexibility.

Methodology

We researched and analyzed dozens of POS systems to identify the top solutions on the market. We examined pricing, contracts, hardware, platform compatibility, key POS features, reporting, payment processing, integrations, usability and customer support to help businesses select the ideal POS system for their specific needs. We also gained hands-on experience through product videos and demos whenever possible. When evaluating the best POS system for retail businesses specifically, we prioritized features like inventory management, customer management, loyalty programs, employee management, reporting, e-commerce and integrations.

Bottom Line

We recommend Lightspeed for …

• Retail businesses.
• Businesses looking for short- or long-term POS plans.
• Retailers and restaurants that need extensive inventory management features.
• Businesses that want an iPad-based POS system.

We do not recommend Lightspeed for …

• Businesses looking for the least expensive POS system possible
• Businesses that want an Android-based POS system.

Elizabeth Crumbly and Quinn Springett contributed to this article.