Lightspeed POS Review 2025: Complete Guide, Pricing & Expert Analysis
Our Verdict: Lightspeed is the best POS for complex inventory management and specialty retail. Its deep feature set handles product variants, serialized inventory, and multi-location stock transfers better than any competitor. The higher price is justified for businesses needing enterprise-grade inventory tools.
Lightspeed POS at a Glance
- Best For: Specialty retail, restaurants, golf courses, apparel stores
- Price: $109 – $289+/month
- Processing: 2.6% + $0.10 (in-person)
- Contract: Annual billing (monthly available at premium)
- Hardware: iPad-based with peripherals
What is Lightspeed?
Lightspeed Commerce is a publicly-traded (NYSE: LSPD) Canadian company providing POS and eCommerce solutions. Founded in 2005, Lightspeed has grown through acquisition and innovation, now serving over 168,000 customer locations worldwide.
Lightspeed offers two main products: Lightspeed Retail (for stores) and Lightspeed Restaurant (for food service). Both are known for sophisticated inventory management and strong reporting.
Lightspeed Pricing in 2025
Lightspeed Retail Plans
| Plan | Monthly (Annual) | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $109 | POS, inventory, basic reports |
| Core | $179 | + eCommerce, accounting |
| Plus | $289 | + loyalty, advanced reporting |
Lightspeed Restaurant Plans
| Plan | Monthly (Annual) | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $69 | Basic restaurant POS |
| Essential | $189 | + online ordering, delivery |
| Premium | $399 | + advanced reporting, API access |
Payment Processing
- In-person: 2.6% + $0.10
- Online: 2.9% + $0.30
- Third-party processors: Supported (monthly gateway fee)
Hardware
- Lightspeed Lite Kit: $219
- Lightspeed Retail Kit: $519
- Works with: iPad, receipt printers, scanners, cash drawers
Key Features
Advanced Inventory Management
- Matrix inventory: Size, color, material variants
- Serial number tracking: Track individual items
- Multi-location transfers: Move stock between stores
- Purchase orders: Built-in vendor management
- Reorder points: Automated low-stock alerts
- Consignment: Track vendor-owned inventory
- Bundling: Sell product bundles with inventory deduction
Retail POS Features
- Custom checkout workflows
- Layaway and special orders
- Trade-ins and exchanges
- Work orders (repairs, services)
- Gift cards and store credit
- Multi-payment transactions
Restaurant Features (Lightspeed Restaurant)
- Table management with floor plans
- Course management
- Kitchen display system
- Menu engineering
- Delivery management
- Bar tab management
eCommerce Integration
- Lightspeed eCom included (Core+)
- Unified inventory online/offline
- SEO tools
- Customizable themes
- Social selling
Reporting & Analytics
- Sales by product, category, employee
- Inventory valuation and aging
- Customer purchase history
- Multi-location comparisons
- Custom report builder
- Export to accounting software
Industry-Specific Solutions
Bike Shops
Lightspeed has deep bike shop features including work orders for repairs, serialized inventory for frames, and integration with bike supplier catalogs.
Golf Courses
Tee time booking, member management, and pro shop integration make Lightspeed popular with golf operations.
Apparel Stores
Matrix inventory handles the size/color complexity of fashion retail with ease.
Electronics/Vape Shops
Serial number tracking, age verification, and repair ticket management suit these industries.
Pros and Cons
What We Like
- Best inventory: Unmatched depth for complex products
- Industry expertise: Specific solutions for specialty retail
- Multi-location: Strong tools for chains
- Purchase orders: Built-in vendor management
- Work orders: Great for repairs and services
- Reporting: Deep analytics capabilities
- eCommerce: Solid online integration
What Could Be Better
- Price: Significantly more expensive than Square
- Complexity: Steeper learning curve
- Annual billing: Required for best pricing
- Feature gaps: Restaurant product less mature than Toast
- Support wait: Occasional long hold times reported
Who Should Use Lightspeed?
Ideal For:
- Specialty retail with complex inventory
- Bike shops, outdoor stores, sporting goods
- Apparel retailers with size/color variants
- Electronics stores needing serial tracking
- Multi-location retail chains
- Businesses offering repairs/services alongside sales
- Golf courses and country clubs
Consider Alternatives If:
- You need simple, low-cost POS (try Square)
- You run a restaurant as primary business (try Toast)
- You prioritize eCommerce over retail (try Shopify)
- Budget is your primary concern
Lightspeed vs Competitors
- Lightspeed vs Shopify – Inventory vs eCommerce
- Toast vs Lightspeed – Restaurant comparison
Customer Support
- Phone: Available during business hours
- Chat: Live chat support
- Email: Ticket-based support
- Onboarding: Dedicated setup assistance
- Help Center: Extensive documentation and videos
- Community: User forums and webinars
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lightspeed worth the price?
For specialty retailers with complex inventory needs, yes. The advanced features save time and reduce errors. For simple retail, Square offers similar basics at lower cost.
Can Lightspeed handle a retail and restaurant business?
Lightspeed offers both Retail and Restaurant products. For hybrid businesses (cafe with retail, golf course with pro shop), Lightspeed can potentially serve both sides.
Is Lightspeed good for small businesses?
It depends on inventory complexity. A boutique with size/color variants benefits from Lightspeed. A small gift shop with simple inventory may find it overkill.
Does Lightspeed work offline?
Yes, Lightspeed has offline mode that allows sales to continue during internet outages. Transactions sync when connectivity returns.
Can I use my own payment processor?
Yes, unlike some competitors, Lightspeed supports third-party payment processors, though using Lightspeed Payments offers the smoothest integration.
Our Bottom Line
Lightspeed is the best choice for specialty retailers with complex inventory needs. If you sell products with variants, track serial numbers, manage repairs, or run multiple locations, Lightspeed features justify the premium price.
For simpler retail operations, Square or Shopify POS may offer better value. But for inventory-heavy businesses, Lightspeed remains the industry leader.
[cost_calculator]
Try Lightspeed
Get a personalized demo or compare with alternatives:
Ultimate POS Buyer's Checklist
47-Point Checklist for Choosing the Right POS System
Don't buy a POS system without this comprehensive checklist. Covers features, pricing, contracts, and questions to ask vendors.
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.
More Resources: