Toast vs Lightspeed: Complete 2025 Restaurant POS Comparison
Both Toast and Lightspeed Restaurant are powerful POS systems designed for the food service industry. Toast is a restaurant-only specialist known for robust hardware, while Lightspeed offers flexibility for businesses that combine restaurant and retail operations.
Quick Verdict: Choose Toast for a full-service restaurant experience with proprietary hardware and industry-leading support. Choose Lightspeed if you need iPad-based flexibility, have retail alongside food service, or prefer bringing your own payment processor.
Last updated: December 2025
Toast
Built exclusively for restaurants
Lightspeed
Enterprise-grade POS for growing businesses
Quick Verdict
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | Toast | Lightspeed |
|---|---|---|
| Free POS software | Starter plan only | ✗ No |
| Inventory management | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Employee management | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Online ordering | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Advanced reporting | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Loyalty program | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Table management | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Kitchen display | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| 24/7 phone support | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Offline mode | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Toast
Pros
- Purpose-built for restaurants
- Excellent table & kitchen management
- Strong online ordering integration
- Industry-leading support
- Robust employee management
Cons
- Restaurant-only (not for retail)
- Long-term contracts often required
- Hardware can be expensive
- Processing fees locked to Toast
Lightspeed
Pros
- Excellent multi-location management
- Advanced inventory with variants
- Strong eCommerce integration
- Comprehensive reporting
- Great for complex businesses
Cons
- Higher price point
- Annual contracts required
- Learning curve for advanced features
- Overkill for simple businesses
Not sure which is right for you?
Get personalized POS recommendations based on your specific business needs.
Get Free Custom Quotes Compare pricing from top providers - takes 60 secondsToast vs Lightspeed: Key Differences
Hardware Approach
Toast uses proprietary Android-based hardware designed specifically for restaurant environments – spill-proof, grease-resistant, and built to last. Lightspeed runs on standard iPads, offering more flexibility but potentially less durability in demanding kitchen environments.
Payment Processing
Toast requires you to use Toast Payments exclusively. Lightspeed allows you to choose your own payment processor, which can result in better rates if you have negotiating leverage or existing banking relationships.
Retail Capabilities
Lightspeed started as a retail POS and expanded to restaurants. If you run a hybrid business (like a brewery with merchandise or a cafe with retail products), Lightspeed’s unified platform handles both beautifully. Toast is restaurant-only.
Pricing Structure
Both start around $69/month for core features. Toast’s Starter plan is technically free but comes with higher processing rates. Lightspeed’s pricing is more straightforward but requires annual billing for the best rates.
Who Should Choose Toast?
- Full-service restaurants and bars
- High-volume quick-service restaurants
- Those wanting purpose-built restaurant hardware
- Multi-location restaurant groups
- Restaurants needing robust 24/7 support
Who Should Choose Lightspeed?
- Cafes and coffee shops
- Hybrid retail + food businesses
- Restaurants wanting iPad flexibility
- Those with preferred payment processors
- International or Canadian restaurants
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for a coffee shop?
Both work well for coffee shops. Lightspeed may have a slight edge if you sell retail products (bags of coffee, merchandise). Toast is better if you’re a high-volume cafe focusing purely on food and beverages.
Can I use my existing payment processor with Toast?
No, Toast requires Toast Payments. Lightspeed allows you to choose your payment processor, though they offer their own Lightspeed Payments with competitive rates.
Which has better inventory management?
Lightspeed’s inventory system is more robust due to its retail heritage. Toast’s inventory management is adequate for recipe costing and ingredient tracking but less sophisticated for retail-style inventory.
Is Lightspeed reliable during busy periods?
Yes, but remember you’re relying on Apple iPad hardware. Toast’s custom hardware is built for restaurant abuse and may be more durable long-term.
Restaurant POS Buyer's Guide
Complete 2025 Guide for Restaurant Owners
Everything you need to know about restaurant POS systems. Compare top options, understand pricing, and avoid costly mistakes.
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.
Ready to Compare More Options?
See how these systems compare to other top POS solutions: