POS Comparisons

Vend by Lightspeed vs Heartland Retail: Which POS Is Better? (2025)

By Mauricio Oct 15, 2025 3 min read

When comparing Vend vs Heartland Retail, you’re looking at two distinct approaches to retail point-of-sale technology. Vend, rated 4.4/5, offers Retail stores wanting easy setup and multi-device flexibility. Meanwhile, Heartland Retail, rated 4.1/5, provides Retail stores wanting integrated payments. Let’s dive into the details to help you make an informed decision.

Quick Comparison: Vend vs Heartland Retail

FeatureVendHeartland Retail
CategoryRetailRetail
Starting Price$89/monthContact for pricing
Rating4.4/54.1/5
Target BusinessSmall BusinessSmall Business to Mid-Market
Pricing ModelSubscriptionQuote-based
Free TrialYesNo
Free VersionNoNo
Best ForRetail stores wanting easy setup and multi-device flexibilityRetail stores wanting integrated payments

Vend Overview

Vend, now part of Lightspeed Retail, is a cloud-based retail POS offering inventory management, customer loyalty, and multi-store capabilities. Known for ease of use and works on iPad, Mac, and PC.

Vend is offered by Lightspeed Commerce (founded 2010) based in Auckland, New Zealand. The system focuses on Retail, Fashion, Electronics, Home Goods.

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Key Features:

  • Cloud-based POS
  • Inventory management
  • Customer loyalty
  • Multi-store support
  • eCommerce integration
  • Reporting

Heartland Retail Overview

Heartland Retail is a point-of-sale and payment processing solution for retail businesses. Part of the Heartland family, it offers inventory management, customer loyalty, and integrated payments.

Heartland Retail is offered by Heartland Payment Systems (Global Payments) (founded 2001) based in Jeffersonville, IN. The system focuses on Retail, Specialty Stores.

Key Features:

  • POS System
  • Inventory Management
  • Customer Loyalty
  • Payment Processing
  • Reporting
  • E-commerce Integration

Feature Comparison

Vend Features:

  • Cloud-based POS
  • Inventory management
  • Customer loyalty
  • Multi-store support
  • eCommerce integration

Heartland Retail Features:

  • POS System
  • Inventory Management
  • Customer Loyalty
  • Payment Processing
  • Reporting

When comparing features, Vend stands out with Multi-platform (iPad/Mac/PC), while Heartland Retail differentiates itself with Heartland integration. Your choice should depend on which features align better with your specific business requirements.

Pricing Comparison

Pricing AspectVendHeartland Retail
Starting Price$89/monthContact for pricing
Pricing ModelSubscriptionQuote-based
Price RangeMid-rangeMid-range
Free TrialAvailableNot available
Free VersionNoNo

Both systems offer competitive pricing for their respective feature sets. Consider the total cost of ownership including hardware, processing fees, and add-on modules when making your decision.

Pros and Cons

Vend

Pros:

  • Easy to use
  • Works on any device
  • Strong inventory features
  • Good customer support
  • Now backed by Lightspeed

Cons:

  • Limited restaurant features
  • Pricing increased after Lightspeed acquisition
  • eCommerce requires add-on

Heartland Retail

Pros:

  • Heartland ecosystem
  • Integrated payments
  • Retail focus
  • Customer loyalty tools

Cons:

  • Custom pricing
  • May require Heartland processing

Who Should Choose Vend?

Vend is ideal for Retail stores wanting easy setup and multi-device flexibility. The system is particularly well-suited for Retail, Fashion, Electronics, Home Goods.

However, Vend may not be the best fit for Restaurants, large enterprises.

Who Should Choose Heartland Retail?

Heartland Retail is ideal for Retail stores wanting integrated payments. The system is particularly well-suited for Retail, Specialty Stores.

However, Heartland Retail may not be the best fit for Restaurants.

Our Recommendation

Both Vend and Heartland Retail are solid POS solutions, but they excel in different areas. Choose Vend if you’re Retail stores wanting easy setup and multi-device flexibility. Choose Heartland Retail if you’re Retail stores wanting integrated payments. Vend has a higher user rating (4.4 vs 4.1). We recommend trying demos or free trials of both systems before making your final decision.