Lightspeed Retail POS Software Reviews [2022] Pricing & Insights

Lightspeed Retail POS Software Reviews

Hey retailers! Welcome to my Lightspeed Retail POS review.

I have personally used Lightspeed as well as its top competitors over the years in my own business.

Read my review below to find out why Lightspeed Retail has become one of the best business-management systems on the market.

This Lightspeed Retail POS review will also cover the following:

Drawbacks
Comparisons
Frequently asked Questions
Competing alternatives

Quick highlights:

Lightspeed Retail is an all-inclusive system that supports businesses at every scale.
It includes the most diverse integration methods, in addition to market-leading data analysis, accounting features, inventory management, and much more.
Lightspeed has overwhelmingly positive reviews across several tech review websites.
We compare Lightspeed Retail to other POS systems on the market like Square POS and Shopify.

Pricing

Since the software caters to businesses of all sizes, each payment plan offers full scalability.

The system is practical for both small businesses AND enterprise-level companies.

Lightspeed Retail provides market-leading services at each business level so that every user is always getting the best value for money.

Its payment plan comes in 6 tiers:

See Lightspeed Retail POS Pricing

Basic: $69 per month billed annually ($828) or $79 per month

This plan comes with enough features to support a start-up company or an individual trader. It also allows you to keep an electronic inventory while receiving reports about your stock.

This version, along with the others, comes with a free terminal.

Starter: $99 per month billed annually ($1,188) or $119 per month

This version provides all of the basic features, including the ability to integrate your business with e-commerce applications and seamlessly sell items online.

Standard: $119 per month billed annually ($1,428) or $139 per month

This one comes with everything included in the basic and starter plan. It also provides the ability to integrate your POS system with your accounting software.

The standard plan serves as an extra smooth transition for businesses that intend to scale upwards.

Advanced: $169 per month billed annually ($2,028) or $189 per month

The advanced plan offers a customer loyalty program along with the features of the basic and the standard plan.

When growing a business, customer service is a crucial factor. One of the best ways to retain your customers is by rewarding them for using your services.

Pro: $229 per month billed annually ($2,748) or $259 per month

Along with the features of the previous plans, the pro version offers analytics to all of your data.

That means that you or a team member can assess every part of your business and optimize it for maximum success.

Enterprise: Requires contact for a quote

This plan is reserved for enterprise-leveled retail companies and thus requires a quote that can be negotiated.

After settling on a price, a team will provide you with a POS system that is completely tailored and optimized for your retail business.

That means that everything is included as well as a dedicated team to meet every need regarding your retail enterprise's POS.

Payment Processing

Lightspeed offers its own payment processing called Lightspeed Payments, accepting all major credit and debit cards. However, if you wish to integrate with a third-party instead, Lightspeed is a POS system without credit card processing obligations. You'll have the freedom to chose from a variety of providers for this service.

With Lightspeed Payments, the starter price of $99 is sold at $69 if billed annually.

It is also worth mentioning that Lightspeed Retail offers a 14-day free trial with no subscription renewal charge.

Optimal for businesses of every industry

Benefits & Features

What sets Lightspeed Retail apart from other POS companies is its diversity of use. Lightspeed ensures that its point of sale software is optimal for businesses of every industry.

Whether you run a jewelry store, an online clothes store, or a local pet shop, Lightspeed promises to provide the best selling experience for its customers.

It supports local stores that operate through one outlet, enterprise-level companies with multiple stores, and everything in between.

Inventory Management

Its cloud-based storage means you can set, view, and alter your inventory regardless of your location. You can avoid ever having to deal with a spreadsheet and manual entry.
Allows users to view their inventory across multiple devices
Provides the history of a sold item
Provides live inventory reports
Provides a "Local inventory ads" option that allows you to sync your inventory to Google—this allows customers to find your items when they are near your store's location.
Supports inventory overview over multiple stores
Allows businesses to order stock from Lightspeed's own catalog depending on their industry

Stores that require serial number tracking or stores that sell items in bulk can optimize their inventory management using the tools provided by the POS software.

Lightspeed Analytics

Provides live data reports, sales reports, and other store information
Supports accounting integrations and automatically updates the related data
Provides live analysis of your retail store, allowing you to see your customer activity, product performance, popular methods of payment, and more
Allows you to export electronic copies and hard copies of all your reports—perfect for conducting professional presentations.

Lightspeed is one of the best POS systems for retail because of its automated reports. Not only can you keep track of every facet of your business, but you can also dynamically optimize aspects of your store for better performance.

Cloud-Based Mobile Integration

Allows employees to access the POS system remotely and simultaneously through multiple devices
Allows for complete mobility while accessing the system. This significantly improves the customer service on the store floor.
Allows access to store inventory through mobile devices
Allows access to business analysis through mobile devices
Provides personalized branding for your company
Provides easy staff training with its easily accessible user interface
Seamlessly integrates with any point of sale hardware

Depending on your payment plan, you can also have more than one point of access. So, you can maintain a brick-and-mortar setup while receiving payment from your online store.

Customer Relations Management

Allows you to create customer profiles. Through this, you can assess the kinds of customers your store is popular with.
With the customer profiles, you can also identify the key reasons for your returning customers.
Allows you to create redeemable gift cards to reward and retain customers
Supports layaway orders
Allows for special orders and special discounts for particular customers
Allow you to create customer loyalty programs
Keeps a history of all of your customer's purchases

With these CRM tools, you can provide consistently high-quality customer support while creating different methods for customer retention.

Customer Support

Provides free and interactive introduction webinars after your first purchase
Provides 24/7 support
Keeps a history of every request and query so that it can always be referred to
There is an online forum that other users can use to ask each other questions, give tips, and speak with a member of Lightspeed's support staff.
Each payment plan includes a one-on-one support session
Provides support through emails and online messaging through the website

Along with the 24/7 support and online forums for users to have constant access to information, Lightspeed Retail also offers educational resources such as free guides, blogs, and videos.

Full E-commerce Integration

Lightspeed Retail offers seamless integration with all major e-commerce stores. This means that you can keep track of the inventory for your physical store and your online inventory.

Once you have set up an online store, you will receive consistent tech support regarding your online point of sale and other integration aspects. The e-commerce applications that Lightspeed integrates with include but are not limited to:

WooCommerce
NimbleSchedule
Perkville
Moneris
Mobikon
Zettle
Cayan

Lightspeed Accounting

Lightspeed Accounting is a unique software that allows you to seamlessly integrate your POS with your store's accounting software. With this, you can conveniently import inventory to your accounting software to automate your bookkeeping process.

Lightspeed Retail provides POS that serves as a remarkable store-management tool for every kind of business in the retail industry.

Considering the different payment plans, a small business can use Lightspeed Retail's market-leading features, receiving excellent value for money. This allows retail stores to always have access to the best POS features at every level of business.

Cons

Compatability

Lightspeed Retail supports use over web-based applications, Apple Mac devices, and iOS software. However, its biggest drawback is that it does not support Android devices or windows operating systems. This is a major deal-breaker for those looking to migrate their inventory and the rest of their store information from their windows operating systems.

Transaction Fees

There is a small transaction fee for every purchase made towards your store when you use Lightspeed Accounting:

2.60% +$0.10 per card-present transaction
2.60% + $0.30 per card-not-present transaction

See Lightspeed Retail POS Pricing

FAQ

Is Lightspeed like Shopify?

Although Lightspeed Retail and Shopify overlap in many ways, they differ due to their primary services.

Lightspeed Retail initially serves as retail POS software.
Shopify initially serves as an online e-commerce platform.

Where Lightspeed Retail overlaps with Shopify is both of their attempts to cater to the other's specialty. Shopify released its retail POS system for brick and mortar stores to use along with the Shopify e-commerce platform. Unsurprisingly, the POS does not possess as many features as Lightspeed Retail.

Inversely, Lightspeed Retail also offers an e-commerce platform option to its customers but has limited features to cater specifically to the POS system. Visit Lightspeed vs Shopify to learn more.

Is Lightspeed better than Square?

Lightspeed Retail and Square POS share many similarities, and both serve as good alternatives for the other. Square POS offers a free version of its POS system, which is perfect for small businesses. However, with steep hardware costs, it can be hard for businesses to scale upwards.

Lightspeed Retail may have included transaction fees in its service, but they're slightly less than Square POS transactions fees.

In contrast to Lightspeed Retail, here are transaction fees for Square POS:

2.75% per card-present transaction
2.75% +$0.15 per card-not-present transaction

Lightspeed speed also provides 24/7 customer support with numerous access points and informational resources, whereas Square POS only provides minimal customer support in comparison.

If your store requires regular customer support and lower transaction rates, Lightspeed Retail is the better option between the two. In the Lightspeed vs Square debate, the final decision will come down to your specific business needs.

Is Lightspeed a good company?

The reviews on tech review websites have been overwhelmingly positive.

Most users have complimented Lightspeed on its consistent and reliable customer support and its variety of integration capabilities.

Its ratings from sites include the following:

Trustradius.com: 7.2/10
g2.com: 4/5
Capterra.com: 4/5
Comparecamp: 86%
Better Business Bureau: A-

Lightspeed offers POS services for companies outside of the retail industry and still maintains the same market-leading quality and variety of features.

Their consistency in high-quality service and customer support has led them to become one of the most credible companies for business-management technology.

Square POS

As mentioned before, Square POS and Lightspeed Retail POS are both great alternatives for each other.

Where Lightspeed Retail starts its cost off at $99, Square POS offers a free version and a plus plan that costs $60 per location.

Some features, such as data reports and integration, will not be as robust.

However, Square POS excels in its ease of use and accessibility for smaller stores.

Head over to Square POS Reviews for industry-specific insights.

See Square POS Pricing

Shopify

Although Shopify may not offer the same retail POS services, it exceeds Lightspeed Retail as an e-commerce platform.

At only $29 per month, you can build an online store using the best e-commerce features on the market.

If you're only looking to have your presence online, you can use Shopify as a highly effective online POS system.

See Shopify Pricing

Final Verdict

This provider offers one of the most intuitive and useful POS services for various businesses while boasting an unmatched selection of features.

Although it only supports iOS software, it provides extraordinary freedom for businesses to assess every aspect of their business at every level.

With superior integration capability, intuitive reports, and dedicated 24/7 customer support, choosing Lightspeed Retail is a terrific option for retail companies seeking to grow their business.