A Square vs Lightspeed comparison.
What's the best POS system for your business?
Everything you need to run your business, anywhere, anytime.
Square has all the tools you need to reach your customers and grow your business, whether in person, online or both.
Set up a free online store that seamlessly syncs with your in-person sales, items and customer management.
Send an unlimited number of invoices, estimates or recurring invoices to request payments for goods & services.
Square Point of Sale is simple to set up, easy to use and has no monthly costs – you only pay processing fees.
Simplify your day with our web-based appointment scheduling software and app.
Streamline your operations with Square for Retail’s advanced inventory & vendor management, reports, purchase orders, barcode label printing, and more.
The restaurant POS system from Square is built for speed. From menu management to coursing, every tool helps your team move faster.
Get your money deposited in your bank account as fast as the next day or instantly for a fee.
How Square compares to Lightspeed
Square has a broad range of first-party tools and integrations, making it simpler for businesses to choose the best solutions for their needs with flexibility and ease.
4.2/5
Square’s Trustpilot score
2.6/5
Lightspeed’s Trustpilot score
Cost comparison
| Square | Lightspeed | |
| Built-in payment processing solution |
Yes |
Yes |
| No chargeback fees | Yes |
£15 per chargeback |
| Next day bank transfer as standard | Yes |
No |
| Instant bank transfer – access funds in minutes (for a fee) |
Yes |
No |
In-person payments
| Square | Lightspeed | |
| Free POS App with no monthly fees | Yes |
No |
| All-in-one POS system with customer display and built-in software |
Square Register - £599 | No |
| Portable card machine with built-in receipt printer & free, pre-installed POS software |
Square Terminal - £149 | No |
| Countertop iPad POS stand with built-in card reader |
Square Stand - £99 | No |
| Physical gift cards | Yes |
No |
| Clearpay acceptance in person | Yes |
Yes (Third-party integration) |
| Built-in surcharge feature | Yes (Manual surcharge) |
Yes |
| Offline mode (Process card payments without internet access) |
Yes, with Square Terminal and Square Register |
Yes |
Online and remote payments
| Square | Lightspeed | |
| Free online store | Yes |
No |
| Photo Studio app for item library and online store |
Yes |
No |
| Payment links | Yes |
No |
| Invoicing software | Yes |
No |
| Virtual Terminal to take payments over the phone or on your computer |
Yes |
No |
| Clearpay acceptance online | Yes |
Yes (Third-party integration) |
| e-Gift Cards | Yes |
Only in Retail POS |
Solutions for retailers
| Square for Retail | Lightspeed Retail | |
| Retail POS System | Yes |
Yes |
| Free monthly plan | Yes |
No |
| Inventory management | Yes |
Yes |
| Unlimited items | Yes |
No |
| Auto-generate SKUs | Yes |
No |
| Auto create from GTIN | Yes |
No |
| Cross-location stock counts | Yes |
Yes |
| Advanced item search | Yes |
No |
| Inventory counting tool | Yes |
Yes |
| Smart stock forecasts | Yes |
Yes |
| Barcode printing | Yes |
Yes |
| Cross-location returns and exchanges | Yes |
Yes |
| Automatic purchase orders | Yes |
Yes |
| Order history | Yes |
No |
| Vendor management | Yes |
Yes |
| Digital receipts | Yes |
No |
| Vendor sales reports | Yes |
Yes |
| Multi-store management | Yes |
Yes |
| Loyalty software | Starting from £25/mo | Starting from £99/mo |
| Marketing software | Starting from £9/mo | Third-party integration |
| Team management software including scheduling and time tracking |
Yes |
No |
Solutions for restaurants
| Square for Restaurants | Lightspeed Restaurants | |
| Restaurant POS System | Yes |
Yes |
| Free monthly plan | Yes |
No |
| First-party hardware built for restaurants | Yes |
No |
| First-party online ordering website | Yes |
No |
| QR menu ordering | Yes |
Yes |
| First-party kitchen display system | Yes |
No |
| Mobile POS | Yes with Square Terminal | No |
| Auto-menu creation | Yes |
No |
| Kitchen performance reports | Yes |
Yes |
| Floor plan customisation | Yes |
Yes |
| Course management | Yes |
Yes |
| Seat management | Yes |
Yes |
| Restaurant inventory management | Yes |
Yes |
| Advanced reporting (close of day, shift, live sales) |
Yes |
Yes |
| Team management software including scheduling and time tracking |
Yes |
Yes |
| Loyalty software | Starting from £25/mo | From £49/mo |
| Marketing software | Starting from £9/mo | Third-party integration |
Competitive data on this page was collected as of 23rd Jan 2023 and is based on information found on lightspeedhq.co.uk. This information is subject to change or update without notice. Square does not make any representations as to the completeness or accuracy of the information on this page.
Why businesses choose Square.
With Square you can do all the things you need to help run and grow your business – from keeping track of inventory, to managing staff schedules, starting email marketing campaigns and more. Plus, reach even more customers and sell online with our integrated eCommerce platform. You can even build your own custom payment solutions with our APIs.
- Quick and easy to set up and start taking payments.
- Simple, fair transaction fees with no long-term commitments.
- Take payments securely with our end-to-end encryption.
- Square products work seamlessly with over a hundred third-party apps including Xero, WooCommerce and Wix.
Hardware for selling anywhere.
Reliable and secure hardware for every type of business.
Accept every tap and insert, take tableside orders, and more with a powerful, portable point of sale that fits in your pocket.
Take payments, print receipts and run your business with a compact, countertop card machine.
Take contactless payments anywhere with a card reader that pairs directly with your device.
Get an all-in-one POS register with a dedicated customer display that lets you start selling straight out of the box.
Turn your iPad into a point of sale and take every type of payment.
Get started with Square today.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can go from downloading Square POS to making your first sale in minutes by signing up for your free account here. Our hardware works out of the box with no configuration required. You can create your own site with our website builder on Square Online or sync your existing ecommerce platform.
Our Support Centre can help with general questions, and once you have signed up for an account, you can contact our highly trained customer support team via phone or email.
Using the Square POS system is very intuitive. Most employers teach their new team members in a matter of minutes, not hours.
Yes. Square POS lets you set up and sync your online store in no time at all. You can also sell gift cards online, and sell through social media with a couple of taps.
Yes! Square’s app marketplace lets you find third-party apps that you may already use and depend on. From accounting apps and eCommerce solutions to inventory and employee management, Square works with apps that can help with whatever your business needs. Learn more about our App Marketplace here.