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.

Keep new and existing customers coming back with Marketing and Loyalty tools that grow your business.

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.

Square Reader

The fastest and most secure way to pay. Accept chip and PIN cards, contactless payments, Apple Pay and Google Pay. An easy solution for your on-the-go business.

Square Terminal

The all-in-one portable EFTPOS machine that lets you accept all kinds of payments easily and print (or email) receipts – the perfect solution for tableside services.

Square Register

The fully integrated touchscreen point of sale that lets you start selling right out of the box. Manage card and contactless payments, online sales and more, all from one POS register.

Square Stand

Turn your iPad into a powerful point of sale with payments built in. In a swivel, Stand becomes a customer display, so you can sell accurately and customers can confirm their total and pay.

Frequently Asked Questions