Lightspeed, top ranked amongst POS systems

What to consider when buying a POS

With this many POS system options available, it’s easy to get confused about what tools your business needs to succeed. We’ve compiled a list of the most valuable features your point of sale should have and put all products side by side so you can see how Lightspeed stands out.

What to consider when buying a POS

Here's a detailed list of the key features you should look for in a point of sale. Check out a side-by-side analysis of all contenders to see why Lightspeed remains the #1 choice among serious retailers.

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Main Features		Toast	TouchBistro	Square for restaurant	Micros	Clover
Tableside and QR code ordering Serve more customers with ordering options that adapt to the needs of your restaurant.	•	•	•	•	•	•
Core sales reporting Get sales data, payment summaries, and till totals from all locations in one central back office.	•	•			•
Always-on analytics Automatically track and analyze data from each guest, order and payment with analytics that work in the background.	•	•			•
Fast and transparent embedded payment processing Handle payments with ease, speed and security with no hidden fees.	•		•	•	•
Integrated payments reporting Use data from customer behavior, operational performance and payment processing to get a 360° view of your business.	•	•	•	•
Multi-location capabilities Manage your operations across all locations with reporting, guest data, gift cards, menu duplication and more—all from your back office.	•	•	•	•	•	•
Inventory management Track, order, receive and automate your inventory management.	•	•	•		•
PMS integration Integrate your PMS and POS for a seamless customer experience everywhere in your hotel.	•	•			•
Free 1:1 onboarding Get personalized training at no extra charge.	•		•		•
Free 24/7 support Unlimited 24/7 phone, email and chat support included.	•	•	•			•
Cloud-based across all devices Access your data from any device to track sales, performance and customer data remotely.	•	•	•	•	•	•
Offline mode Keep your restaurant running smoothly even when you're offline with secure and protected data.	•	•	•	•	•	•
Advanced coursing and bill-splitting options Quickly and easily split bills by seat, item or amount, get faster turn times and happier guests.	•	•	•	•	•	•
Extensive network of integrations Build the perfect POS solution for your business with a huge selection of plug-and-play integrations built in-house or by our trusted partners.	•	•	•	•	•	•
Flexible hardware options Customize your setup with non-proprietary hardware, and continue using what you already have to save on start-up costs.	•		•	•

Tableside and QR code ordering
	•
Toast	•
TouchBistro	•
Square for restaurant	•
Micros	•
Clover	•

Core sales reporting
	•
Toast	•
TouchBistro
Square for restaurant
Micros	•
Clover

Always-on analytics
	•
Toast	•
TouchBistro
Square for restaurant
Micros	•
Clover

Fast and transparent embedded payment processing
	•
Toast
TouchBistro	•
Square for restaurant	•
Micros	•
Clover

Integrated payments reporting
	•
Toast	•
TouchBistro	•
Square for restaurant	•
Micros
Clover

Multi-location capabilities
	•
Toast	•
TouchBistro	•
Square for restaurant	•
Micros	•
Clover	•

Inventory management
	•
Toast	•
TouchBistro	•
Square for restaurant
Micros	•
Clover

PMS integration
	•
Toast	•
TouchBistro
Square for restaurant
Micros	•
Clover

Free 1:1 onboarding
	•
Toast
TouchBistro	•
Square for restaurant
Micros	•
Clover

Free 24/7 support
	•
Toast	•
TouchBistro	•
Square for restaurant
Micros
Clover	•

Cloud-based across all devices
	•
Toast	•
TouchBistro	•
Square for restaurant	•
Micros	•
Clover	•

Offline mode
	•
Toast	•
TouchBistro	•
Square for restaurant	•
Micros	•
Clover	•

Advanced coursing and bill-splitting options
	•
Toast	•
TouchBistro	•
Square for restaurant	•
Micros	•
Clover	•

Extensive network of integrations
	•
Toast	•
TouchBistro	•
Square for restaurant	•
Micros	•
Clover	•

Flexible hardware options
	•
Toast
TouchBistro	•
Square for restaurant	•
Micros
Clover

"Technology has allowed us to create experiences and replace the elements that we no longer have control over with in-house dining. For us, it was really important to create an ordering process that was reflective of our brand and style and that evoked the elements that are behind Tinc Set." Lindsay Brennan, Tinc Set

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I'm opening a new business

Opening your first location?
What if we told you Lightspeed will not only provide you with a single system to run your entire business, but our customers see a 20% increase in revenue just in their first year. New businesses choose Lightspeed for ease of use, but stay with us for consistent success and growth.

I'm looking to switch POS systems

Is your current system holding you back?
Don’t sweat the switching process; there’s no downtime and you won’t lose any of your product, customer or vendor data. Our import tool does the work for you and our onboarding team will be with you every step of the way to make sure you hit the ground running. The best part? It’s all free.

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