Lightspeed vs SpotOn

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Our analysts compared Lightspeed vs SpotOn based on data from our 400+ point analysis of POS Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Product Basics

Lightspeed is a cloud-based point-of-sale (POS) system offering features for businesses in retail, hospitality, and service industries. Its core functionality includes managing sales, inventory, customers, and employees, with additional features like marketing tools and reporting. While suitable for various business sizes, it often caters to those needing more advanced features than basic POS systems. Lightspeed shines in its scalability and omnichannel capabilities, allowing businesses to manage online and physical stores seamlessly. Users praise its intuitive interface, robust reporting, and app integrations. However, some find its pricing structure complex and miss features like offline functionality. Compared to similar POS systems, Lightspeed offers a wider range of features and integrations, but at a higher price point. It caters to businesses seeking a feature-rich solution for managing their omnichannel presence, while simpler and often cheaper options might suffice for smaller businesses with basic needs.

Pros
  • Scalable & Omnichannel
  • Intuitive Interface
  • Robust Reporting
  • App Integrations
  • Feature-Rich
Cons
  • Complex Pricing
  • No Offline Mode
  • Steeper Learning Curve
  • Not Ideal for Basic Needs
  • Higher Price Point
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SpotOn offers a cloud-based point-of-sale (POS) system catering to diverse businesses, from single-location setups to multi-outlet chains. Its core strength lies in its flexibility, allowing customization for restaurants, retail stores, salons, and more. Users praise its intuitive interface, streamlining checkout processes and inventory management. SpotOn integrates seamlessly with payment processing, payroll, and marketing tools, providing a centralized platform for business operations. However, some users report occasional glitches and limitations in advanced reporting features. Pricing varies based on chosen modules and transaction volume, ranging from per-month subscriptions to tiered transaction fees. Overall, SpotOn shines for businesses seeking a user-friendly, adaptable POS solution, particularly those comfortable with cloud-based systems.

Pros
  • Cloud-based & accessible
  • Flexible for many industries
  • Easy-to-use interface
  • Payment & marketing tools
  • Inventory management
Cons
  • Occasional glitches reported
  • Limited advanced reporting
  • Pricing based on transactions
  • May not suit complex needs
  • Cloud dependence concerns
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$69 Monthly
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$25/Station, Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
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Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Quickly Launch Online Storefronts: Upload content, choose templates and build an online store tailored to specific needs. 
  • Sync Online and Retail Sales: Consolidate digital and retail sales data in a centralized platform and offer a consistent brand experience using barcode scanners, point of sale systems, label printers and more. 
  • Streamline Restaurant Management: Restaurant owners can provide contactless payment, food delivery, order ahead and other options. 
  • Manage Golf Courses: Use a booking management module with tee sheets and customizations for standards, shotguns, crossovers and more. 
  • Work Remotely: Optimized for mobile devices and tablets for remote access. 
  • Perform Omnichannel Marketing: Advertise business on various social networks and marketplaces, and manage every listing from a dashboard. Offers SEO tools and metadata customizations for optimizing personal website’s visibility. 
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  • Increase Mobility: Access the system from multiple locations and devices to facilitate flexible business management. 
  • Improve Efficiency: Enhance business productivity with Terminal, a smart device made for managing operations like customer management, marketing, reporting and payments. 
  • Customize Layouts and Workflows: Fulfill industry-specific needs and enhance branding using multiple customizations and combining different hardware and software components. 
  • Streamline Processes: Manage tables, send pickup notifications, access guest data and streamline operations to create a seamless experience and boost revenue using Reserve. 
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  • E-Commerce: Set up an online store with customizable, mobile-friendly templates and built-in SEO tools. Sync inventories across all physical locations, purchase stock from the Lightspeed Supplier Market and sell units from a unified dashboard. Manage in-store appointments and Google local inventory ads from the POS system. 
  • Payment Processing: Complete sales with simple pricing, no hidden fees, a fast and secure checkout experience, and built-in PCI compliance and fraud detection. Process transactions with EMV-compatible terminals and accept all payment methods. Receive a dedicated expert’s assistance on dispute management and chargeback issues. Available only in the U.S; external integrations are required for payment processing in Canada, Australia and the U.K. 
  • Loyalty: Offer a point-based loyalty program with flexible reward tiers to incentivize customer loyalty and boost retention. Manage both in-store and online promotions and coupons while providing one-time special offers on birthdays or to VIP shoppers. Boost custom marketing campaigns with seasonal promotions and auto-segment customers based on their purchasing habits. 
  • Analytics: Drill down on critical areas with customizable reports and monitor sales, inventory and employee performance to make growth-oriented decisions. With Analytics Core, pay only for the expert-crafted reports required for business instead of the whole suite of report templates. 
  • Lightspeed Accounting: This integration creates a link between a store’s POS and accounting systems. Record business finances with automatic bookkeeping and receive daily sales receipts, profit and loss statements and more. 
  • Hardware: Choose from various hardware bundles for businesses or acquire single items, including zebra label printers, USB or Bluetooth bar scanners, Verifone P400 PIN pads, TM-m30 receipt printers and more. Design branded gift cards for the store and ship them to customers’ doorsteps. 
  • Restaurant Point of Sale: Offers industry-specific POS system for restaurants. 
    • Delivery: Syncs menu with major delivery apps like UberEats, SkipTheDishes or DoorDash to scale business and reach more customers. Receive delivery orders, promote high-margin dishes, create delivery-only menus and more. 
    • Order Ahead: Provide customers with the flexibility to order ahead for takeout, curbside pickup and appointments. They can add custom notes, table and room number requested, whether utensils are required and more details. Keep customers in the loop with real-time SMS notifications. 
    • Self Order Menus: Let customers send their orders via an interactive digital menu directly to the kitchen, bypassing the need for waiters and servers. Realign employees to focus on faster cooking, increasing order accuracy and improving customer service. 
    • Kitchen Display System: Displays a detailed view of every order, including turnaround time and images, color codes orders according to assigned chefs, and sends alerts for pending orders. Have online orders directly go to the display board after submission for faster preparation. 
    • Customer Facing Display: Exhibit the total breakdown of customers’ orders, subtotal cost, tax percentage, tips paid and total price on a display screen. Customize the screen with business logo and brand colors while advertising high-margin dishes or the item-of-the-day. 
    • Enterprise: Run multiple restaurants located in different places with a cloud-based POS system. Monitor each location’s sales, employee and promotional data while centralizing customer data from numerous areas. Customize and scale as needed with an open API interface. 
  • Golf Course Management: Caters to businesses that operate golf courses. 
    • Tee Sheets: Personalize tee sheets according to the facility’s structure. Manage golf courses from nine to 54 holes. Accommodate any play type, including shotguns, crossovers, front or back nines and more. 
    • Booking Management: Players can register for tournaments and pick their tee times. Organize monthly or yearly leagues, track attendees and review metrics from the dashboard. 
    • Membership Management: Create unlimited types of memberships, customize booking restrictions and pricing structures per type, and automate the billing process. 
    • Professional Website: Increase online presence, showcase facilities, attract more golfers and provide flexible payment options through a personalized website and mobile application. Design websites with preset templates or customize them with source coding. The vendor takes charge of website maintenance. 
  • Integrations: Leverage various integrations for assistance in accounting, analytics, CRM, marketing, payment processing (In the U.K, Canada and Australia), ERP, invoicing and more. 
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  • Centralized Workspace: Organize workflows and accelerate revenue growth with efficient customer service tools. Add employee profiles, view customer contact information, access sales reports, send invoices, manage inventory, monitor employee activity, process payments and more using Register. 
  • Online Customer Service: Create a centralized customer service platform on a single dashboard. Manage employee schedules, send automated reminders, offer loyalty rewards and process checkouts with a digital user interface. Benefit from two-way texting with clients, integrated payment options and digital marketing tools. 
  • Intuitive Reporting: Provide intelligible insights into key KPIs with real-time, intuitive reports. Get easy-to-understand, cloud-based reports based on business data on a consolidated dashboard, accessible on the desktop and mobile phone. 
  • Virtual Payments: Offer a secure and seamless transaction process with mobile-friendly, online payment options. Send invoices, set up billing plans, collect deposits, send digital receipts and more on a secure platform. 
  • Customer Marketing: Drive customer engagement using hands-on digital marketing tools. Create custom rewards, enroll customers during checkout, offer limited-time deals, create marketing campaigns, send promos on special occasions and improve advertising to boost customer retention. Track marketing performance with comprehensive reports on a consolidated dashboard. 
  • Interactive Reviews: Facilitate a robust communication system with dynamic interactive features. Monitor, manage and respond to online reviews through a personalized dashboard and receive real-time alerts for new reviews to understand customer sentiments and expectations. 
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Product Ranking

#10

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POS Software

#20

among all
POS Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

86
68
67
67
94
76
60
60
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Integration and Extensibility
Types of POS
Inventory Management
Reporting and Insights
Customer and Loyalty Management
Payment Transactions and Cash Management
Items and Service Management

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Lightspeed
SpotOn
+ Add Product + Add Product
Compliance And Security Customer And Loyalty Management Employee Management Inventory Management Items And Service Management Payment Transactions And Cash Management POS Hardware Reporting And Insights Sales And Marketing Management Store Management Types Of POS 67 94 60 98 90 86 76 96 89 70 100 67 76 60 63 98 100 74 50 62 46 65 0 25 50 75 100
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33%
67%
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33%
90%
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80%
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100%
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56%
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86%
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78%
11%
11%
100%
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13%
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67%
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56%
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63%
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37%

Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

100%
0%
0%
40%
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60%

User Sentiment Summary

Great User Sentiment 1168 reviews
Excellent User Sentiment 85 reviews
86%
of users recommend this product

Lightspeed has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 86% when considering 1168 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.

94%
of users recommend this product

SpotOn has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 94% when considering 85 user reviews from 1 recognized software review sites.

5.0 (58)
n/a
4.1 (160)
n/a
4.75 (169)
n/a
4.2 (774)
4.7 (85)
4.3 (7)
n/a

Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Lightspeed and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Types of POS.

Types of POS Award

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated SpotOn and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Payment Transactions and Cash Management. SpotOn stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award
Payment Transactions and Cash Management Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

User-Friendly Interface: Users consistently praise Lightspeed's intuitive interface, making it easy to navigate and perform tasks efficiently, even with limited technical experience.
Robust Features: Lightspeed offers an extensive suite of features, addressing various business needs, including inventory management, sales reporting, customer relationship management, employee management, and omnichannel capabilities.
Integrations: The system integrates seamlessly with a wide range of popular third-party software, such as accounting, marketing, and e-commerce platforms, streamlining workflows and data exchange.
Omnichannel Functionality: Lightspeed excels in managing both online and in-store sales channels effectively, providing a unified experience for customers and streamlining operations across multiple touchpoints.
Reporting and Analytics: Users appreciate the comprehensive reporting tools that offer insights into sales trends, customer behavior, inventory levels, and employee performance, enabling data-driven decision-making.
Customer Support: Lightspeed offers multiple support channels, including phone, email, and online resources, with generally helpful and knowledgeable agents, providing assistance when needed.
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User-Friendly: The system is easy to set up and navigate, 90% of users said about this element.
Customer Support: 100% of users who reviewed the support said it’s informative and company representatives are knowledgeable.
Integration: About 70% of users who mentioned this feature said the product offers effortless and smooth integrations.
Reporting: Approximately 90% of users who talked about this aspect said it's extensive and insightful.
Menu Management: Items are easily changeable and update instantly, said 95% of users about the menu.
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Pricing Structure: Some users find the tiered pricing plans and add-on fees confusing, making it difficult to calculate accurate costs upfront.
Limited Offline Functionality: Reliance on an internet connection can be problematic for businesses with unreliable internet or those operating in remote areas.
Inventory Management Issues: Some users have reported challenges with inventory tracking accuracy, slow syncing across multiple locations, and a lack of advanced inventory features.
Customer Support Wait Times: While generally helpful, customer support can experience longer wait times during peak periods, leading to potential delays in resolving issues.
Steeper Learning Curve: The extensive feature set can be overwhelming for less tech-savvy users, requiring a greater investment in training and onboarding.
Customization Limitations: Adapting the system to highly specific workflows or unique business models can be challenging without extensive workarounds or third-party integrations.
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Pricing Complexity: SpotOn's pricing structure can be confusing, with multiple plans, add-ons, and varying fees depending on industry and features. Users report difficulty getting clear quotes and unexpected charges.
Limited Offline Functionality: While cloud-based, SpotOn struggles during internet outages. Some features become completely unavailable, impacting critical operations like order processing and payment acceptance.
Customer Support Inconsistencies: User experiences with customer support are mixed. Some praise quick and helpful responses, while others encounter long wait times, technical issues, and inconsistent resolutions.
Integration Glitches: While offering many integrations, users report occasional bugs and connectivity problems with third-party tools, disrupting workflows and requiring time-consuming troubleshooting.
Interface Learning Curve: While generally user-friendly, some advanced features, particularly in industry-specific plans, have a steeper learning curve, requiring additional training for staff.
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Lightspeed POS, a cloud-based solution catering to retail, hospitality, and service industries, garners mixed reviews from users. While lauded for its user-friendly interface, robust features, omnichannel capabilities, and seamless integrations, some find its pricing complex, offline functionality limited, and specific functionalities lacking. Strengths that shine: Users consistently praise Lightspeed's intuitive interface, making it easy for both tech-savvy and less-experienced individuals to navigate. The vast feature set, encompassing inventory management, reporting, customer relationship management, and employee tools, caters to diverse business needs. Integrations with popular software like QuickBooks and Shopify streamline operations and data exchange. Notably, Lightspeed excels in omnichannel management, allowing businesses to manage online and physical stores seamlessly, a crucial strength in today's retail landscape. Weaknesses to consider: The pricing structure, with tiered plans and additional fees for features like offline functionality, can be confusing for some users. The lack of true offline functionality can be a dealbreaker for businesses with unreliable internet or operating in remote areas. While the feature set is comprehensive, some users report limitations in specific areas like advanced inventory management, which might necessitate workarounds or third-party integrations. Standing out from the crowd: Compared to competitors like Square POS and Shopify POS, Lightspeed offers a wider range of features and caters to more complex business needs. However, these strengths come at a higher price point. Ultimately, the choice between Lightspeed and its competitors boils down to individual business requirements and budget constraints. In conclusion, Lightspeed POS is a feature-rich solution with a user-friendly interface, but its pricing structure and lack of true offline functionality can be drawbacks. If you prioritize omnichannel capabilities, extensive integrations, and a robust feature set, Lightspeed is worth considering. However, carefully evaluate your needs and budget against potential limitations before making a decision.

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SpotOn scores high marks for user-friendliness, adaptability, and customer insights, often outshining larger competitors like Clover with its intuitive interface and customizable features. For restaurants, its table management shines, while retailers appreciate the inventory control tools. However, the pricing structure can be confusing, with hidden fees and add-ons that inflate the initial quote. Offline functionality struggles during internet outages, which can be a dealbreaker for some businesses. While SpotOn boasts extensive integrations, some users encounter glitches and connectivity issues, disrupting workflows. Customer support also receives mixed reviews, with some praising prompt assistance and others facing long wait times and inconsistent resolutions. Compared to Square, SpotOn offers more features but lacks its sleek simplicity and ease of use for solopreneurs. Overall, SpotOn is a powerful POS that shines for its adaptability and industry-specific strengths. However, potential users should be prepared for pricing complexities, potential internet hiccups, and occasional integration troubles. If you value user-friendliness, intuitive features, and deep customer insights, SpotOn deserves a closer look, but if transparency and consistent performance are top priorities, other options might be a better fit.

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