Lightspeed vs Square for Restaurants
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, and integrations.
Quick Verdict
Lightspeed offers fewer features (36 vs 92) and fewer integrations (3 vs 6). Starting price: Lightspeed at $89/mo vs Square for Restaurants at Free. Lightspeed has 35 unique features while Square for Restaurants has 91 unique features, with 1 features in common.
| Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Point of Sale | Point of Sale |
| Total Features | 36 | 92 |
| AI-Powered Features | 1 | 1 |
| Starting Price | $89/mo | Free |
| Pricing Tiers | 3 | 4 |
| Integrations | 3 | 6 |
| Shared Features | 1 | |
| Shared Integrations | 0 | |
| Data Quality | 80% | 90% |
Feature Comparison by Category
Analytics (1 vs 0)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Insights |
Automation (1 vs 0)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Workflows |
Content Management (0 vs 1)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-polish item image |
Core POS (1 vs 0)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Unified Point of Sale System |
Customer Acquisition (0 vs 1)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Gift cards |
Customer Communication (0 vs 2)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Order-ready notifications | ||
| Order-ready text notifications |
Customer Experience (0 vs 2)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Square Kiosk app | ||
| Square Kiosk self-service ordering |
Customer Management (1 vs 2)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Customer directory | ||
| Customer profiles and personalization | ||
| Loyalty Programs |
Customer Retention (0 vs 1)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Loyalty programs |
Device Management (0 vs 1)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Remote device management |
E-commerce (0 vs 2)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Branded online ordering page | ||
| Online store (Square Websites) |
Financial (1 vs 0)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Landed Costs |
Financial Management (0 vs 7)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Banking solutions (Square Banking) | ||
| Bill Pay | ||
| Instant payouts | ||
| Invoices and estimates | ||
| Square Checking | ||
| Square Loans | ||
| Square Savings |
Financial Services (1 vs 0)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Lightspeed Capital |
Hardware (0 vs 4)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Square Handheld device | ||
| Square Register | ||
| Square Stand | ||
| Square Terminal |
Industry Solutions (7 vs 0)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Apparel Store Software | ||
| Garden Center Software | ||
| Golf Course Management | ||
| Home Decor Store Software | ||
| Restaurant POS | ||
| Shoe Store POS | ||
| Vape Shop Software |
Integration (4 vs 2)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| API & Customization | ||
| Accounting Integrations | ||
| Delivery platform integration | ||
| Marketing Integrations | ||
| Reservation integrations | ||
| eCommerce Integrations |
Inventory (2 vs 0)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Inventory Management | ||
| PO Sync |
Inventory Management (0 vs 6)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Auto 86 and item counts | ||
| Inventory tracking | ||
| Item availability management | ||
| Order guide | ||
| Real-time inventory tracking | ||
| Vendor cost comparison |
Kitchen Operations (0 vs 3)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Course management | ||
| Square KDS (Kitchen Display System) | ||
| Square KDS app |
Marketing (0 vs 2)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Email and text marketing (Square Marketing) | ||
| Square Marketing automation |
Menu Management (0 vs 2)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Bulk edits for menu items | ||
| Item and menu management |
Mobile (2 vs 0)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile POS App | ||
| Mobile Scanner App |
Multi-Location Management (0 vs 1)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Square for Franchises |
Multi-location (1 vs 0)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Multilocation Management |
Order Management (0 vs 9)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced modifiers | ||
| Coursing features | ||
| Open checks and house accounts | ||
| Order synchronization | ||
| Orders tab | ||
| Speed up order entry | ||
| Tableside order taking | ||
| Tableside ordering | ||
| Third-party order management |
Payment Processing (0 vs 18)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Accept all payment methods | ||
| Auto-gratuity | ||
| Automatic gratuity | ||
| Cash App Pay | ||
| Discounts and refunds | ||
| Fractional check splitting | ||
| Item split payments | ||
| Manual entry or card on file | ||
| Offline payment acceptance | ||
| Preauthorize bar tabs | ||
| QR code payments | ||
| Running tabs | ||
| Scan to pay | ||
| Service charges | ||
| Split checks |
Payments (2 vs 0)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated Payments | ||
| Lightspeed Payments |
Product Management (1 vs 0)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| NuORDER Catalog |
Reporting (1 vs 14)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Catalog reporting | ||
| Close of day procedures and reporting | ||
| Close-of-day and live sales reports | ||
| Custom work week | ||
| Daily sales summary email | ||
| Deferred sales tracking | ||
| Kitchen performance analytics | ||
| Kitchen performance reporting | ||
| Live section and shift reporting | ||
| Menu reporting | ||
| Menu reports | ||
| Real-time Reporting & Analytics | ||
| Reconciliation report | ||
| Sales insights | ||
| Sales vs labor insights |
Restaurant Operations (0 vs 3)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Custom floor plan design | ||
| Seat management | ||
| Table and seat management |
Sales (1 vs 0)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Omnichannel Retail Experience |
Security (1 vs 0)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Single Sign-On (SSO) |
Services (1 vs 0)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Professional Services |
Staff Management (0 vs 7)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Clock in and out with passcodes or badges | ||
| Square Advanced Access | ||
| Square Payroll | ||
| Square Shifts | ||
| Team scheduling and payroll (Square Staff) | ||
| Timecards with break and overtime tracking | ||
| Tip pooling and commissions tracking |
Support (3 vs 0)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| 24/7 Chat Support | ||
| 24/7 Phone Support | ||
| Whiteglove Onboarding |
System Administration (0 vs 1)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Release manager |
User Interface (0 vs 1)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Dark mode display |
User Management (1 vs 0)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Custom User Roles |
Wholesale (2 vs 0)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Lightspeed NuORDER | ||
| Wholesale Management |
eCommerce (1 vs 0)
| Feature | Lightspeed | Square for Restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in eCommerce |
Unique Features
Only in Lightspeed (35)
Advanced Insights
Workflows
Unified Point of Sale System
Built-in eCommerce
Landed Costs
Lightspeed Capital
Apparel Store Software
Garden Center Software
Golf Course Management
Home Decor Store Software
Restaurant POS
Shoe Store POS
Vape Shop Software
Accounting Integrations
API & Customization
eCommerce Integrations
Marketing Integrations
Inventory Management
PO Sync
Mobile POS App
+ 15 more unique features
Only in Square for Restaurants (91)
Auto-polish item image
Gift cards
Order-ready notifications
Order-ready text notifications
Square Kiosk app
Square Kiosk self-service ordering
Customer directory
Customer profiles and personalization
Remote device management
Branded online ordering page
Online store (Square Websites)
Banking solutions (Square Banking)
Bill Pay
Instant payouts
Invoices and estimates
Square Checking
Square Loans
Square Savings
Square Handheld device
Square Register
+ 71 more unique features
View Lightspeed details View Square for Restaurants details Lightspeed alternatives Square for Restaurants alternatives
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