Lightspeed logoLightspeed
vs
Toast logoToast

Lightspeed vs Toast

Verdict

Toast wins for restaurants with its purpose-built food-service tooling; Lightspeed wins for retail and multi-location businesses with strong inventory. Choose Toast for hospitality, Lightspeed for retail.

Feature & pricing comparison

Comparison
Rating4.24.4
Starting price$89/moFree
Pricing modelPaidFreemium
API available
Best forRetail & multi-locationRestaurants & food service
Cloud POS
Advanced inventory
Ecommerce
Analytics
Multi-location
Restaurant POS
Kitchen display system
Online ordering
Payroll & team
Loyalty & gift cards
VisitVisit

Which should you choose?

Pick Toast for restaurants and food service
Pick Lightspeed for retail and inventory-heavy stores

Lightspeed

Pros

  • Strong inventory
  • Retail + hospitality
  • Good reporting

Cons

  • Pricier entry point
  • Add-ons increase cost

Toast

Pros

  • Built for restaurants
  • All-in-one operations
  • Strong hardware

Cons

  • Restaurant-only focus
  • Processing rates + hardware cost

Frequently asked questions

Is Lightspeed better than Toast?+

Toast wins for restaurants with its purpose-built food-service tooling; Lightspeed wins for retail and multi-location businesses with strong inventory. Choose Toast for hospitality, Lightspeed for retail.

Which is cheaper, Lightspeed or Toast?+

Lightspeed starts at $89/mo, while Toast starts at Free.

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