Toast logoToast
vs
Lightspeed logoLightspeed

Toast vs Lightspeed

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
Rating4.44.2
Starting priceFree$89/mo
Pricing modelFreemiumPaid
API available
Best forRestaurants & food serviceRetail & multi-location
Restaurant POS
Kitchen display system
Online ordering
Payroll & team
Loyalty & gift cards
Cloud POS
Advanced inventory
Ecommerce
Analytics
Multi-location
VisitVisit

Which should you choose?

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

Toast

Pros

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

Cons

  • Restaurant-only focus
  • Processing rates + hardware cost

Lightspeed

Pros

  • Strong inventory
  • Retail + hospitality
  • Good reporting

Cons

  • Pricier entry point
  • Add-ons increase cost

Frequently asked questions

Is Toast better than Lightspeed?+

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, Toast or Lightspeed?+

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

People also compare