Vend POS Review: Best for Growing Brick-and-Mortar Businesses
This article is part of a larger series on POS Systems.
In our review of the best retail POS systems for small businesses, Vend earned a 4.33 out of 5 for its integrated payment processor, intuitive user interface, and management and backend features.
Vend was recently acquired by Lightspeed and is now called Vend by Lightspeed or Lightspeed X Series. Vend users will still be able to access all the same features, and the pricing structure will remain the same. The biggest difference will be Vend’s integration into the Lightspeed Payments and Ecommerce suit.
What We Like
- User-friendly interface
- Flexible payments
- Free customer-facing display app
- Free barcode scanning app for mobile use
What's Missing
- High price point
- No native ecommerce function
- Basic reporting suite
When to Use Vend
- Retailers with extensive inventories and multiple locations
- High-risk, high-volume businesses: Retail stores with high turnover and those selling CBD, tobacco, and vape products
- Storefronts needing advanced, easy-to-use checkout tools
When to Use an Alternative
- Small and startup retailers are better off with a free POS system
- Ecommerce businesses should choose Shopify
- Service and appointment hybrid businesses: Choose an industry-specific POS like Square Appointments
Of the many retail POS software we have tested, Vend has proven it has a lot to offer growing brick-and-mortar retailers. Vend offers real-time inventory management tools for all its subscription plans, including mobile scanning apps for receiving shipments, built-in demand forecasting, barcoding, and integrated purchase order management.
Additionally, Vend has a great checkout that allows employees to add new customers to its database, use the system’s built-in loyalty program, manage store credit, verify driver’s licenses, and provide layaways—all during the checkout process.
While our Vend POS review shows it could serve most retail businesses well, it is not a good fit for anyone looking for a free POS option.
It also lacks a native ecommerce tool, making it less than ideal for businesses that want to operate primarily online. However, this is likely changing soon as a result of the Lightspeed acquisition. Vend users will likely soon be able to take advantage of Lightspeed’s native ecommerce tools.
Vend is also not the best pick for appointment-based retailers because it lacks an appointment system. While you can add an appointment integration, the Vend subscription price point might be too steep if you can’t maximize its retail functions.
Vend Deciding Factors | |
Supported Business Types | Retail Retailers, wholesalers, dropshippers |
Standout Features: |
|
Monthly Software Fees | Billed monthly: $89–$269* Billed annually: $69–199* |
Setup and Installation Fees | $0 DIY installation only |
Contract Length | Month-to-month (Pay lower fees if billed annually) |
Payment Processing Options | Lightspeed Payments + most other major processors |
Payment Processing Fees | Varies with processor |
Customer Support | 24/7 |
*Prices based on users that opt for Lightspeed Payments.
Vend POS Alternatives
Best for: Businesses looking for a free POS and mobile POS app | Best for: Businesses looking for robust inventory management | Best for: Restaurants | Best for: Multichannel retailers |
Monthly software fees: $0–$29 (custom pricing available) | Monthly software fees: $139–$319 (custom pricing available) | Monthly software fees: $0–$165 (custom pricing available) | Monthly software fees: $39–$399 (+$89 for POS Pro) |
Hardware costs: $149–$799 | Hardware costs: Quote-based | Hardware costs: Quote-based | Hardware costs: $49–$329 |
While Vend is a great POS option for its features, it did lose some points for its overall high price point. Vend does not offer a free plan, and its starting plan ranges from $89 to $119, depending on the payment processor you choose. This is a high starting point for most small businesses, but there is a free trial offer if you want to try it out first.
Vend offers three different plans at three different price points that vary based on features. Each subscription comes with one register, and additional registers are a flat of $59 per month each across plans.
The main differences between Vend’s plans are the advanced features, like real-time inventory management, supply chain management, and premium API access; however, even Vend’s Lean plan offers all the tools you could need for running a retail business.
Unlike other popular POS software, Vend does not have a native payment processing system, and users are not charged any extra fees for handling transactions through third-party processors. It also offers its users the option to be matched with Vend’s partner processors that provide exclusive discounted transaction rates.
Fees and Features | Lean | Standard | Advanced |
---|---|---|---|
Subscription Fee (Billed Monthly)* | $89 | $149 | $269 |
Subscription Fee (Billed Annually)* | $69 | $119 | $199 |
Locations | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Registers** | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Third-party Processing Fee | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Integrated Payments | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Accounting | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Ecommerce | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Loyalty | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
Ecommerce Integration | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
Advanced Reporting | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
24/7 Customer Service | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
API Access | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
Inventory Management | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
*Prices based on users that opt for Lightspeed Payments.
**Additional registers cost $49/month (billed annually) or $59/month (billed monthly).
Vend operates on a custom quote system for its hardware. This means that businesses cannot buy hardware directly from Vend. Instead, if you need a hardware setup, you can reach out to Vend’s sales team, where you will discuss your hardware needs and receive a quote.
If you would rather get hardware yourself, Vend is very flexible. Because Vend is browser-based, retailers can operate Vend’s POS software on any internet-enabled device. Vend also has a POS app that can be downloaded onto iPads and iPad minis if you want to conduct mobile sales or use an iPad register system. Additionally, most industry-standard accessories—like barcode scanners, receipt printers, and cash drawers—are compatible with Vend. This flexibility means you can set up a countertop checkout with hardware that you get through Vend or from a third-party vendor.
Vend’s website also has a comprehensive help center with a step-by-step guide and expert partners ready to answer questions regarding hardware and integration.
Vend earned high marks for its feature-rich and flexible checkout. Its checkout can run on both internet browsers and iOS devices via the Vend App. The interface is easy to use and prompts you through selling actions, adding new customers, assigning an employee to each transaction, conducting returns and exchanges, tacking on discounts, and making transaction notes. Not only that, but just like you see with Square POS, Vend allows you to add custom action tiles to your checkout screen, so your most used actions or products are right at your fingertips.
Did you know?
Vend creates user barcodes you can assign to employees and attach to their IDs. This means that all that staff members need to do to attach themselves to a transaction is scan their barcode ID.
Vend’s checkout is clear, simple, and customizable. It also prompts users through each step in a transaction, so it is nearly impossible to make a user error. (Source: Vend)
Vend’s checkout is also great because it features a customer-facing display app. All you do is download the app and integrate it with your POS. From there, customers can add personal information to their profile right from your iPad or tablet device.
Vend has both employee and customer-facing checkout apps. (Source: Vend)
While Vend does not have a built-in payment processor like Shopify or Square, the software integrates with most major payment processors, and there is no fee for outsourcing. Additionally, since being acquired by Lightspeed, you receive a discount on your monthly payments if you opt to use Lightspeed Payments as your processor.
Lightspeed Payments offers a flat processing fee of 2.6% + 10 cents for tapped, inserted, or swiped transactions and 2.6% + 30 cents for keyed-in transactions.
Once you have chosen a payment processor, the sky is really the limit. Vend lets shoppers pay how they like, with all major credit and debit cards accepted via swipe, tap, dip, sign, or contactless technologies, like NFC and Apple Pay. Not only that, Vend complies with both PCI and GDPR standards to protect your and your customers’ information.
When you go to process a sale, there are many tender options available, including store credit and layaway. (Source: Vend)
Contactless payments through mobile near-field communication (NFC) payments, like Apple Pay, are also possible. For businesses that create custom products or operate off of work orders, you can create quotes and “park” the transaction to checkout once the order is complete.
With Vend’s integration with the Hyperspace Age Verification App, businesses that sell restricted products can verify IDs. Hyperspace is certified for the Retail Access Control Standard (RACS) as required by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Essentially, when the age verification app is integrated with your POS system, you can set age requirements for certain products. When an age-restricted product gets scanned into a transaction, an age verification notice will pop up. From there, employees will be prompted to scan the customer’s ID. Once verified, the purchase can continue.
Vend prompts you to verify set age requirements when restricted products are included in a sale. (Source: Vend)
Gift card selling, redeeming, and tracking capabilities are built into Vend’s POS system. You can create your own gift cards, order through Vend’s supplier, or get them from a third party. Additionally, gift cards are included as a tender option at checkout, making it easy for store associates to redeem.
Vend also has a point-based loyalty program built into its POS dashboard and checkout screens. Reward or loyalty balances show up on receipts when customers make a purchase, and they can also be sent by email. It also lets you customize your program, allowing you to assign points to the loyalty actions that have the biggest impact on your business.
Vend POS includes tools to build customer profiles, create customer groups (such as a VIP program), and give groups special pricing. Your customer’s information—which extends across all your sales channels—includes purchase history, loyalty points, VIP status, and account balances, and is automatically stored under each customer profile.
Each customer profile displays user activity, personal information, and store credit status. (Source: Vend)
Vend makes it easy to add to your customer list with a feature that allows you to create customer profiles during the checkout process. Additionally, all customers from all your sales channels automatically sync to your POS, so all your online customers will have profiles when they visit your storefront.
The only major shortcoming of Vend’s customer management is that it lacks customer reporting capabilities (like you see with Lightspeed POS).
Vend earned high marks for its management features, with a 4.25 out of 5 in our evaluation. With rich inventory management, CRM, ecommerce, and reporting tools, there is little that Vend leaves to be desired. It lost points in this area for keeping so many of its advanced features behind a paywall.
Vend has powerful inventory management tools for brick-and-mortar retailers. The platform makes it easy to add inventory to your POS catalog. You can either add products individually through the dashboard or upload them in bulk using a spreadsheet. Moreover, it is designed to handle many variants (like different sizes and colors) and composite items (like gift baskets or discount bundles).
One of its most unique features is its corresponding free barcode scanner mobile app. When you download this app, your mobile device camera becomes a barcode scanner. Employees can use the mobile scanner to perform full or partial stock counts, receive shipments, or even check if a product is in stock at any location, verify pricing, and confirm product specs.
Vend’s scanner app makes inventory counting easy and more accurate. (Source: Vend)
Did you know?
Many POS systems don’t allow you to do partial inventory counts. Scanner by Vend is a native feature ideal for retailers with large or complex inventories that want to cycle spot-checks.
In addition to its scanner app, Vend can also track inventory in real time, set automatic restock points, track vendor information and purchases, and make detailed product pages that include pertinent product information.
Vend’s product pages let you add tons of information about the product, its vendor, and much more. (Source: Vend)
Another notable inventory capability that Vend brings to the table is its fully integrated order management features. Vend lets you create, send, and track purchase orders (POs) from within the POS.
Most other systems, like Square, will generate reorder reports but require you to export or create POs in a separate program. Vend lets you manage POs across all locations from one place and provides employees visibility into what shipments are on the way.
Not only can you manage purchase orders with Vend, but the software also has full order management. This includes built-in stock receiving, ordering, returning, and transferring features.
While Vend lacks a native ecommerce platform (like you get with Shopify, Square, and Lightspeed), it does have free integrations with most ecommerce platforms, including WooCommerce, Shopify, and BigCommerce. This means you can sync your brick-and-mortar and ecommerce sales channels on one platform, making it easy to stay on top of all the parts of your retail business.
Vend’s ecommerce management features include
- Online orders: These will appear on your POS dashboard, so you can monitor and fulfill online orders straight from your POS platform without needing to switch between two systems.
- Customer syncing: When customers create a profile in your ecommerce store, it will automatically be added to your customer database on your POS system.
- Multichannel syncing: Add your Amazon, social, or eBay storefront to your POS dashboard so that all your sales channels are synced and in one convenient location.
Vend’s ecommerce features are only included in the Standard and Advanced plans—there are no ecommerce integration capabilities in the Lean plan.
Vend has a streamlined and incredibly helpful reporting module with eight reporting categories, including your retail dashboard with daily sales and numbers, inventory, payments, registers, gift cards, store credit, and tax reports. You can also view your reports from anywhere via Vend’s browser-based dashboard. Though Vend does not have a mobile reporting app, the dashboard is mobile-friendly.
One of my favorite reporting features is the ability to set daily, weekly, and/or monthly sales goals for each employee and track their progress. You can even allow employees to monitor their progress against their goals. This is unique to Vend and makes it easy to hold your staff accountable and help them stay on track.
Another key feature is Vend’s demand forecasting reports, which enable you to anticipate how much stock you’ll need and what is selling the most. Additionally, all of Vend’s reports are adjustable, so you can click through different variables and filters to problem-solve and find the data you need. Not only that, but Vend lets retailers set up custom reports. Many POS systems in this price range only offer templated analytics, so this is a notable feature, one that I have only ever seen in Lightspeed’s premium plans.
Did you know?
Vend integrates with Dor, a foot traffic analytics platform for small businesses, so you can track your in-store conversion rates and accurately staff for peak hours. It also integrates with QuickBooks, Xero, and MYOB for accounting.
Vend’s Retail Dashboard displays your most pertinent day-to-day information. (Source: Vend)
Vend offers a wide range of integration options, from accounting applications to employee management tools. It also has an in-house developer community to assist users in building highly customized functions, such as an online store or third-party payment processor, through Vend’s open application programming interface (API).
Some of Vend’s most popular integrations include
- QuickBooks Online
- Xero
- BigCommerce
- WooCommerce
- Shopify
- Homebase
- Mailchimp
- Timely
- Loop Insights
- NetSuite
Vend earned an outstanding 5 out of 5 in this category. As you can see below in the bullets, Vend offers great customer support that is available at all times. Vend’s software is also incredibly easy to use.
- Browser and app-based
- Easy-to-navigate checkout screen
- Step-by-step setup guide
- Offline mode
- Bulk inventory uploading
- Compatible with most hardware
- Responsive 24-hour customer service
- Extensive help center
Setting up Vend POS is easy. The software is compatible with most PCs, Macs, and iPads and integrates seamlessly with popular payment processors. From there, Vend walks you through a step-by-step setup guide and prompts you through actions like ringing up a transaction and adding customers to your database.
It also allows you to upload your customer database and inventory in bulk, so you don’t have to add each item individually. Additionally, it makes it easy to integrate third-party tools with a few clicks or with the help of Vend’s developer community, which can assist you in developing customized tools with the API.
Once set up, Vend integrates your customer data and inventory across locations so that inventory counts and customer purchase histories are always up-to-date. The provider also has one of the most highly rated customer support teams. It offers 24/7 global customer support via email and chat. Plus, its experts are available for hands-on support and on-site training requests.
In our expert evaluation, Vend did quite well with a 4.38 out of 5. We love Vend for the flexibility it gives you in setting up your store in terms of ecommerce and payments. It is also feature-rich and offers tons of tools to help your business flourish. Vend also stood out to us for how much support it offers its users—with 24/7 customer service and tons of onboarding tools and assistance from real people.
Vend lost its points in the value for money and pricing areas. While Vend is a great product, the price point is high, and, considering there are so many free POS options available, it is hard to say if Vend’s value matches its price.
What Users Say in Vend POS Reviews
Vend is among the top retail POS systems on the market. However, as of this writing, there are not enough up-to-date iOS user reviews for this provider in the App Store.
Meanwhile, Vend has earned the following scores on popular review sites:
- GetApp: 4.2 out of 5 based on over 220 reviews.
- Capterra: 4.2 out of 5 based on around 220 reviews.
Overall, users are positive about the Vend platform but still desire more third-party integrations, among other things. Some of the most common feedback we gathered from reading Vend POS reviews and speaking to business owners who use the platform are as follows:
PROS | CONS |
---|---|
Intuitive, easy-to-use software | Expensive fees |
Useful inventory tools | Limited integration options |
Versatile and flexible workflow | Errors when using its bulk upload feature |
Methodology: How We Evaluated Vend POS
When we evaluate POS systems, we look for options that are affordable, reliable, and easy to use. We also considered inventory management tools, online store and multichannel selling features, customer and employee management, payment processing options, reporting and accounting tools, customer support hours and quality, and third-party integrations.
We also only look for POS systems that offer multiple hardware options, including iPad apps, tools for selling online, and multiple plans so the software can grow with your business.
While Vend hits the major boxes, it lost points primarily for its pricing structure. Vend’s monthly subscription fees are high for POS systems and many of the advanced features are hidden behind a paywall. Despite that, Vend scored well in nearly every category and earned a 4.33 out of 5 in its cumulative score.
Click through the tabs below for our in-depth evaluation criteria:
15% of Overall Score
We prioritized systems with a starter plan with monthly fees of less than $75, awarding extra points to systems that offer a free plan. We also considered payment processing fees and whether each system offers negotiable or volume discount rates. Finally, we penalized systems that cap the number of users, products, transactions, or sales you can process without upgrading plans.
20% of Overall Score
Retailers need speedy checkout tools like customizable hotkeys and easy product lookup, return management, and mobility to ring sales curbside or on the sales floor. We also prioritized systems with flexible payment tools like contactless, gift cards, store credit, layaway, and order-ahead options. Finally, we considered whether each system could process custom, work, or service orders, such as repairs.
35% of Overall Score
The most important consideration was inventory management—low-stock alerts, matrix inventory, and purchase orders, plus easy stock counts and shipment receiving. We also looked into CRM tools like directories, loyalty programs, marketing, and customer feedback collection. Additional points were given for employee management features, including logins, scheduling, and commission reporting. Seamless omnichannel management for creating an online store and processing ecommerce orders and detailed reporting for products, sales, customers, and employees were also considered.
15% of Overall Score
Easy installation, detailed training materials, and 24/7 customer support were essential considerations. We also prioritized systems that are a hybrid installation or otherwise offer an offline mode, so you can still operate if the internet goes down. Finally, we awarded points to software that can run on various hardware so retailers can choose their preferred devices.
15% of Overall Score
In this section, we evaluated each system by its comprehensive feature set (including any standout tools), the value it offers for the price, popularity and user reviews, whether or not the system experiences a lot of downtime, and the overall experience of navigating the system’s interface.
Vend POS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Vend is ideal for retailers that operate primarily as brick-and-mortar stores with single or multiple locations. With Vend’s rich checkout and backend management features, it is perfect for all in-store operations and can seamlessly integrate across locations. Vend is also great if you want to use a specific payment processor or if you need to verify driver’s licenses.
If you operate primarily online, Vend would not be a good solution for you. Additionally, if you are appointment-based, a restaurant, or if you only process a small amount of inventory, Vend will likely not be the best solution for you.
Vend was the name of the original Vend product that customers use today. In 2020, Vend was acquired by Lightspeed and became Vend by Lightspeed. This is how it appears on the Vend website, and nothing about the features has changed other than that there is better integration with other Lightspeed products. Also, there are no longer processing limits and you can save on your monthly fee by opting for Lightspeed Payments.
Eventually, Vend/ Vend by Lightspeed will be called Lightspeed Series X, as you will see it referred to on the website. Lightspeed Series X will offer the same features that Vend offers now, just under a new name.
While Vend does have a higher price point than many other POS software, you can save money on your monthly subscription fee by paying annually and/or opting for Lightspeed Payments. See the comparison below:
Lean | Standard | Advanced | |
---|---|---|---|
Monthly Fee | $119 | $179 | $299 |
Monthly Fee (if you use Lightspeed Payments) | $89 | $149 | $269 |
Annual Rate | $99 | $149 | $229 |
Annual Rate (with Lightspeed Payments) | $69 | $119 | $199 |
Bottom Line
Retailers with large and fast-moving inventory require a POS system that can easily track and manage their business activities. Our Vend POS review finds that granular inventory features make it one of the best retail POS systems on the market. To top it off, Vend offers advanced checkout tools and built-in customer management and loyalty features that you usually find as add-ons in other top-ranking POS software. Vend also allows users to choose their payment processor at no additional cost. Sign up for Vend’s 14-day free trial.
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