Vend by Lightspeed vs Square for Retail: Which Retail POS Is Right for You in 2023?
Meaghan has provided content and guidance for indie retailers as the editor for a number of retail publications and a speaker at trade shows. She is Fit Small Business’s authority on retail and ecommerce.
Brigitte is a retail specialist and staff writer with brick and mortar management experience. She is versed in retail sales analysis, merchandising, and buying with an emphasis in retail sales and marketing across platforms. She has a BA in writing from Washington University, St. Louis.
This article is part of a larger series on POS Systems.
Square and Vend by Lightspeed (Lightspeed Retail POS X Series) offer user-friendly point-of-sale (POS) systems that help retailers manage in-store and online operations. Both can process sales, manage customers and inventory, and generate reports. Vend, however, offers features that are better for managing larger, more complex inventories, and it works with more payment processors. Meanwhile, Square for Retail is a free POS system with lots of preintegrated tools and simpler features.
Both POS solutions landed themselves on our list of the best retail POS systems, which took over a dozen POS solutions and narrowed them down to just our four top picks, based on pricing, register features, management tools, and ease of use. In this article, we will compare how Vend by Lightspeed and Square compare in these areas to help you understand their differences and choose the best POS system for your business.
Overall, we recommend Vend by Lightspeed and Square for Retail in different scenarios:
- Vend by Lightspeed (Lightspeed Retail POS X Series): Best for managing large product assortments, complex inventories, and large databases of customer information
- Square for Retail: Best for smaller business and mobile vendors needing an easy and reliable way to accept payments, manage customers, and view basic reports
Vend vs Square Compared
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
Our Score | 4.33 out of 5 | 4.58 out of 5 |
Best for | Medium to large businesses managing large inventories/order volumes | New or small businesses, brick-and-mortar shops, and businesses on a budget |
POS basic software monthly fee | $69 to $199* (monthly billing); custom plans available | $0 to $60 (billed monthly); custom plans available |
Ecommerce software monthly fee | Depends on platform (Integrates with Ecwid, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, and Shopify for free) | $0 to $79 (billed annually) |
Payment processing fees | Lightspeed payments: In-person: 2.6% plus 10 cents Online: 2.6% plus 30 cents | Square payments: In-person: 2.6% plus 10 cents Online: 2.9% plus 30 cents |
Inventory management | Advanced (granular and matrix inventories and custom reports) | Basic; advanced features available in higher plans |
Customer management | Advanced (customer reports, loyalty program, grouping, and management) | Basic |
Loyalty | Included | Add-on |
Reporting | Included (basic); advanced available in higher plans | Included (basic) |
Ease of use | Excellent | Excellent |
Customer support | 24/7 email or live chat, online support center, courses, and ask an expert | Monday–Friday phone support, 24/7 automated chat support, seller community, and resource library |
*Prices reflect rates for customers who keep Lightspeed Payments. Users who opt for a third-party payment processor will pay rates between $99 and $229.
Both Vend by Lightspeed (Lightspeed Retail POS X Series) and Square are two of our top picks for the
Pricing
| | |
|---|---|---|
Pricing Score | 5 out of 5 | 4.25 out of 5 |
Monthly POS Subscription | $0 to $60 (add-ons available) | $69 to $199 |
Monthly Ecommerce Subscription | $0 to $79 | Varies based on platform |
Card Reader Pricing | $0 to $49 | Quote based |
Terminal and Register Pricing | $299 to $799 | Quote based |
Card-present Transaction Fees | 2.6% plus 10 cents | 2.6% plus 10 cents |
Ecommerce Transaction Fees | 2.9% plus 30 cents | 2.6% plus 30 cents |
Square is by far the most affordable POS option, with an entirely free online store platform and POS system for any one location. Anyone can sign up for a free Square account in minutes and start selling through an online store and mobile device with Square POS’s mobile app. Square POS also has premium plans with more advanced features that start at $60 per month and add-on products, such as payroll and loyalty, that you can tack on to your POS plan for a monthly fee.
Whereas Square has a free plan for a single location, Vend has a basic plan (Lean) that costs $69 per month for one location and one register. It also has a Pro package at $159 per month for one location/register (but has additional features) and an enterprise pricing option where you work with a sales rep to create a custom plan and monthly price.
If you pay for Vend by Lightspeed (Lightspeed Retail POS X Series) and Square annually (as opposed to monthly), your rate will decrease slightly, saving you money over the course of the year.
Payment Processing
Both Square for Retail and Vend by Lightspeed (Lightspeed Retail POS X Series) have pre-integrated, in-house payment processors: Square and Lightspeed Payments, respectively. Square does not integrate with other payment processors, and while Vend by Lightspeed (Lightspeed Retail POS X Series) does, you will have to pay a higher monthly rate if you use a third-party option ($99–$229 instead of $69–$199).
While the pre-integrated options for Square for Retail and Vend by Lightspeed (Lightspeed Retail POS X Series) are included in your monthly fee, if you do a high enough sales volume, using a third-party payment processor with low rates might outweigh the additional cost.
Square Payments charges a simple flat rate, offers discounted rates for high-volume sales, can accept all forms of modern payment, including virtual and mobile options, and has great fraud management services. It even landed at the top of our list for the best retail credit card processors for its competitive, transparent pricing.
Square’s in-house payment processor is a great solution for many businesses. (Source: Square)
Lightspeed Payments also charges a flat processing rate (slightly lower than those of Square), offers discounted rates for high-volume sales, and can accept all forms of modern payment, including virtual and mobile options. Lightspeed does not, however, have the same level of fraud management; it also charges chargeback fees (unlike Square), and its hardware offerings are more expensive and quote-based.
Hardware
| | |
|---|---|---|
Terminal Prices | $600 to $1,035 (quote-based)* | $169 to $799 |
Mobile Hardware Pricing | Quote-based | $0 to $299 |
Third-party Hardware Compatible | ||
Cloud-based | Yes | Yes |
POS App | Yes (IOS-only Lightspeed POS X Series app) | Yes (Android and IOS) |
*Vend does not disclose its pricing. This is a range from a third-party source.
Square for Retail and Vend by Lightspeed both offer high-quality, in-house hardware options for both in-store and mobile sales. They are also both cloud-based, meaning you can access and manage your POS account from any internet-enabled device. They also offer POS apps so you can operate on your phone or tablet and are compatible with a number of third-party hardware accessories and terminals so you can keep your options open.
Square for Retail, however, is our top pick in the hardware category. First, Square’s pricing is transparent, and you can view and buy products right from the Square site. This is different from Vend as it operates on a quote-based pricing structure, meaning you have to reach out to Vend’s sales team to purchase Vend hardware.
Additionally, Square’s hardware is highly affordable, and you even get a free magstripe reader when you sign up for a Square account. Vend, on the other hand, is slightly more expensive and there are fewer hardware options available and no in-house mobile hardware options.
Both Square for Retail and Vend by Lightspeed offer payment plans if you need to pay for hardware over time.
Click through the tabs below to see each provider’s hardware options.
Device | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|
 | A branded stand for holding your tablet on your cash wrap. iPad and scanner not included. | $149 |
 | A flat iPad mount for holding your tablet on your cash wrap. iPad and scanner not included | $149 |
 | A dual-screen POS terminal; includes iPad | $799 |
 | A mobile device for processing sales and printing receipts. | $299 |
 | A mobile contactless and chip reader. | $49 |
 | A mobile magstripe reader that you can plug into your phone or other mobile devices. | $10 (receive your first reader for free when you sign up for a Square account) |
Hardware kits that bundle multiple products and accessories are also available.
Device | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|
 Vend Terminal | Vend’s countertop terminal. | Quote based |
Vend has only one in-house hardware option—its countertop terminal. All accessories and mobile hardware are third party. To purchase Vend’s hardware, contact their sales team to discuss your needs, and they will match you with the right hardware and accessories. Alternatively, you can check out Vend by Lightspeed’s compatible hardware and purchase directly from a third-party site.
Register Features
| | |
|---|---|---|
Register Features Score | 4 out of 5 | 3.94 out of 5 |
Standout Features |
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Barcode Scanning | Included (via app or physical hardware) | Included (via app or physical hardware) |
Accepted Payment Types | Card (swipe, chip, magstripe) loyalty points, cash, buy-now-pay-later (BNPL), gift cards, store credit, and virtual wallets | Card (swipe, chip, magstripe) loyalty points, cash, BNPL, gift cards, store credit, and virtual wallets |
Online Ordering | POS syncs with ecommerce, supports BNPL via Afterpay, and offers buy-online-pickup-in-store (BOPIS) and social media integrations via app integrations | POS syncs with ecommerce and social media channel sales, and supports BOPIS and BNPL (Afterpay) |
Mobility | Can scan products and process sales on Vend’s iOS app (Lightspeed POS X Series) | Can scan products and process sales on Square’s iOS and Android apps or mobile hardware options |
Returns | Refunds and store credit options | Multilocation refunds and store credit (only in plus plan) |
Loyalty Program | Included in Lean plan ($69) | Add-on ($60 to $140) |
Register features refer to all the actions that you can perform in running and managing your sales. Both Vend by Lightspeed and Square for Retail scored very well in this area, offering a host of features and tools for managing all kinds of sales with ease.
While both POS options bring a lot to the table, Vend by Lightspeed just slightly outscored Square for Retail because many of Square for Retail’s register features are only included in the Plus plan. Additionally, Vend offered more customization options for its checkout interface and receipts.
Management Tools
| | |
|---|---|---|
Register Features Score | 4.25 out of 5 | 4.81 out of 5 |
Inventory management features |
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Purchase ordering and vendor management |
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Reporting |
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Staff management |
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Omnichannel sales |
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Loyalty program |
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As with their register features, Vend by Lightspeed and Square for Retail scored well for their management tools. Both offer a wide range of reports, though Vend includes a custom report option. They also both have good staff management tools and omnichannel management but Vend by Lightspeed requires third-party integrations for these tools.
While Vend by Lightspeed does have inventory management tools that are better suited for larger, more complex inventories, Square for Retail slightly outscored Vend by Lightspeed overall in the management tools category. With Square for Retail, you don’t have to use third-party integrations for social media integrations, BOPIS management, or team management, as you do with Vend. Additionally, Square includes a vendor directory, unlike Vend.
Ease of Use
| | |
|---|---|---|
Ease of Use Score | 5 out of 5 | 4.38 out of 5 |
User Scores* | 4.1 out of 5 | 4.65 out of 5 |
Customer Service Hours | 24/7 | Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time |
POS Mobile App Review | App Store: 3.4 out of 5 Google Play: None | App Store: 4.8 out of 5 Google Play: 4.8 out of 5 |
*Based on average scores across several outlets
For the ease of use score, Vend by Lightspeed landed slightly higher than Square for Retail with a perfect 5 out of 5. Vend earned top marks for its 24/7 customer service, intuitive interface, easy installation, and its availability on iOS and Android devices.
Meanwhile, Square for Retail primarily lost points for its limited customer support hours, although it does have an active 24/7 online community where you can submit questions and get help from real Square users. However, Square users and our experts love Square for its intuitive interface, great mobile apps for Android and iOS, and general popularity.
Expert Score
| | |
|---|---|---|
Ease of Use Score | 4.38 out of 5 | 4.69 out of 5 |
Value for money | Medium | High |
Popularity | Medium | High |
Expert user experience | Intuitive, feature rich, easy integrations | Intuitive, feature rich, easy integrations, lots of preintegrated features |
The final thing that we looked at when comparing Vend to Lightspeed was an expert score, where we took our knowledge of other products on the market as well as our firsthand use of Square for Retail and Vend by Lightspeed’s POS systems. Square for Retail outscored Vend by Lightspeed in this category with a 4.69 out of 5. Square brings tremendous value to the table, with its fully equipped free plan and inexpensive paid options. Additionally, the Square for Retail interface is incredibly intuitive and a popular solution among small retailers.
Vend, on the other hand, does not bring quite as much value to the table and there are fewer pre-integrated features, so you will have some additional setup labor. With that said, Vend still earned a 4.38 out of 5 because it brings good value to its users, has an intuitive interface, and provides lots of features.
How We Evaluated Vend by Lightspeed vs Square for Retail
To evaluate Square for Retail and Vend by Lightspeed, we looked at five main categories: pricing, register features, management tools, and ease of use.
Click through the tabs below for an in-depth look at our criteria:
15%
Pricing
20%
Register features
35%
Management features
15%
Ease of use
15%
Expert score
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. Square for Retail is the only provider that got a perfect score in this area.
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 customer relationship management (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. Vend by Lightspeed got a perfect score in this criterion. Square for Retail’s only lost point was its limited customer support hours.
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 the system experiences a lot of downtime, and the overall experience of navigating the system’s interface. Square for Retail got our top votes.
*Percentages of overall score
Bottom Line
Unless budget is your primary concern, you will probably be satisfied with either Square for Retail or Vend by Lightspeed. Vend is the more powerful system and good for busy, multilocation businesses and high-volume businesses that prefer to use a separate payment processor. Meanwhile, Square for Retail is better for smaller businesses that want an affordable system that will grow with them.
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