Lightspeed and Toast are both point-of-sale platforms for small and growing businesses, but they suit different priorities. Lightspeed leans toward advanced inventory and omnichannel pos for retail and hospitality. Toast is built around restaurant-specific pos with deep kitchen and online-ordering tools. In our testing Toast scores higher overall (4.5 vs 4.3), but the right pick depends on your business.
Lightspeed vs Toast at a glance
| Lightspeed | Toast | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Software cost | $109+ per month | $0–$69+ per month |
| In-person rate | 2.6% + 10¢ (Lightspeed Payments) | 2.49% + 15¢ (quote-based) |
| Commitment | 3-year contract | 3-year contract |
| Best for | Inventory management | Restaurants (dine-in + online) |
Choose Lightspeed if…
- You run retail
- You run full-service restaurants
Choose Toast if…
- Ease of use matters most to you
- You run full-service restaurants
- You run quick-service
Pricing side by side
| Plan | Basic | Core | Plus | Starter Kit | Point of Sale | Build Your Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | From ~$89/mo | From ~$149/mo | From ~$289/mo | $0 | $69/mo per terminal | Custom |
| In-person rate | 2.6% + 10¢ (Lightspeed Payments) | 2.6% + 10¢ | 2.6% + 10¢ | Quote-based | Quote-based | Quote-based |
| Online rate | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Keyed rate | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Hardware | — | — | — | $0 down (pay-as-you-go) | — | — |
| Commitment | 3-year contract | 3-year contract | 3-year contract | 3-year contract | 3-year contract | 3-year contract |
Feature comparison
| Feature | Lightspeed | Toast |
|---|---|---|
| Payments | ||
| Card-present payments | Yes | Yes |
| Offline mode | Partial | Yes |
| Inventory | ||
| Inventory tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Purchase orders | Yes | Yes |
| Reporting & analytics | ||
| Sales reporting | Yes | Yes |
| Online ordering | ||
| Menu / modifier management | Yes | Yes |
| First-party online ordering | Yes | Yes |
| Loyalty & marketing | ||
| Loyalty program | Yes | Yes |
| Gift cards | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-location | ||
| Multi-location management | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations & API | ||
| Open API | Yes | Yes |
| App marketplace | Yes | Yes |
Our verdict
Toast is the stronger all-round choice for most businesses on our scoring. Pick Lightspeed instead if its strengths — retail and full-service restaurants — line up with how you operate. Use the tables above to check pricing and features against your own numbers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lightspeed cheaper than Toast?
Lightspeed software runs $109+ per month with an in-person rate of 2.6% + 10¢ (Lightspeed Payments); Toast is $0–$69+ per month at 2.49% + 15¢ (quote-based). Compare the effective rate on a real month of your own card volume, not the headline numbers.
Does Lightspeed or Toast lock you into a contract?
Lightspeed: 3-year contract. Toast: 3-year contract. Confirm the term, auto-renewal window and any early-termination fee in writing before you sign.
Which is better, Lightspeed or Toast?
Toast rates higher overall in our review, but Lightspeed can be the better fit for specific business types. See "Our verdict" above.
Not sure which to pick?
Tell us about your business and we’ll recommend the better fit.