Both run restaurants at scale. Toast is a restaurant-only platform with the deepest front- and back-of-house tooling; Lightspeed Restaurant is part of a broader retail-and-hospitality suite with stronger inventory.
Toast vs Lightspeed at a glance
| Toast | Lightspeed | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Software cost | $0–$69+ per month | $109+ per month |
| In-person rate | 2.49% + 15¢ (quote-based) | 2.6% + 10¢ (Lightspeed Payments) |
| Commitment | 3-year contract | 3-year contract |
| Best for | Restaurants (dine-in + online) | Inventory management |
Choose Toast if…
- You are restaurant-only and want maximum depth
- You want native payroll, scheduling and first-party online ordering
- You want purpose-built, durable restaurant hardware
Choose Lightspeed if…
- You run retail and food service under one roof
- You need matrix inventory, assemblies and vendor catalogs
- You want the option of an outside processor
Pricing side by side
| Plan | Starter Kit | Point of Sale | Build Your Own | Basic | Core | Plus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $0 | $69/mo per terminal | Custom | From ~$89/mo | From ~$149/mo | From ~$289/mo |
| In-person rate | Quote-based | Quote-based | Quote-based | 2.6% + 10¢ (Lightspeed Payments) | 2.6% + 10¢ | 2.6% + 10¢ |
| 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 | Toast | Lightspeed |
|---|---|---|
| Payments | ||
| Card-present payments | Yes | Yes |
| Offline mode | Yes | Partial |
| 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
Pick Toast for a pure restaurant operation that wants kitchen, online ordering and payroll from one vendor. Pick Lightspeed if you run mixed retail-and-hospitality concepts or need serious inventory and purchasing.
Frequently asked questions
Which is more expensive?
Both are quote- or tier-based and land well above mass-market POS. Toast bundles more restaurant tooling; Lightspeed bundles more inventory tooling.
Do either lock you into their payments?
Toast requires Toast payments. Lightspeed strongly incentivizes Lightspeed Payments but technically allows alternatives with a surcharge.
Not sure which to pick?
Tell us about your business and we’ll recommend the better fit.