Lightspeed vs Square: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for Lightspeed and Square side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below, Square leads on higher user rating and lower entry price and a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Lightspeed
Manage and operate every part of your business from one highly configurable system.
Best for you if:
- • You want highly configurable and tailored for specific business types
Square
Payment processing and POS systems
Best for you if:
- • You want a free tier before you commit
| At a Glance | Lightspeed | Square |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | From $89/mo, billed monthly Basic plan | Free plan, paid from $49/mo, billed monthly Plus plan |
Category | Restaurant POS Payment Processing | Payment Processing E-commerce |
Rating | 4.2/5 Capterra 4.0 · G2 4.4 1,792 reviews | 4.6/5 G2 4.6 1,211 reviews |
Free plan | No | Yes |
Watch out for | Onboarding/professional services are options, not free | n/a |
Choose Lightspeed or Square?
Choose Lightspeed if
- You want highly configurable and tailored for specific business types
- You want streamlines operations and reduces manual data entry
- You work in restaurant POS, not payment processing
Choose Square if
- You want a free tier before you commit
- You want easy payment processing
- You want POS hardware
- Budget matters ($49/mo, billed monthly vs $89/mo, billed monthly)
- You work in payment processing, not restaurant POS
In-Depth Analysis
Lightspeed
Manage and operate every part of your business from one highly configurable system.
Lightspeed's pricing, ranging from $89/month for Basic to $289/month for Plus, appears expensive for a single register POS system, especially given that many core features are available across all tiers.
Watch out
Onboarding/professional services are options, not free
Strengths
- Pro: Highly configurable and tailored for specific business types
- Pro: Streamlines operations and reduces manual data entry
- Pro: Provides deep insights for strategic decision-making
- Pro: Offers comprehensive support and onboarding
- Pro: Scalable to grow with the business and supports multi-store operations
Weaknesses
- Con: No free tier available
- Con: Requires integration with external tools for some functionalities (e.g., accounting, employee management)
Key features
Square
Payment processing and POS systems
Square's pricing is generally fair, especially for small businesses.
Strengths
- Pro: Easy payment processing
- Pro: POS hardware
- Pro: Good for small business
- Pro: Fair pricing
- Pro: Many features
Weaknesses
- Con: Account holds possible
- Con: Not for high-risk
- Con: International limited
- Con: Support varies
- Con: Fees add up
Key features
Plans and prices: Lightspeed vs Square
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Lightspeed |
| lightspeedhq.com/pricing read Oct 31, 2026 |
| Square |
| squareup.com/pricing read Sep 29, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on Lightspeed pricing and Square pricing.
Key Takeaways
Lightspeed
- Choose if you want manage and operate every part of your business from one highly configurable system
Square
- Higher user rating: 4.6/5 vs 4.2/5
- Lower entry price: $49/mo, billed monthly vs $89/mo, billed monthly
- Has a free plan
What the data shows
On the data below, Square leads on higher user rating and lower entry price and a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
- Square has the higher user rating (4.2/5 from 1,792 reviews for Lightspeed, 4.6/5 from 1,211 reviews for Square).
- Square has the lower entry price: $49/mo, billed monthly (Plus) against $89/mo, billed monthly (Basic) for Lightspeed.
- Only Square has a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Lightspeed and Square compare in 2026?
On the data below, Square leads on higher user rating and lower entry price and a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. Square has the higher user rating (4.2/5 from 1,792 reviews for Lightspeed, 4.6/5 from 1,211 reviews for Square). Square has the lower entry price: $49/mo, billed monthly (Plus) against $89/mo, billed monthly (Basic) for Lightspeed. Only Square has a free plan.
What are Lightspeed and Square used for?
Lightspeed: Manage and operate every part of your business from one highly configurable system. Square: Payment processing and POS systems.
What does Lightspeed cost vs Square?
Lightspeed's cheapest paid plan is Basic at $89/mo, billed monthly. Square's cheapest paid plan is Plus at $49/mo, billed monthly; it also has a free plan. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Oct 31, 2026.
What's the main difference between Lightspeed and Square?
Lightspeed's main strength: highly configurable and tailored for specific business types. Square's main strength: easy payment processing.