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Software · head to head

Authorize.net vs Lightspeed Retail

A

Authorize.net

Software

We help make it easy to get paid

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lightspeed Retail logo

Lightspeed Retail

Software

Point of sale and retail management system

From
$89/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Authorize.net all-in-One plan charges a $25 monthly gateway fee plus 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction on top of it; Lightspeed Retail high pricing starts at USD 89/month (Basic plan), escalating to USD 289/month for Plus tier with advanced features

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authorize.net and Lightspeed Retail actually diverge.

Attributes where Authorize.net and Lightspeed Retail differ
AttributeAuthorize.netLightspeed Retail
Starting priceOn request$89/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWebWeb, iPad, Cloud-based
FoundedUnknown2005

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Authorize.net

Nothing recorded that Lightspeed Retail does not also cover.

Only in Lightspeed Retail

  • Point of sale
  • Inventory management
  • Customer management
  • Omnichannel selling
  • Analytics
  • Employee management
  • Loyalty programs
  • Hardware compatibility

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Authorize.net

  • All-in-One plan charges a $25 monthly gateway fee plus 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction on top of it
  • eCheck processing carries its own $10 monthly minimum fee separate from the card processing charges

Lightspeed Retail

  • High pricing starts at USD 89/month (Basic plan), escalating to USD 289/month for Plus tier with advanced features
  • Limited integrations with third-party platforms, particularly challenging for Shopify inventory sync
  • Inventory synchronization issues reported with backordered products and bulk updates
  • Customer support response times can be slow despite 24/7 availability
  • System crashes and performance degradation reported during high-traffic periods

Pricing, plan by plan

Authorize.net

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Authorize.net review.

Lightspeed Retail

$89/month
  • Basic$89/month
    • One register
    • Integrated payments
    • Inventory management
  • Core$149/month
    • All Basic features
    • Expanded eCommerce capabilities
    • Phone support access
  • Plus$289/month
    • All Core features
    • API access
    • Custom workflows

Which should you pick?

Choose Authorize.net if

Nothing in the data separates Authorize.net from Lightspeed Retail on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Authorize.net review

Choose Lightspeed Retail if

  • You need point of sale.
  • You work on Web, iPad, Cloud-based.
  • You also want inventory management.
Lightspeed Retail review

Questions people ask

Is Authorize.net or Lightspeed Retail better?
Neither clearly leads. Authorize.net starts at On request and Lightspeed Retail at $89/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Authorize.net or Lightspeed Retail?
Authorize.net starts at On request and Lightspeed Retail at $89/month.
Does Authorize.net or Lightspeed Retail run on more platforms?
Authorize.net runs on Web. Lightspeed Retail runs on Web, iPad, Cloud-based.
What can Authorize.net do that Lightspeed Retail cannot?
Lightspeed Retail covers Point of sale, Inventory management, Customer management, Omnichannel selling.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lightspeed Retail: What payment processing rates does Lightspeed Retail charge?

Lightspeed Retail charges 1.5% for card-present payment processing via Lightspeed Payments.

Source
Lightspeed Retail: Does Lightspeed Retail offer API access?

Yes. API access and custom workflows are available in the Plus plan (USD 289/month), enabling advanced customization and integrations.

Source
Lightspeed Retail: Does Lightspeed support multi-location management?

Yes. All Lightspeed Retail plans support multi-location inventory management with centralized control, though additional location and register costs apply as businesses scale.

Source
Lightspeed Retail: What customer support options are available?

All Lightspeed Retail plans include 24/7 customer support via chat and phone for Core and Plus plans.

Source
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Related pages

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