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Restaurants · head to head

Epos Now vs Lightspeed Restaurant

Epos Now logo

Epos Now

Restaurants

Cloud point of sale for hospitality and retail sold with hardware finance and attached payment processing

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lightspeed Restaurant logo

Lightspeed Restaurant

Restaurants

One restaurant POS to power it all

From
$69/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Epos Now hardware is often placed on a finance agreement with a third party, so cancelling the software subscription leaves the equipment payments running for the remainder of the term.; Lightspeed Restaurant starts at $69 a month for Starter, rising to $189 for Essential and $399 for Premium
  • They diverge on capability: Epos Now covers Cloud till software, Lightspeed Restaurant covers Floor plan management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Epos Now and Lightspeed Restaurant actually diverge.

Attributes where Epos Now and Lightspeed Restaurant differ
AttributeEpos NowLightspeed Restaurant
Starting priceOn request$69/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, WindowsWeb, Ios, Android
FoundedUnknown2005

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

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 Epos Now

  • Cloud till software
  • Hardware bundles
  • Integrated payments
  • AppStore add ons
  • Stock and product management
  • Multi site reporting

Only in Lightspeed Restaurant

  • Floor plan management
  • Tableside ordering
  • Menu management
  • Staff management
  • Delivery integration
  • Advanced reporting
  • Uber Eats
  • DoorDash

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Epos Now

  • A single site cafe or bar wanting a low upfront cost till system installed quicklynot Lightspeed Restaurant
  • An independent needing basic stock, staff and sales reporting without an implementation projectnot Lightspeed Restaurant
  • An operator running both a small retail line and a food offer on one systemnot Lightspeed Restaurant
  • A business replacing a mechanical till that has no reporting or remote access at allnot Lightspeed Restaurant

Lightspeed Restaurant

  • Point of Salenot Epos Now
  • Order Managementnot Epos Now
  • Inventory Controlnot Epos Now
  • Staff Schedulingnot Epos Now

Where each one falls short

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

Epos Now

  • Hardware is often placed on a finance agreement with a third party, so cancelling the software subscription leaves the equipment payments running for the remainder of the term.
  • Software, hardware finance and card processing are three separate agreements with different notice periods, which makes a clean exit difficult and is the source of most published complaints.
  • The vendor makes its margin on payment processing, so the low advertised software price is offset by a card rate that costs far more across a year of trading.
  • Sales is telesales led and buyers report pressure to sign quickly, which is a poor fit for a decision involving multi year finance commitments.
  • Useful capability is spread across paid add ons in the application store, so the functional system a restaurant actually needs costs considerably more than the entry subscription.

Lightspeed Restaurant

  • Starts at $69 a month for Starter, rising to $189 for Essential and $399 for Premium
  • The kitchen display system is charged separately at $30 per screen per month
  • Lightspeed Reservations, reservation integrations and Lightspeed Tasks are add-ons on every tier below Enterprise rather than included features
  • Integrated payments are fixed to a default configuration on Starter, with custom configuration only from Essential upwards
  • Card processing rates and hardware costs are not published, and the vendor notes prices vary by business and industry

Pricing, plan by plan

Epos Now

On request
  • Epos Now$undefined/year
    • Software subscription quoted per till
    • Hardware frequently supplied under a separate finance or lease agreement
    • Card processing contracted separately and priced by negotiated rate

Lightspeed Restaurant

$69/month
  • Starter$69/month
    • Customizable POS
    • Menu manager
    • Floor plans
  • Essential$189/month
    • All Starter features
    • Lightspeed AI
    • Tempo service pacing
  • Premium$399/month
    • All Essential features
    • Advanced inventory management
    • Raw API access

Which should you pick?

Choose Epos Now if

  • You need cloud till software.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Windows.
  • You also want hardware bundles.
Epos Now review

Choose Lightspeed Restaurant if

  • You need floor plan management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want tableside ordering.
Lightspeed Restaurant review

Questions people ask

Is Epos Now or Lightspeed Restaurant better?
Neither clearly leads. Epos Now starts at On request and Lightspeed Restaurant at $69/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Epos Now or Lightspeed Restaurant?
Epos Now starts at On request and Lightspeed Restaurant at $69/month.
Does Epos Now or Lightspeed Restaurant run on more platforms?
Epos Now runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows. Lightspeed Restaurant runs on Web, Ios, Android.
What is Epos Now best used for?
Epos Now is most often used for a single site cafe or bar wanting a low upfront cost till system installed quickly, an independent needing basic stock, staff and sales reporting without an implementation project, an operator running both a small retail line and a food offer on one system, a business replacing a mechanical till that has no reporting or remote access at all. Of those, a single site cafe or bar wanting a low upfront cost till system installed quickly and an independent needing basic stock, staff and sales reporting without an implementation project are not what Lightspeed Restaurant is typically brought in for.
What can Epos Now do that Lightspeed Restaurant cannot?
Epos Now covers Cloud till software, Hardware bundles, Integrated payments, AppStore add ons. Lightspeed Restaurant covers Floor plan management, Tableside ordering, Menu management, Staff management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Epos Now: Is the hardware bought or leased?

Frequently financed through a third party agreement rather than bought outright. Ask explicitly which it is and read the term before signing.

Lightspeed Restaurant: How much does Lightspeed Restaurant POS cost?

Pricing starts at $69 per month for the Starter plan, $189 for Essential, and $399 for Premium. Enterprise plans require custom quotes.

Source
Epos Now: Can I cancel the software and keep trading?

You can stop the subscription, but a separate hardware finance agreement continues to its own end date, and processing is contracted separately again.

Lightspeed Restaurant: What does the Kitchen Display System cost?

Kitchen Display System screens cost $30 per month and are available to add on any plan.

Source
Epos Now: Do I have to use their card processing?

It is the commercial basis of the pricing. Using another acquirer, where permitted, changes the software quote.

Lightspeed Restaurant: What's included in the Premium plan?

The Premium plan at $399 per month includes advanced inventory management, raw API access, full multi-location support, and revenue center customization for hotels.

Source
Epos Now: Is it suitable for a busy full service restaurant?

It handles straightforward hospitality service. Complex coursing, large table management and high volume kitchens are better served by restaurant specific systems.

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