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Inventory Management · head to head

ERPNext vs Lightspeed Retail

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ERPNext

Inventory Management

Open-source ERP solution for SMEs and growing businesses

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lightspeed Retail logo

Lightspeed Retail

Inventory Management

Point of sale and retail management system

From
$89/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only ERPNext has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: ERPNext the software is AGPL-3.0 licensed, which imposes source disclosure obligations on anyone distributing a modified network service built on it; Lightspeed Retail high pricing starts at USD 89/month (Basic plan), escalating to USD 289/month for Plus tier with advanced features
  • They diverge on capability: ERPNext covers Accounting, Lightspeed Retail covers Point of sale.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ERPNext and Lightspeed Retail actually diverge.

Attributes where ERPNext and Lightspeed Retail differ
AttributeERPNextLightspeed Retail
Starting priceFree$89/month
Pricing modelopen-sourceUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsSelf-hosted, Cloud, WebWeb, iPad, Cloud-based
Founded20142005

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Inventory Management).

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 ERPNext

  • Accounting
  • Inventory
  • Manufacturing
  • CRM
  • Human Resources
  • Payment gateways
  • Email systems
  • Custom extensions

Only in Lightspeed Retail

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

What people use each for

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

ERPNext

  • Open source ERP covering accounting, inventory, manufacturing and HRnot Lightspeed Retail
  • Self hosting a full business management suite without per user licensingnot Lightspeed Retail

Lightspeed Retail

No use cases recorded yet. See the Lightspeed Retail review.

Where each one falls short

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

ERPNext

  • The software is AGPL-3.0 licensed, which imposes source disclosure obligations on anyone distributing a modified network service built on it
  • Managed hosting is priced per site and per server rather than per user, so a small team running several sites pays more than a large team on one
  • Dedicated server isolation and stronger reliability guarantees start at $125 a month
  • Self hosting is free but places upgrades, backups and availability entirely on the operator

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

ERPNext

Free
  • Self-hostedFree
    • Open-source
    • Full functionality
    • Community support
  • Cloud Hosted$50/month
    • Cloud hosting
    • Managed backups
    • Email support

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 ERPNext if

  • You need accounting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Self-hosted, Cloud, Web.
  • You also want inventory.
ERPNext 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 ERPNext or Lightspeed Retail better?
Neither clearly leads. ERPNext starts at Free and Lightspeed Retail at $89/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ERPNext or Lightspeed Retail?
ERPNext has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for ERPNext and $89/month for Lightspeed Retail.
Does ERPNext or Lightspeed Retail run on more platforms?
ERPNext runs on Self-hosted, Cloud, Web. Lightspeed Retail runs on Web, iPad, Cloud-based.
Can I use ERPNext for free?
Yes. ERPNext has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Lightspeed Retail starts at $89/month.
What is ERPNext best used for?
ERPNext is most often used for open source erp covering accounting, inventory, manufacturing and hr, self hosting a full business management suite without per user licensing. Of those, open source erp covering accounting, inventory, manufacturing and hr and self hosting a full business management suite without per user licensing are not what Lightspeed Retail is typically brought in for.
What can ERPNext do that Lightspeed Retail cannot?
ERPNext covers Accounting, Inventory, Manufacturing, CRM. 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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