Shopkeep vs. Lightspeed Retail

Shopkeep is extremely easy to use, and inexperienced retailers in particular will have no trouble managing their inventory and processing orders.

The register screen, which is designed to run on an iPad (although you can buy a stationary register from Clover which is compatible with Shopkeep) follows a standard format, with block item listings, a button for saving sales for later, and “cash” or “credit” options. Further functionality is available from a side menu. The back-office dashboard is also very intuitive. A left-hand sidebar displays tabs to dedicated areas for analytics, inventory (items), marketing tools, staff permissions, and settings. The home-page also provides a “birds-eye” view of your business and shows important metrics like sales and transactions.

The one downside on the usability front is that dedicated onboarding and one-on-one support isn’t available on all plans, although you may be able to add this to your package when you speak to Shopkeep (all subscriptions are on a custom basis). That said, user reviews tend to state that setting up was straightforward, despite the lack of tailored customer service.

"I know this sounds crazy but I really don't have any negatives with this system."

"It was fairly simple to set up and use and fairly easy to train people on the system."

"This software was very easy to set up, update and use. "

We found that Lightspeed was very easy to use, despite some user reports that the interface was clunky. It’s not the most intuitive of all the ecommerce solutions we’ve reviewed, but it’s far from complicated.

The iPad app interface follows a typical layout and allows users to create, continue, or cancel sales. In the back-office, a left-hand toolbar provides access to areas for processing sales, managing inventory, running analytics reports, and so on. Adding items is a straightforward process, with options for product variations, discounts, SKUs, etc.

"It was relatively easy to set up and I had lots of support!"

"Accessible anywhere. Ecommerce friendly."

"Nice user interface. Good features for a shop that does service work. "

Shopkeep offers more or less everything you would expect to find in a point-of-sale system. Features include inventory management, payment processing, barcode scanning, hardware packages, support for gift cards and loyalty programs, and discount options.

Both the browser-based back-office and iPad register dashboards are intuitive and easy-to-use, and set-up is generally very straightforward. This point has been confirmed by numerous user reviews online.

What’s more, Shopkeep offers in-depth analytics - though larger retailers may be looking for more advanced functionality - along with user permissions. There is no cap on the number of items or users that can be added to the system. Retailers can also take advantage of a “pocket” mobile app for keeping on top of sales.

Shopkeep is primarily an iPad system, so you will need to keep this in mind when thinking about your hardware set-up. That said, you can purchase a register kit from Clover, thus removing the need for an iPad, but this will incur additional costs.

The one big downside when it comes to features is the limited integrations library. Only three are provided - Quickbooks, Mailchimp, and BigCommerce. If you’re looking to build a fully-integrated tech stack, then you will have to look elsewhere.

Lightspeed scored reasonably well in the features category. It has more or less everything you would expect from a point-of-sale system for brick-and-mortar retailers, including sales and customer management, sales histories, analytics, and intuitive back-office and front-end dashboards. Lightspeed also offers dedicated solutions for restaurants and golf clubs, each with an array of specialised tools.

There are a handful of downsides and caveats that sellers should be aware of, however. These include few native integrations for most well-known ecommerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce etc.; somewhat limited support for different types of hardware; and a lack of availability of Lightspeed’s in-house payment processor in some countries, which means that you’ll have to use a third-party service). It’s possible to get around most of these shortcomings with the use of intermediary apps, but this approach may require extra learning time and costs.

Lightspeed is also platform-agnostic and browser-based, meaning that it runs on either Windows or macOS with Chrome or Safari. The sales app is currently only compatible with iPads, however, so this is something to keep in mind if you need to connect a portable POS to your register.

Finally, it’s worth keeping in mind that, while you can purchase the POS system separately, Lightspeed can also be leveraged as an all-in-one solution that allows retailers to take care of their POS, inventory management, analytics, ecommerce store, and even accounting. If this is something you’re looking for, then you should consider one of the higher-tier plans.

There isn’t a great deal to discuss when it comes to integrations. Shopkeep offers far fewer connectors than competing platforms. If you’re looking for a point-of-sale system that syncs seamlessly with your existing tech stack, then you will have to look elsewhere. For brick-and-mortar retailers (and restaurateurs) that operate mostly out of a single or multiple stores, this is unlikely to be a problem. If, however, you have a large online presence and rely on several apps, you won’t find the functionality you need.

Furthermore, no intermediary apps are supported, so you won’t be able to connect up your stack by using third-party tools like Zapier.

The one exception to this is if you run your store on BigCommerce, and are happy to use this platform as your primary hub for integrations. Still, some manual data input may be required.

In terms of the integrations on offer, Shopkeep syncs with Quickbooks, MailChimp, and BigCommerce. Shopkeep stipulates that users can build their own “ecommerce store”, but you will have to purchase a separate BigCommerce package in order to take advantage of this feature.

If you are looking for a slimmed-down solution, however, and only need access to accounting and mailing list functionality along with your own store, then Shopkeep provides a straightforward, high-quality solution.

Lightspeed didn’t score particularly well when it came to integrations. It’s important to keep in mind that Lightspeed is designed as an all-in-one platform capable of taking care of all aspects of a retailer’s online presence, inventory and fulfilment, and POS. Lightspeed even offers accounting tools. This means that there aren’t many native integrations for other platforms. In most cases, however, it is possible to link to other apps via intermediary integrations or third-party services.

Because Lightspeed doesn’t offer a built-in payment processor in all countries, several third-party options are supported. This is one area, however, where we felt that more could have been offered.

No big-name ecommerce platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, Magento etc. are supported directly. Tools like Kosmos, nChannel, and DataQlick, however, will allow for syncing with most major solutions, along with many inventory management platforms. Integrations like Sync2Sell also make it possible to connect with some seller marketplaces.

On the accounting front, Lightspeed doesn’t provide native connectors for Quickbooks or Xero. As a workaround, Amaka is supported, which a native integration which retailers can use to link up to most accounting apps. Lightspeed also offers a good selection of business integrations, including MailChimp, Kangaroo Rewards, and LoyalAction.

Finally, Lightspeed offers a handful of connectors for appointment booking, customer service, employee scheduling, payroll, and others.

Shopkeep works on a custom pricing model and you will need to get in touch with the company to discuss your needs. From our own research, we found that plans begin at around $49/month, with additional costs for extra registers. Remember that this is a solution tailored to smaller businesses.

Shopkeep has an in-house payment processing solution which charges 2.5% per transaction and an additional ten-cent processing fee. This isn’t bad by any means, but we would have liked to have seen greater support for third-party services. A free terminal is included in all plans.

Shopkeep also offers an iPad-compatible hardware kit. Like the POS plans, pricing is unique to each customer.

Lightspeed is reasonably competitively-priced when compared to other similar POS solutions. There are five packages, along with a tailored enterprise option, available to brick-and-mortar retailers. They begin at $79/month and run up to $259/month. There are discounts available for annual payments, and additional registers cost $29/month.

Plans for restaurants and golf clubs are on a custom basis (you’ll need to contact the company) but start at around $70/month with extra costs for add-ons.

The basic POS package provides access to all sales and payment features and includes a free terminal. The big downside is that advanced analytics are only available on the highest-tier plan.

Shopkeep offers a streamlined but high-quality support package. Customer service is available 24/7, 365 days a year, via email. Extensive documentation and training materials are also offered to help users make the most of the platform.

While dedicated onboarding support isn’t advertised, it may be possible to purchase this when discussing your plan. No community support is provided.

Lightspeed offers an excellent support package. If you’re looking for a little extra assistance when setting up your POS, then you’ll struggle to find better alternatives. User reviews are largely positive.

24/7 customer service is provided via email and phone, with lines for the UK, US and Asia. Support is free and included on all plans. Lightspeed provides one-on-one training for new users during onboarding, irrespective of the plan tier. This training consists of an online question-and-answer session, assisted software set-up, and optional follow-up.

Lightspeed also offers one of the most comprehensive resource hubs that we’ve seen. It includes extensive documentation, webinars, training courses, a community forum, and more.

Overall, we were very impressed with Shopkeep. It’s a compact, well-designed, and cost-effective platform that’s aimed squarely at the small business market. Dedicated solutions for restaurants, food trucks, bars, and coffee shops, along with an option for retailers, make it an attractive solution to companies in these sectors.

The options to create an ecommerce store and sync up with Quickbooks and MailChimp are also added bonuses.

The one downside was the limited number of integrations. If you’re not looking for an extensive integrations library, then Shopkeep is definitely worth considering. If, on the other hand, you want a solution that will sync with your existing tech stack, along with providing the ability to use third-party payment processors, then you should consider alternatives.

While Lightspeed does have some downsides, we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to the right retailers. You should definitely consider it if you’re looking for an all-in-one solution that will cover POS, inventory management, ecommerce, and advanced analytics.

If you already have an ecommerce store or inventory management solution, the lack of native integrations may prove a little bothersome. Equally, you should keep in mind that Lightspeed’s system is designed to work optimally with iPads, although it will also run on Windows (assuming that you don’t need a mobile POS). There is currently no Android app.

Lightspeed offers a free trial, so if you’re a small or medium-sized business looking for a straightforward solution, then it’s worth giving a go. Don’t forget about the dedicated restaurant and golf club solutions, either.