Talech vs. Lightspeed Retail

Talech is a cloud solution with two separate interfaces - the browser-based back office, and the terminal display which is accessible on an iPad or similar tablet device.

Both are fairly easy to use. They’re not the most intuitive we’ve come across, but they’re by no means the worst.

The terminal follows a typical design, with a pop-up sidebar with tabs to areas for processing sales, checking past orders, running reports, and accessing customer details. The checkout page is equally straightforward, with visual product icons and options to split payments, add discounts and gift cards, use store credit, and more.

The back office, which is also accessible from the tablet display, features a horizontal banner menu with links to dedicated dashboards for analytics, inventory management, employee settings, customer accounts, and support.

The interface is perfectly suitable for users without any previous experience using a point-of-sale system. What’s more, Talech offers a number of onboarding and training packages.

"Easy to use many choices to choose from equipment-wise and their support is amazing well worth it."

"Makes it easy for customers to check out faster."

"Easy to navigate, fairly straightforward."

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. "

Talech offers a broad selection of features. With the possible exception of the integrations library, users will have all the functionality they need to run a smooth, customizable point-of-sale system, manage their employees, and keep track of sales and performance metrics. A mobile app, and multiple hardware solutions, are available.

Talech also offers several features that set it apart from other solutions, including customer self-order kiosks, “house accounts”, and 24/7 support. Most plans allow for an unlimited number of users and products.

Inventory management tools include variable-priced products, stock tracking, automated low-inventory alerts, barcode scanning, and supplier management.

In terms of sales and orders, the checkout terminal enables users to add discounts, split payments, exchange items, process gift cards, and email and text receipts. The analytics tools are equally comprehensive, with the option to download auto-generated reports and employee timesheets.

Finally, it is also possible to store customer details and track activity through the customer management dashboard.

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.

Talech doesn’t perform overly well when it comes to native integrations.

Most syncing options are made possible through OneSaaS, a third-party app that allows users to connect with platforms like QuickBooks, Xero, Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, and others. Using OneSaas, however, may incur extra costs depending on your plan. A handful of kitchen display screen (KDS) integrations is provided.

Talech is also compatible with most payment processors via gateways like USAePay, Ingenico, and Elavon.

For most retailers and other businesses, this integration kit will be sufficient. If, however, you want to build a fully-synced tech stack that connects with all your apps, then you will likely need to look elsewhere.

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.

Talech is among the more competitively-priced solutions that we’ve reviewed. This does come with a few caveats, however.

The “Starter” plan is $29/month and allows for five users and one hundred products. Features are significantly limited on this package and users don’t have access to advanced reporting, loyalty options, or integrations. The mid-tier “Standard” plan, which costs $69/month, will be necessary for most businesses. All but a handful of features are included in this package. The “Premium” subscription, which comes in at $99/month, provides access to all features, including inventory alerts, advanced checkout options (like split orders), and automatic gratuities.

All of this in mind, potential users should be aware of a few “hidden” costs. Additional devices cost an extra $29/month on all plans. On the “Starter” and “Standard” subscriptions, use of gift-cards is $19/month and you’ll have to pay $49/month for ecommerce features (although they are offered free of any extra charges in the “Premium” package). Integrations may also incur extra costs.

Finally, there is a dedicated enterprise option which runs on a custom pricing model.

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.

Talech scores highly for “help and support”, with a 24/7 phone and email service for all users. Additional training for new subscribers is also available, including a “Getting Started” package and help for restaurants when first uploading their menus.

Reviews of support from existing users are generally very good.

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 Talech. It’s a reliable, feature-rich solution that’s suitable for businesses of all sizes. Whether you’re responsible for a one-person cafe or a chain of large retail outlets, you’ll find everything you need to run an efficient point-of-sale system.

The main issues to be aware of are the additional costs for extra devices, which may be a problem for restaurants in particular if they require multiple registers, and the limited integrations library. Remember to sign up for a free demo before purchasing a subscription.

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.