Lightspeed Review Australia 2026

Pos
3.0 / 5— SoftwareHQ AU Rating
Pricing verified 2026-03-18

Overview

Lightspeed is full-featured pos for retail and hospitality. Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Montreal, Canada, it serves Australian businesses.

Full-featured POS for retail and hospitality

AU Compliance Scores

BAS Lodgement
0/5
STP Phase 2
0/5
Payday Super
0/5
Modern Awards
0/5
GST Handling
3/5
Bank Feeds
0/5

Pricing (AUD inc. GST)

All prices below are in Australian dollars (GST not included). Pricing verified as of 2026-03-18.

Retail Basic
$129/mo
AUD exc GST
  • Registers: 1
  • Locations: 1
  • Ecommerce: Yes
Most Popular
Retail Core
$229/mo
AUD exc GST
  • Registers: 1
  • Locations: 1
  • Ecommerce: Yes
  • Loyalty: Yes
Retail Plus
$329/mo
AUD exc GST
  • Registers: 1
  • Locations: 1
  • Ecommerce: Yes
  • Advanced Reporting: Yes
  • Loyalty: Yes
Hospitality Basic
$40/mo
AUD exc GST
  • Registers: 1
Hospitality Plus
$120/mo
AUD exc GST
  • Registers: 1
Hospitality Growth
$220/mo
AUD exc GST
  • Registers: 2
Hospitality Pro
$340/mo
AUD exc GST
  • Registers: 5

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Full-featured POS for both retail and hospitality
  • Excellent inventory management with multi-location support and 8M+ item catalogue
  • Native e-commerce integration for omnichannel selling
  • Competitive 1.5% card-present rate with no terminal rental fees
  • 24/7 AU support from Brisbane-based team
  • Strong reporting and analytics with 40+ customisable reports
  • Integrates natively with Xero, MYOB, Deputy, and Shopify

Cons

  • Most expensive POS option (retail from $129/mo, hospitality from $40/mo)
  • Canadian company — not AU-made
  • Additional cost per extra register ($40/mo) or location
  • Steeper learning curve than Square or Zeller
  • Advanced features like custom reporting locked behind Plus plan ($329/mo)
  • Pressure to use proprietary Lightspeed Payments — third-party processors incur extra fees

Who Is Lightspeed Best For?

  • Multi Location Retail
  • Hospitality Venue
  • Restaurant
  • Omnichannel Retail
  • Large Inventory

Lightspeed may not be the best fit for:

  • Single Register Cafe
  • Market Stall
  • Budget Conscious Startup

Lightspeed Alternatives

If Lightspeed doesn’t quite fit your needs, consider these alternatives for Australian businesses:

  • Square — Free POS software with affordable card payments. Free plan available.
  • Zeller — AU-made EFTPOS and POS in one device. Free plan available.
  • Shopify POS — Omnichannel POS for retailers who sell online and in-store. From $56/mo inc. GST.

Related Comparisons

Head to Head
Square vs Lightspeed 2026
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Head to Head
Lightspeed vs Zeller 2026
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Migration Guides

Step-by-step switching guides involving Lightspeed for Australian businesses.

Hard
How to Switch Your POS System
4-8 hours · 10 steps
Moderate
How to Migrate from Lightspeed to Square
3-5 hours · 8 steps

Related Compliance Guides

Guide
BAS Lodgement Guide for Australian Businesses
Business Activity Statements must be lodged quarterly or monthly with the ATO, reporting GST, PAYG i...
Guide
GST Registration Guide for Australian Businesses
Australian businesses must register for GST once their annual turnover reaches or is expected to rea...
Guide
Tax Invoice Requirements in Australia — What You Must Include
Australian businesses registered for GST must issue tax invoices for taxable sales of $82.50 or more...

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Lightspeed POS cost in Australia?
Lightspeed Retail starts at $129/month (Basic), $229/month (Core), or $329/month (Plus) — all including 1 register, integrated payments, inventory management, and e-commerce. Lightspeed Hospitality starts at $40/month (Basic) up to $340/month (Pro with 5 registers). Additional registers cost $40/month each.
What are Lightspeed's card transaction fees in Australia?
Lightspeed Payments charges 1.5% for card-present transactions in Australia. There are no monthly terminal rental fees, and eligible customers receive one EFTPOS terminal per register. Automatic card surcharging is supported to pass fees to customers.
Does Lightspeed work with Xero and MYOB?
Yes. Lightspeed integrates natively with both Xero and MYOB, automatically syncing sales, payments, and tax data to your accounting software. This eliminates manual data entry and simplifies BAS preparation.
Can I use Lightspeed for both retail and hospitality?
Lightspeed offers separate POS products optimised for retail and hospitality. Retail includes advanced inventory, e-commerce, and catalogue management. Hospitality includes table management, recipe costing, delivery orders, and kitchen display integration. Both share integrated payments and reporting.
Does Lightspeed offer a free trial?
Yes, Lightspeed offers a 14-day free trial for both retail and hospitality POS. No credit card is required to start. This lets you test inventory management, reporting, and the full POS interface before committing.
Is Lightspeed suitable for small single-location businesses?
While Lightspeed can serve single locations, its pricing (from $129/month for retail) makes it better suited to established businesses with complex inventory needs or multiple locations. Budget-conscious single-register operators may find Square (free) or Zeller ($0/month) more cost-effective.