Lightspeed Pocket (S) vs Lightspeed Retail POS (R)
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Lightspeed Pocket (S)
This app provides real-time business insights for retailers using Lightspeed Retail POS (S). Monitor sales, cashflow, and employee performance across multiple store locations. Receive timely notifications to address critical business needs and ensure stable operation.
- Multi-location management
- Real-time sales reporting
- Cashflow monitoring
- Sales target tracking
- Employee clock-in/out tracking
- Top-selling item identification
- Push notifications
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Lightspeed Pocket is only available for businesses that use Lightspeed Retail POS (S). It is not available for new customers. Gain new insights into your business • Add as many store locations as you want and switch between them with ease • Access sales data from anywhere with real-time reporting • Monitor your registers and cashflow to always have a handle on your retail performance • Manage and track sales targets per store and per team member so everyone can keep improving • See which employees clock in and out and spot your top-selling items Enjoy speed and reliability • Receive push notifications when your store needs attention • Enjoy continuous stable app usage, even during your busiest periods Lightspeed Retail is the powerful, easy-to-use POS software for busy retailers like you. With Lightspeed’s one-stop commerce platform, you’ll have everything you need to run your business from one incredible platform. Simplify. Scale. And provide amazing customer experiences. That’s the power of Lightspeed.
Lightspeed Retail POS (R)
This cloud-based point of sale system streamlines retail operations with integrated inventory, customer, and employee management. It simplifies transactions, provides detailed sales analytics, and offers customizable user roles for enhanced efficiency.
- Inventory management
- Detailed reporting
- Customer management
- Multi-location support
- Employee management
- Cloud-based access
- Customer Facing Display
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The POS system preferred by serious retailers in over 100 countries. Lightspeed retail POS is more than just a cash register. It’s a smart, scalable, and dependable point of sale system with built-in features like inventory management, detailed reporting, customer management, multi-location compatibility, employee management, and so much more, all on the cloud. The app centralizes everything your staff needs based on their role. Now, cashiers have their own intuitive profile tab in POS-mode that lets them focus on sales, and managers can toggle into the Manager tab to perform daily tasks. This split-functionality minimizes distractions and potential for mistakes and requires almost no training time for new employees. Complete transactions and instantly access your sales data from anywhere, so you can spend more time focusing on what’s most important—your customers. Process sales - Complete transactions from anywhere in your store to reduce wait times. - Snap pictures of new stock straight from the sales screen. - Perform on-the-spot returns, accept gift cards, apply discounts and sell on-account. - Send receipts via email. - Process special orders, layaways, and work orders. - Provide customers with a clear view of the items in their transaction, including taxes and discounts, with a Customer Facing Display (CFD). Manage inventory and collections - Sell bundled, serialized or unique items. - Easily manage multiple variations of the same product. - Import up to 1,000 new items in 1 click. - Combine purchasing, transferring, and multiple vendors into one master order. Track data and performance - Track sales and inventory with reports on profits and fluctuations over time. - Identify opportunities for growth and improvement. - Detect trends in your stock movement and learn what your top performers are. - Get a clear view of your customers’ needs and shopping habits. Take care of customers - Track sales history to improve your shopping experience and personalize your sales approach. - Record relevant customer information to better inform your targeting decisions. - Collect emails to send current promotions and new arrival notifications to customers. Provide employees with easy-to-use tools - Empower your staff with an intuitive, easy-to-learn app. Minimal training required. - Simplify your cashiers’ workflow with one screen for everything they need to open and close their day. - Create a simple and logical workflow tailored to your business. - Track sales and performance reports per employee. - Limit access to refunds, products, pricing, or sales data with custom user permissions. Supercharge the POS with integrations - Sell in-store and online with Lightspeed’s fully integrated eCommerce solution, Lightspeed eCom. - Drive more repeat business and build long-term customer relationships with Lightspeed Loyalty. - Build your perfect system with over 250 integration options. Add hardware and payment processing - Lightspeed Payments: 2.6% + 10¢ - one rate per transaction for swipe, dip or tap—no matter the card type, no matter the sale amount. - Connect external hardware like Bluetooth barcode scanners, receipt printers, cash drawers and customer-facing displays. - Reduce credit card fraud with EMV-compatible hardware. Get free onboarding and 24/7 support - Receive a personalized one-on-one onboarding session with a Retail POS expert. - Call or chat with support agents 24/7. Lightspeed POS is the perfect fit for: Bike and sporting goods Fashion and apparel Jewelry and accessories Pets and supplies Home decor Electronics Toys and hobbies Fitness and supplements Health and beauty Questions? Ask our friendly retail POS pros. Call 1-855-251-0441 or go to our support center for helpful tips, training videos, and system updates.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Lightspeed Pocket (S) at 4.7 against Lightspeed Retail POS (R)'s 2.1. Lightspeed Pocket (S) also leads on review sentiment (51% vs 31%) and ratings volume (6.5K vs 177). Lightspeed Retail POS (R)'s advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Lightspeed Pocket (S) holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lightspeed Pocket (S) has 6.5K ratings behind it against 177, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of Lightspeed Pocket (S)'s written reviews are positive against 31% of Lightspeed Retail POS (R)'s.
Lightspeed Pocket (S) ships an update every 2 months, Lightspeed Retail POS (R) every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.
| Parameter | Lightspeed Pocket (S) | Lightspeed Retail POS (R) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (6.5K ratings) — better | 2.1 (177 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 50.7% of reviews — better | 31.1% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 6.5K — better | 177 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Ad-supported — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 28 MB | 207 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | ShopKeep.com | Lightspeed Commerce Inc. |
Customer experience
Lightspeed Pocket (S)
Lightspeed Retail POS (R)
User reviews
Lightspeed Pocket (S)
From 6.5K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Convenient app to monitor business
- 💡 Useful for checking transactions and employee activities
- 👍 User-friendly and informative
Room to improve
- 🐛 Unreliable, crashes frequently
- 🔒 Shady billing practices, hidden fees
- 🔍 Limited features, lacking important functionality
- 🤖 Poor customer support, unresponsive to issues
Lightspeed Retail POS (R)
From 177 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Intuitive and easy-to-use interface
- 📊 Comprehensive inventory management system
- 🌐 Seamless cross-platform integration (desktop & iPad)
- 📱 Mobile flexibility for retail operations
- 💼 Powerful reporting and analytics capabilities
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezing issues
- ⚠️ Hardware connectivity problems (scanner, printer, terminal)
- 🔌 Unreliable Bluetooth connections
- 💰 Expensive pricing structure
- ⏱️ Slow app performance on older devices
Bugs and requests
Lightspeed Pocket (S)
Reported bugs
4 issues- Login issues after device upgrades
- Data sync problems, missing/incorrect sales data
- Bluetooth connectivity problems with card readers
- App freezes and crashes
Requested features
6 requests- Accounting for sales tax
- Ability to view all clocked-in employees
- Sales breakdown by register
- Customizable receipts (logo, etc.)
- Kitchen display system integration
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Customer receipt texting
Lightspeed Retail POS (R)
Reported bugs
19 issues- App crashes during peak business hours
- Scanner and printer disconnect frequently
- Payment terminal connectivity issues
- App freezes when entering or changing prices
- Inventory freezing when adding stock
Show 14 moreShow fewer
- Work order notes and billed parts erasing randomly
- App logging out unexpectedly
- Keyboard not appearing with Bluetooth scanner connected
- Inventory counts changing on their own
- Photo upload functionality not working
- Payment screen freezing after card approval
- App won't launch after updates
- Slow typing response (4+ seconds per character)
- Register confusion between multiple registers
- PIN login required multiple times per transaction
- Label printer connection failures
- Latency issues even on new devices
- Work order data loss during app freeze
- Matrix merged items still appearing after deletion
Requested features
14 requests- Native phone app version
- Camera-based barcode scanning using iPad camera
- Ability to change unit costs on purchase order page
- PDF/email receipt functionality
- Access to work orders and sales tabs when register is closed
Show 9 moreShow fewer
- Gift card refunds on main sales screen
- Built-in gift certificate system
- Stripe card reader support outside US
- Keyboard availability with Bluetooth scanner
- Simplified work order process with fewer steps
- Better iPad app performance optimization
- Support for multiple currencies and coin types
- Streamlined inventory addition process
- Automatic barcode scanning to add items to sale
In-app purchases
Lightspeed Pocket (S)
No in-app purchases
Lightspeed Retail POS (R)
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Lightspeed Pocket (S) free?
Is Lightspeed Retail POS (R) free?
Which has better reviews, Lightspeed Pocket (S) or Lightspeed Retail POS (R)?
Do Lightspeed Pocket (S) or Lightspeed Retail POS (R) have ads?
Which is updated more often, Lightspeed Pocket (S) or Lightspeed Retail POS (R)?
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