Comparison

Lightning Online POS (Tablet) vs Squirrel Cloud POS

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β€” with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Lightning Online POS (Tablet)

Features
Read full description

Lightning Online Point of Sale is a comprehensive retail technology platform designed to go far beyond the point of sale. Our iOS app (Available for the iPhone & iPad) unifies in-store operations, inventory management, e-commerce, digital marketing, reporting, and an expanding suite of mobile applications within a single ecosystem. From the sales floor to back-office visibility, Lightning provides retailers with the tools to operate efficiently, engage customers, and grow intelligently. Built for single-store operators through multi-location enterprises, the platform delivers the depth, flexibility, and control required to run modern retail businesses.Β  Your subscription includes: Lightning Online Point of Sale - Runs in your browser. Lightning for the iPad Lightning for the iPhone Lightning Emergency Mode (An off-line app in the event of an internet outage) Lightning Enhanced Pole Display Lightning In-Store Kiosk Lightning Physical Inventory application Optional: Lightning Corporate Office (Used in multi-store environments) Lightning E-Commerce (A truly integrated website w/mobile apps)

About

Squirrel Cloud POS

Features
Read full description

Squirrel Cloud POS is a new, easy-to-use point-of-sale solution that will be your hub for taking orders, managing your restaurant and enabling amazing guest experiences. - Take orders from the table, bar or patio and send directly to your kitchen. - Manage phone, takeout, curbside pickup, online ordering and 3rd party delivery orders. - Let guests pay how they want with pay at the table or counter payment options. - Run on Squirrel Hospitality-grade POS terminals or your own tablet. DELIGHT YOUR GUESTS WITH TABLESIDE ORDERING - Send orders directly to kitchen to spend more time with guests and increase table turns. - Customize your workflow to upsell and increase average check size. - Add modifiers and notes to accommodate special requests. - Let your guests know right away if an item is out of stock. - Split checks by seat or group. LET GUESTS ORDER AND PAY THE WAY THEY WANT - Take orders and payment directly from guest mobile phone. - Split or partial payments by seat or group for speed of service. - Secure, integrated pay-at-the table and counter payment terminals to accept virtually any payment form – credit, debit or mobile phone payment (ApplePay, GooglePay). REACH MORE CUSTOMERS - See all off-premise orders in one place to manage your kitchen and workflow. - Centrally manage one menu at the POS and synchronize across online ordering and delivery apps to save time. - Set up a branded online ordering website to increase sales. - Supported third party delivery apps include UberEats, DoorDash, PostMates and more… MANAGE YOUR RESTAURANT FROM ANYWHERE - Easy-to-use tools to configure POS, manage menu and pricing from a web browser. - Menu or pricing changes can be done anywhere and can take effect immediately – no need to wait until the next day.

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Squirrel Cloud POS at monthly against Lightning Online POS (Tablet)'s every 3 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lightning Online POS (Tablet) ships an update every 3 months, Squirrel Cloud POS monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference Β· 5 level
Lightning Online POS (Tablet) versus Squirrel Cloud POS: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLightning Online POS (Tablet)Squirrel Cloud POS
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsMonthly β€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPadiPad
Requires iOS13.013.0
Further details β€” not scored
Size40 MB178 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperComputer Perfect - Lightning Online Point of SaleSquirrel Systems

In-app purchases

None

Lightning Online POS (Tablet)

No in-app purchases

None

Squirrel Cloud POS

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Lightning Online POS (Tablet) free?
Lightning Online POS (Tablet) is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Squirrel Cloud POS free?
Squirrel Cloud POS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Lightning Online POS (Tablet) or Squirrel Cloud POS have ads?
Neither Lightning Online POS (Tablet) nor Squirrel Cloud POS shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Lightning Online POS (Tablet) or Squirrel Cloud POS?
Lightning Online POS (Tablet) ships an update every 3 months, and Squirrel Cloud POS monthly. Most recently, Lightning Online POS (Tablet) was updated on September 19, 2026 and Squirrel Cloud POS on October 11, 2026.

Other comparisons