Comparison

Lightspeed Retail POS (R) vs ApiTap POS

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Inventory management
  • Detailed reporting
  • Customer management
  • Multi-location support
  • Employee management
  • Cloud-based access
  • Customer Facing Display
Features
Read full description

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.

About

ApiTap POS

Features
Read full description

The Apitap platform represents a new way of thinking in running a business in today's economy. Apitap is the first, truly unified, all in one business management and promotional tool. From one system, business owners and their employees can easily run, manage, and promote a business anywhere - in-store, online, and mobile. - Centralized Ordering, by location - Employee scheduling, by location - Digital Dynamic Menus, Systemwide or by location - In-system real-time messaging for customers, by location and user permissions - One online account portal can manage and control unlimited locations and users - Real-time Inventory, by location - Specials and Promotions, Systemwide or by location - In-house and Online advertising, Systemwide or targeted by consumer and location - Plus many other modern needs The Apitap POS is the in-store extension of the Apitap platform. It provides merchants with a way to take and process orders day-to-day while at the same time giving them the tools to plan for specials, promotions, and future business, months, if not years, in advance. Customers can buy online and through the Apitap mobile app and orders will appear immediately on the Apitap POS. The Apitap POS has specialized screens for use in the kitchen, at a front podium or counter, or in the server's hand. Because everything is connected to the Apitap platform, changes, updates, or even messages created in one place automatically update everywhere else. Merchants can manage employee schedules for multiple locations and even have separate menus and specials for restaurants based on the location as well. Apitap was designed to provide merchants finally with the easy to use tools they need to truly expand and grow their business as efficiently as possible. Even deliveries and reservations can be managed inside Apitap. Apitap tries to automate as much as possible to prevent unneeded extra work. We want merchants to be able to focus on running their business and making money, not on the dozens of steps involved to use a software program, If the kitchen in one location disables an item because they're out of stock, it's automatically hidden on all the digital menus and order systems that are connected to Apitap, for that location only. As soon as the item is available again, a single button click and it appears everywhere again, ready for ordering. New items or edited items appear automatically as well, based on their own individual schedule and assigned location. Gone are the days of having to reenter information three or four times just to get something done. Get started with Apitap today by downloading the POS and setting up an account. Let Apitap, and its people, help you as a merchant take control of your business, handle your struggles, and make your business grow with the profits it deserves.

Screenshots

ApiTap POS4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is device support: ApiTap POS at 3 against Lightspeed Retail POS (R)'s 1. 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Lightspeed Retail POS (R) versus ApiTap POS: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLightspeed Retail POS (R)ApiTap POS
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.1 (177 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews31.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings177 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size207 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLightspeed Commerce Inc.Atla, LLC

Bugs and requests

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 more
  • 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 more
  • 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

ApiTap POS

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Lightspeed Retail POS (R)

No in-app purchases

None

ApiTap POS

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Lightspeed Retail POS (R) free?
Lightspeed Retail POS (R) is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ApiTap POS free?
ApiTap POS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Lightspeed Retail POS (R) or ApiTap POS have ads?
Neither Lightspeed Retail POS (R) nor ApiTap POS shows ads.

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