When comparing Lightspeed vs Erply, you’re looking at two distinct approaches to multi-industry point-of-sale technology. Lightspeed, rated 4.4/5, offers Growing retailers with complex inventory, multi-location businesses, omnichannel sellers. Meanwhile, Erply, rated 4.3/5, provides Multi-store retailers, franchises, eCommerce businesses. Let’s dive into the details to help you make an informed decision.
Quick Comparison: Lightspeed vs Erply
| Feature | Lightspeed | Erply |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Multi-Industry | Retail |
| Starting Price | $89/month (Lean plan) | $19/month |
| Rating | 4.4/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Target Business | Mid-Market | All Sizes |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Subscription |
| Free Trial | Yes | Yes |
| Free Version | No | No |
| Best For | Growing retailers with complex inventory, multi-location businesses, omnichannel sellers | Multi-store retailers, franchises, eCommerce businesses |
Lightspeed Overview
Lightspeed is a cloud-based commerce platform providing POS, eCommerce, and payment solutions for retail and hospitality businesses. Known for advanced inventory management and omnichannel capabilities.
Lightspeed is offered by Lightspeed Commerce Inc. (founded 2005) based in Montreal, Canada. The system focuses on Retail, Restaurants, Golf courses, Hotels.
Key Features:
- Advanced inventory
- Multi-location support
- Omnichannel selling
- B2B capabilities
- Purchase orders
- Vendor management
Erply Overview
Erply is a comprehensive retail ERP and POS platform with inventory, warehouse management, loyalty programs, and 100+ reports. Offers 60-day trial and hardware-agnostic deployment. Month-to-month contracts available.
Erply is offered by Erply (founded 2006) based in New York, New York, USA. The system focuses on Retail, Multi-store, Franchise, eCommerce.
Key Features:
- ERP functionality
- POS
- Self-checkout
- Warehouse management
- Business intelligence
- Loyalty programs
Feature Comparison
Lightspeed Features:
- Advanced inventory
- Multi-location support
- Omnichannel selling
- B2B capabilities
- Purchase orders
Erply Features:
- ERP functionality
- POS
- Self-checkout
- Warehouse management
- Business intelligence
When comparing features, Lightspeed stands out with Best-in-class inventory, while Erply differentiates itself with 60-day trial. Your choice should depend on which features align better with your specific business requirements.
Pricing Comparison
| Pricing Aspect | Lightspeed | Erply |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $89/month (Lean plan) | $19/month |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Subscription |
| Price Range | Premium | Mid-range |
| Free Trial | Available | Available |
| Free Version | No | No |
Both systems offer competitive pricing for their respective feature sets. Consider the total cost of ownership including hardware, processing fees, and add-on modules when making your decision.
Pros and Cons
Lightspeed
Pros:
- Powerful inventory management
- Excellent for multi-location
- Strong eCommerce integration
- Good for complex catalogs
- Built-in B2B features
Cons:
- Higher price point
- Learning curve
- Some features require higher tiers
- Contract requirements
Erply
Pros:
- 60-day free trial
- Month-to-month contracts
- Hardware agnostic
- Offline mode on Windows
- 86% satisfaction rating
Cons:
- Complex for small businesses
- Enterprise pricing quote-based
Who Should Choose Lightspeed?
Lightspeed is ideal for Growing retailers with complex inventory, multi-location businesses, omnichannel sellers. The system is particularly well-suited for Retail, Restaurants, Golf courses, Hotels.
However, Lightspeed may not be the best fit for Very small businesses or those on tight budgets.
Who Should Choose Erply?
Erply is ideal for Multi-store retailers, franchises, eCommerce businesses. The system is particularly well-suited for Retail, Multi-store, Franchise, eCommerce.
However, Erply may not be the best fit for Very small single-location shops, restaurants.
Our Recommendation
Both Lightspeed and Erply are solid POS solutions, but they excel in different areas. Choose Lightspeed if you’re Growing retailers with complex inventory, multi-location businesses, omnichannel sellers. Choose Erply if you’re Multi-store retailers, franchises, eCommerce businesses. Lightspeed has a higher user rating (4.4 vs 4.3). We recommend trying demos or free trials of both systems before making your final decision.