The Lightspeed alternative without a processing requirement
NectarPay vs. Lightspeed
Lightspeed's agreement requires Lightspeed Payments unless Lightspeed agrees otherwise, and charges a monthly fee to those who process elsewhere. NectarPay runs on Stripe Terminal, with your own Stripe account.
How NectarPay compares to Lightspeed
|
Lightspeed | |
|---|---|---|
| Payments | ||
| Payments into your own Stripe account | ||
| Payments into your own Stripe account | Yes | No Lightspeed Payments is required; elsewhere costs from $200 a month |
| Card readers that aren't locked to the software | ||
| Card readers that aren't locked to the software | Yes | Not in their documentation Terminals must be bought from Lightspeed |
| Tap to Pay on Android | ||
| Tap to Pay on Android | Yes | Yes With Lightspeed Payments |
| Hold a card now, capture it later | ||
| Hold a card now, capture it later | Yes | Not in their documentation |
| Phone and mail orders keyed on the reader | ||
| Phone and mail orders keyed on the reader | Yes | Yes Keyed on the POS screen |
| A cut of each vendor's sale, paid out to the venue | ||
| A cut of each vendor's sale, paid out to the venue | Yes | Not in their documentation |
| Selling | ||
| Self-checkout kiosks | ||
| Self-checkout kiosks | Yes | Not in their documentation Only a customer-facing display found |
| Payment links and QR codes | ||
| Payment links and QR codes | Yes | Yes |
| Checkout on your own website | ||
| Checkout on your own website | Yes | Partly, as an add-on or on some plans A store widget and Buy Button, on Core or Plus |
| Questions and forms at checkout | ||
| Questions and forms at checkout | Yes | Partly, as an add-on or on some plans Online only, on Core or Plus |
| Variants and modifiers | ||
| Variants and modifiers | Yes | Partly, as an add-on or on some plans Variants; no modifiers found in Retail |
| Fulfilment | ||
| Pickup, local delivery and shipping | ||
| Pickup, local delivery and shipping | Yes | Yes |
| Orders split across locations with the stock | ||
| Orders split across locations with the stock | Yes | Yes |
| Inventory | ||
| Stock per location, with low-stock alerts | ||
| Stock per location, with low-stock alerts | Yes | Yes Low-stock report; no alert |
| Transfers between locations | ||
| Transfers between locations | Yes | Yes |
| Stock changes with reasons, and their history | ||
| Stock changes with reasons, and their history | Yes | Yes |
| Stock held during checkout | ||
| Stock held during checkout | Yes | Not in their documentation |
| Locations and team | ||
| Prices per location | ||
| Prices per location | Yes | Yes |
| Several businesses, each with its own payouts | ||
| Several businesses, each with its own payouts | Yes | No Separate businesses need separate accounts |
| Roles limited to the accounts people work in | ||
| Roles limited to the accounts people work in | Yes | Yes Custom roles on Plus |
| Company sign-in and required two-factor | ||
| Company sign-in and required two-factor | Yes | Partly, as an add-on or on some plans Company sign-in on Plus |
| A log of who changed what | ||
| A log of who changed what | Yes | Yes |
| Your own logo and colours | ||
| Your own logo and colours | Yes | Not in their documentation |
| ERP and API | ||
| A REST API for products, stock, orders and reports | ||
| A REST API for products, stock, orders and reports | Yes | Partly, as an add-on or on some plans On the Plus plan |
| Webhooks for orders and stock | ||
| Webhooks for orders and stock | Yes | Partly, as an add-on or on some plans Through the API; no low-stock event |
| Reports made on a schedule, delivered as files | ||
| Reports made on a schedule, delivered as files | Yes | Partly, as an add-on or on some plans On higher plans or an add-on |
| Products, stock and customers in and out by spreadsheet | ||
| Products, stock and customers in and out by spreadsheet | Yes | Yes |
Yes Partly, as an add-on or on some plans No Not in their documentation
Why counters switch from Lightspeed
Your own payments account
Readers that aren't locked in
Your catalog, as it is
Bring everything over from Lightspeed
Your products
In Lightspeed Retail (X-Series), open Catalog, Products, and choose Export list as XLSX. On R-Series, open Inventory, Item search, and choose Export.
In NectarPay, open Products, Import, and choose the file. X-Series columns are matched for you; on an R-Series file, pick the name and price columns.
Your customers
Open Customers and choose Export list.
Open Customers, Import, and choose it. First and last names are joined, and anyone already here isn't added twice.
Your stock
X-Series exports a stock column for each outlet.
Import the file once per location, picking the location and its stock column each time.
Before you cancel Lightspeed
Find your renewal date
Check for an early termination fee
Check free hardware
Moving several locations? We'll do it with you.
Send us your Lightspeed exports and we'll set up your catalog, locations and readers alongside you.
Switching from Lightspeed: questions people ask
Can I use my Lightspeed terminal with NectarPay?
Lightspeed's terminals are set up for Lightspeed Payments. NectarPay runs on Stripe Terminal readers, such as the Stripe Reader S700, the BBPOS WisePOS E and the Stripe Reader M2, and on Android tablets with Tap to Pay.
Can I bring my Lightspeed products over?
Yes. Export them from Lightspeed Retail and import the file under Products. X-Series columns are matched for you, and you check a preview before anything is saved.
Can I bring my Lightspeed customers over?
Yes. Export your customer list and import it under Customers. First and last names are joined, and customers already in NectarPay aren't added twice.
Do I need my own Stripe account?
Yes, and it's yours. Connect the Stripe account you have, or open one from inside NectarPay; Stripe pays your sales out to your bank.
Open your first location today
Connect Stripe, add a location and take a payment. Moving several accounts over? We'll help.
What this page says about Lightspeed comes from its own documentation and public records, as of October 2026:
- Lightspeed Service Agreement
- Lightspeed: US third-party processing fees
- Lightspeed: payments questions (X-Series)
- Lightspeed: exporting products (X-Series)
- Lightspeed: exporting items (R-Series)
Lightspeed is a trademark of its owner, used here only to identify it.