Lightspeed is a polished, inventory-deep POS — wrapped in an annual contract, quote-driven pricing, and a processing lock-in that penalizes outside cards up to $400/mo. Shisu starts at $0, has no contracts, and brings AI staff Lightspeed doesn't have.
Every figure is real and public.
| Best valueShisu$0–$299/mo | Lightspeed$69–$399+/mo | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & fees | ||
| Plans & monthly software | $0 · $129 · $299Starter · Growth · Autopilot | $69 · $189 · $399+Starter · Essential · Premium |
| Free $0 plan to start | full POS, $0/mo | from $69/mo |
| Pricing you can read without a sales call | every price on the page | Quote-drivenadd-ons & rates by quote |
| Card-present rate | from 2.2% + 15¢lower on higher plans | ~2.6% + 10¢set per merchant |
| Surprise processing penalties | None | Up to $400/mofor an outside processor |
| Rate changes | Flat, published | Hikes reportedBBB complaints |
| Contract & lock-in | ||
| Term | No contract | Annualauto-renews |
| Early-termination fee | None | Remaining term due+ 90-day notice |
| Free on-site setup & menu build | we fly out, free | self-config; setup fee by quote |
| Hardware | ||
| Counter terminal | $500financing available | iPad + standiPad-only; stand ~$199 |
| Handheld | $375 | BYO iPad + readerMobile Tap ~$49 |
| Kitchen display (KDS) | $250 onceone-time | $30/screen/moforever |
| Extra devices / registers | Unlimited | $59/mo each |
| Restaurant-grade POS | ||
| Coursing & seat management | ||
| Custom floor plans | ||
| Split, merge & reopen checks | ||
| Reservations & waitlist | native since 2026 | |
| Offline mode | ||
| Inventory & reporting | ||
| Ingredient inventory & recipe costing | a genuine strength | |
| Vendor & purchase orders | ||
| Sales, labor & menu reports | ||
| Multi-location management | Essential+ | |
| Online ordering & website | ||
| Your own website (SEO) | included on Starter | eCom add-onby quote |
| Commission-free online ordering | included | +$59/mo on Starter |
| QR / scan-to-order | ||
| Marketing & loyalty | ||
| Loyalty rewards | gift cards Premium-only | |
| Email marketing | Limited | |
| Text (SMS) marketing | ||
| Automated campaigns | ||
| Team, payroll & hiring | ||
| Scheduling & timekeeping | included on Starter | Via partnerHomebase, etc. |
| Payroll & tax filing | $25–39 + $5–8/empbuilt in | third-party |
| New-hire onboarding & careers page | ||
| AI that runs the shift Only on Shisu | ||
| AI phone host answers & books calls | 3rd-party add-on only | |
| Multilingual voice Chinese · Spanish · English | no Chinese UI | |
| AI shift coverage | ||
| AI inventory & auto-ordering | rule-based only | |
| AI hiring & screening | ||
| AI staff training | ||
| AI review response | ||
| All AI working together agentic, not just insights | autonomy on roadmap | |
| Shows its work full audit trail | ||
| Support & language | ||
| 24/7 support on every plan | Mixedwait-time complaints | |
| Chinese-language support | voice + menus | EN/DE/FR/NL only |
| Book a Demo | ||
Lightspeed pricing, contract and processing terms compiled from Lightspeed's own pages and public reviews (Merchant Maverick, NerdWallet, BBB, Capterra, POS USA) as of June 2026 and subject to change. Lightspeed terms are largely quote-driven — confirm current terms at lightspeedhq.com.
Lightspeed locks you into an annual term that auto-renews; leaving early means the rest of the term is immediately due, and you need 90 days' notice just to cancel. Shisu has no contract — move up for a busy season, down when it's over.
Lightspeed pushes Lightspeed Payments and bills up to $400/mo to use an outside processor — and merchants report rates quietly raised mid-term. Shisu's card rate is published and the same for everyone.
Lightspeed's AI is an analytics assistant that recommends; Shisu's AI takes the action — answers the phone in Chinese, Spanish and English, fills a sick shift, reorders stock. Even Lightspeed says autonomy is still on its roadmap.
Lightspeed earns its reputation on depth — ingredient-level inventory with recipe costing, genuinely strong analytics, and mature multi-location and fine-dining tools, all under one roof with retail. If you want $0-to-start pricing, no annual lock-in, and AI that works the shift instead of just charting it, Shisu is the better fit.