Epos Now vs Vend (Lightspeed Retail): Complete Comparison 2026

An in-depth comparison of features, pricing, and user experience to help you make the right choice.

Epos Now

7.4(7,200 reviews)

Cloud POS for retail and hospitality with one-time hardware purchase option and 300+ integrations. From $39/mo or $349 upfront.

7.8(8,900 reviews)

Retail-focused POS now part of Lightspeed, known for intuitive inventory management and easy setup. Plans from $69/mo per register.

Aspect	Epos Now	Vend (Lightspeed Retail)
Best For	Budget-conscious businesses that want to own their POS hardware outright with a one-time purchase	First-time POS buyers in retail who want something easier to learn than Lightspeed
Pricing Model	Subscription	Subscription
Starting Price	$39/mo	$69/mo
Deployment	cloud	cloud
Platforms	WEB, IOS, ANDROID, WINDOWS	WEB, IOS, ANDROID, MAC, WINDOWS
Rating	7.4/10	7.8/10

One-time hardware purchase at $349 for a complete system is the most affordable full countertop POS setup
Payment processor flexibility lets you choose and negotiate rates instead of being locked into one provider
300+ integrations through the AppStore connect to major accounting, e-commerce, and marketing tools
Software pricing at $39/month undercuts Lightspeed ($89/mo) and Vend ($69/mo) significantly
Strong presence in UK and Europe with local support, multi-currency, and VAT handling

User interface feels dated and less polished compared to Square, Shopify POS, or even Clover
US customer support gets mixed reviews, with UK-based customers generally reporting better experiences
Reporting and analytics lack the depth of Lightspeed for data-driven inventory decisions
The hardware, while affordable, uses generic touchscreens that feel cheap compared to Clover or Toast terminals
Brand recognition is lower in the US market, which can mean fewer local service partners and resellers

Fastest setup among mid-tier POS systems — new staff can learn the register in under an hour
Inventory management hits the sweet spot between too simple and too complex for most retailers
Payment processor flexibility lets you shop for the best processing rates instead of being locked in
Part of the Lightspeed ecosystem so you can graduate to more advanced features when ready
Clean, intuitive interface that retail staff actually enjoy using day to day

Lightspeed is actively migrating Vend users — the brand may be fully absorbed within 1-2 years
Analytics are noticeably less powerful than full Lightspeed for data-driven inventory decisions
Starting at $69/month per register is pricey compared to Square free plan for very small shops
New features are being developed for Lightspeed, not Vend — the platform is in maintenance mode
No restaurant functionality at all — this is purely a retail POS system

Product	Pricing Model	Starting Price
Epos Now	subscription	$39/mo
Vend (Lightspeed Retail)	subscription	$69/mo

Choose Epos Now if...

Budget-conscious businesses that want to own their POS hardware outright with a one-time purchase

Choose Vend (Lightspeed Retail) if...

First-time POS buyers in retail who want something easier to learn than Lightspeed

Explore more alternatives or read in-depth reviews to make your decision.