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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Lightspeed Retail

    Score9.2 out of 10
    N/ALightspeed Retail is a retail PoS system from Lightspeed headquartered in Quebec. Core retail POS features are expanded on higher service tiers with ecommerce option and payments gateway, an accounting system, and a customer loyalty program.N/A

    Sage 500

    Score6.2 out of 10
    N/ASage 500 ERP includes accounting and finance, distribution and supply chain, and manufacturing operations support modules. The latest Sage 500 release includes accounts payable enhancements, credit card processing, and general updates, as well as updates to the solution's modules.N/A
    Pricing
    Lightspeed RetailSage 500
    Editions & Modules
    Basic
    $79.00 ($69.00)
    per month (when billed annually)
    Starter
    $119.00 ($99.00)
    per month (when billed annually)
    Standard
    $139.00 ($119.00)
    per month (when billed annually)
    Advanced
    $189.00 ($169.00)
    per month (when billed annually)
    Pro
    $259.00 ($229.00)
    per month (when billed annually)
    Enterprise
    Contact Sales
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    Lightspeed RetailSage 500
    Free Trial
    NoNo
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional Details——
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    Lightspeed RetailSage 500
    Considered Both Products
    Lightspeed
    No answer on this topic
    Sage
    No answer on this topic
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    60%
    Would buy again
    6 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Delivers good value for the price
    70%
    Delivers good value for the price
    7 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Happy with the feature set
    70%
    Happy with the feature set
    7 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    70%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    7 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Implementation went as expected
    80%
    Implementation went as expected
    8 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Features
    Lightspeed RetailSage 500
    Payroll Management
    Comparison of Payroll Management features of Lightspeed Retail and Sage 500 ERP
    Feature
    Lightspeed Retail
    -
    Ratings
    Sage 500 ERP
    7.0
    2 Ratings
    7% below category average
    Pay calculation00 Ratings9.01 Ratings
    Benefit plan administration00 Ratings6.01 Ratings
    Direct deposit files00 Ratings7.02 Ratings
    Customization
    Comparison of Customization features of Lightspeed Retail and Sage 500 ERP
    Feature
    Lightspeed Retail
    -
    Ratings
    Sage 500 ERP
    8.5
    3 Ratings
    12% above category average
    API for custom integration00 Ratings9.03 Ratings
    Plug-ins00 Ratings8.03 Ratings
    Security
    Comparison of Security features of Lightspeed Retail and Sage 500 ERP
    Feature
    Lightspeed Retail
    -
    Ratings
    Sage 500 ERP
    8.5
    3 Ratings
    1% above category average
    Single sign-on capability00 Ratings7.03 Ratings
    Role-based user permissions00 Ratings10.03 Ratings
    Reporting & Analytics
    Comparison of Reporting & Analytics features of Lightspeed Retail and Sage 500 ERP
    Feature
    Lightspeed Retail
    -
    Ratings
    Sage 500 ERP
    8.0
    3 Ratings
    6% above category average
    Dashboards00 Ratings6.03 Ratings
    Standard reports00 Ratings8.03 Ratings
    Custom reports00 Ratings10.03 Ratings
    General Ledger and Configurable Accounting
    Comparison of General Ledger and Configurable Accounting features of Lightspeed Retail and Sage 500 ERP
    Feature
    Lightspeed Retail
    -
    Ratings
    Sage 500 ERP
    8.0
    3 Ratings
    4% above category average
    Accounts payable00 Ratings10.03 Ratings
    Accounts receivable00 Ratings10.03 Ratings
    Global Financial Support00 Ratings10.02 Ratings
    Primary and Secondary Ledgers00 Ratings8.01 Ratings
    Journals and Reconciliations00 Ratings10.02 Ratings
    Configurable Accounting00 Ratings10.02 Ratings
    Standardized Processes00 Ratings10.02 Ratings
    Inventory Management
    Comparison of Inventory Management features of Lightspeed Retail and Sage 500 ERP
    Feature
    Lightspeed Retail
    -
    Ratings
    Sage 500 ERP
    8.0
    3 Ratings
    0% above category average
    Inventory tracking00 Ratings6.03 Ratings
    Automatic reordering00 Ratings10.03 Ratings
    Location management00 Ratings10.03 Ratings
    Order Management
    Comparison of Order Management features of Lightspeed Retail and Sage 500 ERP
    Feature
    Lightspeed Retail
    -
    Ratings
    Sage 500 ERP
    8.8
    2 Ratings
    10% above category average
    Pricing00 Ratings8.02 Ratings
    Order entry00 Ratings9.02 Ratings
    Credit card processing00 Ratings9.02 Ratings
    Cost of goods sold00 Ratings10.02 Ratings
    Order Orchestration00 Ratings8.01 Ratings
    Subledger and Financial Process
    Comparison of Subledger and Financial Process features of Lightspeed Retail and Sage 500 ERP
    Feature
    Lightspeed Retail
    -
    Ratings
    Sage 500 ERP
    5.9
    2 Ratings
    25% below category average
    Billing Management00 Ratings10.02 Ratings
    Cash and Asset Management00 Ratings8.02 Ratings
    Travel & Expense Management00 Ratings8.01 Ratings
    Budgetary Control & Encumbrance Accounting00 Ratings2.01 Ratings
    Period Close00 Ratings8.02 Ratings
    Project Financial Management
    Comparison of Project Financial Management features of Lightspeed Retail and Sage 500 ERP
    Feature
    Lightspeed Retail
    -
    Ratings
    Sage 500 ERP
    6.9
    1 Ratings
    9% below category average
    Budgeting and Forecasting00 Ratings1.01 Ratings
    Project Costing00 Ratings3.01 Ratings
    Cost Capture00 Ratings8.01 Ratings
    Capital Project Management00 Ratings9.01 Ratings
    Customer Contract Compliance00 Ratings9.01 Ratings
    Project Revenue Recognition00 Ratings9.01 Ratings
    Project Execution Management
    Comparison of Project Execution Management features of Lightspeed Retail and Sage 500 ERP
    Feature
    Lightspeed Retail
    -
    Ratings
    Sage 500 ERP
    4.5
    1 Ratings
    45% below category average
    Task Insight for Project Managers00 Ratings7.01 Ratings
    Project Mobile Functionality00 Ratings5.01 Ratings
    Grants Management
    Comparison of Grants Management features of Lightspeed Retail and Sage 500 ERP
    Feature
    Lightspeed Retail
    -
    Ratings
    Sage 500 ERP
    7.5
    1 Ratings
    1% above category average
    Award Lifecycle Management00 Ratings6.01 Ratings
    Procurement
    Comparison of Procurement features of Lightspeed Retail and Sage 500 ERP
    Feature
    Lightspeed Retail
    -
    Ratings
    Sage 500 ERP
    6.0
    1 Ratings
    17% below category average
    Contract Authoring00 Ratings8.01 Ratings
    Contract Repository00 Ratings10.01 Ratings
    Requisitions-to-Purchase Orders Integrated00 Ratings8.01 Ratings
    Supplier Management00 Ratings4.01 Ratings
    Risk Management
    Comparison of Risk Management features of Lightspeed Retail and Sage 500 ERP
    Feature
    Lightspeed Retail
    -
    Ratings
    Sage 500 ERP
    4.3
    1 Ratings
    44% below category average
    Risk Repository00 Ratings3.01 Ratings
    Control Management00 Ratings7.01 Ratings
    Control Efficiency Assessments00 Ratings4.01 Ratings
    Remediation and Certification00 Ratings3.01 Ratings
    Supply Chain
    Comparison of Supply Chain features of Lightspeed Retail and Sage 500 ERP
    Feature
    Lightspeed Retail
    -
    Ratings
    Sage 500 ERP
    1.3
    1 Ratings
    140% below category average
    Forecasting00 Ratings1.01 Ratings
    Inventory Planning00 Ratings2.01 Ratings
    Performance Monitoring00 Ratings1.01 Ratings
    Product Lifecycle Management
    Comparison of Product Lifecycle Management features of Lightspeed Retail and Sage 500 ERP
    Feature
    Lightspeed Retail
    -
    Ratings
    Sage 500 ERP
    5.3
    1 Ratings
    33% below category average
    Proposal Management00 Ratings7.01 Ratings
    Product Master Data Management00 Ratings4.01 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    Lightspeed RetailSage 500
    Small Businesses
    Square POS
    Score9 out of 10
    Zoho One
    Score9.2 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    No answers on this topic
    Zoho One
    Score9.2 out of 10
    Enterprises
    No answers on this topic
    Microsoft Dynamics AX (discontinued)
    Score4.8 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    Lightspeed RetailSage 500
    Likelihood to Recommend
    9.5
    (15 ratings)
    10.0
    (5 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    -
    (0 ratings)
    6.3
    (2 ratings)
    Usability
    9.5
    (3 ratings)
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    Support Rating
    9.8
    (4 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Online Training
    -
    (0 ratings)
    6.0
    (1 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.0
    (1 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    Lightspeed RetailSage 500
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Lightspeed
    It is perfect for any small business looking for inventory control, Tracking purchase history, and just an all round easy to use software for retail and beyond. I would not use it if I have only a few hundred items or was a larger company that can afford to build my own POS software.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Sage
    Sage 500 ERP is great for companies with core accounting needs, distributors, and discrete manufacturers. Some areas, such as process manufacturing, would require a companion product from an ISV for the software to be truly functional. Some areas, such as construction or retail apparel, may simply not be well-served.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    Lightspeed
    • Lightspeed Retail has great reports that are very easy to read and understand.
    • Lightspeed Retail is great to train new employees on because of its ease of use. There are not lots of different things that you have to learn just basics.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Sage
    • Sage is the one-stop-shop for all of our needs. We're able to control contracts, subcontracts, and field reports from the program.
    • Another strength is the ability to database all the information and export it to excel. This makes data-based investigations a breeze.
    • The ability for Timberscan to be imported to Sage is a huge help with invoice management. Prior to this it all had to be done manually and slowed the process to an essential halt as there are thousands of invoices per month.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    Lightspeed
    • With a larger SKU assortment size, the software really starts to struggle with doing physical inventory after scanning in a few hundred items.
    • Several times throughout each year Lightspeed went down on us (not our internet connection but actually Lightspeed verified).
    • Special order system could use a lot of modern improvements (ability to schedule ahead of time, etc.)
    • Reports are very basic, and will likely require there Lightspeed Analytics to actually get reports useful for day to day operations.
    • Weak system for receiving purchase orders.
    • Does not handle items and cases for reordering very well. Have used multiple Point of Sale systems in the past 10 years that allow to set reorder points based on single items, but reorder the case automatically, Lightspeed has no support for this.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Sage
    • The biggest concern/complaint of Sage 500 users is speed. Some of the screen take a while to load.
    • The user interface needs some refreshing. Screens need to be updated to take advantage of shortcuts and to be more intuitive.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    Lightspeed
    No answers on this topic
    Sage
    It's too pricey for our size of company.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Usability
    Lightspeed
    Simply well designed with obvious icons per component, making it easy to interface with.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Sage
    I have been using Intacct for almost 10 years in 2 different companies and I just simply love it. I tried SAP (GUI) and Netsuite and they dont come close to what Ive seen.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Support Rating
    Lightspeed
    I gave the rating of a 9 because ninety percent of the time when I talk to their support they're very helpful. One of the only real issues I have is there are times where the queue will be 7-9 people deep. When you have an error you don't know how to fix, sometimes this is very troubling. But overall their support is usually quick and friendly.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Sage
    No answers on this topic
    Online Training
    Lightspeed
    No answers on this topic
    Sage
    The online training courses are not up to date. We experienced technical issues with two of the classes.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Implementation Rating
    Lightspeed
    No answers on this topic
    Sage
    Keep your database and application in different servers.
    Install Microsoft Office on your application server so you can use some of the data analysis tools in Sage.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alternatives Considered
    Lightspeed
    Lightspeed is faster, sleeker and more modern than our previous POS system. I can’t express enough how easy the online store portion of Lightspeed is - it just intuitive and sometimes, is TOO easy, I feel like I have to be forgetting something. Lightspeed is staying modern and current where our previous POS was not
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Sage
    500 seems much smoother at handling some of the basic accounting tasks, for example both issuing and later reconciling checks in Dynamics AX seems a little tedious.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Return on Investment
    Lightspeed
    • Certainly has saved money on cash-outs/ accounting due to QuickBooks integration.
    • Faster processing through tills means happier customers and more sales per hour.
    • Expensive product at $5K a year has taken away some profitability for this small business. It's way, way over priced.
    Read full review
    Sage
    • Positive: The program allows for a lot of data entry and splitting of information. It has the capability of replacing multiple programs and therefore saving cost.
    • Negative: The modules are cumbersome and not user friendly at all. As a result not many user are comfortable using it. This means that the program is not being used to its capacity.
    • Negative: Although the program has the capacity to be great, the user interface destroys that potential. Sage needs to seriously work on their program to simplify it. It's as if it still uses Command-line entries from 1995. Needs to be updated ASAP.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ScreenShots