# Compare Windward System Five vs Lightspeed Retail 2026 | Capterra

> Unsure of what to choose? Check Capterra to compare Windward System Five and Lightspeed Retail based on pricing, features, product details, and verified reviews.

Source: https://www.capterra.com/compare/43189-120491/Windward-System-Five-vs-Lightspeed-Retail

---

# Windward System Five vs Lightspeed Retail Features and Cost Comparison

Last updated March 13th, 2026

Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews  
moderated by our Reviews Verification team.[Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/)

Your comparison:

Windward System FiveLightspeed Retail2/4 selected

[Windward System Five](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/)[3.8 (189)](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/reviews/)

[Lightspeed Retail](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/)[4.0 (975)](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/reviews/)

[## Windward System Five](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/)[3.8 (189)](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/reviews/)

Starting Price

$155.00/month

Value-for-Money

3.6

Functionality

3.8

Ease of Use

3.7

Customer Service

3.7

Reviews Sentiment

MB

JG

Based on [189 reviews](#user-reviews)

Positive

135

Neutral

20

Negative

34

[## Lightspeed Retail](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/)[4.0 (975)](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/reviews/)

Starting Price

$109.00/month

Value-for-Money

3.8

Functionality

3.9

Ease of Use

4.1

Customer Service

3.9

Reviews Sentiment

Based on [975 reviews](#user-reviews)

Positive

744

Neutral

57

Negative

174

## Not a match? Find software alternatives tailored to your priorities.

These software suggestions are similar to those you’re currently comparing.

### Phorest

4.8 (431)

* * *

Starting Price

Contact vendor for pricing

Free Trial

Free Version

* * *

User rating

95%

of reviewers  
rated it above 4 stars

* * *

### Odoo

4.2 (1,291)

* * *

Starting Price

$31.10

Per User,Per Month

Free Trial

Free Version

* * *

User rating

83%

of reviewers  
rated it above 4 stars

* * *

### Booqable

4.8 (1,124)

* * *

Starting Price

$29.00

Flat Rate,Per Month

Free Trial

Free Version

* * *

User rating

98%

of reviewers  
rated it above 4 stars

* * *

Highest Rated

### Datascan Pharmacy Software

4.9 (163)

* * *

Starting Price

$2500.00

Other,Per Month

Free Trial

Free Version

* * *

User rating

99%

of reviewers  
rated it above 4 stars

* * *

What’s your intended use case?

## Summary

* * *

Key features rated by users

Features selected based on 2,539 reviews from retail pos system software users.  
about the Fit Score methodology.

Fit Score methodology

Our Fit Score reflects how reviewers rate a product’s performance against a set of features reviewers rate as most important. A higher score indicates the product is rated better in delivering what reviewers most care about.

  

If the Fit Score is not shown for a specific product, that only means there are currently not enough relevant data points to develop a meaningful score. It does not indicate that the product should be excluded from further evaluation. Best for Methodology

70%Fit

High performer

Feature ratings

For Retail

3.4

Payment Processing

3.0

Inventory Management

3.9

Sales Reports

4.2

eCommerce Management

3.0

65%Fit

Feature ratings

For Retail

2.4

Payment Processing

2.7

Inventory Management

3.2

Sales Reports

3.3

eCommerce Management

3.0

User satisfaction

User satisfaction

3.8

User reviews[189](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/reviews/)

Ease of use

3.7

Functionality

3.8

Value for money

3.6

Customer support

3.7

User satisfaction

4.0

User reviews[975](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/reviews/)

Ease of use

4.1

Functionality

3.9

Value for money

3.8

Customer support

3.9

Price starts from

Price starts from

$155Per User, Per Month

-   Free version
-   Free trial

Price starts from

$109Flat Rate, Per Month

-   Free version
-   Free trial

Best for

Best for

Independent SMBs in retail, wholesale, and service businesses needing a customizable POS + inventory + accounting suite with reporting and e‑commerce integration.

Best for

Lightspeed's functionalities are aligned with retailers' and restaurateurs' priorities. It simplifies day-to-day tasks so you're free to focus on what matters: business growth and customer experience

## User reviews

Pros & cons

MB

Mason B.

Sales Associate

> "Searching for historic records of customer purchases, inventory tracking over time, and loyalty program points still..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___6867392)

MB

Mason B.

Sales Associate

> "An outdated and clunky UI makes it much harder to utilize to its full capabilities, occasional long loading times, and..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___6867392)

JG

Jeff G.

PARTS MANAGER

> "The system has many good functions and tracking abilities."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#SoftwareAdvice___6280649)

JG

Jeff G.

PARTS MANAGER

> "That function does not exist and system 5 support team as well as account manager act as if I am the first..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#SoftwareAdvice___6280649)

NC

Nava C.

Owner

> "WWS5 helps us keep track of items in inventory, current prices and mark-ups for inventory, general price increases..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3620314)

GH

Greg H.

Owner

> "It would appear that no one at Windward has EVER used the software for any length of time because bugs and usability..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___6837346)

KM

Kathi M.

CEO

> "We couldn't do without them and their service is fantastic. "

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___6333636)

SH

Shauna H.

Accounts Payable Manager and Bookkeeping Assistant

> "The bugs that can happen where the system is not updating correctly."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___6579201)

RF

Rossie F.

Owner

> "The Support is A1 and the features of everything from Inventory to Sales Invoices, everything is connected and very..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3589555)

GH

Greg H.

Owner

> "Exporting our data is a nightmare."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___6837346)

JS

Justin S.

President

> "The integrated CRM is very useful for keeping track of appointments and follow ups."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3477329)

GH

Greg H.

Owner

> "From one of System 5's oldest customers - stay out of this swamp!"

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___6837346)

RF

Rossie F.

Owner

> "Reports are easy to run, reconciliations, sales and purchase invoicing, ageing, financials are easy to read and all..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3589555)

AU

Anatoly U.

owner

> "spent alot of resources and time to get their web module to sell online and they discontinued it the next year just as..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___5006523)

GF

Grant F.

IT Manager

> "They worked with me in implementing and transferring our data with only a few hickups."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3611104)

GH

Greg H.

Owner

> "Please please please save yourself - DO NOT buy into this software."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___6837346)

HA

Heather A.

owner

> "When we first started with windward it was fantastic. If we needed support, we called in Australia and it was fixed...."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3589775)

CN

Christine N.

Controller

> "The control numbers should change what is in the je. When I addressed the issue, I was brushed off and just told to..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3603641)

JR

Jordan R.

Sales Associate

> "Plenty of automated systems, the required orders feature is nice."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3591398)

DM

Derek M.

V.P.

> "Service and online capability was not good. While we paid for 24/7 service, we had to setup tickets and would get a..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3591330)

JG

Jody G.

general manager

> "We have invested heavily in to the software on the years and would.lien to feel we can get value added serviced..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3589707)

BN

Bob N.

Co-Owner

> "The support crew at Windward work well to address issues; however, our account manager failed to address items that..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3599240)

BN

Bob N.

Co-Owner

> "The fact that System 5 is in the cloud is one of the primary reasons we purchased the product."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3599240)

AF

Adirna F.

Accounting Manager

> "It can take them up to 2 weeks to get critical fixes completed or for you do discuss with a developer because tech..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3619722)

HS

Heidi S.

Accounts Payable

> "POS is easy to use and we also use it for some accounting and for work orders/purchase orders."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3589695)

NL

Nannette L.

owner

> "Having to buy hours for pricing updates and having them expire before all our vendors print their new pricing."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3591532)

MD

Madison D.

PURCHASER

> "The reports have vast options which we utilize often."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3603502)

SB

Stephine B.

Office Manager/ Owner

> "Have not figured out how to use the special order part and see if we are ordering a lot of one part and therefore..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3618125)

EH

Edith H.

Owner/operator

> "It has saved me about $2000.00/year in accountant fees. "

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3625158)

BN

Bob N.

Co-Owner

> "Not enough explanation of defaults in System 5 caused redundancy in our chart of accounts."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3599240)

LL

Larry L.

Purchaser

> "The product also includes a rental component which is also fairly simple to operate."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3603750)

AF

Adirna F.

Accounting Manager

> "Running reports has become cumbersome as you have to run on their remote desktop and copy to your own."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3619722)

EH

Edith H.

Owner/operator

> "So easy to upload inventory that is new from an excel spreadsheet."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3625158)

LS

Lori S.

Buyer

> "Handling back orders arent great as well as a few glitches that are waiting to be fixed."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3591308)

ET

Eva T.

Controller

> "Over the years there was a lot of frustration with support but it has been getting better and quicker"

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3619918)

RF

Rossie F.

Owner

> "We didn't like that it didn't have a payroll feature when we started with it but now it does."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3589555)

EH

Edith H.

Owner/operator

> "A new employee who had experience with other systems encouraged me to purchase."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3625158)

NC

Nava C.

Owner

> "When we first installed Windward, there were issues with understanding the larger picture during set-up. "

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3620314)

LL

Larry L.

Purchaser

> "Ease of use, Windows familiarity help to make a decent experience."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3603750)

CN

Christine N.

Controller

> "Having trouble intigrating Windward System Five, with shipping programs."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3603641)

JS

Justin S.

President

> "I am very happy I made this investment"

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3477329)

SB

Stevenson B.

director

> "The payroll reports (designing) are difficult to understand"

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3591369)

LJ

Laura J.

Corporate Secretary/Business Manager

> "Seemed easy to set up."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#SoftwareAdvice___3448158)

AF

Adirna F.

Accounting Manager

> "We have had issues with inventory which is a critical part of our business. "

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3619722)

SB

Stephine B.

Office Manager/ Owner

> "Easy to use and teach employees."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3618125)

RF

Rossie F.

Owner

> "Inventory was a huge issue for us before we started using System Five. "

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3589555)

FH

Frank H.

President

> "I like the reporting ability and the integration across all departments, jobs and overall robust accounting ability"

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___2679839)

MD

Madison D.

PURCHASER

> "There is not one week we do not have issues in our system, user or system error."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3603502)

TY

TODD Y.

manager/it

> "Integration between order taking and purchasing has helped speed up the ordering process & stop mistakes being made. "

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___2684601)

HS

Hyacinte S.

Bookkeeper

> "A lot of times when there are issues it is not easy to find the help in your help section."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3591685)

BK

Bilal K.

General Manager

> "Windward Software's system allows us to stay on track and be able to organize vital information."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___2727138)

JS

Justin S.

President

> "Booking orders use to take me days to put together."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3477329)

KK

Kezia K.

Sales/Reception

> "In comparison to previous software used, the finalization of the inventory process within Windward is rather..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___2498467)

DS

Derek S.

Manager

> "Lack of multiple kits."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3589561)

EW

Ed W.

Partner

> "We needed a lot of hand holding when we first started--I had no previous experience with POS software--and Windward..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___2649278)

BA

Bob A.

CFO

> "Upgrades are hard to keep updated again ,the users fault."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3591594)

FH

Frank H.

President

> "Overall, this has been a great money saving tool. But the shortcomings in the software probably has more to do with..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___2679839)

MD

Madison D.

PURCHASER

> "We always seem to be chasing down issues and fixing bugs."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3603502)

BK

Bilal K.

General Manager

> "Nationwide Furniture Mattress Outlet looks forward to continuing and growing our partnership with Windward Software."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___2727138)

GF

Grant F.

IT Manager

> "Not as customizable as I would like."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___3611104)

JM

Julie M.

Controller

> "We were able to import with very little mistakes."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___2684410)

TY

TODD Y.

manager/it

> "That was done, but they didnt change non-stock special orders where you have to manually type in the characters. ..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___2684601)

EW

Ed W.

Partner

> "Another thing I like about Windward is the quality of Windward's support. "

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___2649278)

ZW

Zoe W.

Owner

> "Windaward technicians use a licence you have paid for to investigate their system's issues further undermining your..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#SoftwareAdvice___2510835)

LH

Larry H.

CFO and Owner

> "The cloud-based system is easy to access and use on a daily basis."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___2651670)

EW

Ed W.

Partner

> "That feature no longer works for us in the cloud, and I'm told that the reason why is that the cloud version of..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___2649278)

JM

Julie M.

Controller

> "Setting up a new customer is very easy."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___2684410)

VV

Victoria V.

Accounts Receiable

> "Some of the reporting features make getting an accurate snapshot of what is occurring in the company a little difficult"

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#Capterra___2649123)

[View Reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/reviews/)

ED

Erin D.

Owner Operator

> "Our new system is easier for staff, more transparent on the backend, and supported by a team that actually communicates and follows through. If..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___6859553)

ES

Elissa S.

Owner

> "It is embarrassing to have to punch customers' cc numbers in manually because you cannot obtain a functioning credit card machine."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___7031785)

CT

Carleton T.

Admin

> "The main reason I signed up for Lightspeed Retail was so that I could keep my e-commerce website's stock properly synced up with my in-store..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___6612572)

JW

Jeff W.

CEO

> "The integration issues, added costs of including so many additional applications and the delayed payment over the weekend, where lightspeed..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#SoftwareAdvice___6442480)

TA

Taryn A.

Business Operations Supervisor

> "I like how all your reports are in one place and you can easily find the information you need by filtering the reports."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___6437877)

ES

Elissa S.

Owner

> "In addition, I just received an email that the cost of the service will be increasing by $40/month, making it more expensive than most retail..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___7031785)

AB

Amile B.

Administrator

> "It helps to give you a better view and analysis of your sales reports."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___6718866)

GF

Giuliana F.

co owner

> "Then, on \[sensitive content hidden\], I received an unexpected invoice for an additional $930. When I contacted the billing department, I was..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___7017561)

ED

Erin D.

Owner Operator

> "We stayed longer than we should have because switching POS systems felt overwhelming. But making the leap was 100% worth it."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___6859553)

GF

Giuliana F.

co owner

> "After reading other reviews, I’ve found that I’m not alone in this situation—other customers have faced similar issues with misleading promises..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___7017561)

KT

Kyla T.

Owner

> "We were offered a significant start up discount for the first year, and the terminal was free. Once we set up the system, it has been clear..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___6358341)

ED

Erin D.

Owner Operator

> "On top of that, their customer support was virtually nonexistent most of the time, inconsistent, slow to respond, and rarely helpful."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___6859553)

AB

Amile B.

Administrator

> "I like the inventory tracking and categorising your products."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___6718866)

MW

Max W.

Manager

> "A couple times it lagged when switching screens but nothing major."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___6821578)

MW

Max W.

Manager

> "I liked how fast you can ring things up when it's busy."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___6821578)

ED

Erin D.

Owner Operator

> "Lightspeed made major errors on our tax forms two years in a row."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___6859553)

AB

Amile B.

Administrator

> "Lightspeed has help me with sales analysis better."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___6718866)

JW

Jeff W.

CEO

> "Overall I have spend way more time on the help desk waiting the 24-48 hours for technical support and I have had to invest more money and time..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#SoftwareAdvice___6442480)

RA

Railan A.

Manager

> "Our overall experience has been very good - I have much more control over inventory, discounts, more robust reporting, and human error estimated."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___6144025)

AS

Alex S.

owner

> "basic issues that they have not fixed have ruined my experience with what otherwise could have been a good system. Since I started using LS in..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#SoftwareAdvice___6206780)

Faiyaz T.

CEO

> "Its user-friendly interface and customizable features make it a standout option, allowing retailers to personalize the system to meet their..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___4607084)

SJ

Sean J.

CEO

> "The customer service we received when their system was crashing was the worst customers service I have experienced in any industry."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___6304824)

Faiyaz T.

CEO

> "In addition to its robust capabilities, Lightspeed Retail also provides mobile access and website management functionality, providing retailers..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___4607084)

EL

Elisa L.

Owner/manager

> "Impossible to call them, texted them like everyday all day to resolve problems, I could open for my first service because of them also havent..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#SoftwareAdvice___4994010)

CE

Cody E.

Store Manager

> "Super simple and easy for my consumers transactions."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___6591825)

MC

Matt C.

Pres

> "Horrible interactions when you're lucky enough to get a human involved - which is typically only on the sales side of the business. "

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___6631430)

EK

Ekin K.

Operations Specialist

> "It is capable software system can handle your small retail shop with ease."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___5057285)

CV

Carolina V.

Owner

> "Even the barcode label printer will only work with an specific brand that costs almost 3 times than a generic. If you are ok with paying 3 times..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#SoftwareAdvice___4985659)

CS

Cynthia S.

Owner

> "Accuracy is very important and when I run a report or look at inventory it is correct."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#SoftwareAdvice___4753466)

ED

Erin D.

Owner Operator

> "We’re talking critical 1099 mistakes that could’ve caused serious issues if we hadn’t caught them ourselves."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___6859553)

Nerissa L.

Managing Owner/ Store Manager

> "We have been using Lightspeed for our retail firearm business and this has been very helpful for us in monitoring our sales and inventory."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___3879696)

JA

James A.

owner

> "Was told a lot of inaccurate information at sales, just to be told at implementation it would not do those things that were promised."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#SoftwareAdvice___6293788)

SA

Sam A.

Owner

> "Appears simple and easy to use, simple to set up and cost effective."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#SoftwareAdvice___6295814)

AB

Allen B.

Owner

> "In short, this means the employees get their tips, the customers believe they left a tip but were not charged and the money is for lack of a..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#SoftwareAdvice___4833085)

RA

Railan A.

Manager

> "Inventory, POS, Reports, and discount features are all easy to configure and use."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___6144025)

ED

Erin D.

Owner Operator

> "It felt like we were stranded on issues, big and small."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___6859553)

DR

Daniel R.

Jeweler

> "Also the ability to use multiple registers at once and complete payments at the same time has been a life saver."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___3550919)

GF

Giuliana F.

co owner

> "I was shocked, as this had never been disclosed to me during the sales process."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___7017561)

RK

Ron K.

President

> "Overall, operating Lightspeed in multiple locations has made processing retail transactions and managing those transactions easy."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___4236667)

KT

Kyla T.

Owner

> "I do not love the monthly fees now that our yearly discounted rate has come to an end."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___6358341)

CD

Cameron D.

Owner

> "Pricing is affordable for small business. "

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___4828347)

SA

Sam A.

Owner

> "Very poor and now we are faced with a difficult situation to migrate away from them before the cost rack up."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#SoftwareAdvice___6295814)

JF

John F.

Owner

> "years ago it was the best customer service around."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#SoftwareAdvice___6139527)

HA

Henry A.

Owner

> "Merchant allows debit card to proceed with a chargeback without returning the merchandise , scary and dangerous for any business."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#SoftwareAdvice___6122275)

MZ

Melana Z.

server

> "very good, easy to use, learn and very quick to take guests orders, course meals, and send to Kitchen."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___6161140)

FJ

Frank J.

CEO

> "They \[sensitive content hidden\] misrepresented the product claiming we could store our inventory in bin locations which is not true. Upon..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#SoftwareAdvice___4940279)

CT

Chad T.

owner

> "Helped with better tracking of margin and inventory. "

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___3504098)

DS

David S.

Owner

> "They just launched new payment method and are forcing me into using it or I will be charged extra transaction fee for staying with my existing..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#SoftwareAdvice___4922683)

LB

Lynda B.

Owner

> "Payment processing is good."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___6113432)

CY

Craig Y.

Operations Manager

> "DO NOT BUY Lightspeed unless your business has only plain vanilla types of customer interactions because you will not be able to reach anyone at..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#SoftwareAdvice___4785339)

MH

Miguel H.

CEO

> "Good luck getting an email to anyone in the payments office or even have anyone in the office on a random Monday because it's a "holiday"?"

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#SoftwareAdvice___3589157)

AS

Alex S.

owner

> "The 2nd issue started in dec 23, I am no longer able to refund a customers purchase and put it back into inventory."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#SoftwareAdvice___6206780)

MS

Madhusudan S.

Software Engineer

> "Many features, including simple refunds and returns."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___4587257)

BH

Brandy H.

Owner

> "I cant get them to prove any damage and they haven't returned the product which I technically own. And now of course my sales rep Simon tells..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#SoftwareAdvice___4931073)

CT

Chad T.

owner

> "Easy to access information from sales to margins to reports that really help us optimize our business"

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___3504098)

MC

Matt C.

Pres

> "I had an issue with the POS service - it took 3 months just to get a response! "

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___6631430)

NS

Nonde S.

Sales and Marketing Manager

> "The pros of lightspeed Is that it helps in sorting out our shops inventory very well and simplifies our work and their customer service is on..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#SoftwareAdvice___2955562)

JK

Jeff K.

owner

> "Lightspeed auto increased our rate 300% do to credit card processing Extortion is how they opporate"

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#GetApp___4873271)

CT

Chad T.

owner

> "We have really done a better job of inventory tracking and inventory management. "

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___3504098)

CD

Cameron D.

Owner

> "Lacking in some reporting function, is available at added costNew fee structure for users not interested in Lightspeed payments"

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___4828347)

CA

Christine A.

Accountant

> "You can manage inventory and run reports easily."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___4254750)

VR

Verified Reviewer

Director

> "Almost everything, from being totally mislead in the sales process, squeezed into their processing, ignored and dismissed on support tickets."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#GetApp___5074553)

CD

Catherine D.

Owner

> "For a price that a small business can afford, Lightspeed allows us to have an efficient POS and integrated inventory system. "

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___3245681)

CS

Carly S.

Owner

> "The card processing is slow, which is particularly frustrating at Christmas when we have a line to the door."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#SoftwareAdvice___4866554)

BC

Brian C.

Owner

> "Inventory management was easy."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#SoftwareAdvice___6180023)

Sarah C.

Director

> "We have actually found the system to be slower than before and with many glitches with stock deduction and control."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#GetApp___6199289)

KM

Kaleigh M.

Owner

> "I am beyond ecstatic to be able to track my inventory in real time, manage payroll hours with ease, add items and price them almost instantly,..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___3172209)

SH

Susan H.

Owner

> "The data transition has been an absolute nightmare rendering my point of sale system unable to produce accurate reports or even give a correct..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#SoftwareAdvice___3512896)

RL

Rebecca L.

Manager

> "As we started to accept e-transfer payments we were able to add and monitor this detail easily within our system."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___3227814)

BC

Brian C.

Owner

> "A few days and a plethora of calls, emails and online messages later, someone told me the rep gave us the wrong paperwork to fill out."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#SoftwareAdvice___6180023)

GJ

Gabriel J.

STORE MANAGER

> "I am glad we chose them for our business, They are friendly and customer service oriented when I have an issue or problem"

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___3517089)

Sarah C.

Director

> "I don't know how Lightspeed is able to get away with behaviour that flagrantly ignores anti-competition laws in the UK."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#GetApp___6199289)

EC

Elizabeth C.

General Manager

> "Creating items and managing retail is very easy through Lightspeed Retail. "

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___3561523)

JP

James P.

Director

> "for the last 2 years we have not been able to reconcile inventory counts due the software timing out. but the icing on the cake was when they..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#SoftwareAdvice___3793515)

JV

Janet V.

Owner

> "It is a very user friendly system. "

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#SoftwareAdvice___6057836)

CH

Chris H.

General manager

> "Don't expect help getting set up and really long hold time, and useless AI chat it's more like artificial stupidity."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#SoftwareAdvice___5056539)

Noemí P.

Marketing Director

> "Lightspeed is one of the best out there in terms of inventory management."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#Capterra___4320102)

CH

Chris H.

General manager

> "Lightspeed has been high maintenance and extremely picky to set up our account and completely useless in making things function on their end."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#SoftwareAdvice___5056539)

SH

Susan H.

Owner

> "The integration of their POS and e-commerce is awesome."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#SoftwareAdvice___3512896)

AC

Anna C.

CEO

> "For example, we were sold on a shopify integration, which is not true."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#SoftwareAdvice___6210077)

[View Reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/reviews/)

## User interface

[Windward System Five](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/)

3.80 (189)

[Lightspeed Retail](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/)

4.03 (975)

## Connect with a Capterra advisor for a free 15-minute consultation

Get a personalized software list aligned to your business needs with guidance from our expert advisors. Our team has helped 1 million+ businesses like yours find options that fit their needs.

### Features

Windward System Five

Top features

47/50

-   Accounting Integration
-   Activity Dashboard
-   AI Copilot
-   API
-   Barcode Recognition
-   Barcode/Ticket Scanning
-   Billing & Invoicing
-   Cash Management
-   Commission Management
-   Credit Card Processing
-   Customer Database
-   Customer History
-   Customizable Reports
-   Data Import/Export
-   Data Synchronization
-   Discount Management
-   eCommerce Management
-   Electronic Payments
-   Electronic Signature
-   Email Marketing
-   Employee Management
-   For Retail
-   Generative AI
-   Gift Card Management
-   Inventory Management
-   Inventory Replenishment
-   Inventory Tracking
-   Loyalty Program
-   Multi-Currency
-   Multi-Location
-   Order Management
-   Payment Processing
-   Point of Sale (POS)
-   Price/Margin Management
-   Pricing Management
-   Product Catalog
-   Promotions Management
-   Purchase Order Management
-   Real-Time Data
-   Real-Time Reporting
-   Real-Time Updates
-   Receipt Management
-   Reporting & Statistics
-   Retail Inventory Management
-   Retail Management
-   Returns Management
-   Returns Tracking
-   Sales Reports
-   Sales Tax Management
-   Sales Trend Analysis

[See all features](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/#features)

Lightspeed Retail

42/50

-   Accounting Integration
-   Activity Dashboard
-   AI Copilot
-   API
-   Barcode Recognition
-   Barcode/Ticket Scanning
-   Billing & Invoicing
-   Cash Management
-   Commission Management
-   Credit Card Processing
-   Customer Database
-   Customer History
-   Customizable Reports
-   Data Import/Export
-   Data Synchronization
-   Discount Management
-   eCommerce Management
-   Electronic Payments
-   Electronic Signature
-   Email Marketing
-   Employee Management
-   For Retail
-   Generative AI
-   Gift Card Management
-   Inventory Management
-   Inventory Replenishment
-   Inventory Tracking
-   Loyalty Program
-   Multi-Currency
-   Multi-Location
-   Order Management
-   Payment Processing
-   Point of Sale (POS)
-   Price/Margin Management
-   Pricing Management
-   Product Catalog
-   Promotions Management
-   Purchase Order Management
-   Real-Time Data
-   Real-Time Reporting
-   Real-Time Updates
-   Receipt Management
-   Reporting & Statistics
-   Retail Inventory Management
-   Retail Management
-   Returns Management
-   Returns Tracking
-   Sales Reports
-   Sales Tax Management
-   Sales Trend Analysis

[See all features](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/#features)

### Recognition

No recognitions have been awarded to Windward System Five

No recognitions have been awarded to Lightspeed Retail

### Deployment & support

Windward System Five

Deployment

-   Cloud, SaaS, Web-Based
-   Desktop Mac
-   Desktop Windows
-   Desktop Linux
-   On-Premise Windows
-   On-Premise Linux
-   Desktop Chromebook
-   Mobile Android
-   Mobile iPhone
-   Mobile iPad

Support

-   Email/Help Desk
-   FAQs/Forum
-   Knowledge Base
-   Phone Support
-   24/7 (Live rep)
-   Chat

Training

-   In Person
-   Live Online
-   Webinars
-   Documentation
-   Videos

Lightspeed Retail

Deployment

-   Cloud, SaaS, Web-Based
-   Desktop Mac
-   Desktop Windows
-   Desktop Linux
-   On-Premise Windows
-   On-Premise Linux
-   Desktop Chromebook
-   Mobile Android
-   Mobile iPhone
-   Mobile iPad

Support

-   Email/Help Desk
-   FAQs/Forum
-   Knowledge Base
-   Phone Support
-   24/7 (Live rep)
-   Chat

Training

-   In Person
-   Live Online
-   Webinars
-   Documentation
-   Videos

### Company Details

Windward System Five

-   By Windward Software
-   Located in Canada
-   Founded in 1984

Lightspeed Retail

-   By Lightspeed
-   Located in Canada
-   Founded in 2012

## Popular Comparisons

[Windward System Five](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/)[3.80 (189)](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/reviews/)

vs

[Epos Now](https://www.capterra.com/p/152638/Epos-Now/)[3.77 (711)](https://www.capterra.com/p/152638/Epos-Now/reviews/)

$155/month

Price

$349one time

3.8

Features

3.8

3.7

Ease of Use

3.8

[View full comparison](https://www.capterra.com/compare/43189-152638/Windward-System-Five-vs-Epos-Now)

[Lightspeed Retail](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/)[4.03 (975)](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/reviews/)

vs

[Epos Now](https://www.capterra.com/p/152638/Epos-Now/)[3.77 (711)](https://www.capterra.com/p/152638/Epos-Now/reviews/)

$109/month

Price

$349one time

3.9

Features

3.8

4.1

Ease of Use

3.8

[View full comparison](https://www.capterra.com/compare/120491-152638/Lightspeed-Retail-vs-Epos-Now)

[Windward System Five](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/)[3.80 (189)](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/reviews/)

vs

[Shopify](https://www.capterra.com/p/83891/Shopify/)[4.54 (6,657)](https://www.capterra.com/p/83891/Shopify/reviews/)

$155/month

Price

$29/month

3.8

Features

4.4

3.7

Ease of Use

4.5

[View full comparison](https://www.capterra.com/compare/43189-83891/Windward-System-Five-vs-Shopify)

[Lightspeed Retail](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/)[4.03 (975)](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/reviews/)

vs

[Shopify](https://www.capterra.com/p/83891/Shopify/)[4.54 (6,657)](https://www.capterra.com/p/83891/Shopify/reviews/)

$109/month

Price

$29/month

3.9

Features

4.4

4.1

Ease of Use

4.5

[View full comparison](https://www.capterra.com/compare/83891-120491/Shopify-vs-Lightspeed-Retail)

[Windward System Five](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/)[3.80 (189)](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/reviews/)

vs

[RetailEdge](https://www.capterra.com/p/76636/RetailEdge/)[4.76 (186)](https://www.capterra.com/p/76636/RetailEdge/reviews/)

$155/month

Price

$495one time

3.8

Features

4.6

3.7

Ease of Use

4.7

[View full comparison](https://www.capterra.com/compare/43189-76636/Windward-System-Five-vs-RetailEdge)

[Lightspeed Retail](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/)[4.03 (975)](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/reviews/)

vs

[PayPal](https://www.capterra.com/p/207944/PayPal/)[4.65 (26,280)](https://www.capterra.com/p/207944/PayPal/reviews/)

$109/month

Price

$0.29

3.9

Features

4.6

4.1

Ease of Use

4.6

[View full comparison](https://www.capterra.com/compare/120491-207944/Lightspeed-Retail-vs-PayPal)

[Windward System Five](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/)[3.80 (189)](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/reviews/)

vs

[PayPal](https://www.capterra.com/p/207944/PayPal/)[4.65 (26,280)](https://www.capterra.com/p/207944/PayPal/reviews/)

$155/month

Price

$0.29

3.8

Features

4.6

3.7

Ease of Use

4.6

[View full comparison](https://www.capterra.com/compare/43189-207944/Windward-System-Five-vs-PayPal)

[Lightspeed Retail](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/)[4.03 (975)](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/reviews/)

vs

[RetailEdge](https://www.capterra.com/p/76636/RetailEdge/)[4.76 (186)](https://www.capterra.com/p/76636/RetailEdge/reviews/)

$109/month

Price

$495one time

3.9

Features

4.6

4.1

Ease of Use

4.7

[View full comparison](https://www.capterra.com/compare/76636-120491/RetailEdge-vs-Lightspeed-Retail)

[Windward System Five](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/)[3.80 (189)](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/reviews/)

vs

[Meevo](https://www.capterra.com/p/172058/Meevo-2/)[4.37 (276)](https://www.capterra.com/p/172058/Meevo-2/reviews/)

$155/month

Price

Contact vendor for pricing

3.8

Features

4.3

3.7

Ease of Use

4.3

[View full comparison](https://www.capterra.com/compare/43189-172058/Windward-System-Five-vs-Meevo-2)

[Lightspeed Retail](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/)[4.03 (975)](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/reviews/)

vs

[Shopify POS](https://www.capterra.com/p/205337/Shopify-POS/)[4.56 (239)](https://www.capterra.com/p/205337/Shopify-POS/reviews/)

$109/month

Price

$5/month

3.9

Features

4.5

4.1

Ease of Use

4.6

[View full comparison](https://www.capterra.com/compare/120491-205337/Lightspeed-Retail-vs-Shopify-POS)

[Windward System Five](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/)[3.80 (189)](https://www.capterra.com/p/43189/Windward-System-Five/reviews/)

vs

[Shopify POS](https://www.capterra.com/p/205337/Shopify-POS/)[4.56 (239)](https://www.capterra.com/p/205337/Shopify-POS/reviews/)

$155/month

Price

$5/month

3.8

Features

4.5

3.7

Ease of Use

4.6

[View full comparison](https://www.capterra.com/compare/43189-205337/Windward-System-Five-vs-Shopify-POS)

[Lightspeed Retail](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/)[4.03 (975)](https://www.capterra.com/p/120491/Lightspeed-Retail/reviews/)

vs

[PayPal Point of Sale](https://www.capterra.com/p/171165/PayPal-Here-app/)[4.63 (2,290)](https://www.capterra.com/p/171165/PayPal-Here-app/reviews/)

$109/month

Price

$0.01

3.9

Features

4.5

4.1

Ease of Use

4.6

[View full comparison](https://www.capterra.com/compare/120491-171165/Lightspeed-Retail-vs-PayPal-Here-app)