Helcim vs Lightspeed Restaurant
Helcim
helcim.com
Lightspeed Restaurant
lightspeedhq.comSide by side
| Figure | Helcim | Lightspeed Restaurant |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $0.40/mo | $69/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 6 | 4 |
| Spec score · Point of Sale POS software | 9.3 (#1) | 8.1 (#11) |
| Founded | LinkedIn lists Helcim as founded in 2006. | 2005 |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Headquarters | Helcim lists its primary headquarters at 440 2 Ave SW, Suite 400, Calgary, Alberta T2P 5E9, Canada. | Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Integrations | Listed integrations include QuickBooks Online, Xero, WooCommerce and Foxy, with additional software connections available. | The product connects with hotel PMS software, employee-management tools, loyalty programs and partners such as 7shifts and OpenTable. |
| Security | Helcim identifies itself as a PCI Level 1 Service Provider and says it protects cardholder data with AES-256 encryption and TLS 1.2 or higher in transit. | Lightspeed states that cloud POS communications use end-to-end encryption and that data access is heavily restricted and protected via cloud partners. |
| Support | Helcim offers phone support Monday through Friday 7 a.m.–5 p.m. MT and Saturdays 9 a.m.–5 p.m. MT, and says contact-form questions receive a reply within one business day. | Lightspeed offers 24/7 phone and chat support, one-on-one onboarding and a dedicated account manager. |
Plans
Helcim
- Helcim payment processingFree
- Helcim platformFree
- Recurring payments$0.40 a month
- 4G wireless data$7 a month
- Helcim Card Reader$199, paid once
- Helcim Smart Terminal$349, paid once
Lightspeed Restaurant
- Starter$69 a month
- Essential$189 a month
- Premium$399 a month
- EnterprisePriced on request
In their own words
Helcim
Helcim provides businesses with payment processing tools for in-person and online sales, invoices, and virtual-terminal transactions. Its tools include point of sale, online checkout, payment links, recurring payments, invoicing, a customer vault, and an inventory catalog. In-person payments support major payment types such as Apple Pay and Google Pay. Eligible merchants can also accept ACH through invoicing, recurring payments, payment requests, and the Virtual Terminal. Helcim lists integrations with QuickBooks Online, Xero, and WooCommerce, as well as its API and HelcimPay.js for custom integrations and website payments. The Card Vault tokenizes stored payment details for future or recurring payments, while Helcim says it protects cardholder data with AES-256 encryption and TLS 1.2 or higher in transit. It identifies itself as a PCI Level 1 Service Provider. The POS app is available for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, with listed device requirements. The processing plan costs nothing, with no account monthly fees; transaction rates vary by volume and payment method.
Lightspeed Restaurant
Lightspeed Restaurant is restaurant management software built around a point-of-sale and payments platform. It supports customizable menus, screens and floor plans, with online, tableside and QR-code ordering. Restaurants, hotels and multi-location operators can use the system for operations including inventory, reservations, tables, staff scheduling and sales reporting. The cloud-based POS can keep working offline, saving entered data locally and uploading it when connectivity returns; master-data maintenance and eCloud evaluations still require internet access. Its front end requires the Lightspeed Restaurant iPad app, while the back end can be managed on desktop and iPad. Lightspeed also says the POS can run in a browser on Mac, PC, Apple or Android devices. The Restaurant Integration Hub includes hundreds of third-party integrations, and accounting sync can send sales data to QuickBooks, Xero, Sage and other software. Plans start at $69/mo. Restaurant has no free plan or free trial listed; a demo option is presented instead.