Clever Till vs Lightspeed: A Battle of Brains Behind the Counter

In the numerous fast-paced hospitality and retail sectors, the correct EPOS system isn't just a nice-to-have, it's a must-have.

For example, whether your retail outlet is a busy café or a restaurant group operating across several locations, your point of sale choice will affect everything from your team's performance to the customer experience.

 

Often, the two leading names are Clever Till and Lightspeed. Both offer sound, cloud-based POS platforms for today’s modern businesses. But which of the two provides greater control, flexibility, and overall value for your future?

 

Next, we will compare these systems against a few key indicators and outline why we are seeing more business owners side with Clever Till, especially when choosing the best EPOS system for restaurants.

Day-to-day Efficiency: Simple Wins

 

In the EPOS game, simplicity reigns. Clever Till was purpose-built with the frontend team in mind as its clean layout allows staff to get on with their work very quickly, streamlining the time spent in training of the staff, and their energy doing the job, not the technology.

Conversely, Lightspeed has high levels of functionality, but its interface feels cluttered, and users new to the system may take longer than expected to be completely competent regarding the energy concerned with daily outcomes.

 

Features That Work With You, Not Against You

 

Let’s be honest—features only matter if they’re accessible, practical, and tailored to your business. Clever Till delivers a feature set that feels custom-built for hospitality—making it a strong contender for any business looking for the best EPOS system for restaurants.

 

Clever Till Strengths:

 

• A real-time sales analytics dashboard for informed decision making
• Restaurant table management built in
• An offline mode that keeps operations going even when the Wi-Fi crashes
• Compatible with a KDS system
• Loyalty program tools that are actually easy to set up
• Inventory tracking that narrows in on cleanliness, and offers alerts when low

 

Lightspeed, on the other hand, does contain a lot of retail-centered tools. While there is functionality for hospitality, some of the makeup of features feels more adapted to the retail space versus purpose-built. And for instance, annotation inventory (which works great for boutiques) may be overkill for fast-paced kitchens, and/or even seems clunky.

 

Price-Performance Balance

 

Affordability is more than just price—but value. Clever Till has all the advanced functionality, and none of the inflated cost. This makes it popular for independent restaurants and any hospitality chain trying to grow upscale tools without an upscale price. It’s ideal for those seeking a powerful yet affordable EPOS system for restaurants.

 

Lightspeed has tiered pricing plans (lots of options), but with hospitality you might need to level up to "pro" to access the feature build-out that hospitality needs, which limits smaller businesses way more than Clever Till.

 

Clever Till, with transparent pricing and flexibility of hardware, has a significant advantage here.

 

Support When It Matters Most

 

If your system crashes on a busy Friday night, who will be there to help? Clever Till has the UK’s support team known to provide quick fixes and real assistance without long wait times.

 

On a busy service in hospitality, this type of local, hospitality-specific support can make all the difference. Lightspeed (global company) supports through larger networks.

 

It can be effective, but it usually lacks the same personal support or speed that is often needed in an intensive hospitality environment.

 

Built for the Hospitality Industry – Not Just Any Business

 

Clever Till was built with hospitality in mind. Every feature—from the touchscreen layout to split-bill functionality—has been built for restaurants, cafés, takeaways, and pubs. It’s not just about selling; it’s about service, speed, and bringing the front of house and back of house together.

 

Lightspeed is strong in retail and performs effectively in some hospitality situations, but it is set up to manage inventory-heavy, product-led businesses.

 

If you are managing covers, courses, and kitchen planning, Clever Till is likely to make you feel more comfortable—especially if you're after a dedicated EPOS system for restaurants.

 

 

Final Thoughts: Clever by Name, Clever by Nature

 

Both Clever Till and Lightspeed are fantastic platforms—but their exact purposes are slightly different.

 

If you are a hospitality-first type of business that wants to prioritize speed, quickness, and support without sacrificing your budget, Clever Till quietly comes out on top.

 

Here, in a world of overly complex systems, Clever Till shows smart is not complicated. Sometimes smart is just about being simple.