Cloud POS for Retail & Restaurant

A cloud POS (Point of Sale) system is a web-based software that allows businesses to process sales and manage operations using internet-connected devices. This type of POS system stores data on remote servers, enabling real-time access and updates from anywhere with an internet connection. A cloud POS can be ran on a tablet, laptop, desktop or phone.


Unlike a legacy POS system, which relies on on-premise hardware and local servers, a cloud POS system offers greater flexibility and accessibility. Legacy systems often require substantial physical infrastructure and have higher maintenance costs, while cloud POS systems are more adaptable to new features and integrations.

Cloud-based POS hosting relies on a range of security components to ensure that your data is encrypted and safely stored. Through Lightspeed, your retail store or restaurant benefits from that protection and the data processed through it is guarded by measures like authentication, advanced firewalls, intrusion detection, event logging, internal firewalls, access control and encryption.


Both Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud Platform’s data centers are built with the highest standards for privacy and data security. These cloud service providers powering Lightspeed supplement these protections with physical security measures such as video surveillance, security guards, fencing, security feeds and intrusion detection technology, making their data centers far more secure than almost all on-site data centers.

Businesses using Lightspeed Retail or Restaurant can use offline mode to keep serving customers with or without internet. Offline mode enables the business to continue making sales even if the internet goes down. When the internet comes back up, all the information will sync to the cloud and get updated in your back office.

Lightspeed POS software leverages the cloud to provide a streamlined and seamless user experience for our users. Much of this consists of securely storing data and ensuring backup strategies are in place to recover from any scenario.


However, to fully protect yourself and your data in any possible situation that may arise, it is crucial you have a good risk-based approach against data loss in place.


Our recommended strategy is the 3-2-1 approach. You should have three copies of your data—this includes the original data and at least two backups. We cover the original data and remote backup, and you should take care of the third local backup.

The cost of a cloud POS system varies based on several factors, including the provider, the number of add-ons, the depth of tools and the number of registers and locations. For example, cloud POS systems like Lightspeed start at $89 USD per month for retailers.


As the number of features and the complexity of your business needs increase, so does the cost. Additional costs may arise from integrating advanced features, adding more registers or managing multiple locations. While there are free cloud POS options available, they typically lack important features necessary for robust business operations and can come with contracts full of extra strings. Investing in a comprehensive cloud POS solution ensures better functionality and support for your business.

Yes! Because Lightspeed's POS software is cloud-based, you can access your backend manager from anywhere, on any device with a web browser whether on desktop, iOS or android.


For Lightspeed Retail, this includes being able to manage inventory, run reports, track customer information, oversee work orders and adjust the settings of your store. The Retail POS can be used on any device—through a web browser on desktop, iOS or Android, or through the Lightspeed Retail iPad app.


For Lightspeed Restaurant, this includes viewing reports, managing menus, entering orders, adjusting floor settings, customizing business settings and much more. To manage the point of sale's front end, you will need the Lightspeed Restaurant iPad app, however, the back end can be managed on both desktop and iPad.

Lightspeed client data is stored on servers located in various data centers across the globe, with data transfers being compliant with relevant data protection regulations. The data is securely stored in the cloud using advanced encryption methods and security measures to ensure its integrity and confidentiality.

If a customer leaves Lightspeed, we will, upon request, either return all personal data to the customer or delete it, except where retention is required by applicable law.


For more details, you can refer to the full data processing agreement