Compare · Restaurants and cafés
SME AI Office vs Lightspeed Restaurant
Lightspeed Restaurant is a global restaurant POS with floor plans and pay at table; SME AI Office is a free Singapore POS, ordering website and back office.
Prices checked 30 September 2026
The short answer
Choose Lightspeed Restaurant if you run a full-service restaurant or bar that needs floor plans, coursing, pre-authorised bar tabs, order and pay at the table, hotel revenue centres and support around the clock.
Choose SME AI Office if you want a kitchen display, table bookings and an ordering website included, with Singapore accounting. SME AI Office is free, with a small 0.5% fee only on card and automatic PayNow payments; Lightspeed Starter is US$69 a month, about US$828 a year, before a US$30 KDS screen.
Side by side
| SME AI Office | Lightspeed Restaurant | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free. A small 0.5% platform fee, only on card and automatic PayNow paymentsYour own PayNow QR and cash: no fee | Starter US$69 a monthUS price page; the Singapore page offers a quote. Essential US$189, Premium US$399 |
| Free plan | Yes, for good. No monthly fee, no card, no cap on sales | No free plan shown |
| Sold in Singapore | Singapore software, built for GST, CPF and PayNow | Yes. Singapore page with a +65 phone number |
| Kitchen display | Included free. One screen for website, counter and table orders | US$30 per screen a month on every plan |
| Table bookings | Included free. Seatings counted in people per seating | Lightspeed Reservations is an add-on on every plan |
| Order at the table | Included free. Table QR in rounds; guests pay at the counter | Order and pay at table, incl. QR ordering; add-on on lower plans |
| Online ordering | Included free: your own website, pickup and delivery, no commission | Online pickup and delivery ordering; add-on on lower plans |
| Delivery apps | Not built in. Your own driver and delivery fee | Third-party delivery integrations need an add-on |
| Recipes and stock | Recipes free: cost and margin per dish, monthly waste report | Advanced inventory management on higher plans or as an add-on |
| Accounting | Every sale in your profit and loss by itself. Pro 365 adds GST F5, payroll and CPF | Syncs sales to accounting software, an add-on service |
Only on SME AI Office
- Free planYes, for good. No monthly fee, no card, no cap on sales
Which one fits
SME AI Office fits when
- A café or small restaurant that wants a kitchen display, table bookings and online ordering without paying for each.
- You want recipes that show what each dish costs to make.
- You want accounting, GST, payroll and CPF in the same system.
Lightspeed Restaurant fits when
- A full-service restaurant or bar that needs floor plans, coursing and pre-authorised tabs.
- You want guests to order and pay at the table.
- You run a hotel or several venues and want revenue centres and multi-location reports.
Free. A small 0.5% platform fee, only on card and automatic PayNow payments.
Questions
Is SME AI Office cheaper than Lightspeed Restaurant in Singapore?
Yes. Lightspeed's restaurant price page shows Starter at US$69 a month, about US$828 a year, with each kitchen display screen US$30 a month more and Reservations as an add-on. SME AI Office includes the POS, kitchen display, table bookings and ordering website free, with a small 0.5% fee only on card and automatic PayNow payments.
Is Lightspeed Restaurant sold in Singapore?
Yes. Lightspeed has a Singapore page with a +65 phone number that offers its restaurant POS, and asks you to request a quote. Its published restaurant prices are in US dollars on its US page. SME AI Office is made for Singapore and is free, with a small 0.5% fee only on card and automatic PayNow payments.
What is a cheaper alternative to Lightspeed Restaurant for a Singapore café?
SME AI Office. Its Free plan has no monthly fee, no card and no cap on sales, and includes a browser POS, table QR ordering, a kitchen display, an ordering website, table bookings and recipes with food cost. Customers pay by a free PayNow QR, or by card through your own Stripe account for 0.5%.
Can guests pay at the table with SME AI Office?
Not yet. Guests order by table QR in rounds, ask for the bill from their phone, and pay at the counter. Lightspeed's order and pay at table includes QR ordering with payment, so it fits better for a full-service restaurant that wants payment at the table.
Can I move from Lightspeed Restaurant to SME AI Office?
Yes. Send us your menu, prices and photos, or any list exported from Lightspeed, and we set up your menu and website for free. Your Lightspeed account stays open until you are happy. WhatsApp us on +65 9613 7676 and we help you move it over.
Lightspeed Restaurant facts are from lightspeedhq.com/pos/restaurant/pricing, lightspeedhq.com/au/sg (Singapore page), checked on 30 September 2026. Prices are as shown there. Lightspeed Restaurant is a trademark of Lightspeed Commerce Inc.. SME AI Office is not connected with Lightspeed Restaurant.