Shopify POS vs. Vend: Which POS System Is Better?
By Sam Nguyen
In this detailed comparison article, we examine the features, functionalities, and capabilities of two top-tier POS solutions: Shopify POS and Vend (also known as ‘Vend by Lightspeed’ or ‘Lightspeed X-Series’ after being acquired by Lightspeed in 2021).
Key Takeaways
- Shopify POS is best for solo retailers who want to start selling in-person and businesses looking for a comprehensive in-person selling solution that seamlessly integrates with their online store.
- Vend is ideal for retailers operating primarily as brick-and-mortar stores and looking for an easy-to-use POS system that handles the standard retail process.
Shopify POS vs Vend: Quick Comparison
Shopify distinguishes itself as a comprehensive commerce solution for businesses, providing an ecosystem that amplifies the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of its POS solution compared to Vend.
With integrated payment gateways, seamless synchronization of online and offline stores, a plethora of powerful features, and access to thousands of apps, Shopify POS offers businesses a convenient platform to effortlessly manage omnichannel retail, streamline operations, and boost success.
On the other hand, after being acquired by Lightspeed, Vend has undergone significant expansion, providing its customer base with access to the company’s broader commerce solutions, such as Lightspeed Payments, Lightspeed eCommerce, etc. By embracing these additional offerings, Vend users can enhance their customer experience, expand their business, and capitalize on new growth opportunities. However, Vend’s POS system and other Lightspeed business types are different parts of a puzzle, which need more time and effort to fully integrate and optimize to be an ecosystem like Shopify.
Shopify POS And Vend: Pros and Cons
Our analysis table presents the advantages and disadvantages of Shopify POS and Vend, derived from .
| Shopify POS | Vend | |
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Shopify POS vs Vend: Infographic
The infographic below provides a side-by-side comparison of the key features and pricing options of Shopify POS and Vend, giving you an overview of what these two systems offer.
Shopify POS vs Vend: A Detailed Comparison
Pricing
Shopify POS
Shopify offers two versions of its POS system:
Shopify POS Lite comes FREE with every Shopify plan with basic features, giving businesses of any size the ability to sell in-person from a retail store or on the go. This POS version is suitable for small businesses or retailers starting with a physical retail presence.
Shopify POS Pro, an upgraded point-of-sale version, is available at a monthly cost of 89 USD per location or 79 USD if billed annually. It’s specifically tailored to cater to high-traffic retail establishments that employ a large number of staff members.
It’s worth noting that merchants subscribed to Shopify Plus will automatically have access to Shopify POS Pro without additional cost.
To start with Shopify POS, you need a Shopify account and subscribe to a Shopify plan. Here are the monthly fees for each plan:
- Starter: 5 USD
- Basic: 39 USD (29 USD if billed annually)
- Standard: 105 USD (79 USD if billed annually)
- Advanced: 399 USD (299 USD if billed annually)
- Plus: Custom pricing starts at 2,000 USD
Above are the Shopify subscription fees in the US. The fees may vary in other countries and regions. Refer to the Shopify pricing page for more detailed and accurate pricing information specific to your location.
Vend
Vend follows a different pricing structure, offering four POS plans. The platform’s detailed monthly pricing for one location is as follows:
- Lean: 89 USD (69 USD if billed annually). This entry-level option provides essential POS functionality, suitable for businesses that require simple sales processing.
- Standard: 149 USD (119 USD if billed annually). This plan is ideal for businesses requiring additional features beyond the Lean plan.
- Advanced: 269 USD (199 USD if billed annually). This plan is best for businesses looking to go further and require more advanced features.
- Enterprise: Custom prices. This plan is designed for high-volume retailers and businesses.
Each plan includes 1 location and 1 register. If you want to expand your in-person retail business, there is an extra fee of 59 USD per month for each additional register. For companies with multiple locations, Vend charges an additional fee equal to your monthly subscription fees for each extra location.
The prices mentioned above are specific to the United States. Different countries and regions will have different fees. See more on Vend pricing page.
The Verdict
Regarding monthly pricing, Shopify POS holds a clear advantage over Vend.
For basic use, Shopify POS outshines Vend as it offers a free plan, while Vend does not. With Shopify POS Lite, businesses with simple requirements and occasional in-person sales can save a lot of money. Shopify’s free POS plan will also suit first-time enterprises to try the POS system before committing.
For advanced use, Shopify POS Pro stands out as a more cost-effective option. With Shopify POS Pro, businesses benefit from unlimited registers and are only charged for each store location. In contrast, Vend charges for additional locations and registers, making it pricier for companies operating multiple physical stores and requiring numerous registers.
Free trial
Shopify POS
Shopify provides a 3-day free trial, allowing users to test the platform’s capabilities. During this trial period, Shopify merchants have full access to Shopify POS Lite, immersing them in experiencing its features to determine if it meets their needs. As an added benefit, Shopify offers a remarkable 1 USD per month for the first three months deal, enabling businesses to dig deeper into the platform’s offerings at a reduced cost.
Shopify POS Pro has a 14-day free trial for those looking to explore advanced features. After the free trial ends, merchants have the option to either pay a monthly fee or revert to the cost-free Shopify POS Lite.
Vend
Vend offers a generous 14-day free trial that grants users hands-on experience with its POS system. During this trial period, users can access all features available in the Advanced plan, allowing them to explore and evaluate the platform’s comprehensive offerings.
After the free trial, users need to subscribe to one of Vend’s plans to continue using the POS system.
The Verdict
Shopify POS undoubtedly outperforms Vend when it comes to offering a free trial period.
Businesses can have a maximum of 17 days to delve into and familiarize themselves with both Shopify POS versions, giving them ample time to make an informed decision.
The enticing 1 USD a month for the first three months deal enables merchants to enjoy the advanced features of the Shopify plan and Shopify POS Pro at a highly discounted rate. This special offer significantly lowers the entry cost for businesses seeking to leverage the potential of the Shopify POS.
On the other hand, with Vend, merchants are required to shift promptly to a paid subscription after the 14-day free trial expires, potentially incurring higher initial costs.
Ease Of Use
Shopify POS
The Shopify POS system boasts a user-friendly design that simplifies navigation. The setup process is streamlined, supported by clear onboarding steps that guide users seamlessly through each stage. With a clean and well-organized interface, Shopify POS provides retailers with an intuitive environment to manage their products, inventory, and customer information, empowering them to stay informed and make data-driven decisions.
Furthermore, the Shopify POS app is available on iOS and Android, allowing access anytime and anywhere.
Vend
Vend caters to retailers with a user-friendly interface that prioritizes ease of use. The “sell” screen presents a clean and organized layout, featuring a convenient search bar for effortless product lookup. Navigating through the dashboard is intuitive, making tasks such as inventory management, customer handling, and report generation a breeze.
It also provides a smooth and hassle-free checkout experience, benefiting staff and customers. Whether accessed through a browser or the Lightspeed Retail POS (X) app on iPad, retailers can conveniently manage their business from anywhere with an internet connection.
The Verdict
Shopify POS and Vend are designed with a user-centric approach, prioritizing simplicity. The comparison results in a tie between the two systems.
Key Features
Synchronize online and offline stores
Shopify POS
The integration between your Shopify website and POS system enables seamless communication and data sharing of products, orders, inventory, sales, and customer information.
This level of integration empowers you to use Shopify as your centralized system for both online and in-person sales, eliminating the need for cumbersome APIs and third-party integrations while avoiding their inherent limitations.
Any changes to product inventory, pricing, or customer information on the online store are instantly reflected in the POS system, ensuring accurate and up-to-date data across all channels. This synchronization eliminates the need for manual data entry or reconciliation, saving time and reducing the risk of errors.
Orders placed through the online store can be easily accessed and fulfilled within the POS system, streamlining the order management process. Merchants can maintain a consistent and cohesive customer experience, whether their customers choose to shop online or visit their physical store locations.
Vend
Vend offers integration with Lightspeed eCom (E-Series) - formerly Ecwid, allowing customers to create and manage an online store. By synchronizing these two platforms, you can easily import and collect your business data, ensuring a seamless and unified shopping experience for your customers.
It’s worth noting that this integration is available in Vend’s higher-priced plans, starting from the Standard plan and above.
The Verdict
Shopify POS is better than Vend when syncing physical stores with an online store. Shopify POS provides all the tools to sell in person, accept payments, and efficiently manage your store’s day-to-day operations, all supported by the robust and powerful Shopify ecommerce platform.
On the other hand, even though Vend (Lightspeed X Series) and Ecwid (Lightspeed E Series) are now under the same roof, they are separate platforms per se, which can lead to complexities and potential errors when trying to merge them into one unified system.
Furthermore, Vend’s ability to sell online is only available in higher-priced plans, which can increase costs for businesses seeking a comprehensive solution for their online and offline sales channels.
Inventory management
Shopify POS
As mentioned above, retailers can benefit from a fully synchronized in-store and online inventory with Shopify POS.
Shopify POS Lite provides essential inventory management capabilities, allowing retailers to track inventory history from all channels and locations. It automatically updates inventory counts as orders are fulfilled on each channel, providing real-time insights and enabling retailers to monitor and control their stock levels effectively.
Shopify POS Pro includes an exclusive, robust inventory management app called Stocky, offering a range of advanced features, namely:
- Stock adjustments and Inventory counts: Easily track and manage stock level changes, and perform accurate inventory counts. The built-in barcode scanner enables efficient stocktakes and access to real-time information on stock availability, pricing, and products descriptions right from your mobile device.
- Transfers: Request transfers between locations and track received and outgoing inventory.
- Demand forecasting: Get valuable purchase order suggestions based on product performance and seasonality.
- Sale item suggestions: Identify products with low sales performance to be marked down for sale, optimizing cash flow and enhancing inventory management.
- Inventory analysis: The stock performance grading system helps make informed decisions on which products are worth reordering and which are taking up valuable storage and cash.
- Detailed inventory reports: Generate reports to analyze trends, plan for the future, and gain valuable insights into locations and inventory metrics. Merchants can customize these reports to their preferences.
Vend
Vend, with its focus on the POS system, offers powerful inventory management tools tailored for brick-and-mortar retailers:
- Quick and easy product management: Add individual products or upload them in bulk using a spreadsheet. Vend supports various product variants (different sizes and colors) and composite items (gift baskets or discount bundles).
- Multi-channel and multi-location management: Automatically adjust inventory levels across all selling channels, multiple locations, and warehouses in real time, eliminating the need for manual updates.
- Reports and Analytics: Include eight categories of the retail dashboard, inventory, payments, registers, gift cards, store credit, and tax reports. Access your information anywhere through Vend’s browser-based dashboard. Retailers can also tailor analytics according to their specific needs.
- Demand forecasting: Enable retailers to anticipate stock needs and identify top-selling products. However, this is only available in the Advanced and Enterprise plans.
- Barcode scanner app, now known as Lightspeed Scanner: Transform your mobile device camera into a barcode scanner, allowing employees to perform stock counts, receive shipments, check stock availability, verify pricing, and confirm product specifications on the go.
The Verdict
This is tie between the two platforms. Both Shopify POS and Vend excel in inventory management capabilities, offering robust features for efficient inventory control.
Omnichannel selling
Shopify POS
Shopify POS empowers its merchants to sell their products through multiple channels, including online, social media platforms, and in-person while providing robust tools and features for an effective omnichannel retail strategy:
- Buy in-store, ship to customer: Merchants can make sales in-store and ship products directly to customers from locations where inventory is available.
- Buy online, exchange, and return in-store: Shopify POS facilitates hassle-free exchanges for purchases made online or at other locations, with real-time inventory updates to ensure accurate stock management.
- Local pickup and local delivery: Customers can choose the option of pickup in-store or having merchants deliver them straight to their doorstep, providing flexibility and convenience in receiving their orders.
Vend
Following its acquisition by Lightspeed, Vend equips its merchants with valuable tools to facilitate sales across multiple online and in-person channels. These tools include:
- Buy online, pick up in-store: Merchants can set different locations as pickup points at the online store’s checkout and let customers pick the most convenient place to pick up their order.
- Return and exchange in-store: Customers have the flexibility to return purchases made online or at any of their physical stores, ensuring a seamless shopping experience and customer satisfaction.
- Special order fulfillment: Merchants can still process sales even when products are not in stock. These orders will be marked as unfulfilled sales while you source product(s) from your supplier(s) to fulfill the customer’s order. Customers can also have the option to have their purchase delivered directly to them or pick it up in-store later.
The Verdict
Shopify secures a narrow win in terms of omnichannel selling.
With Shopify POS, merchants have the built-in capability to provide local delivery as a convenient and efficient shipping option to their customers. This feature improves the overall customer experience and increases the opportunities to connect directly with customers, build stronger relationships and foster customer loyalty.
With Vend, on the other hand, merchants have to use a local delivery feature by integrating with third-party app.
Payments
Shopify POS
Shopify POS supports various payment methods, such as cash, credit/visa cards, gift cards, loyalty points, digital wallets, and contactless payments.
Shopify also has its own payment gateway called Shopify Payments, which supports all major credit cards and numerous alternative payment methods, ensuring customers a seamless and secure transaction process.
Shopify charges in-person transaction fees for every transaction made through its POS system. These transaction fees are waived when merchants use Shopify Payments as their payment gateway. However, please note that Shopify Payments is only available in select countries. See the list of supported countries here.
Note: If merchants choose to accept credit cards, they will incur credit card fees.
These fees vary depending on the specific Shopify plan that merchants have selected. For detailed information regarding transaction fees and credit card fees associated with each plan, please refer to the table below:
| Shopify plan | Transaction fees | Credit card fees | |
| Use Shopify Payments | Not use Shopify Payments | ||
| Starter | 5% | 5% | 2.7% |
| Basic | Free | 2% | 2.7% |
| Standard | 1% | 2.5% | |
| Advanced | 0.5% | 2.4% | |
If a Shopify merchant chooses to use a third-party payment provider, such as PayPal or Stripe, additional transaction fees charged by the provider may apply.
Vend
Vend enables shoppers to pay according to their preference, accepting all major credit and debit cards through various methods such as swipe, tap, dip, sign, or contactless technologies, including NFC and Apple Pay. Vend does not charge any transaction fees. And it integrates with a wide range of major payment providers to process payments.
Since being acquired by Lightspeed, merchants who subscribe to all plans can use Lightspeed Payments to take credit card payments with the fees of:
- Card-present (CP) transactions: 2.6% + 0.10 USD
- Card-not-present (CNP) transactions: 2.9% + 0.30 USD
Lightspeed Payments are available in the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia. Merchants based in these countries will receive a discount on subscription fees if they opt to use Lightspeed payments.
The Verdict
When comparing Shopify POS and Vend in terms of payments, Shopify POS emerges as the superior choice.
Although Vend may seem enticing with no transaction fees, it relies on integration with third-party payment providers, which can incur additional transaction fees charged by the providers. In contrast, Shopify merchants can benefit from Shopify Payments, which offers FREE transaction fees.
When it comes to credit card fees, Shopify Payments offers more affordable rates compared to Lightspeed Payments. Furthermore, Shopify Payments is accessible in 23 countries, providing merchants with a broader reach, while Lightspeed Payments is available in only 4 countries, limiting its availability.
These factors establish Shopify POS as a more advantageous option for businesses in search of a cost-effective payment solution.
Hardware compatibility
Shopify POS
The Shopify Hardware Store offers a wide range of hardware accessories to support Shopify merchants in setting up and operating their in-person stores, with prices ranging from 39 USD to 399 USD.
Shopify provides its own hardware, including card readers and the Shopify POS Go (a mobile POS device equipped with a built-in barcode scanner), designed to seamlessly integrate with the Shopify POS system and help streamline store operations.
Merchants in the US or Canada have a cost-effective alternative: renting hardware such as card readers, iPads, or the Shopify POS Go from Shopify Hardware Rentals, with fees starting at 9 USD per day. It is particularly advantageous for merchants who operate temporary events or pop-up stores, as it eliminates the need for a significant upfront investment in purchasing hardware.
Suppose a merchant is not located in countries supported by the Shopify Hardware Store. In that case, Shopify provides them with a list of model numbers for devices compatible with the mobile POS system. Merchants can search for and purchase the appropriate hardware from verified third-party retailers. This ensures accessibility to the necessary equipment for effectively running their businesses using Shopify POS.
Vend
As part of the Lightspeed family, Vend users benefit from the convenience of accessing the Lightspeed Hardware Store, which offers a wide selection of hardware options from trusted brands for both computers and iPads. Vend’s compatible hardware is competitively priced, ranging from 24 USD to 399 USD, with occasional promotions offering discounts of up to 70% on select items.
Vend also provides a detailed list of recommended hardware models to assist merchants in finding the perfect hardware solutions. This ensures merchants can quickly identify and acquire the proper hardware to meet their needs. Additionally, for those who prefer to set up the hardware by themselves, Vend offers step-by-step instructions to guide merchants through the hardware setup process, empowering them to set up their systems independently.
The verdict
Shopify POS surpasses Vend in terms of hardware compatibility.
One key advantage of Shopify is its first-party hardware, specifically designed to integrate with Shopify POS seamlessly. On the other hand, Vend relies on third-party hardware, which can pose challenges during troubleshooting, as merchants may need to reach out to separate support teams for POS and payments.
Moreover, Vend users would need to purchase an additional mobile terminal when accepting payments on the go. In contrast, Shopify POS only requires a device like a mobile phone or tablet with a Shopify POS app installed or a Shopify POS Go. It’s clear to see that Shopify POS is a more cost-effective solution.
Apps Integration
Shopify POS
Shopify POS stands out with its robust integration capabilities, allowing merchants to integrate their physical retail operations with their online store effortlessly.
With access to the vibrant marketplace - Shopify App Store, which offers a vast selection of over 8,000 apps, merchants can seamlessly connect their POS system with a wide range of applications and services. These integrations empower Shopify merchants to enhance their operations in inventory management, order fulfillment, customer loyalty programs, accounting, customer support, analytics, marketing, and more.
Shopify merchants can take advantage of the apps to synchronize inventory across multiple sales channels, provide personalized customer experiences, track sales, and streamline their overall business operations.
Vend
Vend provides extensive integration capabilities, allowing users to connect with various applications. It also has a developer community that supports users with Vend’s open API, integrating an online store or third-party payment processor.
Some of Vend’s most popular integrations include:
- QuickBooks Online
- Xero
- Homebase
- Smartwaiver
- Quotemachine
- Mailchimp
- Timely
- Loop Insights
- NetSuite
The Verdict
Shopify POS is the better option. Shopify POS offers a larger ecosystem of apps and integrations to meet merchants’ specific needs. Vend supports apps too, but provides a smaller selection.
Customizability
Shopify POS
With the Shopify POS app, various elements can be customized to create a personalized and branded experience, namely:
- Smart Grid
- Receipt
- Reports
Vend
With Vend, merchants can customize elements such as:
- Labels
- Receipts
- Reports
The Verdict
Shopify POS offers an extensive array of customization options, granting retailers using the platform greater control and flexibility to tailor their point-of-sale system to their unique requirements.
Customer management
Shopify POS
Both Shopify POS Lite and Pro offer powerful customer management capabilities to help businesses build and nurture customer relationships. Here are the key features:
- Create customer profiles: Every in-store or online purchase during checkout generates a customer profile that includes contact information, purchase history, lifetime spend, customer notes, tags, shipping address, taxes, and marketing preferences.
- View order history: Customers’ order information, whether from online or in-store purchases, is automatically synced, providing a comprehensive view of their purchase history.
- Reward loyalty online and in-store: Shopify POS allows businesses to reward loyal customers with exclusive events, discounts, or unique content, fostering customer loyalty and retention.
- Create customer tags: Businesses can assign tags to customers based on specific criteria and then quickly search and filter customers based on these tags, enabling targeted outreach and personalized marketing.
- Contact customers: Shopify POS enables businesses to reach out to customers directly through email, SMS, or phone. It also allows collecting emails and phone numbers at checkout, providing opportunities to notify customers about upcoming sales or new product releases.
These tools, available with Shopify POS Pro, enable businesses to offer customers a seamless shopping experience no matter where they shop, ensuring convenience and satisfaction throughout their journey.
Vend
Vend POS provides a comprehensive set of tools for customer management, allowing businesses to build customer profiles, create customer groups (such as VIP programs), and assign special pricing to specific groups.
Customer information, including purchase history, loyalty points, VIP status, and account balances, is automatically stored within each customer profile and is synced across all sales channels. It means that when online customers visit the physical store, their profiles are readily accessible, providing a seamless and personalized shopping experience.
With Vend POS, businesses can track customer data, tailor promotions, and deliver exceptional customer service to drive loyalty and repeat business.
The Verdict
While both systems provide excellent customer management tools, Shopify POS takes a slight lead over Vend. Shopify POS allows businesses to connect with customers through various channels to nurture relationships and promote sales effectively. In comparison, Vend may lack some of these capabilities, potentially limiting the depth of customer relationship-building.
Staff management
Shopify POS
With Shopify POS Lite, retailers can provide unique pins to staff members, allowing them to log into the POS system. The number of available staff accounts varies depending on the Shopify plan, ranging from 2 to 15 staff accounts.
Shopify POS Pro will unlock advanced features to manage staff members effectively. Once subscribed, Shopify POS Pro businesses will have the following:
- Unlimited POS staff: Add and manage staff members with access to the POS system without granting them full admin access.
- POS staff roles and permissions: Assign custom roles to their store staff, ensuring each staff member has the appropriate permissions based on their role. This feature provides better control and security within the system, as staff members would need manager approval for actions like applying discounts or editing taxes.
- Attribute sales to staff: Attribute sales to staff members for commissions or kudos, which can be helpful for commission calculations or acknowledging exceptional performance by individual staff members.
Vend
Vend offers unlimited user accounts across all its plans, allowing businesses to create individual accounts for staff members with specific permissions based on their user role. It has three user roles: Cashier, Manager, and Admin.
- Cashiers can perform tasks such as processing sales and transferring stock.
- Managers have access to store reporting and the ability to add/edit products if needed.
- Admins have full access to view and manage all stores within the account.
In addition, Vend provides the ability to set sales goals for each employee daily, weekly, or monthly and track their progress. Employees can also monitor their progress against these goals. This feature is unique to Vend and helps businesses hold their staff accountable and keep them motivated to achieve their targets.
The Verdict
Both Shopify POS and Vend are on par in terms of staff management capabilities, as both systems offer comprehensive features to effectively manage and oversee staff operations.
Offline mode
Shopify POS
If you lose your internet connection or you’re going to be selling from a pop-up location without internet access, Shopify POS allows you to continue using the app as long as you stay logged in. However, certain limitations will apply in offline mode. Here’s what you can and can not do in offline mode:
| Can do | Can not do |
|---|---|
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Vend
Vend will automatically enter offline mode if your internet connection drops offline for over two minutes. While offline, you can only access the Sell and Status pages on Mac or PC and the Sell screen on iPad. All other sections will be inaccessible until your internet connection is re-established. Here’s a breakdown of what you can and can not do in offline mode:
| Can do | Can not do |
|---|---|
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The Verdict
While both systems strive to facilitate seamless sales operations even in the absence of an internet connection. Vend offers more functionality compared to Shopify POS.
Flexibility and Supported Operating Systems
Shopify POS
Shopify allows merchants to choose between POS Lite and POS Pro on a location-by-location basis. Businesses using Shopify POS can opt for POS Lite in location A and POS Pro in locations B and C, based on each location’s specific requirements and preferences. All stores will be managed on one account linked with your online store.
With support for Android and iOS devices, the Shopify POS app allows merchants to transform their mobile phones, tablets, iPhones, and iPads into a point-of-sale system. This flexibility enables retailers to conduct business effortlessly, whether at a physical store, a pop-up shop, a trade show, or even outdoor events. Additionally, Shopify POS offers the convenience of Tap to Pay on iPhone, making accepting payments on the go easier and more efficient than ever before.
Vend
As a browser-based, Vend allows users to access it from any device with an internet connection, including Mac, PC, and mobile devices. Retailers can manage their business and process sales using Vend’s intuitive interface regardless of their operating system. Additionally, Vend provides a dedicated POS app for iPad, offering a seamless and optimized experience for users who prefer the convenience and mobility of a tablet device.
It enables retailers to choose the device that best suits their needs while still enjoying the full functionality and convenience of Vend’s powerful point-of-sale system.
The Verdict
Vend users do not have the same level of choice and flexibility as Shopify POS. When it comes to selecting different versions of their POS system for different locations, Vend merchants will need to create different accounts for the stores running on different subscription plans, which can cause management problems. At the same time, with Shopify POS, you can manage all locations in one account, in sync with your online store.
While Vend offers good accessibility by being compatible with various operating systems through its browser-based platform, Shopify POS takes a step further in mobility. With its mobile-friendly design and dedicated POS app for both Android and iOS, Shopify POS allows merchants to conveniently turn their devices into mobile points of sale, enabling retailers to process sales, manage inventory, and connect with customers on the go.
Scalability
Shopify POS
With its robust infrastructure and extensive resources, Shopify POS is designed to handle high-volume sales and can seamlessly scale up to 1,000 locations, whether you’re using Shopify POS Lite or Shopify POS Pro. This scalability makes it suitable for businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large enterprises with multiple brick-and-mortar stores.
Vend
Vend also offers scalability options. Every plan supports multiple store locations and registers, making it suitable for businesses with expansion plans. However, the fees for each additional location and register can potentially increase costs for businesses with rapid growth or a larger number of physical stores.
The Verdict
Shopify POS holds a slight advantage over Vend in terms of scalability. It offers a more flexible and seamless scaling experience.
Customer support
Shopify POS
Shopify POS provides comprehensive support options to assist merchants in resolving any issues they may encounter. The support team can be reached through various channels, including:
- FAQs
- Community Forum
- Phone Support
- 24/7 Chat (Live Reply)
- Documentation
With an award-winning support team, Shopify POS is dedicated to promptly addressing merchant concerns and ensuring a seamless experience. Merchants can rely on their expertise to quickly resolve any issues and get back to focusing on their business operations.
Vend
Vend provides a range of support options to assist users in resolving any issues they may encounter. When facing problems, users can reach out for help via:
- Phone support
- Social media
- FAQs
- Chat (Live reply)
- Documentation
Vend commits to helping users overcome any challenges they may face while using the platform.
The Verdict
Shopify’s support team stands out for their friendly and prompt responses, efficiently addressing a wide range of issues. The chat conversations with Shopify support are conveniently sent via email, ensuring easy reference for users.
On the other hand, Vend’s live chat support is slower and occasionally confusing due to mixed English and French languages. Furthermore, Vend lacks the provision for sending chat logs, which can be inconvenient for users seeking a record of their support interactions.
Overall, Shopify’s support experience is deemed more favorable due to its friendly and comprehensive approach.
Shopify POS vs Vend FAQs
Bottom line
That’s how Shopify POS stacks up against Vend. If you’re looking for an affordable and easy-to-use POS system that seamlessly connect both online and in-person sales channels, Shopify POS is a more comprehensive choice compared to Vend.
