CompareiPad restaurant EPOS (Lightspeed Restaurant, K-Series)

Hangar vs Lightspeed

Lightspeed Restaurant is an iPad till that's strong across Europe. Its contract says you "may not terminate" before the term ends, renewal is automatic with 90 days' notice, and it can change its fees on 30 days' notice. Use another card processor and you pay a monthly fee of £75 to £1,055. Rota, marketing, accounts and reservations come "via integrations; additional fees may apply", and the API is a paid add-on. Hangar has no term and no processor penalty, and the API comes with the platform.

Lightspeed
Hangar
Leaving
LightspeedThey say "Customer may not terminate this Agreement prior to the expiration of the Term", and early exit costs the remaining fees plus any discount given
HangarWe let you leave any month with no exit fee
Renewal
LightspeedThey "automatically renew for a duration equal to the Initial Term", with 90 days' notice, "at the then-current prices"
HangarWe have no term to renew
Fee changes
LightspeedThey reserve the right "at any time and upon thirty (30) days' written notice" to change "the Fees and scope of the Products"
HangarWe have no term, so you're never stuck with a price you didn't agree to. Leave any month
Card processing
LightspeedThey require Lightspeed Payments, or charge a monthly fee from £75 to £1,055 for using another processor
HangarKeep your own card provider and connect it at no extra cost
Hardware
LightspeedThey tie discounted hardware to 24 months of their payments, or you "immediately pay Lightspeed the value of the hardware"
HangarWe run on iPhones, Android phones and iPads you can buy anywhere
What you buy elsewhere
LightspeedThey put rota, accounting, marketing automation, kiosks and reservations "via integrations; additional fees may apply"
HangarWe include CRM, Marketing, Staff and rota, and Reporting and finance in the same system
API
LightspeedThey sell "Direct API Access" as an add-on; "you'll need to contact your Account Manager"
HangarWe give every account the full API, keys issued in your own admin
Your data on exit
LightspeedThey may "immediately deactivate Customer's account and delete Customer Content"
HangarWe let you export everything any time, and delete only when you ask
Guest wifi
LightspeedThey don't offer it
HangarWe have a guest wifi sign-in built in
AI
LightspeedThey build Lightspeed AI into the app. No MCP server found
HangarWe include an MCP server
Price rises
LightspeedThey draw this: "Our subscription costs suddenly increased by nearly 100% without any authorization from our side."
HangarWe'll publish every price before launch, and you can switch off any module any month
What their customers say
Trustpilot
forcing customer to use there payments system which has completely uncompetitive pricing
Apr 2026Read it
Trustpilot
Our subscription costs suddenly increased by nearly 100% without any authorization from our side.
Oct 2025Read it
Trustpilot
As soon as your past the onboarding period, the service drop to the bottom.
Jan 2026Read it
Switching

We do the switch for you.

Export your guests, products, bookings and gift card balances, and our setup team brings them all into Hangar. It's done remotely, planned around the date your Lightspeed contract ends, and ready before your team's first shift.

Sources, checked October 2026
Glass doors at night with a queue of people waiting outside, a shaft of light on the floor.

The wait is nearly over.

Hangar launches in Q1 2027.

T-minus / Launch window Q1 2027
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