--- title: "Lightspeed vs Square: Which is searched more in New Zealand?" description: "Is Lightspeed or Square more popular in search? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the POS systems set in New Zealand. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time." canonical: "https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/categories/nz-pos-systems/compare/lightspeed-vs-square" publisher: "Brandwave" --- # Lightspeed vs Square: Which is searched more in New Zealand? Is Lightspeed or Square more popular in search? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the POS systems set in New Zealand. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time. ## Key facts - **Compared**: Lightspeed and Square - **Competitive set**: POS systems - **Market**: New Zealand - **Month measured**: Sep 2026 - **Lightspeed Share of Search**: 53.1% - **Square Share of Search**: 11.8% ## Is Lightspeed or Square more popular in search? - In September 2026, Lightspeed had more branded searches than Square among POS systems in New Zealand. Lightspeed had about 3,910 branded searches, while Square had 870. Lightspeed made up 53.1% of all POS system searches we track, and Square accounted for 11.8%. - Lightspeed was ahead of Square in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026. - Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Lightspeed’s share of searches among POS systems in New Zealand moved from 55.3% to 53.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 4.7K to 3.9K. - Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Square’s share of searches among POS systems in New Zealand moved from 6.7% to 11.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 570 to 870. ## Top POS systems in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Lightspeed was mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Square was mentioned in one out of five: in one of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Lightspeed was listed before Square in every answer. Brands get a higher AI rank if they are mentioned earlier in the answers that list options. | Brand | AI rank | ChatGPT answers that named it | Google AI Overviews that named it | All answers that named it | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Lightspeed | 1st | 3 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 4 of 5 | | Shopify POS | 2nd | 3 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 3 of 5 | | Hike POS | 3rd | 3 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 3 of 5 | | Bustle | 4th | 2 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 2 of 5 | | Square | 5th | 1 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 1 of 5 | | Kounta | 5th | 1 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 1 of 5 | ## Every AI answer about POS systems - Asked ChatGPT "Which POS system should I use in New Zealand?": 1. Lightspeed, 2. Shopify POS, 3. Hike POS, 4. Bustle, 5. Square - Asked ChatGPT "What are the best POS systems in New Zealand?": 1. Lightspeed, 2. Shopify POS, 3. Bustle, 4. Hike POS, 5. Kounta - Asked ChatGPT "What's the best POS system in New Zealand for retail store?": 1. Lightspeed, 2. Shopify POS, 3. Hike POS - Searched Google, AI Overview "pos systems nz": 1. Lightspeed - Searched Google, AI Overview "point of sale system": named none of the brands we track Brands are listed in the order each answer named them. The answers were collected in New Zealand on October 21, 2026. ## How did search popularity change for New Zealand POS systems in September 2026? - In September 2026, Square lost share of searches among POS systems in New Zealand, from 13.5% to 11.8%. - Estimated monthly branded searches for Lightspeed in New Zealand fell 16.8% over 12 measured months, from 4.7K to 3.9K in September 2026. ## Month by month | Month | Lightspeed estimated searches | Lightspeed Share of Search | Lightspeed rank | Square estimated searches | Square Share of Search | Square rank | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Oct 2025 | 4.7K | 55.3% | 1 | 570 | 6.7% | 3 | | Nov 2025 | 4.2K | 49.7% | 1 | 550 | 6.5% | 3 | | Dec 2025 | 3.3K | 47.2% | 1 | 430 | 6.3% | 4 | | Jan 2026 | 3.6K | 48.8% | 1 | 630 | 8.6% | 3 | | Feb 2026 | 3.9K | 49.4% | 1 | 760 | 9.7% | 3 | | Mar 2026 | 4.8K | 51.5% | 1 | 930 | 10.1% | 3 | | Apr 2026 | 4.9K | 56.3% | 1 | 950 | 10.9% | 3 | | May 2026 | 4.4K | 51.2% | 1 | 1.2K | 14.3% | 3 | | Jun 2026 | 4.4K | 52.9% | 1 | 1.4K | 16.2% | 3 | | Jul 2026 | 3.9K | 53.3% | 1 | 1.1K | 14.9% | 3 | | Aug 2026 | 3.9K | 53% | 1 | 1K | 13.5% | 3 | | Sep 2026 | 3.9K | 53.1% | 1 | 870 | 11.8% | 3 | ## How each brand is measured Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Lightspeed’s and Square’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading. - **Lightspeed**: Measured on the search terms “lightspeed”, “lightspeed pos”, “lightspeed retail”, “lightspeed speed”, “lightspeed stocks”, “lightspeed vend” and “vend lightspeed”, summed into one figure. - **Square**: Measured on the search terms “square appointments”, “square it”, “square pos”, “square pos system”, “square reader”, “square restaurant”, “square space site” and “square terminal”, summed into one figure. - [Lightspeed profile](/demand/nz/brands/lightspeed) - [Square profile](/demand/nz/brands/square) - [All POS systems in New Zealand](/demand/nz/categories/nz-pos-systems): The set both shares are measured inside, 6 brands. ## Methodology - [How is the Brand Demand Index measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Lightspeed or Square more popular in search? In September 2026, Lightspeed had more branded searches than Square among POS systems in New Zealand. Lightspeed had about 3,910 branded searches, while Square had 870. Lightspeed made up 53.1% of all POS system searches we track, and Square accounted for 11.8%. ## Cite this page Brandwave. "Lightspeed vs Square: Which is searched more in New Zealand?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/categories/nz-pos-systems/compare/lightspeed-vs-square This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/categories/nz-pos-systems/compare/lightspeed-vs-square. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.