Find the perfect point-of-sale solution for your business with our comprehensive comparison of the top providers in the market
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| Pricing & Setup | ||||||
| Starting Price (Monthly) Base monthly fee |
£29+
(with hardware bundles)
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£69+
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Free
(+ transaction fees)
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£19+
(+ fees)
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£69+
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£35+
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| Hardware Cost For terminal & accessories | £49-£1,000+ (Flexible options) |
£500+ (iPad setup) |
£19-£299 (Readers) |
£99-£399 (iPad stands) |
£800+ (iPad-based) |
£400+ (Terminals) |
| Core Features | ||||||
| Cloud-Based Access anywhere | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
|
Offline Mode
Ability to process sales when internet connection is lost
Works without internet
|
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
|
Inventory Management
Tools to track and manage product stock levels
Stock control features
|
✓ Mid-tier |
✓ Advanced |
✓ Basic |
✓ Retail-focused |
✓ Food-based |
✓ |
| Multi-Location Support Manage multiple sites | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Customer Loyalty Rewards programs | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Specialized Features | ||||||
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eCommerce Integration
Connection with online stores
Online store connectivity
|
✓ Basic |
✓ Advanced |
✓ Basic |
✓ Built-in Shopify |
✗ | ✓ 3rd-party |
| Restaurant Features Table service, kitchen display | ✓ Flexible |
✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ KDS, Tables |
✗ |
| Contactless Payments Tap & mobile payments | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 24/7 Support Round-the-clock help | ✓ | ✓ Paid plans |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Recommendation | ||||||
| Best For Ideal business types | Flexible (retail, food, services) | High-end retail, hospitality | Small businesses, pop-ups | Omnichannel retail | Restaurants & cafes | Retail & hospitality |
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The Best for Deep Retail Analytics
Clover EPOS is a versatile, user-friendly point-of-sale system that works brilliantly for UK shops, restaurants, cafes, and service businesses. With its all-in-one hardware, competitive pricing, and smart features, it’s arguably the best plug-and-play POS solution for small to medium UK businesses.
Clover keeps pricing simple with no long-term contracts—just straightforward monthly plans:
(Basic Sales & Payments)
(Inventory & Staff Management)
Custom Pricing (Large Venues)
(Better Rates Than Lightspeed)
(All-in-One Kits, No Hidden Costs)
Online ordering (£29/month)
Added to Monthly Fees
Clover is the best “just works” EPOS for UK small businesses. It’s easier to use than Lightspeed, cheaper than Square, and comes with ready-to-go hardware. If you want a hassle-free system that grows with your business, Clover is hard to beat
The Flexible Runner-Up for UK Businesses
Square POS remains one of the most adaptable point-of-sale systems for UK businesses, offering great value and ease of use. While it’s not quite as fully-featured as some competitors, its transparent pricing and excellent mobility make it a superb second-choice option for many UK retailers and hospitality businesses.
Square keeps pricing simple and competitive, though slightly less comprehensive than premium alternatives.
(Basic POS & Payments)
(Advanced Inventory & Staff Features)
(Varies by Method)
From (Basic Reader)-(Full Retail Kit)
Team Management (£5/staff/month)
(added to monthly fees)
Square is a fantastic second-choice POS – not quite as fully-featured as premium systems, but unbeatable for flexibility and value. It’s perfect if you want low commitment costs with reliable performance.
The Best for Omnichannel Retailers
Lightspeed stands out as the ultimate commerce platform for retailers who sell both in-store and online. While other POS systems bolt on ecommerce features, Lightspeed delivers true unified commerce – making it ideal for modern retailers who need seamless synchronization between physical and digital sales channels.
Lightspeed offers transparent pricing with all core retail features included:
(Single Location Basics)
(Advanced Omnichannel)
(Enterprise Features)
(Via Integrated Partners)
From (Complete Retail Setup)
eCommerce from £29/month
While Lightspeed requires more investment than basic POS systems, retailers report 20-30% increases in cross-channel sales after implementation. The omnichannel capabilities are second-to-none in the UK market.
Want to see Lightspeed’s omnichannel power in action? Ask about their UK retail demo!
The Best Choice for Existing Shopify Merchants
Shopify POS is the perfect in-person selling companion for businesses already using Shopify online. If you’ve got a Shopify store, this system seamlessly bridges your online and offline sales better than any other option.
Shopify POS works with your existing subscription, adding minimal extra costs:
(Online + Basic POS)
(Professional Reporting + Advanced POS)
(Custom Reporting + Lowest Rates)
(vs 1.9% for Other Processors)
From (Tap & Chip Reader)-(Retail Kit)
Staff Permissions (£0 Extra)
For existing Shopify merchants, this POS is in a class of its own. While standalone systems might offer more flexibility, nothing integrates as smoothly with your online operations. The automatic inventory management alone saves most businesses hours per week.
Already on Shopify? Adding POS is a no-brainer.
Not on Shopify yet? Only choose this if you plan to sell online too.
The Best for Deep Retail Analytics
EPOS Now stands out as the top choice for UK retailers who need powerful, data-driven insights alongside their point-of-sale operations. While other systems offer basic reporting, EPOS Now delivers unmatched inventory intelligence and business analytics – making it ideal for retailers serious about growth.
EPOS Now offers transparent pricing with all core retail features included:
(Single Store Essentials)
(Multi-Location + Advanced Reporting)
(Via Integrated Partners)
(Complete Retail Setup)
Ecommerce from £29/month
While EPOS Now isn’t the cheapest or simplest system, it offers the most sophisticated retail analytics of any UK POS. The inventory intelligence alone helps many retailers reduce stock waste by 20-30% and optimize best-selling items.
Want to see how EPOS Now’s analytics could work for your business? Ask about a custom demo!
The Best for Deep Retail Analytics
TouchBistro stands out as the ultimate POS system specifically designed for table-service restaurants, pubs, and bars in the UK. While other systems try to be all things to all businesses, TouchBistro focuses on delivering the most streamlined, feature-rich solution for hospitality venues that need to manage complex dining operations with ease.
TouchBistro offers transparent, restaurant-friendly pricing with all core F&B features included:
(Single Terminal Basics)
(Multi-Station Operations)
Custom Pricing (Large Venues)
Integrated Solutions
(iPad-Based Setup)
Online ordering (£29/month)
TouchBistro delivers the most refined dining experience of any UK POS system. While it’s not the cheapest option, restaurant owners report 15-20% faster table turns and significantly fewer order errors after switching.
Want to see how TouchBistro could streamline your restaurant? Ask about their UK demo program!
An EPOS (Electronic Point of Sale) system is a modern till that replaces your old cash register. It combines card payments, stock control, and sales reporting in one smart system—perfect for shops, restaurants, and service businesses.
| Feature | Cloud EPOS (Square, Lightspeed) | Traditional EPOS (Older systems) |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Monthly subscription | High upfront cost |
| Updates | Automatic | Manual installs |
| Access | Anywhere with internet | Only on-site |
A: If you handle more than 50 sales/day or have over 200 products, an EPOS will save you time and reduce errors.
A: Yes! Systems like Square and Lightspeed store sales when offline, then sync when reconnected.
A: Square and Zettle offer free plans—you just pay per transaction.
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Compare Card Processing is a trading name of Savepay Ltd. Reg in England No. 10147163. Registered Office: International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct,
London, EC1A 2BN.
Compare Card Processing: Your go-to site for insights to choose the ideal provider for your card processing needs.
© 2024 Compare Card Processing. All Rights Reserved.
Compare Card Processing is a trading name of Savepay Ltd. Reg in England No. 10147163. Registered Office: International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London, EC1A 2BN.
* All your information is held securely and we never give your details to 3rd parties.
* All your information is held securely and we never give your details to 3rd parties.
© 2024 Compare Card Processing. All Rights Reserved.
Design & Dev by