{"id":"69ef2a1f9345e463ccef4d5e","title":"EPOS Now alternatives UK 2026: cheaper EPOS systems without the hidden fees","slug":"epos-now-alternative-uk-2026","excerpt":"EPOS Now's headline price looks reasonable until you add the features you actually need. Staff permissions, loyalty, and integrations are all add-ons. Here's what you should use instead.","category":"hospitality","tags":["epos-payments","software-comparisons"],"featured_image":"https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1556742049-0cfed4f6a45d?w=1400&h=700&fit=crop","featured_image_alt":"Restaurant EPOS system at counter showing order management screen","author":"ReeveOS Team","author_role":"Platform Operations","published_at":"2026-03-16T05:36:30.581000","updated_at":"2026-04-27T10:16:29.195000","read_time":"4 min","word_count":878,"featured":false,"trending":false,"hero_svg":"\n","hero_svg_alt":"Illustration comparing EPOS Now with cheaper UK EPOS systems, highlighting hidden fees versus cost-effective options for hospitality.","content":"# EPOS Now alternatives UK 2026: cheaper EPOS systems without the hidden fees\n\nEPOS Now is one of the most recognisable EPOS brand names in the UK. Their advertising is everywhere and their initial pricing looks reasonable.\n\nThe problem is what happens when you start building the system you actually need.\n\nNeed multiple staff logins with different permission levels? Add-on. Want a loyalty programme? Add-on. Need the stock management integration? Add-on. Want to connect your booking system? Add-on.\n\nBy the time most independent businesses have EPOS Now configured for real-world use, the monthly cost has doubled or tripled from the headline price, and they're locked into a 12 or 24-month contract.\n\nHere are the alternatives that offer transparent, all-in pricing.\n\n## What to look for in an EPOS system\n\nBefore comparing platforms, decide what you actually need.\n\n**Minimum requirements for most UK businesses:**\n- Process card payments and cash\n- Print or email receipts\n- Basic sales reporting\n- Multiple staff logins\n\n**Common requirements for hospitality and retail:**\n- Table management (restaurants)\n- Kitchen display or ticket printing (restaurants and cafés)\n- Inventory and stock management\n- Customer orders and tabs\n- Booking system integration\n\n**Nice to have:**\n- Loyalty programme\n- Online ordering integration\n- Accountancy software integration (Xero, Sage)\n- Multi-location management\n\nBe clear about which category your requirements fall into before you start comparing. The best system for a coffee shop with two registers is different from the best system for a 30-cover restaurant with a bar.\n\n## The alternatives to EPOS Now\n\n### ReeveOS, best for businesses that also need booking\n\nIf you're a restaurant, salon, barber, or any business that takes both bookings and payments, ReeveOS is the only system that genuinely integrates both in a single platform. The EPOS handles counter sales and card payments. The booking system manages appointments and table reservations. The CRM tracks customer history across both.\n\nCard payments through Dojo. Rates are personalised on volume, reply for a quote, typically well below EPOS Now's built-in processing.\n\nNo long contracts. Cancel any month.\n\n**Pricing:** Growth £29/month. Scale £59/month. No add-ons for basic features.\n\n---\n\n### Square POS, best for simple, low-cost EPOS\n\nSquare is genuinely free for basic POS functionality. No monthly software fee. You pay 1.75% per card transaction.\n\nThe catch: 1.75% becomes expensive at volume. For a business processing £10,000/month in card sales, that's £175/month in transaction fees. Dojo through ReeveOS on the same volume costs around £35/month.\n\nFor a very small business doing under £5,000/month in card sales and needing a simple till with no complex features, Square is difficult to beat on simplicity and setup speed.\n\n**Pricing:** Free software. 1.75% per transaction.\n\n---\n\n### Lightspeed, best for larger retail and restaurants with complex needs\n\nLightspeed is a comprehensive system with strong inventory management, table management, and reporting. The feature depth is genuine.\n\nThe price is enterprise-level: £69–£399/month depending on the tier. Not appropriate for most independent businesses.\n\n**Pricing:** From £69/month.\n\n---\n\n### SumUp POS, best for simple mobile or pop-up trading\n\nSumUp started as a card reader company and their POS is a solid entry-level till for businesses that don't need complexity. Low processing fees (from 0.69%). Limited features, no table management, no kitchen tickets, no complex reporting.\n\nGood for market traders, pop-up food stalls, and small retail.\n\n**Pricing:** Hardware from £99. 0.69–1.69% per transaction.\n\n---\n\n### Zettle by PayPal, viable but watch the fees\n\nZettle has a clean interface and integrates well with PayPal (useful if you already accept PayPal). The 1.75% processing fee is the same issue as Square, it becomes expensive at volume.\n\n**Pricing:** 1.75% per transaction.\n\n---\n\n## The hidden fee problem with EPOS Now explained\n\nEPOS Now's business model relies on add-on fees for features that other platforms include by default.\n\nHere is a real comparison. Suppose you need:\n- 3 staff logins with permission controls\n- Basic loyalty programme\n- Xero accounting integration\n- 1 register\n\nEPOS Now base: £25/month\nAdd team management features: +£15/month\nAdd loyalty: +£15/month\nAdd integrations: +£15/month\n\n**Actual total: £70/month**\n\nReeveOS Growth at £29/month includes all of the above.\n\nThe lesson: always build a full feature list before comparing EPOS systems. Compare the price of the configuration you actually need, not the headline plan price.\n\n## What about hardware?\n\nEPOS Now requires you to purchase their hardware upfront, typically £300–£800 for a complete setup including screen, card reader, and printer.\n\nReeveOS works on any iPad or Android tablet you already own, or on a standard laptop. You add a Dojo card reader (available on a monthly basis or purchased outright). The hardware cost is significantly lower.\n\nSquare and SumUp also work with standard hardware. Their card readers are £20–£50.\n\n## The 3-year cost comparison\n\nFor a restaurant doing £15,000/month in card sales, running one till, needing 4 staff logins:\n\n| Platform | Monthly software | Monthly processing | Annual total | 3-year total |\n|---|---|---|---|---|\n| EPOS Now (full features) | £70 | £225 (1.5%) | £3,540 | £10,620 |\n| ReeveOS + Dojo | £29 | from £55 | £1,008 | £3,024 |\n| Square POS | £0 | £262 (1.75%) | £3,144 | £9,432 |\n| SumUp POS | £0 | £150 (1%) | £1,800 | £5,400 |\n\nOver 3 years, the difference between EPOS Now and ReeveOS is over £7,500.","seo":{"meta_title":"EPOS Now alternatives UK 2026: cheaper EPOS systems without","meta_description":"EPOS Now charges for basic features as add-ons and locks you into long contracts. Here are the best UK alternatives with transparent pricing."},"tldr":["ReeveOS integrates booking and EPOS features in one platform for £29–£59/month without hidden add-ons.","Square POS offers free software but relies on 1.75% transaction fees, which may not suit high-volume businesses.","EPOS Now's initial £25/month price can triple with required features, leading to higher long-term costs.","Alternatives like SumUp provide low processing fees from 0.69% but lack advanced features such as table management"],"faqs":[{"q":"How much does EPOS Now actually cost?","a":"EPOS Now starts at £25/month for basic software but most real-world setups cost £50–£100/month once integrations, additional registers, and add-on features are included. Hardware is separate and purchased upfront."},{"q":"What is the best EPOS system for a small UK restaurant?","a":"For independent UK restaurants, ReeveOS and Square are the strongest options for all-in-one booking + EPOS + payments. For pure EPOS without booking needs, Square POS and SumUp POS are simpler and cheaper."},{"q":"Can I use my own card reader with any EPOS system?","a":"Most cloud EPOS systems require you to use their payment processing. ReeveOS integrates with Dojo, giving you access to 0.3% debit / 0.7% credit rates, significantly cheaper than built-in payment processing on most EPOS platforms."}],"lead_magnet_ids":[],"author_url":"https://reeveos.app/about","author_bio":"","reviewer":"ReeveOS Editorial","reviewer_credentials":"Platform Operations Team","reviewer_url":"https://reeveos.app/about","about":[],"mentions":[],"type":"competitor-alternative","direct_answer":"The best alternatives to EPOS Now for UK businesses seeking cheaper EPOS systems without hidden fees are ReeveOS, Square POS, Lightspeed, SumUp POS, and Zettle. ReeveOS offers all-in pricing from £29/month for the Growth plan, including staff logins, loyalty programmes, and integrations, and it works with Dojo for card payments at rates typically below 1%. For simple setups, Square POS provides free software with a 1.75% transaction fee, though this can add up for higher volumes, making it suitable for businesses under £5,000/month in card sales.","key_facts":["EPOS Now's base price is £25/month but often totals £70/month with add-ons for staff logins, loyalty, and integrations.","ReeveOS Growth plan costs £29/month and includes staff permissions, loyalty, and booking integration without extra fees.","Square POS software is free, with a 1.75% fee per card transaction, which equates to £175/month for £10,000 in card sales.","For a restaurant processing £15,000/month in card sales, ReeveOS with Dojo costs from £55/month in processing fees.","Over three years, EPOS Now can cost £10,620 for a full setup, while ReeveOS totals £3,024.","EPOS Now hardware costs £300–800, whereas ReeveOS works on existing iPads or Android tablets"],"fan_out_queries":[{"q":"What's the best EPOS for a small UK restaurant that needs booking?","covered_in":"direct_answer"},{"q":"How much do add-ons cost on EPOS Now?","covered_in":"key_facts"},{"q":"Does ReeveOS include loyalty programmes in the base price?","covered_in":"tldr"},{"q":"What are the hidden fees with EPOS systems?","covered_in":"faq"},{"q":"What features should I check for in an EPOS system?","covered_in":"h2:what-to-look-for-in-an-epos-system"},{"q":"How does the cost compare over three years for different EPOS options?","covered_in":"h2:the-3-year-cost-comparison"},{"q":"Can I use my own hardware with these EPOS systems?","covered_in":"h2:what-about-hardware"},{"q":"Why are there extra fees with EPOS Now?","covered_in":"h2:the-hidden-fee-problem-with-epos-now-explained"}],"cta_title":"","cta_desc":"","cta_link":"https://portal.rezvo.app/register","cta_button":"Start your free trial","sidebar_cta_title":"","sidebar_cta_desc":"","sidebar_cta_link":"","sidebar_cta_button":"","schema_offer_items":[],"schema_howto_steps":[],"schema_comparison_items":[],"schema_local_place":{},"schema_case_study_outcomes":[]}