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.
- 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
- 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
- What's the best EPOS for a small UK restaurant that needs booking?
- How much do add-ons cost on EPOS Now?
- Does ReeveOS include loyalty programmes in the base price?
- What are the hidden fees with EPOS systems?
- What features should I check for in an EPOS system?
- How does the cost compare over three years for different EPOS options?
- Can I use my own hardware with these EPOS systems?
- Why are there extra fees with EPOS Now?
EPOS Now is one of the most recognisable EPOS brand names in the UK. Their advertising is everywhere and their initial pricing looks reasonable.
The problem is what happens when you start building the system you actually need.
Need 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.
By 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.
Here are the alternatives that offer transparent, all-in pricing.
What to look for in an EPOS system
Before comparing platforms, decide what you actually need.
Minimum requirements for most UK businesses:
- Process card payments and cash
- Print or email receipts
- Basic sales reporting
- Multiple staff logins
Common requirements for hospitality and retail:
- Table management (restaurants)
- Kitchen display or ticket printing (restaurants and cafés)
- Inventory and stock management
- Customer orders and tabs
- Booking system integration
Nice to have:
- Loyalty programme
- Online ordering integration
- Accountancy software integration (Xero, Sage)
- Multi-location management
Be 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.
The alternatives to EPOS Now
ReeveOS, best for businesses that also need booking
If 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.
Card payments through Dojo. Rates are personalised on volume, reply for a quote, typically well below EPOS Now's built-in processing.
No long contracts. Cancel any month.
Pricing: Growth £29/month. Scale £59/month. No add-ons for basic features.
Square POS, best for simple, low-cost EPOS
Square is genuinely free for basic POS functionality. No monthly software fee. You pay 1.75% per card transaction.
The 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.
For 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.
Pricing: Free software. 1.75% per transaction.
Lightspeed, best for larger retail and restaurants with complex needs
Lightspeed is a comprehensive system with strong inventory management, table management, and reporting. The feature depth is genuine.
The price is enterprise-level: £69–£399/month depending on the tier. Not appropriate for most independent businesses.
Pricing: From £69/month.
SumUp POS, best for simple mobile or pop-up trading
SumUp 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.
Good for market traders, pop-up food stalls, and small retail.
Pricing: Hardware from £99. 0.69–1.69% per transaction.
Zettle by PayPal, viable but watch the fees
Zettle 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.
Pricing: 1.75% per transaction.
The hidden fee problem with EPOS Now explained
EPOS Now's business model relies on add-on fees for features that other platforms include by default.
Here is a real comparison. Suppose you need:
- 3 staff logins with permission controls
- Basic loyalty programme
- Xero accounting integration
- 1 register
EPOS Now base: £25/month
Add team management features: +£15/month
Add loyalty: +£15/month
Add integrations: +£15/month
Actual total: £70/month
ReeveOS Growth at £29/month includes all of the above.
The 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.
One system for restaurant reservations, takeaway orders, deposits, and EPOS. UK-built, no 20% commission.
What about hardware?
EPOS Now requires you to purchase their hardware upfront, typically £300–£800 for a complete setup including screen, card reader, and printer.
ReeveOS 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.
Square and SumUp also work with standard hardware. Their card readers are £20–£50.
The 3-year cost comparison
For a restaurant doing £15,000/month in card sales, running one till, needing 4 staff logins:
| Platform | Monthly software | Monthly processing | Annual total | 3-year total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPOS Now (full features) | £70 | £225 (1.5%) | £3,540 | £10,620 |
| ReeveOS + Dojo | £29 | from £55 | £1,008 | £3,024 |
| Square POS | £0 | £262 (1.75%) | £3,144 | £9,432 |
| SumUp POS | £0 | £150 (1%) | £1,800 | £5,400 |
Over 3 years, the difference between EPOS Now and ReeveOS is over £7,500.
Frequently asked questions
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