EPOS Now alternatives UK 2026: cheaper EPOS systems without the hidden fees

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 at 0.3% debit / 0.7% credit — substantially cheaper than 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.

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:

Over 3 years, the difference between EPOS Now and ReeveOS is over £7,500.