Let's be honest, choosing a POS system feels like dating. There are loads of options, they all promise the world, and you're terrified of committing to the wrong one. We've spent the past three months testing eight popular POS systems in the UK to save you the headache (and the buyer's remorse).
No fluff, no affiliate bias, just honest feedback from actual use. Whether you're running a café in Manchester, a boutique in Brighton, or a restaurant in Edinburgh, we've got you covered.
Quick Comparison: Which System for Which Business?
Before we dive deep, here's the TL;DR:
- Best overall for UK SMEs: Epos Now
- Best for small cafés and takeaways: POSApt
- Best free option: Square
- Best for restaurants: Toast POS
- Best for retail shops: Lightspeed Retail
- Best for online/offline integration: Shopify POS
- Cheapest for market stalls: SumUp
- Best for mobile businesses: Zettle by PayPal
1. Epos Now: The All-Rounder
We're starting with Epos Now because it genuinely impressed us across the board. It's designed for UK businesses, priced in pounds, and the customer service actually answers the phone, revolutionary stuff, right?
What we loved: The hardware quality is brilliant. The touchscreen till is responsive, the receipt printer doesn't jam every five minutes, and setup took about 20 minutes. You can manage inventory, staff schedules, and multiple locations from one dashboard. The reporting is detailed without being overwhelming.
What could be better: It's not the cheapest option upfront, with hardware packages starting around £799. Monthly software fees run from £25-£35 depending on features. But you're getting proper kit that'll last, not some flimsy tablet stand.
Best for: Independent retailers, cafés, salons, and service businesses that want reliability and local support. It's particularly strong if you're planning to grow, the multi-location features are robust.
Price: From £25/month + hardware costs
Read our full Epos Now review here for pricing breakdowns and real screenshots.
2. Square: The Free Starter
Square entered the UK market a few years back and has become the go-to for businesses testing the waters. We set up a Square account in literally five minutes, no credit check, no commitment.
What we loved: It's genuinely free to start. You pay 1.75% per transaction and that's it. The app is beautifully designed, and accepting payments via smartphone or tablet is dead simple. The analytics dashboard gives you everything you need without drowning you in data.
What could be better: Those transaction fees add up fast. If you're doing £50,000 turnover, that's £875/year just in fees. Hardware is also pricey, the reader is free, but the full till setup costs £399+.
Best for: Startups, market traders, food trucks, or any business that's testing demand before committing to expensive hardware. It's perfect if you need flexibility.
Price: Free software, 1.75% per transaction
3. Lightspeed Retail: The Powerhouse
Lightspeed is what you graduate to when your business gets serious. We tested this in a mid-sized retail environment, and the inventory management alone is worth the price.
What we loved: Multi-location inventory sync is flawless. You can transfer stock between shops, set reorder points, and track every item movement. The customer database is proper CRM-level stuff, purchase history, preferences, everything. Integration with accounting software (Xero, QuickBooks) worked perfectly.
What could be better: It's complex. Properly complex. Training staff took twice as long as other systems. And it's expensive, expect £69-£199/month depending on features. Definitely overkill if you're just running a single coffee shop.
Best for: Growing retail businesses (especially fashion, homeware, electronics) with complex inventory or multiple locations. If you're doing over £250k turnover, this pays for itself in efficiency.
Price: From £69/month + transaction fees
4. Toast POS: The Restaurant Specialist
Toast POS is built exclusively for hospitality, and it shows. We tested this in a busy lunch service, and it handled orders, table management, and kitchen tickets without breaking a sweat.
What we loved: The kitchen display system is brilliant, orders appear instantly, colour-coded by urgency. Split bills and table transfers are intuitive. Menu modifications (no onions, extra cheese) flow seamlessly to the kitchen. Online ordering integrates natively if you want delivery/collection.
What could be better: It's restaurant-only, so forget it if you're in retail. Pricing is a bit opaque, you'll need to contact them for quotes. According to research from Hospitality Technology, implementation can take 2-4 weeks for full-service restaurants.
Best for: Restaurants, pubs, and cafés with table service. If food is your business, Toast is worth every penny.
Price: Custom pricing (expect £50-150/month)
5. Shopify POS: The Omnichannel Winner
If you're already selling online or planning to, Shopify POS is the obvious choice. We tested this for a boutique selling both in-store and via their website, the sync is magical.
What we loved: Inventory updates instantly across all channels. Sell something in-shop? Website stock adjusts immediately. Customer data unifies, online browsers and in-store shoppers share one profile. The hardware is sleek and modern.
What could be better: You're paying for Shopify e-commerce whether you use it or not (from £25/month). Transaction fees are 1.6-2.4% unless you use Shopify Payments. It's also a bit basic for complex retail operations.
Best for: Retailers who already have (or want) an online shop. Fashion, gifts, homeware, beauty products, anything that sells well both online and offline.
Price: From £25/month + Shopify plan
6. SumUp: The Budget Champion
SumUp is brilliantly simple. We tested this at a farmers' market stall, and it's perfect for that environment, no frills, no fuss, no monthly fees.
What we loved: You buy the card reader (£19-£99) and that's it. No monthly subscription. Transaction fee is 1.69%, one of the cheapest in the UK. The app works offline and syncs when you get signal. Battery life on the reader lasted three full market days.
Best for: Market traders, mobile businesses, part-time ventures, and startups. If your turnover is under £30k/year, SumUp makes total financial sense.
What could be better: Limited features, no proper inventory management, basic reporting, and you can't do advanced stuff like staff permissions or multi-location. It's simple because it's simple.
Price: £19-£99 hardware, 1.69% per transaction
7. POSApt: The Value Pick
POSApt isn't as well-known as the big brands, but we were pleasantly surprised. It's Australian-owned but fully supports UK businesses with proper customer service hours.
What we loved: Feature-rich at an affordable price. Full menu management, table layouts, staff tracking, and reporting for around £30/month. Hardware bundles start at £499. The interface isn't the prettiest, but it's functional and reliable.
What could be better: Fewer integrations than competitors. If you need to connect with specialist software (advanced accounting, loyalty programmes), options are limited. Setup requires a bit more technical knowledge.
Best for: Cafés, takeaways, and small restaurants looking for value. If you want proper POS features without Lightspeed prices, POSApt hits the sweet spot.
Price: From £30/month + hardware
8. Zettle by PayPal: The Mobile Marvel
Zettle (owned by PayPal) is Square's main rival in the mobile POS space. We tested this for a mobile beauty therapist, and it's perfectly suited to on-the-go businesses.
What we loved: PayPal integration means instant access to your money. No waiting for bank transfers. The reader is compact and robust. Transaction fees are competitive at 1.75%. You can send digital receipts or invoices straight through the app.
What could be better: Limited inventory features and basic reporting. It's clearly designed for service businesses, not retail. Hardware options are limited compared to dedicated POS systems.
Best for: Mobile service providers (hairdressers, beauty therapists, personal trainers), events, and pop-up shops. If you're rarely in one place, Zettle keeps things simple.
Price: Free software, 1.75% per transaction, readers from £29
How We Actually Tested These Systems
We didn't just download the apps and click around. We set up each system with real hardware, processed actual transactions, and used them in live business environments (with permission from very patient business owners).
Each system was evaluated on:
- Setup time: From unboxing to first transaction
- Ease of use: Could staff learn it quickly?
- Reliability: Did it crash or slow down during busy periods?
- Features: Inventory, reporting, integrations
- Support: How quickly did they respond to problems?
- Value: Does the pricing match the features?
We spent at least two weeks with each system, running everything from quiet weekday mornings to manic Saturday afternoon rushes.
Our Final Recommendations
After three months of testing, here's what we'd actually buy with our own money:
If you're a UK SME wanting the best all-round system: Go with Epos Now. It's reliable, feature-rich, and backed by UK-based support. Yes, it costs more upfront, but you won't outgrow it quickly.
If you're starting small and bootstrapping: Square or SumUp will serve you brilliantly without monthly fees eating your margin.
If you run a restaurant: Toast POS is purpose-built for you. The kitchen management alone justifies the cost.
If you sell online and in-store: Shopify POS is the only system that truly unifies both channels seamlessly.
Don't Make This Decision Alone
Here's the thing: we've tested these systems, but we don't know your specific business. What works brilliantly for a café might be useless for a boutique.
Most of these providers offer free demos or trial periods. Book them. Play with the systems. Get your staff to test them. Ask awkward questions about what happens when things go wrong.
Epos Now offers free consultations where they'll actually assess your business needs: it's worth 30 minutes of your time, even if you end up choosing something else.
The right POS system should feel invisible. You shouldn't notice it during service: you should only notice when things run smoothly, payments process quickly, and you've got time to actually run your business instead of wrestling with technology.
Ready to upgrade your POS system? Start with our detailed Epos Now review or explore more POS system comparisons on our blog. Your perfect system is out there( we've just helped you narrow down the shortlist.)