Meta Description: Discover the hidden costs of Toast, SumUp, and Epos Now. We break down EPOS system pricing secrets to help you find the best POS system for your UK business without the headache.
Let’s be honest: trying to find the best POS system for your business feels a bit like trying to solve a Rubik's cube in the dark. You visit one website, and they promise "starts from £0." You visit another, and they want you to "call for a quote." By the time you’ve looked at the third one, your head is spinning with transaction fees, hardware costs, and software tiers.
At What EPOS, we’ve spent years digging through the fine print so you don’t have to. Whether you’re looking for a restaurant POS system to handle a busy Friday night rush or a retail POS system to manage thousands of SKUs, the pricing reality is often very different from the glossy marketing brochures.
Today, we’re pulling back the curtain. We’re going to talk about the secrets the experts (and the sales reps) won't tell you about Toast, SumUp, and Epos Now pricing. It’s time to find out which is actually the cheapest pos system for your specific needs and which one might end up costing you a small fortune in hidden fees.
The "Free" Trap: Is SumUp Actually the Cheapest?
If you’re just starting out, the SumUp POS system looks incredibly tempting. No monthly fees? A card reader for the price of a few coffees? It sounds like a dream. But here’s the secret: "Free" usually means you’re the product.
SumUp is fantastic for micro-businesses: think market stalls, weekend pop-ups, or mobile hairdressers. However, once you start doing serious volume, those transaction fees (usually around 1.69% in the UK) start to bite. If you’re turning over £10,000 a month, you’re paying £169 just to take payments. Over a year, that’s over £2,000.
Compare that to a system with a monthly SaaS fee but lower negotiated rates, and suddenly the "free" option looks very expensive. We’ve written a deep dive in our SumUp POS system review that explains exactly where the tipping point is. If you're growing, don't let the low entry price blind you to the long-term costs.
Alt Text: A small SumUp card reader on a wooden counter, illustrating the compact nature of entry-level POS systems.
Toast POS: The Hospitality King with a Pricey Crown
When it comes to a restaurant POS system, Toast is often top of the list. They’ve built something truly impressive for the hospitality world. Their industry-specific automation can genuinely save you money on labour costs by streamlining how orders get from the table to the kitchen.
But here’s what they don’t shout about: the hardware lock-in. Toast runs on its own proprietary hardware. This means if you decide to leave Toast, your expensive tablets and terminals often become high-tech paperweights. They also tend to have higher processing fees than some independent merchant service providers.
We love how Toast handles table management, but you need to be sure you're ready for a long-term marriage. You can see more about how they stack up in our guide to Toast EPOS for restaurants. It’s definitely worth getting a demo, but keep your eyes wide open when it comes to the "Pay-as-you-Go" hardware plans, as they often come with much higher transaction rates.
The Epos Now Strategy: Why Transparency Matters
Now, let's talk about the elephant in the room: Epos Now. You might have noticed that their pricing can feel a bit "secretive" because they often encourage you to get a custom quote. While that can be annoying when you just want a quick price, there’s a reason for it.
The Epos Now till system is designed to be a "Complete Solution." Usually, this looks like an upfront cost (often around £349 or $349) plus a monthly software fee (starting around £39). Some people see that upfront cost and run toward a "free" system, but that’s often a mistake.
By paying that bit extra upfront, you usually get:
- Lower ongoing transaction fees.
- Hardware you actually own.
- A system that can handle both retail and hospitality with ease.
In terms of value, we think Epos Now offers one of the most robust platforms for UK SMEs. If you’re serious about scaling, it’s often the best POS system for the job because it bridges the gap between basic tablet apps and enterprise-level software. You can read our full, honest breakdown here: Epos Now till system review. Seriously, if you're comparing quotes right now, that review is a must-read.
Alt Text: An Epos Now till system featuring a touchscreen monitor and receipt printer in a retail setting.
The Hidden Costs Nobody Mentions
Whether you choose Shopify POS, SumUp, or Epos Now, there are three hidden costs that "experts" rarely mention until you've already signed the contract:
1. PCI Compliance Fees
Some providers charge a monthly or annual "compliance fee" to ensure your payments are secure. It might only be £5–£10 a month, but it’s an extra cost that many businesses forget to budget for.
2. The "App Store" Drain
Modern epos systems like Shopify and Epos Now have amazing app markets. Need an integration for Xero? There’s an app for that. Want a loyalty programme? There’s an app for that. But be careful: those £5 and £10 monthly app fees add up quickly. Suddenly, your £39/month system is costing you £150/month.
3. Proprietary Paper and Accessories
This is a classic "inkjet printer" strategy. Some companies sell you the till for cheap but then force you to buy their specific thermal paper rolls or replacement cables at a 300% markup. Always check if the hardware uses standard 80mm thermal rolls that you can buy in bulk elsewhere.
Retail vs. Hospitality: Choosing the Right Tool
One of the biggest mistakes we see is a business owner using a retail POS system for a cafe, or vice versa.
- For Retail: You need a Shopify POS or an Epos Now till system. Why? Because inventory management is your lifeblood. You need to track variants (size, colour), manage stock across multiple locations, and ideally sync with your online shop. Check out our Shopify POS review to see how it handles the "omnichannel" world.
- For Hospitality: You need a restaurant POS system like Toast or Epos Now’s hospitality version. You need floor plans, kitchen display system (KDS) integration, and the ability to split bills easily. If your POS can't handle "no onions" on a burger order with one tap, it’s going to slow you down.
Alt Text: A split screen showing a retail shop interface on a tablet and a restaurant floor plan on a POS terminal.
Why We Often Recommend Epos Now for UK Businesses
We’ve looked at a lot of systems, and while there is no single "perfect" choice for everyone, the Epos Now till system consistently ranks highly in our testing for UK-based businesses.
It’s not just about the software; it’s about the ecosystem. They have a solid UK presence, their hardware is built to last in messy environments (crucial for pubs!), and they offer a level of customisation that SumUp just can't match.
If you're currently using a basic card reader and finding that you're losing track of your stock or your staff are getting confused during busy periods, it's definitely worth looking at a more professional setup. You can explore their specific offerings for different sectors in the Epos Now category page.
Final Thoughts: Don't Just Look at the Sticker Price
When you're hunting for the cheapest pos system, remember that "cheap" can be very expensive if it causes you to lose sales or spend hours manually fixing inventory errors.
Our advice?
- Small/Mobile? Start with SumUp.
- Big Restaurant? Look at Toast.
- Growing Retailer or All-Rounder? You really can't go wrong with Epos Now.
Choosing an epos system is a big decision, but it doesn't have to be a nightmare. Take your time, ignore the "limited time only" pressure from sales reps, and make sure you understand the total cost of ownership over two or three years, not just the first month.
Ready to see which one actually wins the crown? Head over to our comprehensive guide on the best POS systems for UK businesses in 2026. We’ve included real screenshots and zero-fluff pricing to help you decide.
And if you’ve narrowed it down to Epos Now, make sure you read our full review here before you sign on the dotted line. It might just save you a lot of money and a massive headache.