If you're running a retail business in the UK, you already know that choosing the right POS system can make or break your bottom line. But with so many options out there, it's hard to know which one actually saves you money rather than just looking cheap upfront.
Today, we're comparing three of the most popular retail POS systems: SumUp, Epos Now, and Shopify POS. We'll cut through the marketing waffle and tell you exactly which one will give you the best bang for your buck, depending on what kind of retail business you're running.
The Quick Breakdown: What Are We Comparing?
Before we dive into the costs, let's get clear on what each system is actually designed for.
SumUp is brilliant for micro-businesses, market traders, and mobile operations. It's incredibly simple, doesn't lock you into monthly contracts, and works well if you're mostly taking card payments on the go.
Shopify POS is purpose-built for retailers who already sell online through Shopify. If you've got a Shopify store and want to add a physical retail presence (or vice versa), this keeps everything under one roof.
Epos Now is a robust, feature-packed system aimed at growing retail businesses that need serious inventory management, reporting, and multi-location capabilities. It's not the cheapest option, but it's designed to scale with you. You can read our full Epos Now review here to see if it's right for your business.
SumUp: The Budget-Friendly Mobile Option
Let's start with SumUp, because it's often the first port of call for retailers who want to keep costs low.
Pricing
SumUp's pricing is refreshingly transparent. You don't pay monthly fees for the card reader itself, you just buy the hardware upfront (starting around £29 for a basic reader, up to £169 for a touchscreen till). Then you pay transaction fees: 2.75% for in-person card payments and around 2.95% for contactless.
There's no subscription for basic use, which makes it dead simple to budget. However, if you want their POS software with inventory management and staff accounts, you'll need to pay a monthly fee (typically around £29+/month depending on features).
Who It's Best For
SumUp shines for pop-up shops, market traders, food trucks, and really small retail operations. If you're doing fewer than 50 transactions a day and don't need complex inventory tracking, it's a solid choice.
The downside? It's pretty basic. You won't get advanced reporting, customer relationship management, or multi-site functionality. If you're planning to grow beyond a single-person operation, you'll outgrow SumUp fast.
Shopify POS: The E-Commerce Powerhouse
If you're already selling online through Shopify, their POS system is worth a serious look.
Pricing
Shopify POS pricing is a bit more complex. There's a free tier (Shopify POS Lite) that comes with all Shopify plans, but it's pretty limited. For proper retail functionality, you'll need Shopify POS Pro at £79/month per location.
On top of that, you'll pay transaction fees unless you use Shopify Payments (their in-house payment processor). If you're already on Shopify Payments, you can avoid separate POS transaction fees, which is where the savings start to add up.
Who It's Best For
If you've got an existing Shopify online store and want to add a physical retail location, Shopify POS is a no-brainer. Your inventory syncs automatically between online and offline, customer data stays unified, and you're managing everything from one dashboard.
The catch? If you're not already a Shopify merchant, you're basically paying for two systems (e-commerce + POS), which can get expensive fast. For pure brick-and-mortar retailers, it's often overkill.
Epos Now: The Feature-Rich Growth Option
Now let's talk about Epos Now, which sits at the other end of the spectrum from SumUp.
Pricing
Epos Now's pricing starts from around £5/month for basic plans, but realistically, most retail businesses will pay more once they add the features they actually need. You'll also need to factor in hardware costs (tills, scanners, receipt printers), which can run from a few hundred to several thousand pounds depending on your setup.
The key thing with Epos Now is that pricing varies massively based on your requirements. It's not a one-size-fits-all system, which is why we always recommend booking a demo to get an accurate quote.
Who It's Best For
Epos Now is designed for businesses that need proper retail functionality: multi-location inventory sync, detailed sales reporting, staff management with permission levels, automated reordering, and integrations with accounting software like Xero or QuickBooks.
If you're running a growing fashion boutique, a multi-site electronics retailer, or a homeware shop with complex stock requirements, Epos Now gives you the tools to actually manage that complexity rather than drown in spreadsheets.
Yes, it costs more upfront than SumUp. But if it saves you 10 hours a week on manual inventory counts and helps you avoid stockouts (or overstocking), it pays for itself pretty quickly.
The Real Cost Comparison: It's Not Just About Monthly Fees
Here's where most retailers get it wrong: they focus purely on monthly subscription costs and ignore everything else.
Transaction Fees Matter More Than You Think
SumUp's 2.75% transaction fee sounds reasonable, but if you're doing £10,000 in card sales per month, that's £275 in fees. Over a year, that's £3,300, significantly more than an Epos Now subscription plus payment processing through a competitive provider.
Shopify POS charges similar transaction fees if you're not using Shopify Payments. But if you are using Shopify Payments, you can get rates as low as 1.5% for in-person transactions (on higher-tier plans), which creates real savings for higher-volume retailers.
According to research from Merchant Savvy, average UK card processing fees range from 1.5% to 3%, so it's definitely worth comparing your options.
Hardware Costs Add Up
SumUp's hardware is cheap upfront, but it's also limited. If you need barcode scanners, receipt printers, or cash drawers, you'll be buying third-party equipment that may not integrate perfectly.
Shopify and Epos Now both offer complete hardware bundles designed to work seamlessly together. Yes, they cost more initially, but you avoid compatibility headaches and the risk of buying equipment twice.
Time Is Money
This is the big one that most comparison articles miss. SumUp might save you £50/month on software, but if it takes you an extra hour every day to manually manage inventory and reconcile sales, that's time you could be spending on growing your business.
Epos Now's automated inventory management, real-time reporting, and multi-location sync can save retailers hours of admin work per week. For many businesses, that efficiency gain is worth far more than the subscription cost.
So Which One Actually Saves You Money?
Alright, let's get to the point. Here's our honest take on which system makes the most financial sense:
Choose SumUp if: You're a micro-business doing under £3,000/month in sales, you operate at markets or pop-ups, and you don't need complex inventory management. The low transaction fees and zero monthly costs make it ideal for very small operations.
Choose Shopify POS if: You already have a Shopify online store and want to add retail locations. The unified inventory and customer data saves you the cost (and headache) of managing multiple systems. Just make sure you use Shopify Payments to avoid double transaction fees.
Choose Epos Now if: You're running a growing retail business that needs proper inventory control, detailed reporting, and room to scale. Yes, it costs more, but it'll save you time and prevent costly mistakes like stockouts or overstocking. Check out our detailed Epos Now breakdown to see if the features justify the cost for your business.
The Hidden Costs Nobody Talks About
Before you make your final decision, watch out for these sneaky additional costs:
- Training time: Simple systems like SumUp are quick to learn; complex systems like Epos Now require proper staff training
- Integration costs: Need to connect to your accounting software? Some systems charge extra for integrations
- Support fees: Budget systems often have limited customer support; premium systems include dedicated account managers
- Upgrade costs: As you grow, you'll likely need to upgrade your plan: factor in those future costs now
If you're still weighing up your options and want to see how these systems compare to other solutions, have a look at our guide to the cheapest POS systems for restaurants: many of the same principles apply to retail.
Our Recommendation: Match the System to Your Growth Stage
Here's the reality: there's no single "cheapest" option that works for everyone.
For tiny, mobile-first businesses, SumUp's transaction-fee-only model genuinely saves money. But once you're doing serious volume or managing complex inventory, you'll hit its limitations fast.
For Shopify merchants, staying in the Shopify ecosystem makes sense: but only if you're actually using their e-commerce platform. Don't pay for both systems if you don't need both.
For growing retailers who need reliability, scalability, and proper business management tools, Epos Now tends to offer the best long-term value. The upfront cost is higher, but the time savings and business insights often pay for themselves within months.
Our advice? Don't just look at the monthly fee. Calculate your total cost of ownership over 12-24 months, including transaction fees, hardware, and the value of your time. That'll give you a much clearer picture of which system actually saves you money.
And if you're serious about scaling your retail business, it's definitely worth booking a demo with Epos Now to see exactly what features you'd get and how much it'll cost for your specific setup. The peace of mind alone is worth the phone call.