Epos Now alternatives for UK small businesses

Most people searching for Epos Now alternatives aren't unhappy with the touchscreen. They're unhappy with something they found out after they signed — a minimum term they'd forgotten, a card rate that wasn't part of the same conversation, or a support queue at the worst possible moment.

So this isn't a hit piece. Epos Now is one of the largest EPOS providers in the UK and plenty of businesses run happily on it. But if you're comparing options, the monthly software price is the least useful number on the page. This guide shows you what to compare instead, and how the main types of UK provider differ.

The short answer

There are three genuinely different ways to buy a till in the UK, and they suit different businesses:

• Quote-based full EPOS providers. You request a price, a salesperson calls, and you get a package built around your business. Epos Now works this way, as do most established EPOS companies. Strong on features; the variable is what you sign.
• Card-reader-first providers. SumUp, Zettle and Square publish flat rates and sell you a reader with no contract. Brilliant for a market stall or a new café. They start to strain once you need stock control, table plans or multiple staff logins.
• Fixed-price EPOS bundles. You see the hardware price and the monthly price before you speak to anyone. That's the model we use at Zivaro — a complete bundle up front, then software and support from £12 a month + VAT.

None of these is automatically better. The mistake is comparing a published monthly figure from one against a quoted package from another and thinking you've compared like with like.

Compare year-one total, not monthly price

A £25-a-month system with a £900 terminal costs more in year one than a £40-a-month system with the hardware included. Work out the full first-year number for every option, using the same list every time:

1. Hardware, including the second screen, printer, scanner and cash drawer you'll actually need
2. Software subscription for twelve months
3. Installation, setup or "onboarding" fees
4. Training, if it isn't included
5. Card processing — both the percentage and any fixed monthly terminal or gateway charge
6. PCI compliance fees, statement fees and minimum monthly service charges
7. Anything you'll pay to leave, if you're still in a term elsewhere

Line seven catches people out. If you're mid-contract, the cost of leaving is part of the comparison, and any provider worth switching to should help you time the move rather than rush it.

How the main UK options differ in structure

The table below compares how these providers are set up, not what they charge — published prices move, and any figure we print here will be out of date within months. Get current numbers from each provider in writing.

Whichever you shortlist, ask every one of them the same five questions and write the answers down. You'll learn more from that than from any feature list.

The five questions that actually decide it

1. What is the minimum term, and what's the notice period?

Ask for both in writing, along with what happens at renewal. A twelve-month term that rolls into another twelve unless you cancel in a narrow window is a very different product from a twelve-month term that goes monthly afterwards.

2. Do I own the hardware?

If you buy the till outright, it's yours, and a bad year with a supplier doesn't leave you with an empty counter. If it's leased or "included", find out what you return and what you're charged if a screen gets knocked off the counter.

3. Is card processing part of this contract or a separate one?

Very often it's separate, with its own term and its own exit terms. That's not sinister, but it means "cancelling my EPOS" might not cancel your merchant account. Our view is that card payments should be integrated with the till so the amount goes straight to the terminal — but you should still know exactly which agreements you've signed.

4. Who answers the phone at 7pm on a Saturday?

Ask where support is based, what the hours are, and whether phone support is included or an upgrade. Then ring the support number before you buy and see how long it takes. It is the single most predictive test you can run.

5. Can I export my data if I leave?

Your product list, price list, customer records and sales history should be exportable in a standard format. A provider confident in its service won't hesitate.

What this looks like in a real shop

Take a convenience shop turning over £18,000 a month, of which £12,000 is on cards. At a 1.75% blended rate, card processing costs around £210 a month before any fixed fees. Shaving the rate to 1.69% saves roughly £7 a month — real money, but not the number that decides anything.

Now look at the other side of the same counter. If a slow or fiddly till adds fifteen seconds to each of 400 transactions a week, that's over an hour and a half of staff time weekly, plus the customers who walk out of a four-deep queue. That's where the money actually is, and it's why the terminal, the scanner and the stock file matter more than a rate comparison.

When switching is worth the disruption

Switching for a few pounds a month rarely pays. Switching is worth it when one of these is true:

• You're paying for features you've never used and can't remove
• You can't get a person on the phone when the till is down
• You're locked into a term you didn't know you'd agreed to and it's about to roll over
• Your system can't do something your business now needs — table plans, a second site, or one stock list across your shop and your website
• Nobody will give you a plain answer about what you're actually paying in total

If two or more apply, get comparison quotes. If none do, stay where you are and spend the afternoon on something else.

Frequently asked questions

Can I leave my EPOS provider before my contract ends?

Usually only by paying the remaining term, unless the provider has failed to deliver what was agreed. Check your signed agreement for the minimum term, the notice period and any early termination charge. Many owners find it cheaper to time the switch for the end of the term and give notice early, in writing, so it doesn't auto-renew.

Will I lose my sales history if I change EPOS system?

Not if you export it first. Take your product and price list, customer records, supplier details and at least twelve months of sales reports before you cancel anything. Keep them somewhere safe — you may need the sales data for your accounts long after the system is gone.

Do I have to change my card processor if I change till?

Not always, but it's worth checking whether your existing terminal can integrate with the new till. If it can't, staff will be typing amounts in by hand, which is where mis-keyed transactions come from. Ask both providers directly before you commit either way.

How long does it take to set up a new EPOS system?

For a single-till independent shop, a day is normal once your product list is ready. At Zivaro we offer next-day setup for most bundles, with the products loaded and staff shown the basics before you open.

Getting a straight answer

You shouldn't need a sales call to find out what a till costs. Our bundle prices are published, the software is from £12 a month + VAT, and the hardware is yours once you've bought it.

If you'd like to see the system running with your own products on screen, book a free demo. A UK-based member of our team will call at a time you choose, walk you through the till in about twenty minutes, and send you a written quote with every line itemised — including anything you'd pay to leave.