Square alternatives for UK small businesses
Square is capable and well designed, and for a lot of UK businesses it does everything they need. The comparisons worth making are on structure: what the hardware costs you over four years, how deep the stock control goes, and who answers when something stops working mid-service.
How Square is set up
Square publishes flat rates and sells hardware outright or on finance. Check their current pricing directly, as rates and hardware bundles change. Where the comparison gets interesting is total cost over a contract-length period, and whether UK-based phone support matters to how you trade.
The table below compares how the two are structured, not what they charge. Published prices move, so get current figures from each provider in writing and compare the full first-year total rather than the monthly line.
Square and Zivaro, side by side
| Square | Zivaro | |
|---|---|---|
| Getting a price | Published rates and hardware prices. Verify current figures. | Published bundle prices, then £12 a month + VAT. |
| Hardware | Bought outright or financed. | Bought outright and yours from delivery. |
| Stock control | Capable, with paid tiers for deeper features. | Cost prices, reorder levels and supplier ordering included. |
| Support | Largely online and in-app, with phone support on some plans. | UK-based phone support, included. |
| Setup | Self-serve. | We import your product list and configure the hardware before it ships. |
When it is worth switching
Switching for a few pounds a month rarely pays. It is worth the disruption when one of these is true:
- You would rather someone loaded your product list than do it yourself
- You want UK-based phone support included rather than tiered
- You want the four-year total written down before deciding
- You need next-day setup with staff shown the basics before you open
If none of them apply, stay where you are. We would rather tell you that than sell you a system you do not need. If two or more do, our guide to switching without closing the shop sets out the week, and the contract checklist covers what to read before you sign anything — ours included.
What Zivaro costs
Bundles are a one-off purchase and the hardware is yours from delivery. Software and support are £12 a month + VAT on every bundle, with no long lock-in. Current bundle prices are published on our products page rather than held behind a quote form, so you can do this comparison before speaking to anybody.
Questions people ask
Is Square good for UK small businesses?
For many, yes — it is a capable system with transparent published pricing. Whether it is right for you depends on how much stock control you need, whether you want setup done for you, and how much you value UK phone support when something goes wrong mid-service.
How do I compare Square with another EPOS fairly?
Work out the four-year total for each: upfront hardware, plus monthly fees times 48, plus setup, plus estimated card processing. Most EPOS agreements run three to five years, so that is the only comparison that reflects what you actually pay.
Can someone set the system up for me?
With Zivaro, yes — we import your product list or menu, configure and test the hardware before it ships, and show your staff the basics before you go live. Next-day setup is available on most bundles once your data is with us.