Written by Matt Reed Reviewed by Ruairi Shirlow Updated on 26 July 2024 On this page Best Cheap Retail EPOS Systems Square POS Zettle SumUp Talech Clover How to Pick a Top Retail EPOS System How Else Can You Reduce EPOS Costs? Next Steps How We Test EPOS Systems FAQs Expand Our site is reader-supported – by clicking our links, we can match you with a potential supplier, and we may earn a small commission for this referral. Need a cheap EPOS system that provides top features without breaking the bank? We’ve got you and your UK-based business covered.For each of our top-rated EPOS providers, we’ve uncovered the cheapest price for their respective software subscriptions, transaction rates and hardware costs so you can assess all the costs crucial to running a point-of-sale system.The cheapest EPOS provider for UK businesses overall is Square, offering a free app, cheap hardware and on-par transaction rates.Read on for a full list of the best cheap EPOS providers, where we’ve also included a cost spectrum to show exactly how expensive each provider can get should you upgrade your plan, plus other tips on keeping prices to a minimum. Swipe right to see more 0 out of 0 backward forward Square Zettle SumUp Talech Clover Pricing £0 – £69/month Pricing £0/month Pricing From £0/month Pricing From £29.99/month Pricing Custom Free Trial/Plan Free Trial/Plan Free plan Free Trial/Plan Free plan Free Trial/Plan Free Trial/Plan Free plan Many EPOS suppliers hide their prices Unfortunately, some providers like Clover aren’t entirely clear about what prices you’ll be getting until you contact them directly.If you want to compare exact quotes from top-rated EPOS providers for your specific business needs, you can use our free quote tool to get no-obligation price-checks from trusted suppliers. 1. Square POS: Cheapest EPOS Provider in the UKWhen considering the cheapest software costs, transaction fees and hardware prices for all our top-rated EPOS providers in the UK, there was one clear winner: Square.Offering its software for free, card-readers from just £19 and standard transaction fees, there’s little to grumble about when it comes to Square’s pricing plans. Square Pricing From £0 (excl. processing fees) See Pricing Square Review Suitable for Businesses seeking a low-risk option Small to medium sized businesses with 1-3 locations Businesses who want to integrate an online store Not suitable for Businesses who require cost and profit management tools Restaurants who need to track ingredient usage Businesses who want low processing fees Square POS: Cost SpectrumBefore we dive into the details of its pricing, here’s a brief overview of Square’s cheapest and most expensive transaction rates, hardware costs and subscription fees.Cost ComponentCheapestMost ExpensiveTransaction Rate1.4% + 25p for UK cards online2.5% for manually keyed-in transactions or Virtual TerminalHardwareSquare Reader – £19 + VATSquare Register – £599 + VATSoftware SubscriptionFree (Square POS App)Custom pricing for Retail Premium plansPricing Breakdown: Square POSCheapest Square POS Software Subscription FeesSquare POS: Free (starting from £0 per month), including basic inventory tools and an online store. Processing fees apply.Square for Retail Plus: £49 per month per location, offers advanced inventory tools, barcode label printing, and cost of goods sold (COGS) reports. 30-day free trial is available.Transaction Rates for Free Square POS PlanCard-present transactions (in-person): 1.75%Online transactions with UK cards: 1.4% + 25p per transactionOnline transactions with non-UK cards: 2.5% + 25p per transactionManually keyed-in transactions, Invoices and Virtual Terminal: 2.5%POS Hardware CostsSquare Reader (contactless and chip): £19 + VATSquare Stand (for iPad): £99 + VAT / £17 per month financing + VATSquare Terminal (all-in-one device with printer): £149 + VAT / £13 per month financing + VATSquare Register (two-screen system): £599 + VAT / £50 per month financing + VAT 2. Zettle: 2nd Cheapest EPOS Provider in the UKZettle offers a transparent and straightforward pricing model with no monthly fees for its POS software, making it an attractive option for small to medium-sized retail businesses. Its hardware options are also flexible and scalable to fit various business needs. Zettle by PayPal 4.2 Pricing $0 Quick overview Zettle by PayPal offers retail-specific features, though it only scores a 3.5 out of 5 in this area in our research. This is because, despite having retail features, Zettle is a card reader at heart with a POS app to go with it. One of Zettle's biggest selling points is that it's a low cost card reader. And we really do mean low cost, with no monthly fees or contract, just a 1.75% transaction fee, and a one-off fee of $79 per card reader.Zettle's POS system, the Zettle Go app, is completely free. This POS app offers your basic features, such as the ability to built a product library, edit stock levels, and easily add items to your inventory from the app. The app also provides sales and employee reports.You can also integrate the system with your online store and social media, seamlessly dealing with all these different elements from the app.Whilst Zettle offers retail-specific features around inventory, reporting, and online integrations, this is the bulk of its POS system. The real deal lies in its card reader, which accepts all major debit and credit cards as well as Apple, Android, and Google Play. Contactless payments can be taken in less than five seconds, and cash payments can be taken with no daily limit.You can also provide full or partial refunds, send payment links to get paid remotely, and sell and accept gift cards. All of your earnings are deposited from the app into your bank account within two working days.Zettle is best suited to startups or small businesses who don't need complex or comprehensive inventory solutions. If you have a fairly straightforward inventory and mainly want to ensure you can process payments quickly and accurately, Zettle is a good fit for your business. If you need an affordable but more comprehensive POS system, Square could be a better choice.You should also note that Zettle only offers phone support during weekdays, which can be limiting especially if weekends are a busier time for your business. Read more + Read less - Strengths Offers lots of forms of payments No contract/monthly fee Weaknesses Phone support only available on weekdays Pricing See more See less Zettle Go (POS app) Free Card transactions 1.75% Invoice transactions 2.5% Payment link transactions 2.5% PayPal QR code transactions 1.75% Zettle: Cost SpectrumBased on our latest research, here is how Zettle’s pricing for transaction rates, hardware costs and subscription fees vary from cheapest to most expensive:Cost ComponentCheapestMost ExpensiveTransaction Rate1.75% (in-person, card-present)2.5% for payment links or invoicesHardwareZettle Reader 2 – £29 + VATZettle Store Kit – £189 + VATSoftware SubscriptionFree (Zettle Go App)Free (Zettle Go App)Pricing Breakdown: ZettleCheapest Zettle Software Subscription FeesZettle Go App: Free, includes product and inventory management, real-time sales reports, and integration with e-commerce platforms.Zettle Transaction RatesCard-present transactions (in-person): 1.75%Payment Links: 2.5%Zettle Invoice: 2.5%PayPal QR Codes: 1.75%Zettle POS Hardware CostsZettle Reader 2: £29 + VAT (additional readers at £59 + VAT)Zettle Terminal: £149 + VAT (barcode scanner sold separately)Zettle Store Kit: £189 + VAT 3. SumUp: Lower Fees and No CommitmentsSumUp provides a cost-effective solution for small to medium-sized retail businesses with no long-term contracts and transparent pricing.That includes slightly lower fees than our top two cheapest EPOS options, Square and Zettle. It sits third on the list due to almost triple the cost for its cheapest hardware, although that price is still an affordable £59 + VAT. SumUp 4.2 Pricing From £39 + VAT Quick overview SumUp provides card readers and POS systems geared towards small to medium-sized businesses. Once you pay £39 + VAT for a physical card reader, SumUp operates via pay-as-you-go pricing under a simple percentage-based model. It also provides free EPOS software and web-building capabilities.SumUp's most unique and cutting-edge feature is its independently operating card readers. In particular, its Solo card reader doesn’t need to be hooked up to any phone or computer system—it can take payments totally on its own. This is one of the main reasons why SumUp came out on top in our review.The only category where SumUp falls short is its customer service. In 2024, no live chat function is a pretty big bummer—that’s why SumUp scored only 3.5/5 in the customer support category. Read more + Read less - Pros Independent card readers Cost-effective hardware Cons Reporting could be bette Support isn’t available via live chat If you’d like to know more about SumUp, check out our SumUp review. SumUp: Cost SpectrumSumUp offers superb value for money, though you can also upgrade your software and hardware packages as and when required. Here’s a look at its pricing.Cost ComponentCheapestMost ExpensiveTransaction Rate1.69% (in-person, card-present)2.95% + 25p for Virtual Terminal transactionHardwareSumUp Air Card Reader – £59 + VATSumUp POS Pro – £399 + VAT (including setup with peripherals)Software SubscriptionFree POS AppPOS Pro – £49 per monthPricing Breakdown: SumUpCheapest SumUp Software Subscription FeesPOS App: Free, basic sales reporting and product cataloguing features.POS Pro: £49 per month, includes advanced EPOS software features tailored to retail.SumUp Transaction Rates on Free PlanIn-person transactions: 1.69% per transactionOnline transactions: 2.5%Virtual Terminal transactions: 2.95% + 25p per transactionSumUp POS Hardware CostsSumUp Air Card Reader: £59 + VATSumUp Air Card Reader with Cradle: £69 + VATSumUp 3G Card Reader: £99 + VAT (or £129 + VAT with Docking Station for a limited time)SumUp POS Lite: £299 + VAT (includes 13-inch HD touchscreen terminal and SumUp Solo card reader)SumUp POS Pro: £399 + VAT (includes 13-inch HD touchscreen terminal, SumUp Solo card reader, cash drawer, and receipt printer) 4. Talech: Great Value Software-Hardware BundleOffering free software with a hardware subscription for all your essential POS retail equipment – a touchscreen terminal, cash drawer, receipt printer, scanner, and card machine – Talech is a solid-value choice to be set up for extensive operations and ready-to-go.In the long run, you may pay more than buying similar hardware upfront via another provider, but you’ll save significantly in the short term; compare Talech’s £62 first-month hardware fee to SumUp’s £399 POS Pro package that doesn’t include the scanner. Talech Pricing From £29.99/month Compare Costs Quick overview Talech comes in third with a 4.3/5 rating. Talech offers pricing plans from a 'Starter' package, which is £29.99 a month to a ‘Premium' plan, priced affordably at £69.99 per month. There's also a 'Standard' plan, which is £49.99 a month.If you want any additional devices these are also priced the same as the plan you opt for, so if you need two devices on the Starter package, your monthly cost is £59.98. On the Premium plan, this would be £139.98. Read more + Read less - Talech: Cost SpectrumWith a range of higher-cost subscription options and lower-cost transaction rates, Talech pricing presents a different opportunity for businesses. Here is a run-down of the information we know about its pricing.Cost ComponentCheapestMost ExpensiveTransaction Rate1.2% (in-person, card-present)Varies for online transactionsHardwareBundle included in £62/month feeAdditional devices at £24.99 to £29.99 per monthSoftware SubscriptionFree Starter Plan with hardware purchase£69.99/month Premium Plan (+ £29.99 per additional device)Pricing Breakdown: TalechCheapest Talech Software Subscription FeesStarter Plan: Free with the purchase of a hardware bundle. Includes basic inventory management, customer tracking, and automated reports.Standard Plan: £49.99 per month (+£24.99 per additional device). Includes advanced inventory management, barcode label printing, loyalty programs, and more.Premium Plan: £69.99 per month (+£29.99 per additional device). Includes all Standard features plus inventory alerts, purchase orders, and enhanced gift card options.Talech Transaction RatesCard-present transactions (in-person): Typically 1.2%Online transactions: Varies based on the agreement with the payment processor (specific rates not explicitly listed).Talech POS Hardware CostsTalech Register Package: £62 per month, including a touchscreen terminal, cash drawer, receipt printer, scanner, and card machine. 5. Clover: Cheapest Transaction FeesWith transaction fees as little as 0.2%, Clover is one of the top options to save money per purchase at your retail store.All its retail packages offer inventory and customer management, plus reporting tools. The higher the tier, the more advanced features are available, including integration with scales for weighing items.Plus, with all plans, you get access to Clover’s app market. It provides added functionality for things like loyalty programs and more detailed analytics.You’ll generally need to pay more per month in software subscription or hardware costs than our other top cheap EPOS providers for the pleasure of lower transaction fees.Meanwhile, some transactions such as online have a similar cost to other options too. But should you be turning over a large amount of sales it could make sense to go with Clover. Clover Pricing Custom Compare Costs Clover review Suitable for Busy establishments experiencing rapid growth Businesses who want to deep dive into their analytics Owners who want cheap processing fees Not suitable for Small pop ups or establishments with small inventories Owners who want to avoid hefty upfront costs Users who want automated tip sharing tools Clover: Cost SpectrumClover keeps its lips tight on the exact costs of its plans, as it tends to offer bespoke plans around its core options, however, the following are the current prices according to our latest research.Cost ComponentCheapestMost ExpensiveTransaction Rate0.2% (in-person, card-present)3.5% + 10p per keyed-in transactionHardwareClover Mini at £299Clover Station Duo at £1,199Software SubscriptionStarter Plan at £9.95/monthAdvanced Plan at £49.95/monthPricing Breakdown: CloverCheapest Clover Software Subscription FeesStarter Plan: £9.95/monthStandard Plan: £29.95/monthAdvanced Plan: £49.95/monthFrom Clover’s plans, there are hardware bundled options for retail too, which are priced as follows:Retail Starter Plan: £49 per month, offering Basic POS features and Clover Mini hardwareRetail Standard Plan: £89 per month, with advanced inventory management and Clover Station Duo hardwareClover Transaction RatesCard-present transactions (in-person): 0.2% – 1.75%Keyed-in transactions: 3.5% + 10pOnline transactions: 2.5% + 25pClover POS Hardware CostsClover Mini (touchscreen with built-in receipt printer): £299Clover Flex (handheld POS with receipt printer): £499Clover Station Duo (merchant-facing display with a customer screen, cash drawer and receipt printer): £1,199Clover Station Solo (merchant-facing display with cash drawer and receipt printer): £999 How to Pick a Top Retail EPOS SystemSo, what should you look for in a retail EPOS system? There are two things for you to consider: software and hardware.Retail EPOS softwareEPOS software packages include both a front-of-house and back-office program. The front of house program is what’s loaded onto your till. It holds a full list of inventory organised into easy-to-access menus, making it easy for your staff to dial up a product.But it’s in the back office that the real magic happens. Accessed via your computer, back office software gives you access to a host of clever tools to help streamline the way you do business. Make sure that your software includes:Advanced inventory management: View stock levels with the click of a mouse, easily place new orders and set up alerts for when stock falls below a certain level.Easy price adjustment: Quickly and easily update prices on a central database. This is particularly useful if your business operates across multiple premises, and for rolling out special offers and promotions.Reporting and analytics: Deep-dive reporting helps you to make smart decisions informed by data. As a retailer, you can view a day-by-day breakdown of sales and see which products are selling well and which are underperforming, and adjust orders accordingly.Remote working with cloud based software: Cloud based software allows you to log on to your system from anywhere, at any time. You can view inventory, amend prices, or roll out a promotion, all while sitting at home in your pants. How Else Can You Reduce POS Costs?Besides picking a provider that offers extremely low prices on the software, hardware and transaction fee front, there are a few other tips and tricks to make sure your spending is kept to a minimum.Tablet-centred systemsSuppliers that offer tablet-based retail EPOS packages on a pay-per-month basis tend to be cheaper than all-in-one hardware solutions. So, by opting for a tablet-based EPOS system, your upfront costs can see a massive cut.Check out the provider reviews above, as we’ve listed the tablet-based system costs alongside the other options available to your business.EPOS rentalIf you only require an EPOS system for a short period, or if you’re looking to keep your monthly overheads to an absolute minimum, rental is the way forward.You can rent a ready-to-go retail EPOS till for around £25 on a rolling monthly contract.Buying second-handAnother option is to look for a second-hand system. These can be bought on websites such as eBay and Gumtree, or from a specialist second-hand dealer.If you do go for a second-hand system, we recommend buying from a reputable dealer offering a warranty. That way you’re covered if the machine breaks a few months down the line. Next Steps: Getting Retail EPOS Quotes Rounding up the cheapest EPOS providers in the UK, it’s clear that Square is a top choice to keep costs to a minimum.Free software, low-priced hardware from £19 and fairly standard transaction fees mean you’ll be hard-pressed to find a cheaper option than Square POS.With many EPOS providers, including Clover, hiding their fees behind their sales team, and others offering bespoke plans for your exact business needs, it can be tough to fully compare.We recommend using our free quote finder service: you complete the form to give us a better idea of what you need and we’ll match you with the most suitable suppliers for your business. Compare and save on POS systems Get Free Quotes How We Test EPOS Systems for BusinessesWe tested 16 market-leading EPOS systems to evaluate them in terms of functionality, usability, price, features, and more so we can make the most useful recommendations to UK businesses.Our rigorous testing process means these products have been scored and rated in eight main categories of investigation and 45 subcategories – in fact, we covered 61 areas of investigation in total. We then gave each category score a ‘relevance weighting' to ensure the product's final score perfectly reflects the needs and requirements of Expert Market readers – and that's our product testing algorithm in a nutshell!Our main testing categories for EPOS systems are:Till: the core functionality of the EPOS system which includes the processing of sales transactions. It involves features such as item scanning, item look-up, and price calculation.Business Management: the features and tools provided by the EPOS system to support various aspects of running a business, such as employee management, shift scheduling, and customer management.Stock Management: the EPOS system's capabilities to manage inventory and track stock levels, including inventory tracking, stock alerts and transfers, and purchase order management.Business Development: the features and tools provided by the EPOS system to help businesses grow and improve their operations, e.g. customer relationship management, marketing integrations, and sales forecasting.Usability: how easily and intuitively the EPOS system can be used by the staff, including the user interface design, navigation, ease of training, and overall user experience during setup.Price: the cost associated with acquiring and using the EPOS system, such as the initial purchase cost, licensing fees, subscription plans, and any additional charges or ongoing costs.Help and Support: the assistance and resources available to users when they encounter issues or need guidance while using the EPOS system, including documentation, tutorials, or knowledge bases.Features: the functionalities and capabilities provided by the EPOS product. This can include dedicated restaurant and retail functionality like KDS, loyalty management, and multi employee login. FAQs What is a retail EPOS system? A retail EPOS system is an electronic point of sale system catered towards retailers. EPOS systems are made up of software and hardware that make it easy and efficient to take payments, manage inventory, track employees and access insightful analytics to help you make better, more informed business decisions. What should I look for in a retail EPOS system? When looking for the right EPOS system for your business, you want to take into account the following:Your budgetSecurityFeaturesGood customer serviceGreat reporting functionalitiesEase of use How do they work? EPOS systems are made up of software and hardware such as a cash register or receipt printer. The software can provide you with various features such as keeping inventory of your stock, taking payments offline and managing customers.An EPOS system helps turn a traditional cash register into an efficient tool to manage your business, increase sales, and skyrocket productivity. Written by: Matt Reed Senior Writer Matt Reed is a Senior Writer at Expert Market. Adept at evaluating products, he focuses mainly on assessing fleet management and business communication software. Matt began his career in technology publishing with Expert Reviews, where he spent several years putting the latest audio-related products and releases through their paces, revealing his findings in transparent, in-depth articles and guides. Holding a Master’s degree in Journalism from City, University of London, Matt is no stranger to diving into challenging topics and summarising them into practical, helpful information. Reviewed by: Ruairi Shirlow Business Services Researcher Ruairi uses his 3+ years of research experience to uncover insights which can help Expert Market provide the best business solutions for their users. He has done this by meeting with business owners to find out what is important to them and what challenges they face on a daily basis. Ruairi specialises in tools that can be used to grow your business and has done research for a wide range of categories on Expert Market, such as EPOS, Website Builders, and Merchant Accounts.