EPOS Till Rental: The Ultimate Guide

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Renting your EPOS system is a great way to spending a hefty sum to purchase it. Prices for a basic EPOS system, consisting of a single till and simple software, start from as little as £18 per month. More advanced EPOS systems can cost around £165 per month.

Our free comparison tool can help you find the one most suited to you. Through it, we'll match you with trusted providers, which'll then send you bespoke quotes for you to compare. It's super quick and simple!

EPOS till rental costs

We compared prices from our leading EPOS suppliers to find the average cost of renting an EPOS system in the UK.

EPOS till hire

Basic EPOSEPOS for HospitalityEPOS for RetailEPOS w/ Scanner
1 week lease£25£35£45£75
1 month lease£70£85£95£150
3 months + (per month)£50£65£65£100
Delivery and Collection£25£25£25£25
Refundable deposit£50+£100+£100+£250+

Note: Prices are an estimate and subject to change. Rates determined by business situation and can be negotiated with the supplier.


Benefits of renting an EPOS till

There are many time and cost-saving advantages to using an EPOS system, which vary according to your industry.

  • For bars, pubs, and restaurants, they're a way of fasten service time and improve staff efficiency. Table management can also be done via the EPOS system and it can automate end-of-day cash count;
  • For hotels and leisure sector businesses, the customer relationship management (CRM) tool offered by some EPOS system allow for a tailored engagement with customers. They're also a way to take and manage online reservations.
  • For retailers, EPOS systems provide crucial sales insights, while allowing for extensive stock management control. Promotional deals can also be streamlined and price adjusting can be easily automated.
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Types of EPOS tills you can rent

There are four types of EPOS systems:

Countertop EPOS tills

A countertop EPOS till is the most popular — and often the cheapest — type of EPOS system available. They’re operated using either a keyboard or touchscreen interface and can be integrated with a tablet device or wireless card machine to form a more mobile EPOS solution.

Touchscreen EPOS cash registers

touchscreen epos system

Touchscreen EPOS tills are rapidly becoming the standard option for many shops and retail outlets thanks to their ease of use and simple, intuitive interface.

A touch screen cash register could be ideal for your business if you are looking for:

  • An easy to learn system that is intuitive to use for employees — even the less tech-savvy ones
  • A quicker way of processing customer payments efficiently and accurately
  • A space saving solution: touchscreen EPOS systems take up less room as they don’t need a mouse or keyboard
  • A waterproof EPOS till that can handle splashes from drinks in a bar or pub

Handheld EPOS till systems

Handheld EPOS till system

Handheld EPOS systems range from simple handheld devices to innovative iPad/tablet-based EPOS solutions. Most packages are geared towards the hospitality and catering industries where the point of sale is often at the customer’s table.

Handheld EPOS systems are easy to operate and, in a restaurant setting, can be used to send orders directly to the kitchen with the click of a button.

The benefit of handheld EPOS systems are:

  • Clear and concise touch-screen ordering through the device helps minimise wrong orders and hard to read handwriting
  • Kitchens can receive orders quicker and prepare food sooner
  • Efficient management of tables and staff ensures a smoother shift
  • Easy to sync with EPOS hub via bluetooth or WiFi
  • Enables smarter scheduling of staff, helping to save you money

Cloud-based EPOS Solutions

cloud epos system

Cloud-based EPOS solutions store all the important information online, allowing you to access it from anywhere in the world, at any time.

Charged as a monthly subscription, cloud-based software is a an excellent way to reduce your upfront costs even further. And with a host of software startups wading into the market in recent years, you won’t have any trouble finding a solution that meets your requirements.

Cloud-based EPOS benefits include:

  • Access to reports, figures, staff information and any other metrics recorded through the EPOS software from anywhere in the world
  • Software stored on a remote server, with your supplier looking after security, backups and updates
  • Remote price adjustment and stock management

EPOS tills: renting vs. leasing

For many businesses it makes sense to rent an EPOS system. But if you do decide that purchasing is the best way to go then it’s worth considering a lease-to-buy deal.

EPOS leasing contracts typically run for about 18 months and at the end of it the system is yours to keep.

Rates are a little higher than with a rental contract but installation is usually free and most suppliers offer technical support inclusive of the leasing fee.

Typical monthly cost of leasing an EPOS system
(Price of system: £1,000)
12-month lease36-month lease60-months lease
£103£41£29

How long can I hire an EPOS cash register for?

Short term till hire

Short term EPOS till hire is a great option for businesses that operate seasonally or for short or uncertain periods of time. In particular pop-up stores, start-ups without a fixed location and traders at festivals and events will benefit from short term EPOS till rental.

It can also be a solid option to reinforce your existing EPOS systems during peak trading periods.

Short term EPOS rental is generally charged on a weekly basis. You can expect to pay a little more in rates than you would leasing for a longer period.

Long term till hire

Long term EPOS hire is the go-to option for most businesses looking to lease EPOS tills. Not only do you get cheaper rental rates, but most contracts are open-ended so you can keep hold of the system for as long as you need it.

You’ll benefit from regular software updates from your EPOS supplier, usually free of charge, and hardware is usually upgraded annually.

The main benefit of long term EPOS system rental is that you’ll be able to build a data-rich picture of customer buying habits, employee performance and stock management. EPOS systems track all this and more, and by using the backend software, you can gain valuable business insights to help you optimise and refine your working processes.


EPOS till rental contracts, servicing and installation

Contracts

EPOS rental contracts for retail outlets and shops work in a similar way to a mobile phone contracts: you pay a set fee over a fixed length of time, from one week to 60 months, it’s your call.

Costs tend to decrease as the contract gets longer. So to get the best rental rates for an EPOS till you need to think carefully about how long you’ll need the system for and sign a contract accordingly. Don’t just pay on a rolling weekly basis.

Installation

Nearly all EPOS till rental contracts include free installation. Though increasingly providers are offering a plug-and-play option where the system comes pre-configured and just needs to be switched on. Either way, with any reputable EPOS supplier, installation should be a breeze.

When you sign an EPOS rental contract you should expect to receive:

  1. Installation by a trained engineer
  2. Fully programmed equipment (e.g. with correct logos etc already pre-loaded. Your stock list can be added by the engineer.)
  3. On site training for all staff
  4. Quick-start guides and easy-to-use manuals
  5. Ongoing support as and when needed if issues arise

Servicing and repairs

Free servicing and repairs is included with most rental contracts — it’s one of the big advantages of hiring an EPOS system over buying one outright.

If you experience a problem with your EPOS till, suppliers will first try to fix it over the phone. If that doesn’t work they’ll have a replacement unit sent to you, usually within 24 hours, to minimise loss of earnings.

Clover Station EPOS system

The Clover Station EPOS till from Clover is one of the coolest in the business

Top 4 UK EPOS Suppliers

1. Square – Best overall

Square
Pricing From £0
Quick overview

Square scores 4.8/5 in our research thanks to its affordability, ease of use, and range of features. One of Square's most attractive elements is that its POS app is completely free, although the paid version does start at £49 per month. That said, the transaction fees are fairly steep at 1.75% or 2.5%, depending on the payment method.

These transaction fees are higher than those charged by other POS systems such as Clover, however, Square takes several forms of payment and is a sturdy payment processor combined with a cloud-based POS system.

2. Clover – Best for scalability

Clover
4.5
Pricing Custom
Quick overview

Clover scores a 4/5 overall in our research, and offers strong features for managing your business. Clover's handheld POS system, Clover Flex, is great for businesses that are mobile so you can take orders on the go or away from your till area. It also doubles up as a barcode scanner.

Strengths

Sturdy POS system

Easy to use

Weaknesses

Limited customer support

Reporting could be better

3. Talech – Best for mobile businesses

Talech logo
Talech
Pricing From £29.99/month
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.

4. Lightspeed – Best for bars

Lightspeed
Pricing From £39/month
Quick overview

Lightspeed offers solutions for retail and hospitality businesses, with specific features for each. The hospitality POS system includes features such as one-tap ordering, self-ordering, and the ability to manage multiple locations on one systemMulti-location reports can also be run so you can easily keep an eye on all your locations.

Lightspeed Retail has in-depth inventory management tools, such as being able to track items across multiple locations and setting up notifications to re-order an item when it's low in stock. These advanced tools make it suitable for larger businesses or those with multiple locations.

Save by Comparing EPOS Quotes from Leading Suppliers
Do you already have an EPOS System?

Next steps

The best way to save money on EPOS till hire for your business is to compare quotes from multiple suppliers. And this is where Expert Market can help.
Just fill in our free comparison tool and we’ll match you with trusted EPOS providers, which'll then send bespoke quotes your way.

EPOS till rental FAQs

How many products can be programmed into an EPOS till?
There should be no cap on the number of products you can list on an EPOS till.
Can I change the name and price of items on the till?
Most EPOS tills are intuitive to use, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to amend product names or prices on-site. But if you have any issues just contact your supplier and they’ll be able to talk you through it.
Can I print a logo on the receipt?
Yes! Just send your logo across to your EPOS supplier and they’ll upload it to the system for you.
How many employees can use the EPOS till?
As many as you like, and you can create a unique login for each.
Will it have a customer facing display?
Cheaper EPOS tills tend to have just one display and if you want to show customers something on the screen you’ll have to swivel it around. For a little extra you can add a dedicated customer facing display to your system.
How long can I rent a till for?
For as long as you need! Whether that’s for a week or for five years — suppliers will be happy to negotiate a deal that suits your business.
Written by:
Dan’s a Senior Writer at Expert Market, specialising in digital marketing, web design, and photocopiers, amongst other topics.
Reviewed by:
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.