Leased line costs start at around £90 per month for a basic EoFTTC (ethernet over fibre to the cabinet) line, and can reach upwards of £800 per month for a much faster full fibre line. Prices depend on a few factors, including the type of line, the provider, the connection speed, and even your business’s location.

On this page, we’ll compare the range of leased line prices available from the UK’s top providers.

But if you’d like a totally accurate view of how much a leased line will cost your business, try our free quote-finding tool to get matched up with the best leased lines providers for you. They’ll be in touch with tailored, no-obligation quotes for you to compare.


How much does a leased line cost in the UK?

For a leased line, you’ll pay a monthly charge on a contract basis. This monthly charge can vary wildly depending on a lot of factors, with the cheapest leased lines costing around £90 per month, and the most expensive reaching well over £800 per month.

Before we go into detail about specific provider prices, let’s take a look at an overview of the cost ranges offered by some of the top leased line providers in the UK:


Leased line costs explained

The best way to understand leased line costs is to actually look at the prices currently on the market. In this section, we’ll do a deep dive into some of the UK’s best leased line providers, their pricing plans, and what you’ll get on them. Those providers are:

TalkTalk Business

TalkTalk Business offers some of the most affordable leased line prices on the market – which is one of the reasons why it’s our top pick for small businesses.

Of course, those cheap prices are reserved for slow connection speeds of up to 20Mbps. This is fine for small businesses, but might not meet your needs if you’re growing quickly. TalkTalk’s fastest lines cost a minimum of £243 per month, which is still competitive, but not the absolute cheapest.

The free installation TalkTalk offers on its 36-month contracts is a huge boon. And the fact that this provider also offers 12-month contracts for businesses that don’t want to commit for so long is, in our opinion, pretty refreshing!

To learn more, check out our TalkTalk leased lines review.

BT

You may not expect it from the UK’s most familiar telecoms giant, but BT’s leased line prices are pretty competitive – you can get speeds of 50Mbps to 100Mbps from £195 per month, which is really good value. It’s also worth noting that BT offers free installation, and will pay up to £2,800 towards any unexpected construction charges that crop up, which is reassuring.

However, take note of the fact that BT’s favoured contract length is 60 months – that’s five years. If you don’t want to be tied in for that long, you’ll pay more for a shorter contract (if one is available).

Virgin Media

Virgin Media’s starting price of £270 per month for 100Mbps is not bad, and £550 per month for 1Gbps also seems reasonable (it’s cheaper than Vodafone’s 1Gbps line, as we’ll see in a moment). We can’t advise on how much Virgin Media’s 10Gbps line costs, as the provider works out bespoke prices for that one.

Unfortunately we can’t be sure how much Virgin Media charges for installation or how long its contracts last, as the company stays tight-lipped on these points.

Vodafone

Vodafone’s leased lines are the most expensive we’ve seen, starting at £255 per month for a comparatively measly 50Mbps, and finishing up at £610+ for a 1Gbps line. For all of its lines, its prices are either beaten or almost matched by the other providers on this list.

Vodafone also says it charges a £2,000 installation fee when applicable, which isn’t hugely clear. You can assume this fee will be either charged or waived depending on the contract you choose, or depending on the results of your site survey.


Other leased line costs

As well as your monthly charge, the other key leased line cost you’ll have to contend with is installation fees. Let’s take a look at these in more detail:

Installation fees

As you can see from the information above, installation costs can range from a lovely £0 to several thousands of pounds. The amount you pay for installation will depend on:

  • Your leased line provider, and whether they offer to waive installation fees
  • The length of contract you choose
  • The results of your site survey, and whether or not significant construction work needs to take place
  • The amount of construction charges your provider offers to cover for you

The best thing to do is get in contact with potential providers to confirm exactly how much installation will cost for you. Be sure you have a good idea before reaching the point of no return with the company, as you don’t want to be saddled with charges you’d rather not pay.

If you’d like an easy way to get in contact with multiple suitable providers quickly, look no further than our free quote-finding tool. We’ll match you up with the best leased line providers for you, who’ll be in touch directly with answers to your installation questions and tailored, no-obligation quotes.


What is a leased line?

Also known as DIA (dedicated internet access), a leased line is a dedicated data connection that your business doesn’t have to share with anyone else. In other words, it gives your business a fast and private internet network.

What are the benefits?

With prices starting at £90 per month and reaching over £800 per month, leased lines are obviously much more expensive than conventional business broadband. To understand why that is, it’s important to look at the benefits leased lines offer:

  • They’re uncontended, meaning you don’t share your bandwidth with any other building or organisation
  • They’re symmetric, meaning their upload speeds are just as fast as their download speeds – which better suits what businesses tend to use the internet for
  • They tend of offer much faster connection speeds than conventional broadband, usually reaching highs of 10Gbps
  • They come with SLAs (service level agreements) that hold your provider to a high standard of customer service, consistent uptime, and speedy fault repairs

Why compare leased line prices?

If you’re looking save on leased line costs, jumping to sign up with the first provider you find is a mistake. Properly comparing all the prices plans available from a range of different providers is a simple way to make sure you find the cheapest deal for your needs.

Well, we say simple, but we know the price comparison process can be a bit bewildering. Especially when some providers don’t share their prices publicly, and others change theirs based on where your business is and the contract length you want.

That’s why we developed our free quote-finding tool. Answer a few questions about your needs, and we’ll do the legwork for you, and match you up with the providers that best suit your priorities. They’ll then be in touch directly, to answer your questions and provide no-obligation quotes that have been tailored to your business. It’s a quick and easy way to compare the best prices for you.


Leased line alternatives

When it comes to fast and reliable internet, a leased line is the gold standard. But with that comes elevated costs – and if you don’t want to spend £90 to £800+ per month, you’ll need to use an alternative.

Let’s take a look at what’s available:

ADSL (conventional broadband)

ADSL stands for asymmetric digital subscriber line. It’s currently the most common kind of internet connection in the UK, and it’s the cheapest option for businesses – but it also comes with the slowest speeds, averaging at around 10Mbps.

It is possible to get an uncontended ADSL connection, so your business won’t have to share bandwidth with anyone else. This is similar to a leased line, except it’ll be much slower, and come with faster download speeds than upload (hence the “asymmetric” in ADSL).

SDSL (conventional broadband, but symmetric)

SDSL stands for symmetric digital subscriber line. It’s ADSL’s better balanced sibling – it’s very similar to ADSL, except it gives the same amount of bandwidth to uploads as it does downloads.

FTTC or FTTP (fibre broadband)

FTTC stands for fibre to the cabinet; this is when fibre carries the connection between the exchange and your local cabinet, and copper wiring carries it from there to your building. FTTP stands for fibre to the premises, and it’s when fibre is used all the way to your building. It’s also known as full fibre.

Fibre broadband is always going to be much faster than ADSL or SDSL, with speeds of up to 1Gbps available (speeds will depend on where you’re based, and the type of fibre broadband available to you). Like ADSL, it’s usually available as a contended, asymmetric connection.

The problem with fibre broadband is that it’s not available to everyone, especially when it comes to businesses. It could be suggested that fibre has been rolled out with residential customers in mind, as business districts aren’t as well served as residential homes. But if you can get it, it’s a good alternative to a leased line.


What makes a provider good value for money?

As a business professional, you’ll know that “cheap” isn’t the same thing as “good value”. But what makes a leased line provider good value for money?

Let’s take a look at the factors to investigate when you want your pounds to stretch as far as possible:

  • Bandwidth and speed: how many Mbps or Gbps are you getting for your money? Do a little mathematics to work out how much every 1Mbps costs on each plan.
  • SLA: look closely at the level of service you’ll get in exchange for your pennies. What’s the target percentage uptime? How quickly does the provider promise to fix problems? And it never hurts to check out online customer reviews to gage how the provider responds to issues.
  • Contract length: consider the total amount you’ll pay over the duration of each available contract. Longer contracts usually have cheaper per month charges, and so amount to better value.
  • Extras: does the provider throw in any extra benefits, like additional online security? Or will you have to pay extra to get everything you need?

Leased line price comparison

Leased line costs start at £90 per month for a basic EoFTTC service, and can reach well over £800 per month for a full fibre line. Installation may come free, depending on the provider and contract you choose. But if not, it can add up to thousands of pounds.

We know finding accurate quotes for your own business can be really difficult. Here’s an easier way – using our free quote-finding tool.

Answer a handful of questions about your needs, and we’ll match you up with the best leased lines providers for you. They’ll then be in touch directly, with accurate, no-obligation quotes that have been tailored to your business. We’ve been helping businesses find the right services, at the right prices for them, for over ten years – this is a fast and easy way to compare the best options.

Written by:
Julia Watts author headshot photo
Specialising in business software, Julia writes jargon-busting guides about VoIP, fleet management, dash cams, fuel cards, and more. Having spent almost a decade writing for entrepreneurs and reviewing business solutions, she loves helping exciting ventures – big or small – to flourish.
Reviewed by:
Heleana Neil, Business Services editor
Heleana Neil specialises in Business Services, managing the strategy and production of content for SMBs, helping businesses with the challenges and opportunities they face today. Covering everything from payroll to payment processing, Heleana uses her expertise to help business owners make better, informed decisions and grow their companies.
Written by:
Julia Watts author headshot photo
Specialising in business software, Julia writes jargon-busting guides about VoIP, fleet management, dash cams, fuel cards, and more. Having spent almost a decade writing for entrepreneurs and reviewing business solutions, she loves helping exciting ventures – big or small – to flourish.
Reviewed by:
Heleana Neil, Business Services editor
Heleana Neil specialises in Business Services, managing the strategy and production of content for SMBs, helping businesses with the challenges and opportunities they face today. Covering everything from payroll to payment processing, Heleana uses her expertise to help business owners make better, informed decisions and grow their companies.

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.

Paid customer relationship management (CRM) systems cost start from around $12 per user, per month for small businesses. More advanced packages for larger enterprises range from $50 to $150 per user, per month, while the most expensive CRM systems charge $300 per user, per month, or more.

Free plans are also available, but impose restrictive limitations on features and data storage. We don’t recommend them for growing businesses – especially because you’ll need a sturdy version of this powerful tool.

CRM systems are great for storing your business’ contact, deal, and lead information, and leveraging it to drive targeted email marketing and better planning.

The question, then, isn’t whether to invest in a CRM system – it’s which supplier to go with. However, with hundreds of different CRM systems out there, choosing one can be tough.

That’s why we’ve put together a detailed guide to CRM pricing. We’ve reviewed the products and price ranges of 9 suppliers below, to help you find the right provider for your business. Or, you can use our free quote finding service to compare suppliers most suitable for you.


1. Zoho

Free to $52 per user, per month

As well as three paid plans, Zoho delivers a completely free, feature-rich plan that’s ideal for businesses new to CRM software. Paid packages start with the ‘Standard’ plan ($14 per user, per month) and progress to the highly affordable ‘Professional’ tier ($23 per user, per month), which adds custom reports and lead scoring rules. Zoho’s ‘Enterprise’ plan costs just $40 per user, per month, and adds a conversational AI assistant into the bargain.

Zoho’s ‘Ultimate’ edition will run you $52 per user, per month. Zoho’s second-best plan is less about throwing more functionality at you, and more about enhancing the stuff you can already do with Zoho’s cheaper plans.On top of giving your feature limits a turbo boost, ‘Ultimate’ comes with Zoho’s best-in-class analytics and business intelligence software. For businesses with big growth on the brain, it’s a must.

Zoho CRM Pricing

All of Zoho’s paid options come with phoneline, chat, and email-based customer support. For the top two plans, it’s even 24/7.

FreeStandardProfessionalEnterpriseUltimate
Billed annuallyFree$14 per user per month$23 per user per month$40 per user per month$52 per user per month
Billed monthlyFree$20 per user per month$35 per user per month$50 per user per month$65 per user per month

A free 30-day trial is available across all of Zoho’s paid plans.


2. Freshsales CRM

US$9 to US$59 per user, per month

Freshsales CRM offers a 21-day free trial, as well as a free plan that comes with 24/5 customer support, plus an unlimited number of contacts.


3. HubSpot

$25 to $120 per user, per month

Each of HubSpot’s packages for marketing, sales, and service teams start at a relatively budget-friendly $22.50 per user, per month. We recommend the Growth Suite, though – it includes HubSpot’s Marketing, Sales, and Service ‘Hubs’ in a single package, with a tasty discount to boot. Upgrading any of HubSpot’s plans to the ‘Professional’ tier ($320 per user, per month for the Growth Suite on annual plan) buys you task automation, as well as three standout features for marketing teams: A/B testing, website traffic analytics, and video hosting.

HubSpot’s ‘Enterprise’ plan ($500per user, per month, for the Growth Suite on annual plan) might break the bank, but whoa – it’s impressive.

Between predictive lead scoring, behavioral event triggers, and multi-touch revenue attribution, you’ll have everything you need to take your marketing, sales, and customer service efforts to the next level.

HubSpot CRM Suite Pricing

(Prices on annual plans)Marketing HubSales HubService HubCRM SuiteTry Now
Starter (2 paid users, 1,000 contacts included)$45/month$45/month$45/month$45/monthTry HubSpot Starter
Professional (5 paid users, 2,000 contacts included)$800/month$450/month$450/month$1,600/monthTry HubSpot Professional
Enterprise (10 paid users, 10,000 contacts included)$3,600/month$1,200/month$1,200/month$5,000/monthTry HubSpot Enterprise

HubSpot offers a limited free version, as well a free 30-day trial for new customers on paid plans.


4. Pipedrive

US$14 to US$99 per user, per month

Pipedrive is available at five different pricing tiers. You can start with its ‘Essential’ plan (US$14 per user, per month), although it’s fairly sparse when it comes to features. We recommend springing for at least Pipedrive’s ‘Advanced’ plan (US$29 per user, per month), to benefit from its excellent email marketing and sales automation capabilities.

Pipedrive’s ‘Professional’ plan (US$49 per user, per month) provides custom reporting, as well as advanced team management tools to grow your business. ‘Power’ (US$64 per user, per month) includes project planning, tracking, and delivery as well as phone support. ‘Enterprise’ ($99 per user, per month) offers custom onboarding and support, although you’ll need at least ten people using the system to be eligible for it.

Pipedrive CRM Pricing

The best way we can describe Pipedrive’s pricing plans is… egalitarian. All tiers come with 24/7 chat and email-based support, plus over 150 app integrations. All of Pipedrive’s CRM pricing tiers sport apps for both Android and iOS.

EssentialAdvancedProfessionalPowerEnterprise
US$14 per user, per monthUS$29 per user, per monthUS$49 per user, per monthUS$64 per user, per monthUS$99 per user, per month

You can try any of Pipedrive’s first three plans free for 14 days.


5. monday.com

$8 to custom per user, per month

A project management tool by trade, monday.com nevertheless shares plenty of CRM’s DNA. At $8 per user, per month, the ‘Basic’ plan offers an app for both iOS and Android, as well as 5GB of storage and whiteboard collaboration. We’d recommend at least going for monday.com’s ‘Standard’ plan, though. It adds timeline and calendar views, advanced search functionality, and up to 250 app integrations – and, at just $10 per user, per month all in, the plan’s not that much more expensive than its predecessor.

The ‘Pro’ plan ($16 per user, per month) adds a time tracking tool, which allows you to see how long your team has spent on each task in your pipeline. You’ll also unlock ‘chart view’, an alternative to monday.com’s classic Kanban-style project visualization, which allows you to view your data on a variety of eye-catching graphs and charts.

monday.com’s ‘Enterprise’ plan (you’ll have to enquire about a rate) adds premium customer support and tailored onboarding, as well as advanced reporting and analytics.

monday.com CRM Pricing

monday.com does offer a free plan, so you can feel it out before committing.

BasicStandardProEnterprise
$8 per user, per month$10 per user, per month$16 per user, per monthCustom rate

You can try monday.com free for 14 days. Head to monday.com’s website now to get started.


6. Salesforce

$25 to $300 per user, per month

With one of the most intelligent, AI-driven CRM platforms on the planet, it’s no surprise that Salesforce doesn’t come cheap. Its best value plan – the ‘Professional’ version of its package for sales and service teams – starts at a whopping $75 per user, per month.

Salesforce also charges extra for its marketing module – an additional CRM cost that starts at $400 per month (though if you’re not careful, those hundreds could easily become thousands!). That said, you get what you pay for – and it’s unlikely you’ll find a system with better analytical CRM capabilities than Salesforce.

Salesforce CRM Pricing

Like many CRM providers, Salesforce splits out its offerings into various packages – one each for sales, marketing, and service, plus a deal that combines both sales and service features – all of which are available at a range of ascending pricing tiers.

EssentialsProfessionalEnterpriseUnlimited
Sales Cloud$25 per user, per month$75 per user, per month$150 per user, per month$300 per user, per month
Service Cloud$25 per user, per month$75 per user, per month$150 per user, per month$300 per user, per month
Sales and Service Cloud$25 per user, per month$100 per user, per month$175 per user, per month$325 per user, per month

We’ve highlighted the plan that we feel is the best value on the table above, though the plan you ultimately select will come down to your business’ size, technical requirements, and budget. Don’t stress, though – you can try Salesforce free for 30 days, so there’s plenty of time to get acquainted with the package that’s right for you.


7. Microsoft Dynamics 365

$65 per user, per month to $1,500 per account, per month

Dynamics 365 is one of the most advanced CRM systems on the market, with AI-enhanced reporting and several top-of-the-line features that almost (bit not quite) rival Salesforce. Where the system does rival Salesforce, though, is with its expensive price tag.

Sure, its basic products for customer service ($50 per user, per month) and sales teams ($65 per user, per month) are affordable. And if you already use one of Dynamics 365’s products at your business, the company offers a discount on any subsequent orders. But it’s when you start mixing and matching Dynamics 365’s range of add-on CRM costs that the price really starts to balloon.

Dynamics 365 CRM Pricing

Dynamics 365’s pricing for its sales and customer service modules is easy enough to get to grips with. The total you’ll pay depends on the specific subset of features you’ll need, as well as the amount of functionality required.

ProfessionalEnterprisePremium
Sales$65 per user, per month*$95 per user, per month*$135 per user, per month
Customer Service$50 per user, per month*$95 per user, per month*N/A

*If this is your first Dynamics 365 app. If you already have a Dynamics 365 app installed at your business, the price is $20.

If you require Dynamics 365’s marketing module, be prepared to pay at least $1,500 per account, per month – though this cost is slashed by half to just $750 if you already use a qualifying Dynamics 365 app.

So, how about those add-on CRM costs we mentioned? These come in the form of additional modules, which you can purchase to increase the scope of Dynamics 365’s functionality. They include:

  • ‘Customer Insights’ (from $1,500 per account, per month), a powerful customer data and business intelligence platform that works with Dynamics 365’s sales, marketing, and customer service products.
  • ‘Customer Voice’ ($200 per account, per month for 2,000 surveys), allows you to generate surveys to gather crucial feedback about your business and brand.

Dynamics 365 offers a 14-day trial for new users.


8. SugarCRM

$49 per user, per month to $1,000 per month

Predictably by now, SugarCRM splits its pricing out into three packages, based on the type of team they’re designed to support. There’s Sugar Sell (for sales teams, from $49 per user, per month), Sugar Market (for marketing teams, from $1,000 per month), and Sugar Serve (for customer service teams, starting at $80 per month). All are cloud-based, billed annually, and ideal for the needs of fast-growth businesses.

SugarCRM Pricing

Sugar SellSugar ServeSugar Market
From $49 per user, per monthFrom $80 per user, per monthFrom $1,000 per month

SugarCRM also offers one legacy on-premise products that combine elements of sales, service, and marketing functionality – ‘Sugar Enterprise’. Designed for larger businesses, its pricing starts at $85 per user, per month.

SugarCRM offers a free 7-day trial on Sugar Sell, but only a live demo of Sugar Market.


9. Zendesk

$19 to $150 per user, per month

Despite being the only CRM provider on this list not to offer a marketing product, Zendesk makes up for it with affordable, effective solutions for sales and service teams. ‘Sell’ starts from just $19 per user, per month, while ‘Support’ – Zendesk’s product for service teams – is available at the mouth-wateringly low price point of $5 per user, per month.

Upgrading to Zendesk’s ‘Professional’ tier ($49 per user, per month) adds reporting dashboards and advanced call analytics, plus sales goals and forecasting. The ‘Professional’ plan ($99 per user, per month) adds skills-based routing to your customer service team’s armory, while your sales hotshots will benefit from lead scoring, task automation, and extra sales pipelines.

The ‘Enterprise’ plan (and its conspicuous $150 per user, per month price tag) should speak for itself. As well as enhanced software security and uptime, you’ll receive unlimited sales pipelines, sales insights reports, and a rep performance dashboard. You’ll also receive the finest customer support Zendesk has to offer – and that’s saying something!

Zendesk offers a free 30-day trial on all plans except ‘Enterprise’.

How Did We Find the Best CRM Software?

Our team of independent researchers looked at a selection of the best and most popular CRM software. After finding all the information we need, the researchers then compare each software against its competitors, allowing us to find the cream of the crop. The criteria we look at include:

  • Price: Simple enough – the platform with the lowest price tag scores the best
  • Customization: What does the platform allow you to toy with in order to make it suit your business?
  • Features: Again, fairly easy to assess. Whichever platforms offer the best variety of features are given a better placement than those that have a more skint collection of tools.
  • Team Infrastructure: How does the platform allow you to manage large sales teams?
  • Customer Support: Again, easy enough – look at the options available and see what each platform offers its customers when it comes to their support resources
  • Scalability: How much does each software allow your business to grow over time?

After factoring in all this information, alongside the scores they received, we were able to calculate a final overall score for each CRM platform.


Next steps

If you’re curious, these platforms are ranked in order of our general favorites. Our top three CRM platforms are Zoho, Freshsales, and HubSpot, all of which have plenty to offer to your business.

Now you have an idea of what you can expect to pay for CRM software, it’s time to decide which is the best fit for the specific needs of your business. But don’t stress, because the whole process really is easier than it sounds – especially if you use our free quote-finding service. Here’s how it works.

Simply provide us with a few details about your team’s CRM requirements via the questionnaire below. Hit one of the buttons below to get your free quote.

Written by:
Julia Watts author headshot photo
Specialising in business software, Julia writes jargon-busting guides about VoIP, fleet management, dash cams, fuel cards, and more. Having spent almost a decade writing for entrepreneurs and reviewing business solutions, she loves helping exciting ventures – big or small – to flourish.
Reviewed by:
Heleana Neil, Business Services editor
Heleana Neil specialises in Business Services, managing the strategy and production of content for SMBs, helping businesses with the challenges and opportunities they face today. Covering everything from payroll to payment processing, Heleana uses her expertise to help business owners make better, informed decisions and grow their companies.

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.

Looking for an affordable CRM system that can still boost your business? You’re in the right place. From our research, we know that the best cheap CRM software is provided by HubSpot, Zoho and Freshsales.

However, we also know that those three CRM companies might not be the perfect match for your business. That’s why we’ve selected and reviewed the 7 best cheap CRM software suppliers in the country, reviewing their features, pricing, and key pros and cons. By the end, you’ll know exactly which of the cheapest CRM systems is the right pick.

Or, if you’re short on time, you can find the most suitable cheap CRM software quickly and easily by using our free comparison tool. You simply answer a few questions and we’ll match your business with the right CRM company.

HubSpot’s free plan is one of the most generous free plans on the CRM market. Here are some of its highlights:

  • Website visitor tracking, which can help you keep on top of your numbers
  • A chatbot for your website (very rare on a free plan!)
  • A quote and proposal manager, which allows you to contact your leads with offers
  • Loads of integrations, allowing for great customisation

The only shortcoming of the free plan is its lack of customer support options. However, this is improved on in HubSpot’s lowest paid plan, the Starter plan, which offers chat and email options.


Zoho

Free plan available

Zoho is one of the bigger platforms out there, so let’s see what their free plan has on offer:

  • Viewable data on sales reps and pipeline stages, which can show you weak and strong points
  • A custom automation builder, which can allow certain tasks to be completed automatically
  • Organisation features, including a unified inbox, calendar, task management, and team communication tools
  • Email-based customer support

Freshsales

Free plan available

Freshsales’ free plan isn’t particularly fleshed-out, but it does have some gems if you seek them out.

  • Task management features, which allow your team to keep on top of their various objectives
  • Contact communication history tracker, and list segmentation, allowing you to sort leads
  • Phone, email, and live chat-based support

monday.com

Free plan available

We won’t lie, monday.com’s free plan isn’t the most robust out there. However, it’s one of the only four free plans that we found amongst our research, so it’s still worth looking at. Overall, the provider packs:

  • Customisable sales pipeline, offering you full control over your business’ sales process
  • Contact communication history and list segmentation, allowing you to keep on top of your customers at an individual level
  • Web forms on all of your pages
  • Email customer support

It also fares well when measured against to the competition. In our Pipedrive vs. monday.com comparison, for example, its customisation prowess made it shine. That’s because its top-tier Enterprise plan offers up to 250,000 actions per month for automating workflows, while Pipedrive only offers up to 100 actions per month on its top-tier Enterprise plan.

monday.com also earns recognition due to its lowest paid tier, priced at a particularly reasonable £8.50 per user per month. This plan picks up a bit of the free plan’s slack, allowing for things like custom reports and viewable revenue data.


Salesforce

Free trial available (30 days)

The first of our providers without a free plan, but don’t let that turn you away. Salesforce’s lowest plan, the Essentials plan, offers a solid array of features for its relatively low price of £20 per user per month.

  • A customisable sales pipeline allows you to craft a sales sequence that suits your business.
  • Custom reports and a chart builder allow you to visualise and use your data to its fullest
  • A user hierarchy and knowledge base that allows a solid grasp of your business’ inner workings
  • Loads of integrations allow you to pick and choose tools that suit you
  • Chat and email customer support

Zendesk

Free trial available (30 days)

Zendesk’s lowest plan is pretty thin on offerings, but for only £19 per user per month, there are worse deals out there. This plan includes:

  • Robust contact database features, like duplicate detection and list segmentation
  • Viewable revenue data, allowing you to asses your income stream in a more minute way
  • Live chat customer support

Those are the main features, so you can see that it isn’t much, but if you’re a fan of their layout, their more expensive plans are a lot better equipped.


Pipedrive

Free trial available (14 days)

Pipedrive’s free trial is only 14 days, but its cheapest plan only costs £14, which is pretty reasonable. Let’s see what you get:

  • A robust contact database, allowing you to detect duplicates and segment them into lists
  • Viewable data on both individual sales reps, and pipeline stages
  • A unified team inbox and calendar, allowing for efficient teamwork
  • Live chat customer support

How Did We Find the Best CRM Software?

Our team of independent researchers looked at a selection of the most widely-used and popular CRM software. After finding all the information we need, the researchers then compare each software against its competitors, allowing us to find the cream of the crop. The criteria we look at include:

  • Price: Simple enough – the platform with the lowest price tag scores the best
  • Customization: What does the platform allow you to toy with in order to make it suit your business?
  • Features: Again, fairly easy to assess. Whichever platforms offer the best variety of features are given a better placement than those that have a more skint collection of tools.
  • Team Infrastructure: How does the platform allow you to manage large sales teams?
  • Customer Support: Again, easy enough – look at the options available and see what each platform offers its customers when it comes to their support resources
  • Scalability: It can be a pain to switch providers over and over as your business grows. So how much does each software allow your business to grow over time?

After factoring in all this information, alongside the scores they received, we were able to calculate a final overall score for each CRM platform.

Written by:
Julia Watts author headshot photo
Specialising in business software, Julia writes jargon-busting guides about VoIP, fleet management, dash cams, fuel cards, and more. Having spent almost a decade writing for entrepreneurs and reviewing business solutions, she loves helping exciting ventures – big or small – to flourish.
Reviewed by:
Heleana Neil, Business Services editor
Heleana Neil specialises in Business Services, managing the strategy and production of content for SMBs, helping businesses with the challenges and opportunities they face today. Covering everything from payroll to payment processing, Heleana uses her expertise to help business owners make better, informed decisions and grow their companies.

Square is our highest scoring iPad POS system with a 4.8/5. Square’s free POS software, affordable hardware, and easy to use system places it in the number one spot.

Our independent research team has compared 11 different POS systems to find the best on the market.

Read on to find out which of these offer the best iPad POS systems.

If you’re short on time, don’t forget you can use our free comparison tool to be matched up with the best POS system providers for your business.

Square

Shopify

TouchBistro

Lightspeed

Epos Now

How We Test POS Systems for Businesses

We tested 16 market-leading POS systems to evaluate them in terms of functionality, usability, price, features, and more so we can make the most useful recommendations to Canadian 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 POS systems are:

Till: the core functionality of the POS 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 POS system to support various aspects of running a business, such as employee management, shift scheduling, and customer management.

Stock Management: the POS 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 POS 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 POS 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 POS 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 POS system including documentation, tutorials, or knowledge bases.

Features: the functionalities and capabilities provided by the POS product. This can include dedicated restaurant and retail functionality including KDS, loyalty management, and multi employee login.

 

Written by:
Julia Watts author headshot photo
Specialising in business software, Julia writes jargon-busting guides about VoIP, fleet management, dash cams, fuel cards, and more. Having spent almost a decade writing for entrepreneurs and reviewing business solutions, she loves helping exciting ventures – big or small – to flourish.
Reviewed by:
Heleana Neil, Business Services editor
Heleana Neil specialises in Business Services, managing the strategy and production of content for SMBs, helping businesses with the challenges and opportunities they face today. Covering everything from payroll to payment processing, Heleana uses her expertise to help business owners make better, informed decisions and grow their companies.

Through workforce management software, it’s possible to obtain and use a vast array of information, which, when used efficiently, can lead to improved productivity and drastically reduced risk for your company.

In the old days, people used to clock in and out of work manually. You’ll have seen it in the movies – someone takes their time card and punches it into a machine to make a record of their working hours. However, with the advent of home-working, increases in technology, and evolution of the work place in general, workforce management technology has expanded and improved.

If you’re curious about the various ways your business could benefit from workplace management software, read on to explore the various features within. If you think your business could improve through time management software, try our quote comparison tool. You’ll be given various quotes based on your business’s specifics that can help you decide on a provider.

Best workforce management systems

1. Bodet

2. Actin Time

3. Kronos

4. Advanced Time

5. Chronicle Computing

6. Planday

Benefits of workforce management software

A good workforce management system will allow you to have a wide range of data about your operations at your fingertips, enabling you to put efficiency measures in place.

The annual cost of losing ten minutes a day per employee for a large company can amount to a six-figure sum. Employee absenteeism cases can cost even more, so there are many benefits to be derived. The tracking and analysis functions will give you a clear understanding of staffing operations, allowing you to address any issues.

Minimise costs and reduce risk of fraud

Accurate information leads to accurate wage bills, allowing you to minimise your costs. Individual employee information will alert you to trigger points regarding absence procedures, and allow you to tackle lateness in a prompt and efficient manner. Fraud is reduced, especially if biometric terminals are used, as employees can’t use someone else’s timecard or clock in for a colleague.

Understanding of staffing operations

Forward planning is also simplified, which is very helpful for organisations needing a minimum staffing ratio e.g. care homes, and individual working patterns can be adhered to.

Individual employee records can be linked. A workforce management system that is fully integrated with HR and payroll services will save many hours admin time, and result in greater efficiency.

Greater efficiency

Most workforce management systems are now cloud based, giving even greater access and flexibility. Installation is easier, and routine tasks such as maintenance and upgrades can be done remotely, often by the host company.

Cost of workforce management software

For a fully-installed system, it is difficult to estimate costs, because every business is unique, so every installation is a bespoke solution. You will need to discuss the details with your supplier, and ensure that any quote is broken down, so that pricing is transparent and you can compare costs between suppliers.

If you prefer to manage the installation yourself, or purchase a standard set up, here are some guidelines:

A clocking-in machine with RFID (wireless) and fingerprint sensors will cost between about £230 – £530 for the very best clocking in system. The prices varies, depending on number of users and the number of time logs that can be stored. However, this price usually includes operating software.

A standalone copy of the software retails at around £60, and 1 hour of installation support (by phone) costs around £100.

You will also need to factor in some additional costs for peripherals e.g. badges, key fobs etc.

What are workforce management systems?

Workforce management systems can track employees by department, as well as tracking additional information such as mealtimes, breaks, attendance and punctuality. Annual leave, compassionate leave and specific circumstances (such as jury service) can all be included, and details such as the employee’s department and output can be added. Routine tasks such as regular inspection routes can also be included.

Planning capability allows you to timetable shifts with ease, ensuring that everyone works the correct number of hours, taking into account rest days and compliance with the Working Time Directive (WTD). This is especially helpful if you employ casual workers, or operate variable shift patterns. Workforce management systems can handle multiple and complex information sources easily.

You can read more about the best types of modern timesheet software here.

Importance of workforce management

The COVID-19 pandemic lead to a huge increase in remote working. Despite, or perhaps because of this massive boom in remote working, it’s more important than ever to keep on top of your employees’ output and activity.

Workforce management has always been important, but if you don’t have eyes on your employees, you’ll still want to keep tabs on your business’s output. Workforce management software affords businesses the ability to isolate weak links in the chain, and work quickly to strengthen them.

Even outside of a remote working context, having an organised and objective metric of your employees’ work, information, and statistics is indispensable for any business looking to optimise their workflow.

How to choose the best system

There are a wide range of possibilities to consider when looking into workforce management systems for the first time. It’s important to think carefully about the exact needs of your business, not only now, but in the future.

A workforce management system can be expensive, and you don’t want to end up with one which becomes obsolete further down the line. For this reason, you may be better off purchasing or leasing a full bespoke installation, specifically tailored to your needs.

What is your workforce like?

Begin by deciding what you want the system to do for you. Which key areas of your operation do you want to address? How will you evaluate the success of your installation? It’s not just about deciding which features you want, but more about ensuring you have a system that solves your problems for you. You’ll want to consider:

  • How many employees do you have, and across how many sites?
  • Will you need multiple access sites or just one?
  • Will staff clock in using punchcards, swipe cards, mobile phones, or biometrics such as fingerprints?
  • Who will be administering the system?

You may feel that allowing senior staff to manage their own department is a powerful incentive for them to work towards improvement.

What information do you need?

Consider the quality of information you need. Some systems may overload you with unnecessary information, and no-one has the time or inclination to plough through reams of superfluous data. You should aim for efficient filtering to provide information that is both useful and accessible.

  • How flexible is your proposed system? Every business is different and has different working procedures, which the system will need to accommodate.
  • Can your chosen system be customised on an ongoing basis if your operations change?

What do you need in a product?

Choose your provider carefully. Some companies sell their own systems, so they are unlikely to tell you if a rival product is better for you. But they will have full ownership of the system, and can probably customise it more easily if required.

Agencies that re-sell products are likely to have lower overheads, as they don’t need to support development costs. They can also offer a wider range of products, but they will have less direct access to the systems, which could make it difficult if you need a customised solution.

Check exactly what is included in your deal. Does it cover installation, staff training, and implementation of the system? Confirm arrangements for after sales support, and the situation regarding any future development and upgrading.

  • What is the life span of the product?
  • Are upgrades free or included in your deal?

Be aware of the dangers of getting tied into a long term contract; you may be stuck with a system that no longer meets your needs. However, if you make a one-off purchase, you want to know that product support will continue for older versions if you choose not to upgrade.

A good supplier will work with you to ensure that you end up with the system you need, rather than merely try to sell you a product.

Written by:
Julia Watts author headshot photo
Specialising in business software, Julia writes jargon-busting guides about VoIP, fleet management, dash cams, fuel cards, and more. Having spent almost a decade writing for entrepreneurs and reviewing business solutions, she loves helping exciting ventures – big or small – to flourish.
Reviewed by:
Heleana Neil, Business Services editor
Heleana Neil specialises in Business Services, managing the strategy and production of content for SMBs, helping businesses with the challenges and opportunities they face today. Covering everything from payroll to payment processing, Heleana uses her expertise to help business owners make better, informed decisions and grow their companies.

Our top picks are Jolt and Clover, which both provide efficient, easy-to-use POS systems as well as tools and features suited to convenience stores.

POS systems are vital to running convenience stores, and choosing the right system for your business is key. Below, we’ll break down our top choices for convenience stores and dive into their features, pros and cons, and pricing.

If you’re short on time, you can use our free quote tool to be matched up with the best POS systems for your requirements. Compare quotes and save on your next POS system.

Jolt

If you have multiple stores or a franchise, Jolt is able to replicate quality and customer service across multiple locations. Its centralized data library can be customized to any of your requirements, and rolled out to different locations and roles to ensure your employees and stores are all on the same page.

The simple, easy-to-use interface also makes it easy for your employees to stay on top of their responsibilities and ensure operations are smooth and efficient.

Jolt’s pricing:

Jolt doesn’t share its price plans publicly, so you’ll have to contact the company to find out how much it will cost for your business.

Clover

Clover provides several different functions in one system including payment, finance, and inventory tools so you don’t have to rely on third-party providers for these services. Third-party providers can sometimes struggle to integrate well and if there are any issues, you’ll need to deal with the provider directly. You have access to these core services on the system however Clover does lack some features that  can only be accessed via third-party apps, which can cause integration and customer service issues.

Clover’s payment processing rates are lower than that of some other POS systems. Plus, users have reported that Clover’s customer service is helpful. Unfortunately, the system cannot communicate between multiple locations, which is a drawback if you want all your locations to develop cohesive practices.

Clover’s pricing:

Here are the costs of Clover’s two most popular hardware packages:

Clover StationClover Mini
  • 14” touch screen display
  • Receipt printer with customer display
  • Cash drawer
  • Connectivity hub
  • High resolution 7” touch screen
  • Receipt printer built in
  • Camera and bar scanner built in
Price: $1,199 ($1,499 with Clover Mini)Price: $599

The following items are available as separate add-ons:

  • Barcode scanner
  • Cash drawer
  • Kitchen printer
  • Weight scale
  • Clover Flex

GoFrugal

GoFrugal’s customer service is also decent, which helps when you run into any snags. And its mobile app lets you keep a close eye on things from anywhere in the world.

The system provides reports that help reduce manual work as well as offline billing, so you don’t have to lose out on sales if anything happens to your connection.

This POS system also comes with a CRM, so you can store customer details, create a loyalty programme and develop further ways to engage with customers and build marketing campaigns.

GoFrugal’s pricing:

GoFrugal doesn’t share its pricing, so you’ll need to contact the provider directly to find out how much it’ll cost for your business.

The system automatically deals with inventory management too, making it easy to reduce wastage and theft. Epos Now also has a built-in CRM system so you can launch special offers and loyalty programs. 

The system’s sales reporting includes employee reports and end-of-day summaries so you can keep an eye on everything happening across your business. Epos Now also includes third-party integrations to ensure you have a comprehensive system. Plus, the company’s customer service is said to be exceptional, which is important for a system so central to your business’ operations. 

Unfortunately, Epos Now cannot use different tax rates in different provinces in Canada. If you have multiple convenience stores across different provinces, this can be a big drawback. 

Epos Now’s pricing:

  • Core hardware and/or software starts from $1,145
  • Monthly fee of $39 (Standard) or $54 (Premium)

How We Test POS Systems for Businesses

We tested 16 market-leading POS systems to evaluate them in terms of functionality, usability, price, features, and more so we can make the most useful recommendations to Canadian 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 POS systems are:

Till: the core functionality of the POS 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 POS system to support various aspects of running a business, such as employee management, shift scheduling, and customer management.

Stock Management: the POS 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 POS 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 POS 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 POS 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 POS system including documentation, tutorials, or knowledge bases.

Features: the functionalities and capabilities provided by the POS product. This can include dedicated restaurant and retail functionality including KDS, loyalty management, and multi employee login.

 

Written by:
Julia Watts author headshot photo
Specialising in business software, Julia writes jargon-busting guides about VoIP, fleet management, dash cams, fuel cards, and more. Having spent almost a decade writing for entrepreneurs and reviewing business solutions, she loves helping exciting ventures – big or small – to flourish.
Reviewed by:
Heleana Neil, Business Services editor
Heleana Neil specialises in Business Services, managing the strategy and production of content for SMBs, helping businesses with the challenges and opportunities they face today. Covering everything from payroll to payment processing, Heleana uses her expertise to help business owners make better, informed decisions and grow their companies.

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.

Inflation has hit food prices particularly hard in the past year. The inflation rate for food and non-alcoholic beverages was 7% in January 2024, and while the figure has fallen to around 4% since then, it’s still concerningly high.

You’ve no doubt had to raise the prices of some of your menu items, which has probably also raised your worries that customers won’t spend as much at your establishment. The best EPOS systems can help you retain customers by improving service times and order accuracy, and help you optimise your menus and ingredient usage so you don’t waste a penny.

We’ve tested a wide range of EPOS systems designed with restaurants in mind. In this guide, we’ll go over what they’re best at, as well as the features, equipment, and add-ons they offer. We’ll also run you through the transaction fees you’ll have to pay on different plans. Here’s our top five:

If you’re unsure which system is the best fit for your eatery, you can use our free comparison tool to get custom quotes straight from the providers that can best meet your needs.

1. Square: Best for Scaling and Growing Your Restaurant

Square is the best EPOS system for scaling up your restaurant business.

Its app-based software has a starting price of £0 per month, making it a good entry point for budding restaurateurs. At the same time, the advanced features of its paid plans (starting at £69 per month), and its wide range of hardware make Square equally suitable for small chains.

However, we wouldn’t recommend it for restaurants with over three locations, because buying or renting Square’s hardware can get expensive if you need to purchase sets for several locations, and its inventory management features aren’t equipped to handle a large number of establishments.

Square’s transaction fees are also on the higher side, at 1.75%, but you can get lower ones if you opt for the Premium plan. This plan has custom pricing, and is available for restaurants that process over £200,000 a year.

What Restaurant Features Are Included in Square’s EPOS System?

On Square’s free EPOS plan, you’ll be able to manage orders, do the basics – such as set up your menu and table plan – from both the front and back end, and track which dishes have run out. The free plan also allows you to create an online ordering website, where you can take orders and accept payments.

The £69 Plus plan and custom-priced Premium plan will give you access to more advanced features, such as the ability to access the EPOS system via mobile, customise your table plan, and reopen closed bills to make amendments.

You’ll also get access to in-depth reporting tools, allowing you to assess how your establishment is performing during different service hours, for example, and advanced employee management functions, such as sales reporting by team member.

What’s Square’s Restaurant Hardware Like?

Square’s EPOS system is app-based, and is compatible with both Apple and IOS tablets, although these are not provided by Square.

The equipment Square does provide is sleek and modern looking, which is a plus if aesthetics are important to your business. Available hardware includes:

  • Register: A tablet stand and customer-facing touchscreen terminal
  • Card machines: Most can accept contactless, chip and PIN, and mobile payments
  • Solo tablet stand: Doubles as a contactless and chip and PIN card reader
  • KDS: With a 21.5 inch touchscreen

Also available through Square are a variety of cash drawers, receipt printers, accessories, and replacement parts.

Is Square Easy to Use?

Square’s EPOS system is relatively easy to use, although we found that setting up the back end was a little easier than dealing with the front end. The main actions we struggled with were locating the floorplan and creating a discount code.

Another thing Square has going against it is that it doesn’t have a training mode, which could make teaching your staff how to use it a little tricky. That said, there’s a help centre that has a large number of guides, including on how to set up and manage different features, like creating items, and modifying orders.

Screenshot of Square EPOS table plan
Here's what Square's floorplan looks like in darkmode. It's not the prettiest display, but but it can be customised. Source: Expert Market

2. Clover: Best Professional Restaurant Hardware

Clover is the best EPOS system for professional restaurant hardware. Its collection ranges from countertop solutions complete with screens (no need to purchase your tablets separately), to handheld devices that sync with the main EPOS system, and allow you access to all features, from order management to reporting.

We particularly like Clover’s customer display screens: they’re bright and very reactive to touch, making it easy for customers to use them. Another standout is Clover’s fingerprint login function, making it quicker for staff to access the interface and serve customers.

However, since Clover doesn’t disclose its pricing for UK businesses, it’s not the best option for newly started establishments, who might prefer clear pricing to help them budget.

Clover does disclose pricing for US businesses, which ranges from $1,699 + $89.95 per month to $4,097+ $129.85 per month. If those metrics are anything to go buy, Clover isn’t a cheap option. Businesses such as food stalls or cafes, who don’t necessarily need the most advanced hardware on the market, will get a better deal with a supplier like Square.

What Restaurant Features Are Included in Clover’s EPOS System?

Clover’s EPOS system includes all the basics and more. You can create custom table plans that perfectly match your restaurant’s layout, create customised orders for guests, and even transfer orders from one table to another if customers switch seats.

You’ll also be able to see the status of each table in real-time, track and transfer bar tabs, send orders straight to the kitchen, split bills, manage staff, take bookings and track your sales.

When it comes to employee and inventory management, Clover offers a customised approach, which means you can pick the features you want. Additional features include stock alerts and profit tracking, and advanced employee scheduling.

There’s also a Clover app store, where you can find a variety of marketing and reporting tools to integrate into your EPOS system.

What’s Clover’s Restaurant Hardware Like?

Clover has three main pieces of POS hardware: a complete countertop system, a tablet, and a handheld device. All have a sleek design, responsive screens, and fingerprint login for quick access.

Here are the options:

  • Clover Station Pro: The most heavy-duty piece of equipment. It’s a countertop station complete with a staff screen on a built-in stand, a customer-facing terminal (complete with screen) and a receipt printer. It’s best suited to large, busy restaurants
  • Clover Mini: A small tablet with a short, built-in stand that doubles as a card terminal. It’s best for mid-sized restaurants
  • Clover Flex: A handheld device that connects to both Wifi and 4G, it doubles as a card machine and EPOS interface. It has a built-in receipt printer, which connects with larger Clover devices via the cloud, making it a great option for table service

Clover also offers two restaurant accessories, an order ticket printer for the kitchen, and a cash drawer.

Is Clover Easy to Use?

We found Clover much easier to use than the other EPOS systems we tested – with the exception of TouchBistro – because the layout of the front and backend is very straightforward. Everything is nicely spaced out, avoiding clutter, and Clover makes use of different colours to visually separate items from each other.

However, Clover doesn’t have a training mode, and its support centre doesn’t have as large a library of guides as competitors like Square.

Clover EPOS terminal with screen set to order management
The screen on Clover's terminal is nice and bright, and we appreciated the use of colour coding in the dashboard. Source: Expert Market

3. Lightspeed Restaurant: Best for Driving Customer Loyalty

Lightspeed Restaurant is the best EPOS system for restaurants looking to drive customer loyalty, thanks to its range of integrated marketing features. These include email and SMS marketing, loyalty programs, and automated marketing, all of which can entice customers to return.

There’s also an optional Order Anywhere feature, which allows you to give your customers more ways to order, such as online, or via a QR code. These tools can help create a loyal customer base and contribute to growth.

One major downside to Lightspeed is that it doesn’t provide you with the tablets (it only works with Apple iOS) that its system runs on. Buying them separately, if you don’t already have them, can get expensive very quickly. If you want a provider that bundles software and hardware into one payment, Epos Now is your best bet.

What Restaurant Features Are Included in Lightspeed Restaurant’s EPOS System?

Besides its marketing and loyalty tools, Lightspeed Restaurant also has a robust array of restaurant management features.

You’re able to customise your floor plan, menu, and screen, which is especially useful for customer-facing screens and KDSs. Other top features include ingredient usage tracking, cost vs profit breakdowns for menu items, and automated resupply orders.

Lightspeed’s EPOS system also has an offline function, which means it’ll log data even if you get disconnected from the wifi, and sync everything automatically when the connection returns.

What’s Lightspeed Restaurant’s Hardware Like?

Lightspeed’s EPOS software is completely app-based and only operates on iOS tablets, which aren’t available to purchase from Lightspeed.

The KDS and customer display screens are also app-based, and Lightspeed doesn’t offer dedicated hardware for these. This means you’ll need to buy additional tablets, which can really drive up costs if you need to buy tablets for multiple locations.

A lot of restaurants prefer these types of systems because they offer mobility to staff, but if you want dedicated KDS of customer display hardware, you can get them through providers like Clover, Square, or Epos Now.

When it comes to accessories, here’s what Lightspeed can provide your restaurant with:

  • iPad stand: A black, Lightspeed-branded stand for the counter
  • Cash drawer: Available in sizes large or small, and connects to the iPad stand
  • Receipt printers: A variety of Epson models are available, although the design is slightly clunky
  • Card machines: Two mobile card machines with built-in receipt printers (Castles S1F2 and Verifone V400m), and one mobile machine with a touchscreen but no receipt printer (Smart Terminal from Adyen)

Is Lightspeed Restaurant Easy to Use?

Lightspeed Restaurant is quite easy to use. We found the front end slightly more difficult to navigate, and initially struggled with adding a note to an order and adding a customers’ details. However, creating and editing menus and table plans in the back end was simple enough.

Lightspeed also has a training mode, which is particularly useful if you have a large team, and its help centre contains guides on a range of common topics, such as system setup (for both hardware and software), and how to use features such as table plans and order management.

screenshot of lightspeed POS order management
When you open an order tab on Lightspeed it gives you the option of applying a discount. Source: Expert Market

4. TouchBistro: Easiest EPOS System to Operate

TouchBistro is the easiest EPOS system to operate, thanks to its straightforward front and back-end interface, which accelerates order processing. We found it to be the most intuitive restaurant EPOS platform we tested.

Part of what makes it so easy to use is the fact that you can customise which features you have on your system, which not only means you can avoid paying for features you don’t use, but you can also declutter your dashboard.

On the downside, a lot of TouchBistro’s best features come as pricey add-ons, with features such as loyalty tools coming in at around £79 per month, and online ordering at £40 per month. This can drive up monthly overheads.

What Restaurant Features Are Included in TouchBistro’s EPOS System?

TouchBistro comes with all the features you need to successfully run a restaurant.

Its table planning tools are particularly good. Floor plans can be edited from the front or back end, and you can even create and remove walls between tables, so that your floor plan exactly matches your restaurant.

When it comes to preparing orders, TouchBistro has a separate software for KDSs, but it seamlessly integrates with the EPOS system. Your kitchen staff will be able to see tickets appear instantly on screen when an order is put through, and they’ll be able to clear completed orders in just two taps, thanks to the touch screen.

For an extra fee, you can get access to marketing and loyalty tools, which allow you to, for example, create a customer app and rewards system. Marketing and loyalty tools cost an extra £79 per month, respectively. If you don’t feel like paying that much for loyalty tools, you could try Lightspeed instead, which has them built-in.

There’s also an advanced reservation add-on, which is quite pricey at £185 per month, but it could be worth it for large, fine dining restaurants who need to treat their customers to a personalised service.

What’s TouchBistro’s Restaurant Hardware Like?

TouchBistro’s EPOS software is completely tablet-based and is compatible with iPads – these can be provided to you, or you can use your own.

The company doesn’t provide much detail on the other equipment it has in stock, but it does indicate that restaurants have two setup options:

  • A light setup (suitable for small restaurants) that includes an iPad stand, cash drawer, receipt printer, and mobile card machine
  • A complete setup (suitable for large restaurants) with all of the above, plus optional countertop card machines, extra tablets, and a desktop monitor

TouchBistro doesn’t disclose the cost of its hardware, nor is any hardware included along with its EPOS software packages, which is a little frustrating. For cleared hardware pricing, look to Square, and for software and hardware packages, go to Epos Now.

Is TouchBistro Easy to Use?

TouchBistro is the easiest EPOS system to use. Overall, we found it to be exceptionally user-friendly, although we did find the dashboard menu titles to be a little vague.

If you do encounter trouble, TouchBistro gives you a host of options for contacting customer support, including over the phone, live chat, email, or even social media.

There’s also a training mode, which can speed up the learning process, especially if you have a large staff.

screenshot of Touchbistro EPOS system digital order receipt
TouchBistro's system allowed us to view digital receipts before printing them. Source: Expert Market

5. Epos Now: Best for Managing Complex Inventories

Epos Now is the best EPOS system for restaurants that need to manage complex inventories.

The software is cloud-based, and comes with advanced stock management features, such as stock alerts, bulk inventory uploads, and cost vs. profit analysis. The system lets you track ingredients and automates restock orders, and is capable of tracking activity across multiple locations.

Tools like these can help your restaurant cut down on waste and identify profitable menu items, increasing your profits in the long run.

Advanced features are great, but unfortunately, they do mean that Epos Now isn’t the easiest EPOS system to use. We found it to be one of the least intuitive systems – not a good option for novices.

What Restaurant Features Are Included in Epos Now’s EPOS System?

As we’ve mentioned, Epos Now’s inventory management tools are its standout features, allowing you to track ingredient usage in real-time, across multiple locations.

When it comes to more essential restaurant features, Epos Now lets you customise and change table plans, so there’s no disconnect between what your staff see on screen and what they see in reality. The KDS syncs quickly with the EPOS system, so that last minute order changes don’t get overlooked.

Quite uniquely, Epos Now takes a hybrid approach when it comes to how its software is accessed. It can be used on a traditional EPOS terminal, and also accessed via an app on an iPad or Android tablet, or even via desktop, giving restaurant owners a lot of flexibility as to when and where they can use their system.

What’s Epos Now’s EPOS Hardware Like?

Epos Now’s basic restaurant hardware package includes a 15.6 HD touchscreen, a large customer display, a built-in receipt printer, a card machine, and a metal cash drawer.

If you go for the tablet package, you’ll get a tablet (iPad or Android), with a rotating stand, receipt printer, and card machine. It costs £149 for an Android package, and £349 for an iPad package.

Other available hardware includes:

  • Card machines: Three different mobile card machines, including one with EPOS software included
  • Receipt printers: Three different printers, including one that syncs orders with the kitchen or bar
  • KDS: one model, a large, black touchscreen monitor

There are a few other accessories available, including employee swipe cards (for fast sign-in) and kitchen scales.

Epos Now’s hardware and software can be purchased as part of a package, with the company giving you the choice between one upfront payment or monthly payments for most items.

Is Epos Now Easy to Use?

Epos Now isn’t the easiest system to use, mainly because the more advanced a system’s features are, the less intuitive it tends to be.

During testing, we found that the front end was slightly easier to use than the back end, although we had no issue with basic tasks such as creating floor plans, and assigning ingredients to menu items facilitated stock tracking. However, sifting through all the reporting and tracking options was a little overwhelming.

Since Epos Now can be tricky, and it doesn’t have a training mode, it’s not a system we’d recommend to restaurants who have inexperienced teams. For a more beginner-friendly option, we’d recommend TouchBistro or Clover.

Buying Guide: How to Choose a Restaurant POS System

When choosing a restaurant POS system, you should first define your specific needs, which will vary depending on the size of your restaurant, how you serve your food (for example, counter ordering, table service, or QR code), and the number of locations you have.

Here’s what to consider when evaluating your choices:

Pricing

Consider upfront costs and monthly fees, as well as what’s included in them. Is it both software and hardware, or one and not the other? Make sure to include the added cost of integration, training, and transaction fees in your budgeting.

Realistically plan for any projected growth as well. Choosing a system that can accommodate your expected future needs will prevent you from having to switch systems later down the line.

Software

Make a list of must-have and nice-to-have features based on your restaurant’s operations to get a clear picture of what kind of system you genuinely need.

These could include:

  • Inventory management: To help you keep on top of your ingredients and prevent you from running out of something unexpectedly
  • Reservation management: To help you book out tables in advance and gather customer data
  • Staff management: So you can reward your best employees and identify those that need further training
  • Online ordering functionality: So you can offer your food to takeaway customers or accept online pre-orders
  • Analytics: So you can learn which meals are most popular, which staff members are processing the most transactions, and more
  • Customer loyalty programs: So you can offer benefits that entice customers back to your restaurant as repeat visitors

It’s worth being aware that if you prioritise features that help automate your workflows and prevent manual work, you may be able to reduce your labour costs.

Hardware

Think about the important pieces of hardware that your business needs, and how many of them you need – from POS terminals and card machines to receipt printers, kitchen printers, and cash drawers.

Not all providers automatically provide you with card machines, for example. They’re sometimes replaced with a tablet or terminal that can take payments. However, if you need your staff to do table service, you’ll need an EPOS provider that can supply you with mobile card readers.

If you have existing hardware, and want to save yourself having to buy everything new, find an EPOS system that’s compatible with your existing equipment. Most EPOS providers appreciate that you might be switching to them from another supplier, and that you won’t necessarily want a complete overhaul of all your hardware.

Add-ons and integrations

You should also pay attention to the software that your chosen EPOS system can integrate with.

If you already use software, such as accounting software, make sure the EPOS system you choose has a ready-made integration for it, as this will help you streamline operations.

It’s also a good idea to check what other add-ons or apps are available via an EPOS system. Some providers offer advanced marketing or reporting features as add-ons, usually for an extra fee – but if these seem particularly valuable to your business, they could be worth the extra spend.

Customer support

Make sure you check how available the EPOS provider’s customer support team is, and how easily reachable they are.

An EPOS provider should have a customer support phone line that’s open on weekdays, at the very least. Live chat support and community forums you can go to in a pinch are a welcome addition.

You should also check the training resources, onboarding support, and post-implementation support terms provided by the EPOS provider to ensure your team will get the support they need to learn the new system.

How much do restaurant EPOS systems cost?

When budgeting for an EPOS system for your pub or restaurant, there are a few categories to consider.

Monthly software fees and upfront payments

EPOS system providers typically charge a monthly fee for their software, although there are a few that charge a one-off upfront payment, which usually includes the cost of hardware as well.

You should expect to pay between £60-£300 per month to use EPOS software depending on your needs, and this fee usually also covers the cost of renting basic hardware. Some providers, like Square, offer their software for no cost, but you’ll buy their hardware upfront.

Hardware costs

EPOS system hardware can either be bought for an upfront, one-time cost, or paid monthly as part of one ongoing fee that covers software and hardware.

Upfront fees for card machines range from £15 to £150, while terminals can cost up to £400. Monthly fees for renting hardware are usually combined with the cost of the software.

Transaction fees

Transaction fees are a separate charge from the monthly software and hardware fees you pay. They can range from 0.2% to 1.8% per transaction, depending on your provider.

Some EPOS providers are also payment service providers, which means you can negotiate transaction fees with them. Typically, the higher your transaction volume is, the lower the fees will be – if they operate on negotiable fees.

An EPOS system such as Square, on the other hand, has fixed-rate fees, which means you pay the same rate, no matter how many orders you take.

You also have the option of going with a different company to your EPOS provider for payment processing, in which case they, and not your EPOS provider, will determine your fees.

Our methodology

We tested and compared over 10 EPOS providers, evaluating them against each other on how well they cater to the specific needs of restaurants. We rated each provider according to how it performed in six key areas of interest, which were:

  • EPOS software: the breadth of features included in the EPOS software, and how valuable they are to the average restaurant
  • Hardware/equipment: the variety of equipment available to purchase or rent, with special importance given to key items, such as KDSs, portable card machines, and cash drawers
  • Ease-of-use: how easy the system is to use, navigate, and customise
  • Help and support: how effective and reachable the customer support team is, with bonus points given to EPOS systems with help centres and training modes
  • Costs: the price of the system, how it compares to competitors, and whether it’s good value for money
  • User experience: whether everyday restaurant owners know and like the system, whether they’d recommend it, and what they say about it in online reviews
Written by:
Julia Watts author headshot photo
Specialising in business software, Julia writes jargon-busting guides about VoIP, fleet management, dash cams, fuel cards, and more. Having spent almost a decade writing for entrepreneurs and reviewing business solutions, she loves helping exciting ventures – big or small – to flourish.
Reviewed by:
Heleana Neil, Business Services editor
Heleana Neil specialises in Business Services, managing the strategy and production of content for SMBs, helping businesses with the challenges and opportunities they face today. Covering everything from payroll to payment processing, Heleana uses her expertise to help business owners make better, informed decisions and grow their companies.

When you run a business premises, paying for energy to light it, cool and heat it, and power its various equipment and appliances is unavoidable.

But what is avoidable is paying over the odds on a plan that doesn’t suit your needs and budget. It’s simply a case of making sure that you’re on the best rates and tariff for your business – and that you’re making the right savings.

The first step? Understanding how much energy rates actually cost, the fees you could be subject to, and the different tariff types you may have to choose between.

We understand that there are a lot of considerations to make and plenty of jargon to sift through. That’s why we’ve put everything you need to know about business energy rates, costs, and savings on this page, and explained it all in plain terms. Let’s dive in.


Which companies supply business energy in Britain, and how much do their plans cost?

We’ve done some research and collected fixed contract quotes for electricity and gas quotes from the major UK energy suppliers. We’ve made the following assumptions:

  • Small restaurant based in Leeds town centre
  • Electricity use per year: 20,000 kWh
  • Gas use per year: 30,000 kWh
  • Standard electricity meter (not a top-up one)
  • New one-year contract to start in March 2023
  • Paying by monthly direct debit

And we’ve collected Trustpilot scores too (listed as “Consumer Rating”) so you can easily compare suppliers. Here are the results:


How is your business energy bill calculated?

Okay, let’s get down to the important stuff: money. If you want to save your business money, you need to know which parts of your energy bill are fixed, and which are down to your energy use.

Let’s explore the main types of charges:

1. Standing charge

This a fixed daily rate. It covers the cost of the cables, pipes, and networks that physically deliver energy to you.

You cannot affect this charge at all. You’ll have to pay it just the same even if you don’t use any energy on some days.

2. Unit rate

This is the charge for every drop of energy you use. Energy is measured in kilowatt-hours, written as kWh. Every energy provider sets their own rate, in pence per kWh.

The less energy you use, the lower this part of your overall energy bill will be.

The average standard rate of electricity across the UK was 34p per kWh as of the last update of this article.

3. VAT (value-added tax)

The VAT you’ll pay on your energy bill varies depending on what type of business you are. Most will pay 20%. But if you meet certain criteria (such as being a charity) or you use only tiny amounts of energy, you’ll pay a reduced rate of 5%.

By the way, energy companies don’t tend to include VAT in their published pricing. So this will be added to your bill.

4. Climate Change Levy

Often written as “CCL”, the Climate Change Levy is a government tax that’s added on per kWh of energy used. The rate for electricity is 0.0000775p and that will stay the same until 1 April 2024. The CCL for gas is 0.0000672p per kWh and that will increase to the same rate as electricity from 1 April 2024.

You can pay less by using less energy, or you may not have to pay it at all if you’re buying renewable energy.

5. The Feed-In Tariff (FIT)

The Feed-In Tariff was designed to pay businesses and households to generate their own renewable energy. The hope was that this would ease pressure from the National Grid, as well as moving the UK towards its sustainability goals.

Electricity suppliers have to pay Ofgem, the energy regulator, every quarter to cover the costs of this. The process is called Levelisation, but all you really need to know is that electricity costs a little bit more because of it.

Energy suppliers include these costs automatically, so you don’t need to worry about calculating it. And no, you can’t affect it.

Business energy tariffs and contracts explained

1. Fixed tariffs

With a fixed tariff, businesses pay an agreed rate for their energy over a fixed period of time. Contracts with fixed tariffs are typically a year or more, and are often the cheapest option. Agreeing to a fixed tariff, however, does mean that you will run into difficulties if you decide to cut your contract short. At best, you will pay a hefty termination fee, and at worst you simply won’t be allowed an early exit.

In fact, most business energy contracts will only let you give notice of termination within a very specific period – usually 3-6 months. If you don’t terminate your existing contract or negotiate a new one, you will often be automatically rolled over to a new contract with the same provider. If this happens, you’ll likely be landed with an unfavourable rate, too.

2. Variable tariffs

With a variable tariff, you pay for exactly what you’ve used each month. Sounds perfect, right? Wrong!

As the saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true then it probably is, and variable tariffs are no exception. Yes, you will only pay for exactly what you use, but the rate you pay is typically much higher. What’s more, you are not protected from market fluctuations in price.

The only reason to consider a variable tariff is if you’re unsure of how long you’ll will need the supply for, and so don’t want to commit to a fixed contract.

3. Flexible tariffs

While the majority of businesses have fixed tariffs, flexible tariffs are another valuable option.

So, how do they work?

Traditionally used by larger businesses, flexible tariffs require your energy usage to be ‘profiled’. Your usage will be split into two categories:

  1. The baseload – your predictable energy usage
  2. Peak usage – any random spikes in demand outside of typical usage

Your business can then purchase ‘blocks’ of each type of energy in bulk, and you can sell any you don’t use back to the grid. While this can work really well for some, smaller businesses may find that the benefits are less than the effort involved in planning and buying the energy they need.

4. Green tariffs

Some business energy suppliers, such as Bulb and Ecotricity, only supply electricity that is generated with renewable methods. Supplying renewable energy is definitely a trend among new, independent suppliers. The majority of providers still rely heavily on electricity produced using coal, gas and nuclear power.

Some of these suppliers do, however, offer the chance for customers to upgrade to a ‘green tariff’. This means the electricity they receive is generated either completely or mostly by renewable means. Though, of course, this comes at an extra cost.

If sustainability is important to your business, we’ve written about reducing costs through eco-friendly business practices.

5. Deemed and default tariffs

If you’ve moved into a new business premises and have started to use energy without first agreeing a contract with a supplier, you will be paying the supplier’s ‘deemed contract’ rates. This is also the case if you terminate your contract but continue to use energy (although in this case it is sometimes called a ‘default tariff’).

Deemed contract rates are significantly higher than all other contracts. This is why it is so important that you compare quotes and arrange a contract as soon as you move into a property, and don’t terminate your contract without making other arrangements first.

How to reduce energy costs in your business

We understand how important it is for you to keep things lean, and in business, there’s always room for cost cutting! Here are our five best tips for shaving pounds and pennies off those energy bills:

1. Use energy saving light bulbs

See, we told you these would be quick wins! CFL and LED bulbs can reduce energy consumption by 75% and last up to three times as long. In times gone by, energy saving bulbs were synonymous with a harsh, clinical white light, but they’ve come a long way since then.

2. Shut down appliances at night

Again, this is really basic but highly effective. Reminding staff to shut down computers, turn off coffee and vending machines, and switch off lights and aircon is a quick way to minimise waste.

3. Find the right supplier

It may sound obvious, but it bears repeating over and over until you’ve made it your mission to seek out the supplier that’ll charge you the best rates. If that sounds a bit time consuming, don’t worry: you can save yourself hours of research by delegating this mission to a business energy broker.

And the fastest, easiest way to do that? Using our free quote-matching service. Simply answer a handful of questions about your business and its energy use, and our trusted broker will find the cheapest quote for you.

Remember, this isn’t a one-time process. We advise shopping around and being open to switching at least every 12 months. After all, the cheapest supplier this time last year may no longer be the cheapest supplier today.

4. Fit energy efficient equipment

Better energy efficiency equals cheaper bills. There are a number of things you can install in order to boost your business’ energy efficiency, including energy efficient lighting, automated cool room doors, and insulation for any hot or cool pipework.

If you use motors, whether for fans, irrigation, or refrigeration, you should upgrade to energy efficient models. You can also implement head pressure reduction or variable head pressure on your refrigeration system.

5. Offer flexible working

Calling this a ‘quick’ win may be a bit of a stretch, but allowing employees to work from home for a day or two per week will reduce your overheads dramatically. What’s more, there are a wealth of case studies indicating that working from home can have a positive uplift on productivity. And with instant messaging services such as Slack, there’s really no reason that someone working from home should be any more difficult to contact.

Next steps

On this page, we’ve covered the specific electricity rates charged by different suppliers, and the average rates in the UK as a whole. We’ve also explored the different kinds of rates and fees that suppliers charge, and explained how different tariffs and contract plans work. Plus, we’ve talked about energy brokers and environmental schemes, and imparted some tips for trimming down your energy bills.

Now that you’ve got a clearer understanding of all that, we hope you’re feeling prepped and ready to dive into your search for the best energy prices and deals you can find. But our contribution to your journey doesn’t have to end here.

Let us help you to zero in on the best energy rates quickly and easily with our free quote-matching service. Simply answer a few questions about your business and its energy needs, and our trusted broker will find the best quote for you. Our service is fast and free, and it saves you from having to find and connect with a broker yourself.

Written by:
Julia Watts author headshot photo
Specialising in business software, Julia writes jargon-busting guides about VoIP, fleet management, dash cams, fuel cards, and more. Having spent almost a decade writing for entrepreneurs and reviewing business solutions, she loves helping exciting ventures – big or small – to flourish.
Reviewed by:
Heleana Neil, Business Services editor
Heleana Neil specialises in Business Services, managing the strategy and production of content for SMBs, helping businesses with the challenges and opportunities they face today. Covering everything from payroll to payment processing, Heleana uses her expertise to help business owners make better, informed decisions and grow their companies.

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.

If you’re a broker looking to seize this wave, you need a good factoring company by your side – and based on our research, we can say Apex is the best factoring company for freight brokers in the market. It reaches this result on the speediness of its advance payment and its convenient fuel finder tool.

Apex isn’t the only option out there, though. We have picked other strong freight factoring companies that can provide you with that sweet cash injection to keep your business on the road.

That said, the best way to find actual costs and choose the best freight factoring providers to you is comparing quotes – and we can help with that. By using our free comparison tool, you’ll be matched with trusted providers that’ll quickly get back to you with deals tailored to your needs.

However, if you’d like to know more about our picks beforehand, just head to our ranking below. In it, you’ll get a breakdown of these companies’ features, pros, and cons, which should help you choose one to move your business forward.

1. Apex

2. Truckstop

3. Wex

4. OTR Capital

5. RTS Financial

Our Methodology

To find the best freight factoring companies on this list, we analysed them according to criteria important to freight brokers when they’re looking for one.

We compared their payment time as well as their upfront advance payment. While much of their price is custom and therefore difficult to compare, we investigated their contract requirements, such as length and termination clauses, as well as their associated fees. Their support facilities and trustworthiness were also looked at.

Based on this information, we’ve been able to identify the best providers for freight brokers and rank them.

Written by:
Julia Watts author headshot photo
Specialising in business software, Julia writes jargon-busting guides about VoIP, fleet management, dash cams, fuel cards, and more. Having spent almost a decade writing for entrepreneurs and reviewing business solutions, she loves helping exciting ventures – big or small – to flourish.
Reviewed by:
Heleana Neil, Business Services editor
Heleana Neil specialises in Business Services, managing the strategy and production of content for SMBs, helping businesses with the challenges and opportunities they face today. Covering everything from payroll to payment processing, Heleana uses her expertise to help business owners make better, informed decisions and grow their companies.

Unless you want your employees to work by candlelight, swaddled in blankets for warmth, the need to fork out for business energy is just a fact of running a business premises – whether its an office, shop, restaurant, garage, or anything in between.

Business energy brokers are the middleman between your business and your potential energy suppliers. They seek out and negotiate the most suitable energy deals around, so you don’t have to.

This, of course, begs an equally pertinent question: Which business energy broker should you choose to work with? Well, by reviewing four of the top business energy brokers in Australia, we aim to make this decision a bit easier for you.


The best business energy brokers

The best business energy brokers are:

  • Make It Cheaper
  • Choice Energy
  • Bulk Energy
  • HV Brokers

Make It Cheaper 


Choice Energy 

Bulk Energy 

HV Brokers 

Written by:
Julia Watts author headshot photo
Specialising in business software, Julia writes jargon-busting guides about VoIP, fleet management, dash cams, fuel cards, and more. Having spent almost a decade writing for entrepreneurs and reviewing business solutions, she loves helping exciting ventures – big or small – to flourish.
Reviewed by:
Heleana Neil, Business Services editor
Heleana Neil specialises in Business Services, managing the strategy and production of content for SMBs, helping businesses with the challenges and opportunities they face today. Covering everything from payroll to payment processing, Heleana uses her expertise to help business owners make better, informed decisions and grow their companies.

What is business energy?

Let’s start with the basics: business energy is, well, energy for businesses. Just as your home receives a supply of gas and electricity, so do businesses – and they certainly wouldn’t get far without it!

This guide will fill you in on everything you need to know about business energy, with info on tariffs and meters, pricesenvironmental schemes, and everything in between.


Is business energy cheaper than domestic energy?

Just like with domestic energy, Australian businesses with metered premises in the following states and territories tend to get cheaper rates:

  • NSW
  • South East Queensland
  • Victoria
  • Australian Capital Territory
  • South Australia

Businesses in Tasmania, Western Australia, and parts of Queensland tend to have less choice, and rates are higher though set within a government-regulated market.

Your business’ energy rate will depend on a few factors, such as your energy usage, chosen supplier, and the suppliers available in your location.


Who supplies business energy and which is the best supplier in Australia?

These are our top suppliers for business energy in the country:

SupplierKey benefitElectricity usage rates (per kWh)Cheapest sample electricity quote (per year)*
AGLBest benefits for large businesses24.13 cents$5,357
Alinta EnergyBiggest discounts21.63 cents$4,988
EnergyAustraliaBest multi-site plans32.57 cents$5,719
Momentum EnergyCheapest general usage rate21.33–29.62 cents$5,050
Origin EnergyBest solar energy expertise28.98–32.93 cents$6,372
PowershopGreenest energy29.33 cents$6,750
Red EnergyBest travel rewards25.73–32.60 cents$5,703
Simply EnergyBest time-saving benefits32.65 cents$5,647
Tango EnergyBest rated by customers24–31.90 cents$5,366

Tariffs

Some tariffs have variable usage rates, based on when your business uses energy.

This means you will be charged differently based on your tariff and your usage.

Time of use

There are three time periods which affect your bill: off-peak, shoulder and peak.

  • Off-peak: when energy usage is low. This is the cheapest period.
  • Shoulder: a period between peak and controlled load times. This period tends to be cheaper than peak periods.
  • Peak: when energy usage is the highest, such as weekdays or evenings.

What’s a controlled load?

A controlled load is the result of electricity being used by a stand-alone item, such as an irrigation pump. Controlled loads are recorded by a separate meter and can be billed as off-peak, making your energy bill cheaper.

Demand tariff charge

Demand charges exist so networks can cope with super hot days. Distributors need to ensure they can maintain the network to be able to handle the peak of the demand, even if it only lasts for a few days.

How are demand tariffs charged?

This charge is based on max demand for electricity in kW, calculated based on the highest energy usage over 12 months.

These charges exist to encourage less usage of electricity during peak times, as this is when pressure is heaviest on the networks.

Should I opt for demand charging?

Demand charges could be beneficial for your business if you use high amounts of electricity during peak times, as this is when the demand is calculated. But if your usage goes above the limit, then your charges will be a lot higher.

Solar feed-in tariff

When unused electricity is sent back to the grid by your solar power system, this tariff will credit it to your bill. The amount will depend on you location and the size of your solar power system.

Gas tariffs

Your gas tariff amount depends on your state and supplier.

Your gas bill is divided into two parts: supply and usage charges.

  • Supply charge: the daily service charge to have gas supplied to your business
  • Usage charges: rates charged for your gas usage

Seasonal gas rates

This rate is charged between peak season (winter) and controlled loads (non-winter).

Seasonal gas rate can be charged as a single rate or a block rate, depending on how much gas your business uses.

(This type of gas rate is only available in Victoria).

Non-seasonal gas rates

With this tariff, the rate is the same, no matter the season.

Other fees and charges 

There are other fees that come with setting up gas and electricity for your business, although these do change depending on your state.

Electricity:

  • Solar meter installation
  • Reconnection fee
  • Disconnection fee
  • Special meter read

As an example, in New South Wales, Endeavour charges $43.56 for disconnection, reconnection and a special meter read, and Essential charges $20.21 for a reconnection and a special meter read.


What is an energy broker?

An energy broker helps businesses or individuals find better deals for their energy. They essentially act as a middle man between suppliers and customers, in the same way that a comparison site does.

Partnering with an energy broker is very much a win-win situation. Businesses save lots of money on their bills, and all for no cost and minimum effort. Brokers have a very deep knowledge of the energy market, and build close relationships with suppliers, who may in turn offer them special rates.


How to save money on your business energy bills?

How to reduce business energy consumption: top five efficiency tips

Using less energy will reduce your bills, and your business’ carbon footprint. It’s not rocket science – we know you’ve heard it all before. However, it can be easy to forget and fall into wasteful habits. Here are five quick efficiency wins:

1. Using energy saving light bulbs

See, we told you these would be quick wins! CFL and LED bulbs can reduce energy consumption by 75% and last up to three times as long. In times gone by, energy saving bulbs were synonymous with a harsh, clinical white light, but they’ve come a long way since then.

2. Shutting down appliances at night

Again, really basic but highly effective. Reminding staff to shut down computers, turn off coffee and vending machines, and switch off lights and aircon is a quick way to minimise waste.

3. Using motion sensored lights

Now you have your lovely efficient new light bulbs, it’s time to take things one step further by using motion detectors. Consider installing these in meeting rooms and toilets, two areas that are likely to be vacant for longer periods of time.

4. Going paperless

Depending on the machine, printing a double side of A4 uses around 0.04 kWh of energy. That might not sound like much on its own, but it quickly adds up if lots of people are printing several pages a day. Try to develop processes that rely as little on printing physical pages as possible. Not only will you save money on your energy bills, but you will also spend less on toner and paper, and reduce your impact on the environment.

5. Being flexible

Calling this a ‘quick’ win may be a bit of a stretch, but allowing employees to work from home for a day or two per week will reduce your overheads dramatically. What’s more, there are a wealth of case studies indicating that working from home can have a positive uplift on productivity. With instant messaging services such as Slack, there’s really no reason why someone working from home should be any more difficult to contact than someone in the office.


Environmental schemes for businesses

Energy is obviously a big area of concern when it comes to the environment. In Australia, there are two major schemes that aim to improve and incentivise the cleanliness of the energy that businesses use.

These two schemes also have a bearing on energy costs for businesses, but in two very different ways. Let’s take a closer look at them:

GreenPower

GreenPower is a government scheme that enables businesses (and residential customers) to buy electricity from renewable sources.

Most Australian business energy suppliers offer at least one plan with a GreenPower add-on. Usually, your supplier will offer a few different set percentages – most often ranging from 10% to 100% – and you’ll be able to choose what percentage of your energy comes from government accredited renewable sources.

GreenPower does cost a little extra – usually somewhere between 2 cents and 5 cents per kWh of electricity that you use, on top of the usage charge you’d already be paying. This amount is set by each individual supplier, not the government – so as with anything, you’ll want to shop around for the best rate.

Remember, GreenPower is an investment in renewable energy that can only mean better things for the planet. Plus, consumers prefer their businesses to be environmentally conscious – so don’t dismiss this out of hand just because it adds an extra cost to your bill.

The solar feed-in tariff

Now, here’s where you can make some money! If your business has a solar energy system installed, you can sell your unused electricity back to the power grid through your energy supplier. The money you receive for this is called a solar feed-in tariff (FiT).

Usually, your supplier will offer a set amount for each kWh that you don’t use. This will normally appear as credit on your energy bill. The majority of suppliers offer the same amount per kWh on all their plans, but some outdo themselves by offering juicier rates on plans designed specifically for businesses with solar energy systems.

For the most part, though, FiTs tend to range from 5 cents to 12 cents per kWh. Again, it’s a matter of shopping around for good rates, which do vary from state to state.

Business energy tariffs and contracts explained

Some phrases you’ll likely come across are ‘energy contract’, ‘electricity tariff’, and ‘gas tariff’. Let’s break these down so you know exactly what you’re getting into.

Energy contract

When you buy electricity or gas from a provider, you enter a contract with them. This means that you’re responsible for paying the energy bill. You are, however, allowed to break this contract and switch providers (assuming your location has more than one provider).

You’ll have one of the following types of contracts:

  • Standard retail contract: this is costlier than a market contract, and tends to charge annually. With some of these contracts, the government sets the price of energy, not the provider. There usually aren’t any discounts or offers here.
  • Market contract: usually cheaper than standard contracts, and includes discounts. The caveat is that rates can change at any time, causing some instability.

Business energy tariffs

Tariffs tend to be made up of two parts:

  • Supply charge: the cost of supplying electricity to your business
  • Variable charge: the charge for each unit of energy used. Your bill will typically show variable charges as cents per kilowatt-hour for electricity and cents per megajoule for gas.
Written by:
Julia Watts author headshot photo
Specialising in business software, Julia writes jargon-busting guides about VoIP, fleet management, dash cams, fuel cards, and more. Having spent almost a decade writing for entrepreneurs and reviewing business solutions, she loves helping exciting ventures – big or small – to flourish.
Reviewed by:
Heleana Neil, Business Services editor
Heleana Neil specialises in Business Services, managing the strategy and production of content for SMBs, helping businesses with the challenges and opportunities they face today. Covering everything from payroll to payment processing, Heleana uses her expertise to help business owners make better, informed decisions and grow their companies.
Revel pos logo

Revel POS is unique to other POS systems as it includes customer channels and operations all on one dashboard. Revel POS gives you a POS that includes inventory management, social media management, and customer management. The possibilities are endless with Revel.

Read on to find out more about this POS system. If you’re short on time and want to quickstart your POS system search, you can use our free quote tool to find personalised prices from the right POS systems for your business.


What are Revel POS’s features and benefits?

Self-Service 

Revel POS offers a self-service checkout, giving you options to include branded messaging, payments, and more. Your customers are able to place orders and pay through the self-service kiosk. Designed intuitively with customers and your operations in mind, you can reduce face-to-face contact, providing a more comfortable experience for customers.

The kiosk is customizable, and you can choose images, videos, fonts, colours and more. You can also opt for a kiosk-specific menu to make accommodating for add-ons and other modifications easy.

Online Ordering

With Revel’s fully-integrated Online Ordering XT solution, you can give your customers a fresh, customized online experience. You can stay in complete control and ensure your brand stays centre.

You can make updates in real-time from anywhere in the world, staying on top of any changes or mishaps. As items go out of stock, you can update the online interface immediately to prevent disappointed customers. Customer data from online orders is stored, so you can use this info to send out personalized messages and promotional materials.

Drive-thru 

Revel POS provides everything you need to offer a full drive-thru service, from a digital display board to headsets. Revel’s drive-thru solutions are customizable to ensure you provide a service that matches your branding and customer experience.

Features include digital menus, order confirmation screens, timing systems, and a management queue. The drive-thru solution is integrated with Revel so drive-thru orders are seamlessly integrated with your other orders.

You can instantly make updates to your digital menus, and set up automated tasks and actions such as pre-scheduling content.


How much does Revel POS cost?

PackagePrice (inc. or excl. VAT)What you’ll get
POS SoftwareStarts at $99 per month*

 

(per terminal)

 

*When you pay annually on a three-year Revel Advantage contract. Minimum purchase of two terminals required.

Includes:

 

  • POS system
  • Inventory management
  • Employee management
  • Customer relationship management
  • Reporting and analytics
ProcessingContact providerRevel Advantage includes:

 

  • Apple Pay ready
  • In-house dedicated support team
  • All card types included
  • Online statements and reporting
ImplementationStarts at $674Includes:

 

  • Menu consultation
  • Hardware installation
  • Payments set up
  • Software onboarding
  • Management console training

Revel’s pricing is a little unclear and confusing, and you’ll need to contact the company for a quote to get a real idea on the price you’ll be paying. Revel does offer a free demo, so this can help you decide if this is the right system for your business without investing a cent.

Revel’s prices are a little steep, but this is down to the fact that it offers more than your usual POS system. If you want to utilize these features, this balances out the steep pricing. But if not, you might be better off with a different system.


Is Revel POS right for my business?

“I manage a small business”

Revel POS is a great option for small businesses because it includes all the necessary functions of a POS system, plus lots of extras. As your business grows, you can begin to make use of the extensive functionality, seamlessly integrating new processes and building out your business.

This system is easy to use and doesn’t require a lot of training, which means new and current staff can easily pick it up without there being any lulls in quality of service. Some users have reported that it can be a little buggy at times, but the sleek interface, 24/7 phone support, and packed features make up for this flaw.

“I want to offer several payment methods”

Revel POS gives you lots of flexibility when it comes to payment methods. You can also open a bar tab without a held card, so your guests have complete flexibility as well. Revel Smartpay supports SMS text-to-pay and QR code scan-to-pay for in-store or phone transactions. This payment method is a quick, safe, and contactless way for your customers to pay.

Revel POS also gives you the options to provide store credit and provide invoices for catering orders, etc.


What do Revel POS customer reviews say?


What other POS Systems could I consider?

If you still haven’t made your mind up, take a look at our other POS system reviews:

NCR Silver POS NCR Sliver review
Written by:
Julia Watts author headshot photo
Specialising in business software, Julia writes jargon-busting guides about VoIP, fleet management, dash cams, fuel cards, and more. Having spent almost a decade writing for entrepreneurs and reviewing business solutions, she loves helping exciting ventures – big or small – to flourish.
Reviewed by:
Heleana Neil, Business Services editor
Heleana Neil specialises in Business Services, managing the strategy and production of content for SMBs, helping businesses with the challenges and opportunities they face today. Covering everything from payroll to payment processing, Heleana uses her expertise to help business owners make better, informed decisions and grow their companies.
Written by:
Julia Watts author headshot photo
Specialising in business software, Julia writes jargon-busting guides about VoIP, fleet management, dash cams, fuel cards, and more. Having spent almost a decade writing for entrepreneurs and reviewing business solutions, she loves helping exciting ventures – big or small – to flourish.
Reviewed by:
Heleana Neil, Business Services editor
Heleana Neil specialises in Business Services, managing the strategy and production of content for SMBs, helping businesses with the challenges and opportunities they face today. Covering everything from payroll to payment processing, Heleana uses her expertise to help business owners make better, informed decisions and grow their companies.
Written by:
Julia Watts author headshot photo
Specialising in business software, Julia writes jargon-busting guides about VoIP, fleet management, dash cams, fuel cards, and more. Having spent almost a decade writing for entrepreneurs and reviewing business solutions, she loves helping exciting ventures – big or small – to flourish.
Reviewed by:
Heleana Neil, Business Services editor
Heleana Neil specialises in Business Services, managing the strategy and production of content for SMBs, helping businesses with the challenges and opportunities they face today. Covering everything from payroll to payment processing, Heleana uses her expertise to help business owners make better, informed decisions and grow their companies.
Written by:
Julia Watts author headshot photo
Specialising in business software, Julia writes jargon-busting guides about VoIP, fleet management, dash cams, fuel cards, and more. Having spent almost a decade writing for entrepreneurs and reviewing business solutions, she loves helping exciting ventures – big or small – to flourish.
Reviewed by:
Heleana Neil, Business Services editor
Heleana Neil specialises in Business Services, managing the strategy and production of content for SMBs, helping businesses with the challenges and opportunities they face today. Covering everything from payroll to payment processing, Heleana uses her expertise to help business owners make better, informed decisions and grow their companies.
Written by:
Julia Watts author headshot photo
Specialising in business software, Julia writes jargon-busting guides about VoIP, fleet management, dash cams, fuel cards, and more. Having spent almost a decade writing for entrepreneurs and reviewing business solutions, she loves helping exciting ventures – big or small – to flourish.
Reviewed by:
Heleana Neil, Business Services editor
Heleana Neil specialises in Business Services, managing the strategy and production of content for SMBs, helping businesses with the challenges and opportunities they face today. Covering everything from payroll to payment processing, Heleana uses her expertise to help business owners make better, informed decisions and grow their companies.
Written by:
Julia Watts author headshot photo
Specialising in business software, Julia writes jargon-busting guides about VoIP, fleet management, dash cams, fuel cards, and more. Having spent almost a decade writing for entrepreneurs and reviewing business solutions, she loves helping exciting ventures – big or small – to flourish.
Reviewed by:
Heleana Neil, Business Services editor
Heleana Neil specialises in Business Services, managing the strategy and production of content for SMBs, helping businesses with the challenges and opportunities they face today. Covering everything from payroll to payment processing, Heleana uses her expertise to help business owners make better, informed decisions and grow their companies.
Written by:
Julia Watts author headshot photo
Specialising in business software, Julia writes jargon-busting guides about VoIP, fleet management, dash cams, fuel cards, and more. Having spent almost a decade writing for entrepreneurs and reviewing business solutions, she loves helping exciting ventures – big or small – to flourish.
Reviewed by:
Heleana Neil, Business Services editor
Heleana Neil specialises in Business Services, managing the strategy and production of content for SMBs, helping businesses with the challenges and opportunities they face today. Covering everything from payroll to payment processing, Heleana uses her expertise to help business owners make better, informed decisions and grow their companies.
Written by:
Julia Watts author headshot photo
Specialising in business software, Julia writes jargon-busting guides about VoIP, fleet management, dash cams, fuel cards, and more. Having spent almost a decade writing for entrepreneurs and reviewing business solutions, she loves helping exciting ventures – big or small – to flourish.
Reviewed by:
Heleana Neil, Business Services editor
Heleana Neil specialises in Business Services, managing the strategy and production of content for SMBs, helping businesses with the challenges and opportunities they face today. Covering everything from payroll to payment processing, Heleana uses her expertise to help business owners make better, informed decisions and grow their companies.