9 of the Best EPOS Softwares for UK Businesses in 2023

Square’s UK EPOS software is at the forefront of modern sales technology. It has a simple pricing model, suitable for both pop-up stores and established high-volume businesses. At its core is an iOS and Android EPOS software app. This facilitates sales using a tablet or smartphone.

Technically it’s free EPOS software UK users can try without paying a penny.

The only additional hardware you need is a small Square card reader for £19  to take card payments in-person. It connects to your devices via Bluetooth pairing. Shop customers can tap their card or phone for contactless payment.

For a more traditional setup, you can get a tablet touchscreen to replace cash registers. The iPad stand transforms your existing device into your till.

Square – Features

Everything is managed from a simple online dashboard that can administer multiple locations or entirely separate businesses.

Inventory

Easily add new products and stock quantities. Keep track of stock levels with alerts. 

Employee Management

Create individual staff accounts, follow timesheets, and allow clocking in and out.

Offline Mode

Carry out transactions if the internet is down. These will automatically sync later.

Gift Cards

Sell and accept digital gift cards with seamless integration at checkout. Apply these to new or existing customer profiles for effective CRM.

Reports

Keep track of sales and revenue and dig down into the trends. Implement EPOS invoicing software to handle purchase orders from vendors.

Ease of Use

Setting things up is as easy as registering an account online and providing your business bank details. 

Navigating the owner’s dashboard effortless. Simple fields and explanations for adding locations, products, and employee accounts are easy to follow. 

Once set up, you can download the EPOS software for iPad, iOS, or Android mobile devices. Then sign in with your details.

Square’s outward-facing interface is very well designed and requires little, if any, training to get the hang of it. 

Staff taking their first payment can run a tutorial mode that quickly walks you through the process. It’s easy enough that most people can learn while serving their first customer.

A simple grid lists your categories and products, and the running order total is on the right. An additional barcode scanner speeds up the process further.

Customer Support

Square provides customer support by phone during work hours. 

You can email them at any time. If you sign up for an account, you get put at the front of the support queue. 

The help centre in-depth written guides and videos, covering all aspects of the software and hardware. 

In the past users have complained about their accounts being frozen if sales volume dramatically increases. It’s advised to contact Square when you see your sales trending upwards.

Pricing

Square’s EPOS system software is free to get started, as there are no monthly charges

Anyone can download the EPOS app and open an account with dashboard features. The only investment for brick and mortar businesses is the proprietary Square card reader.

Square Reader – £22.80 one-off fee

You only pay per transaction at the following rates if you don’t exceed £200,000 annual revenue:

• 1.75% – Chip & Pin or Contactless
• 2.5% – Virtual Terminal and Invoice
• 1.9% – Website payments via EU cards
• 2.9% – Website payments via Non-EU cards

Businesses must contact Square directly if they process more than £200K annually.

Optional hardware includes:

• Dock for Square Reader – £22.80 
• Square Stand for iPads – £130.80
• Square Terminal – From £238.80
• Square Cash Register – From £718.80

Verdict

If there’s one thing missing it’s the lack of Square Stand for Android tablets. Since this is not a necessary piece of hardware and there are third-party solutions, it’s not a big deal. App support for desktop computers or laptops would also be a good addition. 

Nonetheless, Square’s ease of use, excellent hardware options, and transaction-only fees, make it one of the best EPOS software options!

If you’re already using QuickBooks for accounting, the Windows EPOS software takes things further by solving your point of sale needs. 

It has some excellent hardware bundles with card readers and barcode scanners. It also stands out with a one-off pricing model rather than a subscription. 

QuickBooks – Features

Forgoing iPads and mobile devices, this Windows tablet EPOS software is designed for the Surface Pro 4. Any Windows device can get the job done, however. 

EPOS Stock Control Software

Inventory tracking is important for PC EPOS software UK users. You can do this across multiple offline and online stores via the PC dashboard. Get inventory alerts, create purchase orders for restocking, and gain insights on what’s selling and what isn’t. 

Webgility

Power your online sales with Webgility and utilise multi-channel tracking. Sell from your own site, Amazon, Etsy, eBay, or others. Everything is seamlessly integrated. 

See web and EPOS transactions, inventory, and customer data, from the same dashboard.

Employee Management

With the backend dashboard, you can create permission-based employee profiles, set schedules, and manage the clocking system. Then they can clock in and out for shifts themselves.

Payments

Using tablets as your main payment terminals are recommended. Purchasing a card reader for just $389 (Approx £273.50) lets you then accept contactless, mobile payments, and chip & pin. 

CRM

Maintain a relationship with your customers with profiles, sales history, loyalty programs, and email marketing.

Ease of Use

Whether you’re managing the backend via the  EPOS software for PC or are on the shop floor as a server, the interface is well organized and easy to follow. The main icons take you to point of sale, purchasing, and employee tabs. On the right, you get alerts and notes like stock reorders or refunds due.

Serving customers is as simple as hitting the ‘I Want to’ button and then ‘Make a Sale’. Browse the products manually or use the barcode reader to add them instantly.

All available payment methods are listed and you can easily combine them. I.e. Gift card and cash.

Customer Support

To get a direct customer support response you will want to contact the team by phone, during working hours (weekends excluded). 

On other hand, their extensive support guides include a setup walkthrough, along with countless other tutorials. The accompanying videos are invaluable. 

Pricing

Base pricing is a unique one-off fee rather than a subscription. Advanced features, however, are locked behind the pricier options. Hardware is sold separately. 

• POS Basic: $720 (Approx £506) – all key features.
• POS Pro $1,020 – Inc. Purchase orders, loyalty programs, gift cards, manage employees and payroll, and advanced reports.
• POS Multi-Store – Plus, multi-store support with inventory syncing.

PAYG Transaction Fees: 

• Contactless – 2.7%
• Keyed – 3.5%
• Contactless w Pin – 1%

Pay Monthly Transaction Fees: $20/mo (Approx £14)

• 25c per transactions +
• Contactless – 2.3%
• Keyed – 3.2%
• Contactless w Pin – 1%

Verdict

As EPOS software for Windows, QuickBooks is not the most versatile option. Support for mobile devices and operating systems are limited. Nonetheless, its ease of use cannot be faulted. The 30-day free trial is more than enough to get a feel for it. Upfront pricing is expensive, but in the long run, it is one of the cheapest EPOS software solutions.

Shopify made its name as an eCommerce platform, but it now provides a comprehensive point of sale system as well. This seamlessly unifies your online and in-store sales and lets you manage everything from a single user-friendly account and EPOS app.  

Shopify POS – Features

You get all the basic features for point of sale and a bunch more on top.

Versatile Sales

Maximize sales by allowing customers to buy online and collect in-store or buy in-store and receive home delivery. You can also follow up store enquiries online, to close the sale later.  

Staff Permissions

Separate managers and other staff with custom account permissions. Only those with the appropriate role have access to back-end settings that are suitable.

Inventory Management

Online and in-store inventory is combined, so you don’t lose track. You can also automate purchase orders and stock transfers based on real-time stock levels, forecasts, and average performance.

Hardware

Shopify is compatible with existing hardware. You also get a full selection of hardware options. This includes:

• iPad or iPad Air stand, 
• card reader 
• barcode scanner
• receipt printer 
• a cash drawer. 

POS App

The point of sale app is the backbone of the system. It powers all Shopify hardware and can be installed on your existing Android or iOS mobile devices. All you need to accept card payments is a smartphone and one of the small mobile card readers.

Ease of Use

Shopify is one of the easiest  EPOS platforms to use. All you need to do is install the app on the devices you’ll be using and pair any additional hardware as per the instructions. 

The standard outward-facing interface lists all your products, which can be organised into helpful categories. The staff just need to tap the relevant product to add it to the order. The next page lets you choose the payment option, which then activates the relevant hardware. E.g. The card reader. 

The admin can access a web-based account via a desktop or mobile browser.

Customer Support

The support options are top-notch, with paying customers getting 24/7 access via their accounts. 

There is also a help centre chock-full with guides, so you can teach yourself how to use the software at every step.

If your query isn’t dire, the community forum is a good place to get answers from other users and Shopify staff. 

Pricing

Shopify does not require any setup fees and provides a 14-day free trial for which it doesn’t need a credit card on file. If you decide to become a paying customer, the following plans are available:

• Basic Shopify: $29/mo (Approx £20) – Includes up to 4 retail locations, an online store, unlimited products, 2 staff accounts, discount codes and gift cards.

Online card transaction fees are 2.2% + 20p, while in-person fees are 1.7%.

• Standard Shopify: $79/mo (Approx £55.50) – Up to 5 locations, 5 staff accounts, and professional reports.

Online card transaction fees are 1.9% + 20p, while in-person fees are 1.6%.

• Advanced Shopify: $299/mo (Approx £210) – Up to 8 locations, 15 staff accounts, advanced report builder, and third-party calculated shipping rates.
  
  Online card transaction fees are 1.6% + 20p, while in-person fees are 1.5%.

If you use a payment processor other than Shopify Payments, you’ll have to pay additional transaction fees.

All plans come with POS Lite for in-person payments, but for an extra $89 a month, you get store management tools and omnichannel features.

Verdict

Shopify POS stands out with its simple yet powerful set of features. There are plans for all price tags and businesses. The trial is perfect for testing things out. 

We like that you can be up and running in a couple of hours with just a mobile device and a card reader. Nonetheless, pricing might not be justifiable if you aren’t using the online store platform.

Lightspeed is an all-in-one hardware and software EPOS solution. It handles everything from the cloud and web accounts. The tailor-made options for different retail industries are great.

Note: Lightspeed recently acquired the ShopKeep EPOS platform and is slowly moving customers over.

Lightspeed POS – Features

Lightspeed serves brick and mortar shops, plus online sales and takeaway deliveries. There are many integrations so you can make use of third-party tools to expand features. 

Hardware

Lightspeed provides iOS and iPad EPOS software. It is also compatible with Mac and Windows desktops. Unfortunately, if you use Android, you’ll have to go elsewhere.

If you have an iPad, you can make this your central hub with an additional hardware kit. This includes an iPad stand, so staff don’t have to hold it in their hand. 

All bases are covered with the lockable cash registers, Bluetooth barcode scanner, and receipt printer. 

The desktop kit is much the same, but with a USB-based scanner and receipt printer.

Contactless and Mobile Payments

To accept card and mobile payments there’s a traditional payment terminal that supports chip & pin and contactless. A mini contactless reader lets you move around the shop floor or restaurant to take payments. 

Sync Physical and Online Inventory

The software is a comprehensive solution for both in-store inventory and online inventory. It auto-syncs. 

You can manage multiple business locations under one dashboard. Temporary pop-up stores can be added in just a few clicks.

Reach Google Shoppers

Google local inventory ads can be managed directly from your Lightspeed account. It will show your store when local search shoppers search for products that match.

Accept Appointments

The ‘Shop by Appointment’ feature allows you to accept and manage appointments from your website. Automated confirmation and reminder emails ensure you’re not wasting time.

Table Reservations and Delivery

Lightspeed Restaurant makes managing a restaurant and providing food delivery easy. Customers can reserve tables through a streamlined online booking system. Food delivery can be done natively or through integrations with Deliveroo and Uber Eats.

Golf

It recognizes the unique requirements of a golf course. Memberships, online and POS golf gear shopping, and restaurants are all accommodated. It’s used by over 1,000 courses worldwide including: 

• Public
• Private
• Resort-based
• Municipal

Ease of Use

Lightspeed offers a bespoke approach, which requires a little more effort in the beginning. This pays off once you have it tailored to your specific needs. Staff will guide you through setting up and configure the appropriate hardware for you. Ultimately it’s plug-and-play.

The administration side is done in-browser and is straightforward. You’ll find well-organised tabs and settings with explainers. This can be reached on any device, while the outward interfaces used by staff require Windows, Mac, or iOS.

Staff familiar with POS will not find this a challenge. Every piece of hardware connects to one or more central devices.

Customer Support

Lightspeed is very hands-on with support. You can contact them 24/7 by phone or online when you’re a paying user. Meanwhile, there is an extensive Help centre with written guides for each package and hardware setup.

Couple this with a blog and community forum, you won’t have any trouble getting the help you need.

Pricing

Lightspeed displays price guides on their site, but before you can purchase a plan you must go through a consultation. It can raise the price depending on your requirements.

• Basic: £69/mo (billed annually) or £79/mo (billed monthly) – Retail EPOS only.
• Standard: £99/mo (billed annually) or £109/mo (billed monthly) – Plus, integrated eCommerce.
• Advanced: £129/mo (billed annually) or £139/mo (billed monthly) – Plus, customer loyalty program.
• Pro: £199/mo (billed annually) or £219/mo (billed monthly) – Plus, detailed analytics.

Verdict

If you’re not an ardent Android user, Lightspeed is a very versatile solution. And, while it’s not the cheapest, the tailored approach means you’ll have just the right features for your business.

A feature-packed restaurant EPOS software, TouchBistro has the privilege of calling celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay a user! 

It’s a one-stop solution for table booking, tableside ordering, and fast food EPOS software features. You can manage point of sale from an iPad and keep updated via your mobile devices. 

TouchBistro – Features

iPads are the root of TouchBistro’s EPOS. You can have one affixed behind the counter, facing customers, in the kitchen, and out for tableside orders. These are accompanied by a cash box, a card reader with contactless support, and a receipt printer. 

Reservations

Accept online reservations that automatically link with your pre-set capacity and table arrangements. 

Online Ordering

TouchBistro is great at helping you manage online ordering.

Accomplish fast-food deliveries directly through the EPOS system itself or by integrating with third parties like Deliveroo. 

Self-Serve

Besides the EPOS system software, you get additional iPads for secure self-service kiosks. Orders go straight through to the kitchen.

Loyalty and Gift Cards

Sell gift cards or launch a loyalty program that rewards customers and allows you to collect their data for marketing purposes. 

Extra Hardware

The vast selection of optional hardware includes digital menu boards, customer-facing displays, and more.

Inventory Management

Get alerts when items are low and automatically update menus based on ingredient volumes.

Staff Management

You can easily create staff profiles, schedule shifts, and manage payroll.

Reports

This EPOS software can generate 50 different reports with insights on financials, staff performance, and what menu items to drop or tweak.

Apps

Additional mobile apps for iOS and Android allow you to keep track of reservations and review performance. These, however, do not provide anywhere near the full POS experience. 

Ease of Use

We rarely had to refer to support pages to set things up and perform most tasks. All options are laid out intuitively in the app. Settings come with explainers and diagrams to hone your skills. 

There’s the odd bug here and there, such as needing to scroll because something doesn’t quite fit the window. The iPad virtual keyboard also sometimes blocks the text field when adding a product or menu description.

Nonetheless, from visual seating plans to kitchen orders, everything is no more difficult than a tap or a bit of typing.

The admin account dashboard can be easily accessed via web browser and does not require the app software.

Customer Support

TouchBistro support is on hand 24/7 via phone line. You can also send emails with screenshots attached to expedite the process.

Meanwhile, the support pages on the site include lots of guides and video content to help you use the EPOS software. The only downside is the lack of clarity between UK and US solutions, which can vary.

Pricing

Guide prices are given on the site, but you are prompted to request a quote based on the type and size of your business. Almost every aspect has its own pricing, so the overall cost soon adds up. There’s also no clear UK pricing, so keep the exchange rate in mind if you sign up.

Trial: 7-day, no credit cards required. Or, a simple DEMO account.

• POS Software and Account: From $69/mo (Approx £48.50)
• Reservations System: From $229/mo (Approx £161)
• Online Ordering: From $50/mo (Approx £35)
• Gift Cards: From $25/mo (Approx £17.50)
• Loyalty Program: From $99/mo (Approx £69.50)

Transaction Fees

You can use your own payment processor or TouchBistro Payments. Rates vary and you won’t know for sure until after a consultation.

Verdict

If you’re looking for restaurant EPOS software UK businesses can appreciate, TouchBistro is one of the best. The sheer number of features that can be applied to all types of food and drinks establishments is impressive. Pricing soon adds up, however, and it’s not suitable for Android or desktop users.

Excelling in the foodservice industry but also retail, Revel Systems is high on our list. It lets you buy EPOS software and hardware for a monthly subscription. An iPad and an optional stand are your main till/terminal. Then card and mobile payments can be taken anywhere on the shopfloor with one of their Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or NFC mobile readers.   

Revel – Features

Revel has a tonne of modern features, with tailored solutions depending on your type of business. 

Industries

Industries with their own unique features include regular retail, restaurants, drive-throughs, and coffee shops. The pizza and takeaway EPOS software tweaks were perfect.

You can benefit from menu and kitchen interfaces, table bookings, tableside ordering, and customer-facing displays. 

You can even install McDonald’s style self-service kiosks using EPOS software for iPad. This locks the touchscreen displays so customers can’t mess with the backend. 

The bar EPOS software features are great. Pouring drinks and managing the backend poses its own unique challenges that Revel solves well.

Delivery

Delivery XT allows you to track deliveries and update customers with animated graphics. You can also track drivers via their smartphones.

Web Store

When you sell online, all data is synced with your in-store operation. Inventory, customer profiles, and cash flow and financials are all synchronised, regardless of where or when sales were generated. 

Staff Accounts

Create accounts for your employees and give them different access permissions based on their role. Set schedules and generate payroll data months in advance.

Reports

Real-time reports can combine data from multiple physical locations and your web store. Visually display your financials, manage inventory, and glean important business insights here. This is also available in a standalone iOS and Android mobile app called Revel Insights, giving it a half star.

Integrations

There are close to 70 integrations including: 

• additional analytics
• third-party payment gateways 
• accounting 
• gift cards and loyalty programs 
• marketing management.

Ease of Use

Revel does not have a steep learning curve. The web-based backend can be accessed from any browser, allowing managers and owners to:

• view reports and customer profiles 
• set menus 
• manage employees
•  set up schedules.

The frontend iPad app lets staff tap products for the order or they can scan them up quicker with additional barcode readers. Discounts can be applied manually or, if pre-set, automatically.

Customer Support

While you can find an email address digging through the site, Revel’s preferred support method is by phone or live chat. You can call or message 24/7. 

Alternatively, you can work through the tutorials and guides from ‘Revel University’. The video content is particularly helpful. 

Pricing

Revel’s pricing is not the easiest to follow and you need to read the fine print to understand what you’ll actually be paying.

Software is listed from $99/mo (Approx £70) per payment terminals. Sadly, you are required to purchase two (the second at a $20 discount) and commit to annual billing.

Hardware like barcode scanners and card readers cost extra on top. Even the eCommerce feature is an extra $50/mo (Approx £30), which is unheard of.

Transactions Fees: 10% plus 10p

Onboarding/ Setup Help: From $674 (Approx £474)

Overall, the costs can soon add up and this is its major letdown.

Verdict

Revel is very easy to use and can accommodate a variety of EPOS businesses. The iPad frontend is flawless. It’s harmed by expensive subscription pricing and add-ons, however. The lack of full Android support will turn some people off as well. Revel would benefit from a free trial, not just a DEMO account, and more honesty in pricing.

Whether you’re looking for PC EPOS software or an iOS app, Vend is extremely versatile. It accommodates food vans, market stalls, pop-up shops, and regular retailers of all sizes. You’ll benefit from real-time inventory management and great reports. All staff and admin tools are in the same app. 

It’s also compatible with any device because all dashboards are browser-based.  A great plus, if you’re looking for SaaS Epos software.

Vend – Features

Vend has all the expected point of sale features, with some real standouts as well. 

Staff Accounts

Create permission-based staff accounts and track their sales performance.

CRM

Build customer profiles that apply online and in-store. Reward them with a loyalty program, offer gift cards or discounts, and allow purchase by layby (pay later).

Proprietary Hardware

A big positive from Vend is that the main EPOS is not device-specific, so you can use most existing hardware to manage your business. It just needs web browser access and a display. 

That said, you can get a lot of great proprietary hardware. Options include: 

• iPad and tablet stands 
• card readers 
• cash drawers 
• barcode scanners 
• receipt printers.

Offline Mode

Despite being web-based, Vend can continue taking orders if your connection goes down and will resync to your account as soon as it’s back.

Payments

Vend doesn’t have its own payment processor but seamlessly integrates with the likes of PayPal and Square.

Other Integrations

Connect with existing online store platforms like WooCommerce and Shopify, with unified inventory management. Or, turn to Quickbooks or Xero for advanced accounting. 

Apps 

As well as the main POS dashboard, a separate app for iPhone doubles as a barcode scanner, saving you extra hardware costs.

Ease of Use

Vend has a clean and modern user interface, accessed fully via app or browser – there are no hardware limitations. The dashboard greets you with visual sales data, while a ‘Things to Do’ list informs you of stock levels and supplier status.

Taking a customer’s order is one tap or click away, with popular items at the forefront and browsable categories to process others.

You can do all this on the shopfloor using an iPad or other mobile device.

Customer Support

Vend provides ample customer support. Live web chat and phone are available 24/7 and you’ll only be waiting if others are ahead in the queue. There are also detailed step-by-step guides in the help centre to brush up on your skills.

Dedicated help from an account manager is on hand for Enterprise customers. 

Pricing

Put Vend through its paces with a 14-day free trial. 

If you’re happy, you can choose from three main plans. They all come with real-time inventory management, basic reports, payment integrations, and unlimited products and staff accounts.

• Lite: £49/mo (billed annually) or £59/mo (rolling) – One location, one register, £15k maximum monthly turnover.
• Pro: £69/mo (billed annually) or £89/mo (rolling) – Plus, promotions & gift cards, online sales channel integrations, multiple locations, API access, and advanced reporting.
• Enterprise: Requires consultation and comes with a dedicated account manager.

Transaction fees depend on your chosen payment processor, who will provide a card reader.

Verdict

Vend is an all-around excellent Cloud EPOS software UK businesses will thrive on. It doesn’t wall you into specific operating systems or hardware. The price is more than affordable. Perhaps its only let-down is that it doesn’t offer a native payment processor.

EPOS Now provides full retail management and EPOS software solutions for small and medium-sized businesses. You can choose between a tailored retail or hospitality solution. I.e. EPOS software for pubs. 

The cloud-based platform works on Android and iOS devices, as well as Windows and Mac. 

EPOS NOW – Features

On top of covering all the basics, functionality is expanded thanks to a wealth of integrations.  

Sell Online 

EPOS NOW connects with leading web store platforms like BigCommerce and Shopify. Reach customers in every way possible by selling online and offering home delivery or in-store collection. 

Inventory Management 

List up to 60,000 different products and keep track in real-time. Sync between web store and in-store inventory for a full grasp of your sales and stock levels.

Hospitality EPOS Software

Choose this version of the software for tailored hospitality features. These cover restaurants, pubs & bars, hotels, and cafes. The EPOS software for takeaway orders worked flawlessly.

On the Go

Access the entire system on the go with your iOS or Android mobile device. 

Reports

Get a quick real-time overview of your sales, staff, and customers. Then dig deeper with custom reports. You can make even more use of this data by exporting it to Excel, QuickBooks, Xero, and Sage. 

Contactless and Mobile Payments

EPOS NOW doesn’t provide its own card reader, but you can easily integrate with TakePayments, Worldpay, and RMS. Other payment processors and associated card readers should work but check the site for a full listing.

What we really liked was that customers can make payments using their phone by scanning a QR code. This syncs with your EPOS and they can choose the likes of Google or Apple Pay.

Integrations

Choose from over 100 integrations, covering:

• Booking
• Ecommerce
• loyalty programs
• marketing
• payment Systems
• Online ordering

Ease of Use

Learning the system shouldn’t take longer than 15 minutes for those that have passing experience with point of sale. Because it’s cloud-based, you’re not restricted by hardware. 

You can use any device. It just needs browser access to reach the overarching dashboard.

Everything is organized by primary and secondary tabs down the left-hand side. Short descriptors are all most users will need to get to grips with each feature.

The EPOS NOW retails software will not confuse service staff. You can assign permissions to keep them locked into the very simple order screen. 

Customer Support

If you want to learn more about EPOS Now, you can find blogs and guides with lots of tips and how-to articles. The directory, however, is not the most organized and you’ll have to sift through news and marketing content.

Linked from the contact page is a more useful ‘support centre’ with help documentation. There is also a community forum where other users and admins can answer your questions.

To correspond directly with a member of staff use the live chat, available 24/7. There will occasionally be a waiting period, however, if requests are high.

Pricing

Get a feel for EPOS NOW by using a 30-day trial. Then you can decide on two straightforward billing options:

• Annual: £245
• Monthly: £25

Proprietary hardware is sold separately and can be purchased individually or in three main bundles:

• Complete System: £399, for a touchscreen monitor, cash drawer, receipt printer, mobile pocket device.
• Handheld System: £149 upfront + £15/mo, for the mobile pocket device.
• Tablet System: Android tablet system (£399) or iPad system (£549) – each with a cash box and printer.
• Order & Pay Transaction Fees: 1.75% + 10p 

Verdict

EPOS NOW is both affordable and wide-open for testing thanks to the generous 30-day trial. It ranks high in ease of use and it has all the features you need for retail and hospitality. Perhaps the only thing it lacks is a self-service option, which you find with more dedicated EPOS hospitality software. We love the QR scanner and mobile payment process, though.

More flexible and customizable than other EPOS retail software, Erply is known for having many features. While this might overwhelm some, the end result is superior customer relationship management and business insights. 

Erply – Features

Managing your EPOS is easy from the web or app, with tabs for inventory and purchase orders, customer profiles, accounting, web stores, and more.

Tailored Industries

Tailored solutions for different industries include apparel, coffee shops, food & grocery, pet supplies, etc. 

Hardware

Erply does not directly sell their own hardware but their software is widely compatible. It works IBM and Toshiba displays, Apple devices, card readers, cash drawers, and barcode scanners. 

To see the recommended and compatible devices, you can visit the company's website.

Self Checkout

Setup self-service kiosks take touch screen EPOS software to the next level. Customers can use screens to pay themselves with their cards or phone.

Inventory Management

Easily add products and variations. View sales stats and get alerted when stock levels are low. Monitor the movement of stock between locations and re-up supplies when needed.

Integrations

Running an online store is easy with the integrations, all of which sync up with Erly’s native inventory tools and reporting. Choose between WooCommerce, Shopify, Prestashop, or Magento. 

Other popular options include Quickbooks for accounting and tax. MailChimp helps with email marketing and CRM.

CRM

Don’t just sell and move on! Erply lets you capture customer data (with consent) to strengthen your relationship. Loyalty discounts, email receipts, shopping preferences, and targeted marketing, all add to the personalized experience. 

Management Apps

Three great apps help you manage your business on the go. Stocktake and Count, Business Dashboard, and EPOS invoicing software. All are available for iOS and Android.

Ease of Use

Erply is both web and app-based, making for a very user-friendly experience. The front-end interface can be set in retail mode, which is designed for scanning product barcodes at the point of sale. There is also easy access to customer profiles and, of course, completing a sale.

EPOS touch screen software is intended for manual order processing, allowing servers to tap products to add to the order rather than scanning.

The way they are laid out can be customized at the admin level. We liked that this is all available in a single app or web dashboard. 

Permission levels prevent lower-level staff from altering the important stuff or becoming overwhelmed.

Customer Support

Erply has plenty of support options. This includes guide pages with illustrations and step-by-step video tutorials. 

There’s even a handy quiz to test your knowledge via several multiple-choice questions. This is particularly useful if you need to train lots of staff.

If you need a more direct response, there’s an email form on the contact page. They promise an average 1.6-hour response time.

There’s also a live chatbot that can eventually transfer you to support staff. Alternatively, the London phone line is +372 628 0021. Both of these are limited – 9 am to 11 pm.

Pricing

Erply provides one of the longest free trial periods – 60 days. If you’re happy, there are three core plans. All allow you to pay a year in advance for a 20% discount on the monthly price.

• Point of Sale: £44/mo 
• Inventory for E-Commerce: £79/mo – Inc. Real-time inventory, online tools, packing lists, barcode labels, free Shopify integration, email purchase orders, and more.
• Inventory + Retail POS: £105/mo – Both combined.

Enterprise users or owners of chains and franchises can contact sales directly for a tailored quote.

Verdict

Erply gets a solid 4/5 for its range of features and hardware compatibility. The price is more than competitive. It doesn’t quite get top marks because support isn’t 24/7 and beginners will find it a bit more challenging.