The best POS systems for small businesses

Shopping around for the best Point Of Sale (POS) system for your business can be daunting because there are so many systems, each with their own features, pricing plans and transaction fees. The good news is there are POS systems for every type of business; our guide will help you find the right one

**Note Prices/fees correct on 03/09/24 (limited time offers may be available)

It's now quicker and easier than ever to shop around for a good deal on card readers. According to the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR), businesses could save up to £5,400 a year by switching.

 

Taking payments securely is the name of the game when you run a business. Whether you have a shop, café, bar, hairdressers, work as a contractor or sell online, you need a system for taking payments from customers that works for you.

Also known as EPOS (Electronic Point of Sale), the term refers to the hardware and software that allows a business to take card payments and other contactless payment methods.

These essential payment systems make the buying process much easier for customers because they are quick to use and allow customers to choose their own contactless payment method - whether that be a debit or credit card or an app like Google Pay or Apple Pay.

 

Find out more about these popular POS systems:

• Square
• SumUp
• Takepayments
• Zettle
• Lightspeed
• Airwallex
• EPOS Now
• Fondy ePOS
• AirPOS
• Shopify

Square

Hardware:

• Square offers card readers and stands for tablets as well as terminals (which take cards and print receipts in one machine) and registers.

Software:

• Popular with small businesses, the Square app allows payments in person, online, over the phone and via Facebook and Instagram. Square offers inventory, analytics, ecommerce and CRM.

Pricing:

• No contracts, no monthly fees.
• Card readers are priced from just £19+VAT
• Transactions 1.4% + 25p for online UK card transactions, 2.5% + 25p for non-UK transactions 1.75% for chip and PIN transactions.

SumUp

Hardware:

• Card readers including SumUp Air which works with Bluetooth, SumUp Solo and SumUp Solo with printer.

Software:

• SumUp is widely used by small retailers and hospitality businesses. For restaurants it allows customer to split bills and add tips. The Goodeats app allows customers to order from their table or from home.

Pricing:

• One time device cost, starting from £39.
• No contracts, no monthly fees. Transactions 1.69% in-person payments (1.49% with the business account).

Takepayments

Hardware:

• tPOS counter is modern, tablet-sized system that allows you to take contactless payments
• tPOS complete offers two screens, a superfast printer and portable card machine that allow you to manage stock, get real-time reporting and take payments

Software:

• Users of Takepayments have to set up a merchant account with an acquiring partner to process payments.
• Aimed at small retailers and hospitality businesses, Takepayments also supports ecommerce businesses with payment links, gateways, an app and virtual terminals.

Pricing:

• tPOS counter costs £45 per month for retailers and £55 per month for hospitality businesses
• tPOS complete costs £55 per month for retailers and £65 per month for hospitality businesses
• transaction charges and other fees will apply, depending on the merchant account selected

Zettle

Hardware:

• Avoid the need for hardware by turning your phone into a card reader with the Zettle by Paypal app
• Card readers and terminals.

Software:

• Zettle offers functionality for both retail and hospitality businesses. It also integrates with accounting apps (like Xero) and other POS systems including Shopify, Vend and Lightspeed.
• Zettle by PayPal POS app allows you to accept contactless cards and digital wallet payments with no additional cost.

Pricing:

• No contracts, no monthly fees.
• Card readers are priced from just £29+VAT
• Card transactions 1.75%; invoice or payment link transactions 2.5%.

Lightspeed

Hardware:

• Payment terminals, iPad stands, USB scanners, cash drawers and label printers.

Software:

• Lightspeed offers POS functionality for retail, ecommerce and hospitality businesses.
• Lightspeed ecommerce provides a shopfront on your existing website or allows you to build a new ecommerce site.
• Lightspeed Retail works with your laptop or tablet. Lightspeed for restaurants offers solutions for delivery, takeaway and ordering at the table.

Pricing:

• Pricing plans start at £75 per month plus transaction fees.

Airwallex

Hardware:

• No hardware. Airwallex provides software and APIs that facilitate multi-currency payments.

Software:

• Airwallex provides software and APIs that facilitate multi-currency payments with reduced fees for like-for-like settlements.
• Send and receive payments from more than 150 countries in over 60 currencies.
• Accept payments online from customers worldwide and offer multiple payment options to customers.
• Integrate with your ecommerce website or create shareable payment links.

Pricing:

• Explore account for small business is free if you deposit at least £10,000 per month or have a balance of at least £10,000.
• Pay 1.30% plus £0.20 for UK payment cards, 2.40% plus £0.20 for EEA payment cards and 3.15% plus £0.20 for international payment cards.
• Free local transfers to more than countries.
• Accept international payments at 0.5% above interbank rates for major currencies or 1% for all other currencies.
• Fee of 0.3% on incoming transfers.

EPOS Now

Hardware:

• Terminals, card readers, receipt printers, cash drawers

Software:

• EPOS Now offers solutions for growing businesses including retailers who sell across a range of channels including online.
• For restaurants owners, EPOS Now integrates with the main food delivery apps.
• Hotel owners can also list available rooms online using the app.

Pricing:

• Transaction fees are 1.7%, additional hardware fees apply.

Fondy ePOS

Hardware:

• All you need is any Android or iOS smartphone or tablet

Software:

• Take payments via the Fondy or your mobile app on-the-move.
• Secure ePOS payments with the highest level of security.
• Benefit from Fondy's Virtual Terminal for Mail Order/Telephone Order (MO/TO) transactions.
• Flexible in-store payments such as QR codes and payment links.

Pricing:

• Standard account starts from £10 per month. Additional fees also apply.  

AirPOS

Hardware:

• AirPOS supports industry standard hardware from many providers.

Software:

• AirPOS is aimed primarily at retailers, including those that sell in-store and online. It brings accounts, payments and stock control into one place, tracking inventory and producing sales reports.
• AirPOS is cloud-based and it integrates with SumUp, Shopify, Worldpay, Zettle and Xero among others.

Pricing:

• AirPOS New Business costs 1.4% + 14p per transaction.
• AirPOS Existing Business from 0.8% per transaction.

Shopify

Hardware:

• Card readers, barcode scanners, printers, cash drawers and iPad stands.

Software:

• Shopify is a complete solution for retailers that sell in- store and online.
• The Shopify Retail POS app works on any Android or iOS smartphone or tablet.
• Systems can be personalised to your business.

Pricing:

• Plans start at £19 a month for individuals and £49 per month for small businesses.
• In-person transaction rates of 1.7%; online credit card transaction rates are 2% +£0.25.

Providers may introduce new features or change their prices at any time, so it’s worth checking the latest information before making a decision. The pricing details in this guide do not include VAT or any introductory discounts or free trials.

Choosing the best point of sale system for your business shouldn't be difficult. All you need is to understand your business needs to help you understand which features you require from a POS system to run your business efficiently and sustainably.