The Epos Now alternative, line by line.
Both systems will run a shop. The difference is what you can find out before you speak to anyone, and how much of it is included in the price.
Looking for an Epos Now alternative
A line-by-line comparison of the two till systems on card rate, published pricing, what is included, Booker price files and contract terms — with every figure sourced and dated.
| epos-365EVERY PRICE PUBLISHED | Epos NowAS PUBLISHED BY THEM, 12 SEPT 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Software licenceExcluding VAT. Additional tills £15 | £59 a monthOn a 12-month term | £54 a monthOn a 12-month subscription |
| Complete hardware bundleTerminal, scanner, drawer, printer | £399With our card processing. £899 without | From £299Discounted from £849, £899 and £1,295 in different offers on the same page, and conditional on the 12-month subscription above |
| Card rateThe charge you actually pay on every sale | 1% flatOne rate, no tiers and no turnover target to qualify for. It is the same on your quietest week as your best, and it does not change when a year ends. Amex and commercial cards quoted separately | 1.2%, or 0.8%Tiered at checkout on your annual card turnover: 1.2% under £250k, 0.8% from £250k to £1m, custom above. Their payments page separately publishes 1.70%. Amex, JCB, Diners, Discover and UnionPay are a separate rate, not published |
| Support on a Sunday, or after sixWhen a convenience shop is actually trading | ✓Every day of the year, by phone and WhatsApp. It is in the licence, not an upgrade | ✗Their Pro Plan lists “No support out of hours (9-5)”, and the Standard Support Licence covers “daytime (9-5) phone support (excludes Sundays and Evenings)” |
| Support sold as its own licenceWhether being answered is a purchase | ✗There is no support tier to buy. Support, on-site visits and training are inside the £59 | ✓A Standard Support Licence at £25 a month on a 12-month term, covering software access, updates and 9-5 weekday phone support |
| Booker price file for symbol storesPremier, Londis, Budgens, Family Shopper | ✓Prices, promotions and new lines arrive overnight | ✗Not advertised |
| Everything in one feeCloud, updates, maintenance, support | ✓No add-on modules | —Software access and updates are in the £25 support licence; the care plan is a separate £14 |
| On-site visits included | ✓No call-out charge | —Not published |
| Built for UK convenience retailAge checks, scratchcards, weighed lines, multiple shift ends | ✓The trade the system was built in, and still the one we know best | —General purpose, retail and hospitality |
Epos Now figures marked as published are from eposnow.com/uk/pricing/, eposnow.com/uk/pos-comparisons/ and eposnow.com/uk/payments/, all checked on 12 September 2026. The monthly line items and the 1.2% card rate are from an Epos Now checkout in September 2026 rather than a public page, because they are not published on one — we say so rather than present them as if they were. Prices change and promotions run — check theirs before you decide, as you should check ours. Everything in the epos-365 column is on our own pricing page. Epos Now is a trade mark of its owner and is named here for comparison only.
Where they beat us
Their headline numbers are lower than ours: £54 a month against our £59, and hardware from £299 against our £399. We are not going to pretend otherwise.
Two things to weigh against that. Their £54 is the software alone — the support licence is another £25 and the care plan another £14, where ours is one figure. And for a shop taking £12,000 a month on card, the card rate moves far more money than a few pounds a month does — ours is 1%, published, and theirs depends on which of their pages you read. Ask them for it in writing before you compare anything else.
Already on a better rate? Tell us and we will say so.
Eight questions to ask anyone
Ask us and ask them. Any supplier worth signing with will answer in writing.
How long is the minimum term?
Software and hardware are often on different clocks. Ask for both, in months, in writing.
Does it auto-renew, and what notice do I give?
A short notice window on an annual renewal is easy to miss. Diarise it the day you sign.
What does it cost to leave early?
Get the exact formula, not “a fee may apply”.
What is the true year-one cost?
Hardware plus twelve months of licence plus support plus card fees.
What are the card rates on my card mix?
A flat rate quoted on debit means little if you take a lot of Amex or commercial cards.
Is anything billed on top of the licence?
Cloud, maintenance, updates, support and call-outs are the usual extras. Ask what is inside the fee.
What happens when the internet drops?
Ask what the till can still do at eight on a Saturday with no broadband.
Can I export my own data?
Your sales history is your asset. Check you can take it with you.
Send us your current contract
We will read it, tell you what you are actually on, and quote against it. If you are better off staying, we will say so.
Been quoted less? Bring it to us.
If another supplier has quoted you a better deal, we would like the chance to match it — and we will tell you when we cannot. Two conditions, both in your favour: we want to see your shop first, and we want to show you the system first. There are things in it a shop your size would normally have to buy an enterprise licence to get, and a price you match blind is a price you never really compared.