You know that a useful Point of Sale (POS) system will help your business to level up. But with so many on the market and endlessly conflicting reviews, how do you find the perfect one?
This might be your first EPoS system (Electronic Point of Sale System), or else the one you are currently using is driving you nuts.
Either way, we will break down what is out there and find you the perfect fit.
Of course, a great system will only work well for you if it fits the needs of your business.
While most POS providers claim that their system will work for almost everyone, there will be just a few that are an excellent fit for your setup.
In this guide, you will find out which POS systems are the cream of the crop, where they can be found and which ones will work for you.
| Lightspeed | Square | The Good Till Co. | EPOS Now | iZettle | Shopkeep | Zonal | |
| Features | 5/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 | 2/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 |
| Customer reviews | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Price | 3/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 3/5 | 2/5 |
| Specialist Industry | Retail and e-commerce | Retail and Hospitality | Retail and Hospitality | Retail | Retail and e-commerce | Retail and Hospitality | Hospitality |
| Best for | Retail with large or complex product ranges | Small businesses accepting cards for the first time | Small businesses with one or two niche requirements | Retail businesses that want an affordable option | Retail businesses moving online or taking payments on the go | Retail businesses that have outgrown free software | Large restaurants and bars that want a customised system |
| Price from | £69/month | Free! | £29/month | £25/month | Free! | £52/month | Dependent on requirements |
And the winner is… It’s a tie
The two best POS systems on the market are Lightspeed and Square.
They both scored close to a perfect score, but luckily for you, they are suited to different businesses, so you won’t have trouble choosing.
Here’s why they are the best out there:
Top 7 POS System Providers
Lightspeed
Wow, people that use Lightspeed like it.
This platform is a dream for retailers, as its packed with features and works reliably. This modern system stores all your data in the cloud so that you can access it from anywhere.
Lightspeed offers a PC based version, but most users choose their iPad based software.
There are different versions of lightspeed for each industry (Retail, Hospitality and e-commerce). All Lightspeed POS systems include:
- Transaction processing
- Inventory management
- Customer management
- Email marketing
- Analytical reporting
- E-commerce integration
Lightspeed certainly isn’t the cheapest on the market, with plans starting at £69/month. But with so much resting on the efficiency of your POS, it is a worthy investment.
Lightspeed is best for brick and mortar or online retail stores with large or complex product ranges. Read a full review of what Lightspeed has to offer here.
Square
First up, Square’s POS software is free, so you can’t get much better than that.
You will be set up in a flash and Square’s sleek iPad stand with card reader will add professionalism to your small business.
The software is intuitive and versatile enough for most small businesses.
The mobile and cloud-based system are location independent, perfect if you are a tradesperson or are selling at fairs or trade shows.
Square POS covers all the basics, the free software has:
- Transaction processing
- Invoicing and receipts
- Customer management
- Basic inventory management
- Basic reporting
To get access to the free software you need to use Square’s payment processing system. You will pay 1.75% of each in-person card payment you take and 2.5% for typed in card payments.
These fees are higher than some other payment processors, so Square works best for businesses starting when revenue is still quite low.
Square is best for sole traders or businesses just starting to accept card payments. Read a full review about Square here
The Good Till Company
The Good Till Company has built a loyal following in the UK; small companies love their software.
Their UK-based customer support team is prompt and helpful, so any issues you have will be resolved quickly, which indeed isn’t the case for all POS providers.
One primary platform can be customised for the needs of your business by adding on extra tools. The basic package includes:
- Transaction processing
- Employee management
- Basic inventory management
- Discounts and promotions
- Customer management
- Customer display and self-checkout
- Reporting
On top of this, you can pay for the extra features you need.
You can choose from hospitality modules and more advanced stock management.
There are also modules for promotions and advanced customer loyalty tools. Most of the modules cost just £9/ month.
The Good Till Company is best for small businesses that want to pay for the features that they will use. Read more about The Good Till Company here.
EPOS Now
EPOS Now is one of the largest suppliers of POS systems to the UK market. Users vote with their feet, and EPOS Now must be doing something right to hold onto their 30,000 customers.
Retailers love EPOS Now POS; many reviews praise the usability of the iPad based software.
The EPOS Now the team will help you set up your new till and even migrate your product and customer data across from another system.
EPOS Now is best for small to medium retail stores that want an affordable option and set up support. Read the full review of EPOS Now here.
iZettle
iZettle offers a free version of their Go POS software for retail and e-commerce businesses. With a similar set up to Square, you will need to use their payment processing service to access the POS.
You also have the option to take your online business to the next level with iZettle Go Plus. For £29/month you can set up an online store and sync inventory with your shop, as well as taking online payments.
iZettle’s card readers are beautifully designed to be super portable. You can use them with an iPad or smartphone while on the go, which makes them an excellent tool for sole traders such as tradespeople.
If you are operating a restaurant or cafe, iZettle offer iZettle Pro, a version of the POS with table and tab management for £39/month per iPad.
iZettle is best for small businesses just starting in e-commerce or those that want to take payments on the go. Find out more about iZettle in the full review.
Shopkeep
If you have been using one of the free POS systems like Square or iZettle but though payment processing fees are starting to get exorbitant, then take a look at Shopkeep. A well as covering the basics, Shopkeep’s POS has employee management and powerful email marketing tools.
Retailers will be impressed with the setup support and ongoing customer service.
The software is easy to use and has all the reporting a small business will need.
If ongoing customer interaction is essential to you, then Shopkeep is a good solution. You can send and track newsletters and promotions to your customer database, and also offer gift cards.
Shopkeep is best for smaller retail businesses with revenues too high for free software, and those that want excellent customer management tools. Take a closer look at Shopkeep here.
Zonal
But we can’t forget our restaurateurs! There is a range of POS systems designed mainly for the hospitality industry. If you are operating a large restaurant, bar or chain, you will quickly become frustrated using a general purpose or free POS system.
So, if you are going to invest in a new system, you might as well get the best, which would be Zonal’s Aztec software.
Features
- Transaction processing and cash management
- Staff management
- Inventory and price management
- Reporting and business management
Scotland based Zonal has been in the industry for 37 years and has built up a considerable feature set.
Best of all, the company will set us a customised system with just the tools you need, at the scale of your business.
Users love the reporting and integration with accounting systems. Zonal knows precisely how challenging it can be to manage sales in a cash-heavy business, so they offer lots of tools to reduce time spent bookkeeping.
Zonal is best for larger hospitality businesses that need a reliable POS system to keep up with their busy company.
Conclusion
So, have you found your perfect POS in our super seven?
With contracts and hardware to be purchased, signing up with a POS provider can be daunting.
But if you pick a system suited to your needs, then you will have the technology and support to sell and grow.
Dive into our detailed reviews of the best systems on the market.
When you are ready, use the comparison tool to get quotes from those that can best serve your business.
