Most EPOS systems charge £25-69 per month before you’ve taken a single payment. For small retailers, market traders, and new businesses, those costs add up fast.
Use our free EPOS System Cost Calculator to compare costs for your specific requirements.
We rank and review the advantages of EPOS systems in our dedicated guide.
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Free EPOS systems sidestep monthly fees entirely. Instead, they earn from transaction fees on card payments – typically 1.69-1.75% per sale. You get sales tracking, inventory management, and reporting without a subscription.
We’ve tested and compared six genuinely free EPOS systems available to UK businesses in 2026. Every option below has a permanent free tier (not a trial), works on standard tablets or phones, and processes UK card payments.
For more on this, see our guide to how refunds work.
Some free plans rival paid systems for features. Others are bare-bones but perfectly adequate for a single-till setup. The right choice depends on your transaction volume, business type, and which paid features you might eventually need.
- Square offers the most complete free EPOS plan with inventory, reporting, and online store included - no monthly fee, 1.75% transaction rate, and a £19 card reader makes it the lowest-cost entry point
- SumUp has the lowest transaction fees at 1.69% with a free POS app and £29 card reader - best for businesses prioritising the cheapest per-transaction cost over software features
- PayPal Zettle adds PayPal QR payments alongside standard card acceptance at 1.75% per transaction - useful for businesses whose customers already use PayPal, with seamless integration to PayPal Business
- Free EPOS systems are cost-effective for businesses processing under £5,000/month in card payments - above that volume, paid systems like Epos Now (£25/month) offer advanced features that justify the cost
- Start with Square’s free plan and track your costs monthly for 3 months before upgrading - most small businesses discover the free tier covers 80% of their needs without any monthly subscription
Free EPOS Pricing Comparison
The best free EPOS systems charge zero monthly fees and earn only from transaction fees of 1.69-1.75% per card payment, making them viable for any UK business processing under £10,000 per month.
| Provider | Monthly Fee | Transaction Fee | Cheapest Hardware | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Square POS | £0 | 1.75% | Reader £19 | All-round retail |
| SumUp POS | £0 (PAYG) | 1.69% | Solo reader £19 | High-volume sellers |
| PayPal Zettle | £0 | 1.75% | Reader £29 | Pop-ups & markets |
| Loyverse POS | £0 | Via third-party | Own device | Cafés & food |
| Odoo POS | £0 (1 app) | Via third-party | Own device | Multi-tool businesses |
| Loyverse Kitchen | £0 | Via third-party | Own device | Restaurants & kitchens |
Transaction fee note: Loyverse, Odoo, and some open-source systems don’t process payments directly. You’ll need a separate payment processor (like SumUp or Zettle) which adds its own transaction fee. Square, SumUp, and Zettle include integrated payment processing.
Square POS
Square’s free plan is genuinely unlimited – no caps on products, transactions, staff accounts, or locations. Most competitors restrict at least one of these on their free tier.
The free plan includes inventory management, sales reporting, customer profiles, invoicing, and a free online store. You can run a complete retail operation without paying a monthly fee, which is rare in the UK EPOS market.
Square charges 1.75% per in-person card transaction. The Reader costs just £19, making total startup costs minimal. Funds settle in your bank account within 1-2 business days.
The main limitation of the free plan is the lack of advanced features like multi-location inventory syncing and team management tools. These come with Plus (£49/month for retail, £69/month for restaurants). But for a single-location business, the free tier covers everything you need.
✓ Pros
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SumUp POS
SumUp’s PAYG plan charges £0/month with a 1.69% transaction fee – the lowest rate among free EPOS systems in the UK. For businesses processing £5,000+ per month, that 0.06% difference versus Square adds up to real savings.
Not sure which to pick? Our Square vs Clover EPOS comparison covers the trade-offs.
The free POS app runs on iOS and Android devices. You get product catalogues, tax management, basic reporting, and receipt customisation. SumUp also offers a POS Lite hardware bundle if you want a dedicated tablet setup.
SumUp’s Solo card reader costs £19 (often discounted for new customers). It accepts contactless, chip and PIN, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. Funds reach your bank account in 1-2 business days, or next-day with the SumUp business account.
For businesses wanting more, SumUp POS Plus adds employee management, table plans, and advanced analytics for £29/month – still cheaper than most competitors’ base plans.
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PayPal Zettle
PayPal Zettle (formerly iZettle) gives UK businesses a free EPOS app backed by the PayPal ecosystem. The app handles sales, inventory, and reporting with no monthly charge.
The standout advantage is PayPal integration. Customers can pay via PayPal QR codes alongside standard card payments, which is increasingly popular at markets, festivals, and pop-up events. Funds from card payments arrive next business day.
Zettle charges 1.75% per in-person transaction. The card reader costs £29 for new customers (occasionally discounted). It accepts contactless, chip and PIN, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
The free plan includes basic inventory tracking, sales reports, and staff management. You can add multiple registers on a single account. Zettle integrates with Xero, Shopify, and WooCommerce for businesses selling online too.
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Loyverse POS
Loyverse is a genuinely free POS system with a built-in loyalty programme – something you’d normally pay for. The free plan includes unlimited sales, products, and receipt customisation across iOS and Android devices.
The loyalty feature lets you create points-based rewards that automatically track customer purchases. For cafés, bakeries, and food outlets building repeat trade, this is a meaningful advantage over Square and SumUp’s free tiers.
Loyverse doesn’t process payments directly. You’ll need a separate payment terminal (such as a SumUp or Zettle reader) to accept cards. This adds a step, but gives you flexibility to choose the lowest-rate processor.
Free add-ons include a kitchen display system (Loyverse KDS) for restaurants and a customer-facing display. Paid extras are limited to advanced analytics (£5/month) and employee management (£5/month) – both optional.
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Odoo POS
Odoo offers a free plan that includes one app – and POS is one of the options. This makes it genuinely free for businesses that only need a till system, though you’ll pay if you want to add CRM, invoicing, or inventory as separate modules.
The POS app works online and offline. If your internet drops mid-shift, transactions queue locally and sync when you reconnect. This is critical for market stalls, food trucks, or any venue with unreliable Wi-Fi.
Odoo’s interface runs on tablets and PCs. It supports barcode scanning, customer accounts, discount rules, and multiple payment methods. The setup is more complex than Square or SumUp, but the payoff is deeper customisation.
For businesses already using Odoo’s ecosystem (accounting, inventory, e-commerce), the POS slot naturally into an integrated workflow. The free tier suits solo operators or very small teams testing the platform.
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Free vs Paid EPOS: What You Actually Miss Out On
Free EPOS systems cover 80% of what small businesses need – the missing 20% is typically multi-location inventory syncing, advanced staff scheduling, and detailed analytics.
Free EPOS plans handle the essentials: taking payments, tracking sales, managing basic inventory, and generating end-of-day reports. For a single-location business with a small team, that’s often enough.
Here’s what free plans typically exclude:
| Feature | Free Plans | Paid Plans (£19-69/month) |
|---|---|---|
| Basic sales & payments | ✓ Included | ✓ Included |
| Product catalogue | ✓ Unlimited (most) | ✓ Unlimited |
| Sales reporting | ✓ Basic | ✓ Advanced + custom |
| Multi-location inventory | ✗ Not included | ✓ Included |
| Staff scheduling | ✗ Not included | ✓ Included |
| Loyalty programmes | ✓ Loyverse only | ✓ Most providers |
| Table management | ✗ Limited | ✓ Full |
| API access | ✗ Restricted | ✓ Full |
| Priority support | ✗ Community/email | ✓ Phone + chat |
The tipping point for upgrading is usually one of three things: opening a second location, hiring more than 3-4 staff, or processing over £10,000/month. Below those thresholds, free plans are genuinely sufficient.
How Transaction Fees Compare to Monthly Subscriptions
A business processing £3,000/month pays £52.50 in transaction fees on Square’s free plan – roughly equivalent to a mid-tier paid EPOS subscription, but with zero upfront commitment.
Free EPOS systems make money from transaction fees rather than subscriptions. Whether that’s cheaper depends entirely on your monthly card turnover.
At £10,000/month turnover, you’d pay £175 in transaction fees on Square’s free plan. A paid system like Lightspeed charges £75/month plus lower transaction rates – so the paid plan actually saves money at higher volumes.
Rule of thumb: Free EPOS plans are cheaper up to roughly £4,000-5,000/month in card turnover. Above that, run the numbers on paid plans with lower transaction rates.
What Hardware Do You Need?
Most free EPOS systems run on your existing tablet or phone – the only essential purchase is a card reader, costing £19-29 for Square, SumUp, or Zettle.
Free EPOS systems are designed to run on devices you already own. A tablet (iPad or Android) is the most common setup, though some work on smartphones too.
The only essential purchase is a card reader for accepting in-person payments:
| Hardware | Square | SumUp | Zettle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Card reader | £19 | £19 | £29 |
| Tablet stand | £99 (Square Stand) | N/A | N/A |
| Countertop terminal | £149 | £79 (Solo Lite) | £189 |
| Full register | £599 | N/A | N/A |
Optional extras include receipt printers (£80-150), cash drawers (£30-60), and barcode scanners (£40-100). Most free EPOS systems support Bluetooth receipt printers from Star Micronics or Epson.
For a basic single-till setup with a card reader and your own tablet, budget £19-29 total. A more complete countertop setup with a stand and receipt printer runs £200-300.
Choosing the Right Free EPOS for Your Business Type
Retailers should choose Square for its unlimited product catalogue. Cafés and food outlets benefit most from Loyverse’s free loyalty programme. Market traders and pop-ups suit PayPal Zettle’s portability.
Different free EPOS systems suit different business types. Here’s a quick decision guide:
Retail shops – Square POS is the strongest free option. Unlimited products, barcode scanning, and variant tracking (sizes, colours) make it practical for inventory-heavy businesses. The free online store is a bonus if you sell via social media or a website.
Cafés and food outlets – Loyverse’s free loyalty programme drives repeat visits, and the kitchen display system (also free) sends orders straight to the prep area. Pair it with a SumUp reader for the lowest transaction costs.
Market stalls and pop-ups – PayPal Zettle’s portability and PayPal QR codes are ideal for temporary setups. The reader connects via Bluetooth to your phone, and customers can pay via PayPal if they’ve forgotten their card.
Service businesses – SumUp POS handles appointment-style businesses well. Create service items with different durations and prices. The 1.69% rate keeps costs down for higher-value transactions like salon services or consultancy fees.
Multi-tool businesses – If you already use accounting, CRM, or e-commerce software, check whether Odoo POS integrates with your existing stack. Its free plan is limited to one module, but the ecosystem advantage can be significant.
Key Limitations to Watch For
The biggest risk with free EPOS is vendor lock-in – switching providers means migrating product catalogues, losing sales history, and retraining staff on a new system.
Free doesn’t mean without trade-offs. Before committing, consider these common limitations:
Transaction fee accumulation. At low volumes, 1.69-1.75% feels trivial. At £10,000/month, you’re paying £169-175 in fees – more than most paid EPOS subscriptions. Calculate your monthly card turnover and compare.
Data ownership. Cloud-based systems store your sales data on their servers. If you stop using the service, exporting that data can be limited. Square and SumUp let you export sales CSVs; Loyverse offers full data export. Check this before you start.
Support quality. Free users typically get email-only support with slower response times. Paid users get phone lines and priority queues. If your till goes down on a Saturday morning, waiting 24+ hours for an email reply isn’t ideal.
Feature gates. Providers use free plans to attract businesses, then upsell. Features like advanced reporting, employee scheduling, and multi-location management are almost always behind the paywall. Know which features you’ll eventually need.
- For most UK small businesses processing under £5 – 000/month in card payments, a free EPOS system is the smartest starting point
- Square offers the – most complete free plan
- SumUp has the – lowest transaction fees
- PayPal Zettle adds – PayPal integration
- Start free, track your costs monthly – and upgrade to a paid plan only when the maths justifies it
How to Set Up a Free EPOS System
Setting up a free EPOS system takes 15-30 minutes – download the app, create an account, add your products, connect a card reader, and take your first payment.
Getting started with a free EPOS is straightforward. Here’s the process for most providers:
Step 1: Download the app. Square, SumUp, Zettle, and Loyverse all have free apps on the App Store and Google Play. Create an account with your business email.
Step 2: Add your products. Enter product names, prices, and categories. Square and SumUp let you import product lists via CSV if you have an existing catalogue.
Step 3: Connect payment hardware. Order a card reader (£19-29) and pair it with your device via Bluetooth. Most readers arrive within 2-3 business days.
Step 4: Configure tax and receipts. Set your VAT rate (20% standard, 5% reduced for hospitality food). Customise receipt layout with your business name and logo.
Step 5: Take your first payment. Process a test transaction to confirm everything works. Check that the payment appears in your dashboard and that your payout account is linked correctly.
The entire setup typically takes under 30 minutes. Square has the smoothest onboarding, with guided setup prompts. Odoo has the steepest learning curve, requiring more configuration upfront.
For step-by-step comparisons of paid EPOS alternatives, see our guide to the 7 best EPOS systems in the UK. If you’re in hospitality, our EPOS for hospitality guide covers restaurant-specific features in detail. And for a detailed cost breakdown including hardware, see how much EPOS systems cost.
