EPOS - POS system

Our Verdict

Epos Now takes a particularly friendly approach to Point of Sale, and it shows. From well-thought-out feature bundles to a shallow learning curve and a through on-boarding process, it’s clear Epos Now has thought about the customer experience.

Integration is notably good here too, making it straightforward to bolt-on everything from accounting to email marketing. Thanks to transparent pricing and a no-obligation trial, it’s also easy to get started with minimal friction. All in all, it’s a very pleasant experience, something reflected in the company’s awards and online feedback.

Pros

Well thought out feature bundles
Generous free trial with no credit card required
Easy to use
Wide range of integrations available
Strong inventory management

Cons

No annual payment discount
Limited support on “Basic” tier
- Up-front payment version not fully Mac-compatible

Plans & Pricing

Epos Now keeps its pricing structure clean and simple, with two standard subscription packages badged “Standard” and “Premium.” These are charged at a fixed monthly rate, with an additional fee for each extra till. There are also customised plans available for enterprise clients. As an alternative, you can purchase the software licence outright for a one-off fee.

Epos Now is happy to arrange both free trials and live demos, with no credit card required. Pricing is both competitive and transparent, with no need to contact a sales representative to get an accurate idea of cost.

Standard

Epos Now’s “Standard” tier costs £25 per month, plus £15 for each additional till. This includes provision for unlimited users, customers and products. While setup assistance is provided, ongoing support on this tier is via email only.

Premium

The “Premium” option comes in at £50 per month, with a £30 charge for each additional till. The key benefit of this option is 24/7 telephone support in place of email support. This will be an important consideration for any business whose POS system is truly “mission critical.”

Custom Plans

Larger businesses with specific needs can contact Epos Now for a custom quote. These plans include enterprise account management and reporting. Custom support plans are also available.

Pay Up-Front

Epos now also offers a one-off “pay up-front” option, although this isn’t particularly well-publicised on the website. This costs £499 + VAT.

Standard

£25 /month

30-day free trial

Premium

£50 /month

30-day free trial

Up-Front

£499

30-day free trial

In-depth review

Features and Functionality

As explained in the introduction, Epos Now specialises in point of sale for the retail and hospitality industries. The company offers two different versions of the its software (at the same price point) to address the unique needs of these sectors.

As such, café owners, for example, can choose the hospitality version and gain access to features like table plan support and online bookings. Meanwhile, the retail version offers barcoding and payment-on-account functionality.

Cloud-Based Back Office

The cloud-based nature of Epos Now means that it’s possible to see a bird’s-eye analysis of the business from any web browser, anywhere. Anything from current inventory to staff monitoring is just a few clicks away on any device. It’s even possible to configure and launch a new promotion from a remote location.

Inventory Management

Epos Now includes extensive inventory management features. It’s possible to automatically raise orders when stock runs low, and manage stock transfers from place to place. As would be expected nowadays, integration means that it’s easy to link both online and offline stores, whilst still having automated “stock taking” from anywhere, via the cloud interface.

In the hospitality version, this inventory management functionality goes right down to ingredient level. This can take into account what’s needed to create individual menu items such as meals and cocktails.

Specialist Retail and Hospitality Features

As stated above, Epos Now takes a unique approach to bundling the right tools for these distinct business types. For example, the booking system functionality for the hospitality version works with rooms, tables and covers, making it a great POS for restaurants. Meanwhile the retail version has booking support for appointments covering specific staff and services.

There are several examples of this tailored functionality – such as split bills for hospitality organisations, and payments on account for retail stores. If the set bundles of functionality don’t suit a particular business, a custom package is always an option.

Payment Choices

Epos Now offers a wide range of payment integrations. These include Worldpay, PayPal Here and Verifone. Between these and the others on offer, it’s easy to permit payments from methods old and new – from cash to contactless.

Epos Now App Store

Epos Now’s “App Store” demonstrates a truly modern approach to APIs and integration. There are plenty of big names among the supported partner apps, including Google Apps, QuickBooks and Sage.

Hardware Requirements

It’s possible to use Epos Now with existing compatible hardware. The software works with Windows, Mac OS, iOS and Android. One notable exception is that the “pay up front” option cannot use an Apple Mac for the primary till.

Hardware Packages

Those who wish to purchase an integrated POS solution, complete with hardware such as a cash drawer and receipt printer, can buy or lease the PC-based solution detailed in the pricing section above. There’s also an iPad-based option at £549 plus VAT, and an Android tablet-based solution for £399 plus VAT. In both cases these come with everything but the tablet device itself.

Integrations & Add-ons

Epos Now’s App Store approach makes it possible to link the POS system to all kinds of existing products and services, covering everything from accounting systems to loyalty and charity donation schemes.

As an example, integration with accounting packages such as Sage One and Xero allows accounts and inventories to remain up to date in real-time; Links to systems like Mailchimp allow integration with an email marketing solution that’s already in place.

Additionally, Zapier integration expands compatibility to hundreds of other apps if they’re not natively supported.

Ease of Use

Epos Now prides itself on ease of use, with the bold claim that a new member of staff can be fully trained on the system in 15 minutes. The company does a lot to support this focus on usability, with online tutorial videos and other resources.

As there’s a 30-day trial, Epos Now customers can satisfy themselves with regards to ease of use before starting to pay for the software. The company also offers assistance in migrating stock, product and customer data over from other systems.

Customer Service

Epos Now puts considerable focus on on-boarding new customers. They offer trials and demos, and assist with data migration. There are also a host of ways to access ongoing support once the system is in place.

Some of these are only accessible with a higher monthly subscription, or with a separate (chargeable) support plan. These vary in price depending on locations, devices and desired response times.

Phone Support

Telephone support is available to “Premium” customers or those with a valid support plan.

Live Online Chat

Live chat support is on offer to those with a valid subscription or support contract.

Email support is available to all customers and is the main method of support for those on a “Basic” plan.

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Ben Taylor

Ben Taylor has been a professional writer since 2009, owning several sites of his own and writing for an array of global clients both large and small. A techie by trade, Ben has written for many comparison sites, covering diverse areas ranging all the way from software to lifestyle products.

We make the best effort to present up-to-date information; however, the terms of each offer can be revised according to the service provider’s discretion. The above shall not be considered as an expert or professional advice for any matter.