Best POS Systems in the UK for Small & Growing Businesses
Choosing the right POS system is one of the most important decisions any UK business can make. A modern Point of Sale (POS) system — often referred to as an EPOS system (Electronic Point of Sale) — does far more than process payments. It serves as the central hub that ties together sales, VAT, staff, stock, reporting, and the entire customer experience into one seamless platform.
Whether you run a restaurant, café, pub, retail shop, or service-based business, the right POS system can transform the way you operate. It saves valuable time, reduces costly errors, boosts profitability, and helps your business grow with confidence.
At Best POS System UK, we provide independent, UK-focused guidance to help business owners find the best POS systems in the UK — based on genuine features, performance, industry suitability, and compliance with UK standards. Our recommendations are rooted in what actually works for local businesses, not marketing hype.
Best POS Systems in the UK –
Top 10 Overview
Below is an overview of 10 of the most popular and trusted POS systems used by UK businesses today, with POSApt prioritised for its strength in hospitality operations. Each has different strengths, so the best choice will depend on your sector, setup, and long-term plans.
POSApt – Best POS System for Hospitality in the UK
POSApt is a hospitality-focused EPOS system designed specifically for restaurants, cafés, pubs, bars, and food-led venues. It performs especially well in fast-paced environments where speed, accuracy, and clear coordination between front-of-house and kitchen are essential.
Key features include:
- Table and floor plan management for a clear view of covers and table status
- Split bills and tipping, ideal for group bookings and table service
- Kitchen Display System (KDS) integration to send orders directly to the kitchen
- Course management and modifiers so complex orders stay organised and accurate
- Multi-site reporting for operators running several venues from a central dashboard
- UK VAT and compliance support to keep tax and reporting in order
Best for
Restaurants, pubs, cafés, bars, and hospitality groups that need strong operational control and smooth communication between service and kitchen. POSApt stands out as one of the strongest hospitality POS options in the UK for venues that rely on tight workflows and consistent guest experiences.
Lightspeed – Best for Retail & Omnichannel Businesses
Lightspeed is a cloud-based POS platform popular with retailers that need powerful tools for stock, customers, and sales across multiple locations and channels. It offers advanced inventory management, strong reporting, and support for both in-store and online sales.
Best for
Retail shops, boutiques, and omnichannel brands that sell across physical and digital channels and want robust stock control and detailed reporting.
Square POS – Best for Small & Mobile Businesses
Square POS combines simple, user-friendly software with clear, pay-as-you-go pricing. It’s a strong choice for smaller businesses that value flexibility and low upfront costs, especially if you trade in multiple locations or move around.
Best for
Small businesses, market stalls, pop-ups, and mobile vendors that need a portable, easy-to-set-up POS and card reader without long-term contracts.
Vend – Best Retail-Focused POS System
Vend is a retail-specific POS system known for its clean interface and straightforward user experience. It includes inventory tracking, customer profiles, and loyalty tools to help shops keep on top of stock while encouraging repeat visits.
Best for
Retail stores, boutiques, and gift shops that want a retail-first POS with strong stock management and customer-focused features.
EPOS Now – Best Entry-Level EPOS System
EPOS Now is widely used across the UK and offers bundled hardware and software packages for both retail and hospitality. It’s a practical entry-level option for businesses that want to get started quickly with a complete EPOS setup.
Best for
Small to mid-sized retail and hospitality businesses looking for a familiar, off-the-shelf EPOS solution that can be deployed quickly.
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Shopify POS – Best for Online + In-Store Sales
Shopify POS is built to work alongside Shopify’s eCommerce platform, giving you a single system for managing online and in-person sales. It keeps stock, orders, and customer data joined up across all channels.
Best for
Online retailers with physical stores who want a unified approach to inventory, customers, and sales across their website and shop.
Toast POS – Best for Full-Service Restaurants
Toast is a restaurant-focused POS designed for busy dining environments. It supports advanced ordering flows, table management, kitchen coordination, and loyalty tools, making it well suited to venues with complex service requirements.
Best for
Restaurants and food service venues that prioritise smooth table service, clear kitchen workflows, and detailed control over courses and modifiers.
Revel Systems – Best for Large & Enterprise Businesses
Revel Systems is a feature-rich POS aimed at high-volume and multi-location operations. It offers in-depth reporting, CRM tools, and advanced inventory control, making it a strong option for larger businesses that need granular insight.
Best for
Large restaurants, multi-location chains, and enterprise operations that require scalable performance and detailed analytics across multiple sites.
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Zettle by PayPal – Best for Simple Retail Payments
Zettle by PayPal offers straightforward POS and payment tools with a focus on simplicity and quick setup. It’s particularly attractive to smaller businesses that want clear pricing and easy integration with existing PayPal accounts.
Best for
Small retail and quick-service businesses that mainly need reliable card and contactless payments alongside basic POS features.
KORONA POS – Best for Mixed Retail & Hospitality Use
KORONA POS provides flexible, modular features designed to support both retail and hospitality-style operations. Its scalable structure makes it a good fit for businesses that don’t sit neatly in one category.
Best for
Hybrid business models that combine elements of retail and hospitality and need a configurable POS that can adapt as their concept evolves.
What Is a POS System and Why It Matters in the UK
A POS (Point of Sale) system is the technology used to handle transactions when customers make a purchase. It’s the point where sales, payments, and customer interactions come together — whether in-store, online, or across multiple business locations. In the UK, POS systems are more commonly called EPOS systems, reflecting the advanced, electronic, and cloud-based tools available today.
- Card, cash, and contactless transactions
- Automatic VAT calculation and reporting
- Inventory tracking and stock management
- Staff permissions, attendance, and shift scheduling
- Detailed sales analytics and performance reporting
- Customer data, loyalty schemes, and promotional campaigns
- Integration with accounting software, eCommerce platforms, and online ordering apps
For UK-based businesses, these functions also need to align with strict regulations. VAT compliance, HMRC integration, PCI DSS payment security, and GDPR data protection requirements must be built in. Using a POS not developed for the UK market can quickly cause serious problems — from accounting mistakes and reporting errors to data security risks and compliance breaches.
Why Choosing the Right POS System in the UK Is Critical
Many small and growing UK businesses struggle because they choose a POS system that doesn’t match their specific operational needs or long-term goals. What seems like a cost-saving decision at first often turns into frustration later.
Common issues caused by poor POS selection include:
- Incorrect VAT calculations or incomplete reporting
- Slow or unreliable order processing
- Confusing staff interface and poor usability
- Minimal or no integration with existing business tools
- Long-term contracts with hidden fees
- Limited customer support based outside the UK
Different industries have different POS requirements. Hospitality businesses such as restaurants, cafés, and pubs need systems that handle high-volume orders, table management, split bills, and kitchen workflows smoothly — especially during rush hours. Retailers depend on advanced inventory control, barcode scanning, multi-store management, and real-time reporting. Service-based businesses, meanwhile, require reliable customer management, appointment scheduling, and flexible payment options.
Choosing the right POS system from day one saves you time, money, and unnecessary stress. It lays a solid foundation for your operations — enabling growth, efficiency, and compliance in a competitive UK market.
Best POS Systems by Business Type
in the UK
Hospitality businesses — restaurants, pubs, cafés, and bars — need POS systems built for speed, reliability, and tight operational control from front-of-house to kitchen. POSApt stands out as the strongest hospitality-first option in the UK due to its purpose-built design that handles the unique demands of busy service environments.
Hospitality-critical features every good system must deliver include:
- Table management with floor plans, table status, and cover tracking for clear oversight during peak hours
- Split bills and tipping functionality to handle group payments and gratuities smoothly
- Kitchen display integration (KDS) to send orders directly to kitchen screens, reducing errors and delays
- Modifier-based ordering for customisation like "no onions" or "extra cheese" that flows accurately through the system
- Multi-site management for hospitality groups that need centralised control across multiple locations
- Real-time reporting on sales, table turns, popular items, and staff performance
POSApt excels particularly for businesses that want full control over their service flow, kitchen coordination, and detailed reporting — making it one of the most effective hospitality POS systems available in the UK today.
Small businesses thrive with POS systems that are affordable, intuitive, and designed to grow with them. These businesses often need something simple to start but flexible enough to handle increased volume or new locations later.
Key features that work best for UK startups and small traders include:
- Simple setup that gets you trading within hours, not weeks
- Flexible pricing with no long contracts or large upfront costs
- Mobile and tablet support so you can trade anywhere — markets, pop-ups, or permanent premises
- Core reporting tools for basic sales tracking, VAT summaries, and performance insights
Systems like Square and EPOS Now are among the most popular choices for UK small businesses because they balance ease of use with scalability as your operation expands.
Retailers need POS systems with rock-solid stock control, accurate reporting, and tools to manage suppliers and sales channels effectively. Inventory accuracy is everything in retail — one wrong count can mean lost sales or overstocking.
Essential retail features include:
- Barcode scanning for fast checkouts and accurate stock updates
- Inventory alerts for low stock, expirations, or seasonal reordering
- Supplier management with purchase orders and delivery tracking
- Multi-location tracking for chains or businesses with warehouses and shops
Lightspeed and Vend perform particularly strongly in this category, offering retailers the inventory depth and reporting power needed to stay profitable and responsive to demand.
Cafés and coffee shops need lightning-fast ordering, strong loyalty tools, and easy customisation for drinks and snacks. Speed at the counter directly impacts customer satisfaction and queue lengths. POSApt works exceptionally well for cafés that also offer table service, food prep, or kitchen coordination alongside quick counter orders. Key café features include quick modifiers, loyalty scanning, and simple reporting on peak beverage sales.
Service businesses — salons, gyms, repair shops, consultants — benefit from POS systems that double as customer relationship tools. They need detailed client profiles, invoicing, and appointment management alongside basic payment processing.
Essential features include customer histories, deposit tracking, repeat booking reminders, and service-specific reporting to track what’s profitable versus time-consuming.
Cloud-Based POS vs Traditional EPOS Systems
Cloud-Based POS Systems have become the standard for most UK businesses. They offer:
- Lower upfront costs with subscription pricing
- Automatic software updates and new features
- Remote access to reports and sales data from any device
- Easy scalability as you add locations or users
Traditional EPOS Systems still have their place:
- Strong offline reliability during internet outages
- Fixed hardware installations for permanent venues
- Familiar interface for businesses slow to adopt cloud tech
Most UK businesses now prefer cloud-based POS systems for their flexibility, lower long-term costs, and ability to integrate with modern business tools.
Key POS Features UK Businesses Should Look For
Every solid POS system needs these core capabilities, but prioritise based on your industry:
- VAT handling and reporting with HMRC-ready exports
- Inventory management (critical for retail and hospitality)
- Employee permissions to control access by role
- Sales analytics showing top products, slow movers, and hourly trends
- Customer data and loyalty tools for repeat business
- Accounting integrations (Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent)
- Online ordering support for delivery and click-and-collect
Hospitality businesses should additionally prioritise kitchen integration and table management. Retailers need stock alerts and barcode support.
Best POS System Pricing in the UK:
What Does a POS System Cost?
Monthly Software Fees
£20 - £150+ depending on users, locations, and advanced features
Hardware Costs
£200 - £2,000+ for terminals, card readers, printers, cash drawers
Payment Processing Fees
1.4% - 2.5% per transaction (industry average)
Optional Add-ons
£10 - £50/month for delivery integrations, advanced reporting, loyalty programs
Hospitality POS systems like POSApt typically cost more than entry-level retail solutions but deliver significantly greater operational value through better service flows and kitchen control.
POS Compliance, Security & Legal Considerations in the UK
A reliable POS must meet strict UK standards:
- PCI DSS payment security for card data protection
- GDPR data protection for customer information
- Accurate VAT handling with proper MTD-ready reporting
- Secure customer data storage with role-based access
Always ask providers for compliance documentation before signing. Non-compliant systems create legal risks and accounting headaches.
How to Choose the Best POS System
for Your Business
Follow these steps for a smart decision:
Identify Industry Needs
Hospitality, retail, service, or hybrid?
Define Essential Features
Focus on features that support daily workflow.
Compare Total Costs
Software, hardware, and transaction fees over 12 months.
Test Usability
Try demos or trials with your staff.
Confirm UK Support
Phone, chat, and local expertise matter.
Don’t Choose by Price Alone
A cheap system that doesn’t fit your workflow may cost more.