Unsure whether your trusty till is holding the business back or if a modern EPOS will blow the budget and stumble when the Wi-Fi drops?
Those concerns keep plenty of UK shops, cafés and salons on the fence about upgrading.
This guide lays out, side by side, how each system works, what it really costs and the key risks to watch, so you can match the right option to your turnover, team and growth plans.
So, let’s dive in and see which system is better for your business.
How Each System Works
Understanding the sales flow is the quickest way to see the real-world difference between a legacy POS and a cloud EPOS. Picture a busy high-street café at 8 a.m:
POS Sales Flow
- You scan a latte on the fixed till; the price comes from a local database stored inside the machine.
- The customer inserts a card into a separate countertop reader; once authorised, you manually press “Cash Out” on the till.
- Stock is only updated on that one device. To see the day’s takings, you print a Z-report after closing and key the numbers into your accounts package the next morning.
- If the till fails, sales pause until a technician arrives.
EPOS Sales Flow
- You tap the latte on a tablet or scan its barcode; the order pings the cloud in milliseconds, updating stock across every branch.
- An integrated card reader lets the customer tap a phone or smartwatch; the EPOS logs payment automatically and emails a receipt.
- Real-time dashboards show revenue, busiest hours and staff performance while you’re still serving the queue.
- Lose the internet? The EPOS caches transactions locally and syncs when the connection returns, so service continues uninterrupted.
In short, a traditional POS records a transaction; an EPOS turns that transaction into live data that can be acted on immediately.
POS vs EPOS at a Glance
Need to spot the differences fast? Scan the table below and tick the features that matter most to your business.
| Feature | POS | EPOS |
|---|---|---|
| Stock Control | Manual end-of-day counts; alerts only when stock hits zero | Live levels, auto-reorder prompts, multi-site sync |
| Reporting | Printed daily totals | Real-time dashboards, hourly heat-maps, export to Excel/Xero |
| Mobility | Fixed counter unit | Tablet or phone; ideal for queue-busting and pop-ups |
| Payment Options | Cash, chip-and-PIN (mobile wallets need extra kit) | Apple Pay, Google Pay, QR, pay-by-link built-in |
| Loyalty & marketing | Stamp cards or bolt-on software | Points, email offers and personalised promos included |
| Staff Management | Basic clerk sign-in | Time-clock, role-based permissions, performance stats |
| Scalability | One till per site; expansion means new licences | Add branches in minutes; data rolls into one back office |
| Offline Resilience | Works without internet but risks data loss if hardware fails | Caches sales during outages, syncs automatically when back online |
If you only need simple sales recording, a traditional POS can suffice; if live data, flexible selling spaces and built-in growth tools matter, an EPOS delivers the edge.
Hardware & Setup
Switching hardware can upend your day-to-day flow, so start by picturing your counter space and how you serve customers. A traditional POS relies on a fixed till with cables, while an EPOS turns almost any tablet into a mobile checkout.
Typical POS kit
- Metal cash drawer and receipt printer bolted under the counter
- Bright touchscreen till with a local hard drive
- Separate chip-and-PIN reader linked via cable
- Barcode scanner plus chunky power supplies
Typical EPOS kit
- iPad or Android tablet on a swivel stand
- All-in-one card reader clipped to the tablet
- Bluetooth barcode scanner and wireless receipt printer
- Optional battery pack for markets or food trucks
Setup is just as different. A POS vendor usually sends an engineer to wire everything in and load your price file, which can take half a day. With EPOS you download an app, pair the peripherals and start selling within an hour; even from a pop-up stall or festival pitch.
Do you need gear you can pack into a rucksack, or do you have a station that never moves? Keep that picture clear before choosing your system.
Software & Integrations
Your till software decides how smoothly sales data flows into the rest of your tech stack. Here is what to expect from each system.
POS
- Local installation: software lives on the till’s hard drive.
- Updates: an engineer visits or dials in to patch the system, so new features arrive slowly.
- Integrations: limited to vendor-approved add-ons; accounting files often exported by USB.
- Back-ups: you schedule and store them on-site, risking loss if the hardware fails.
- Customisation: menus and receipt layouts can be tweaked, but deeper changes cost extra developer time.
EPOS
- SaaS model: log in through any browser or mobile app; nothing to install on the device.
- Automatic updates: new functions roll out overnight with no downtime.
- App marketplace: plug-and-play links to Xero, QuickBooks, Shopify, delivery platforms and CRM tools.
- Open API: developers can build bespoke workflows or dashboards in days, not weeks.
- Remote support: vendors resolve issues over the internet, cutting call-out fees.
- Data ownership: export real-time sales and stock to spreadsheets or business-intelligence tools whenever you like.
If your business runs multiple software platforms (or plans to) cloud EPOS keeps everything talking without manual data entry. Think about the tools you already use or plan to use: will your chosen system connect to them on day one?
Costs & Pricing Models
Upgrading your till begins with pounds and pence, so line up every cost before you sign. Use the grid below as a checklist.
| Cost Item | Traditional POS | Cloud EPOS |
|---|---|---|
| Hardware | £800–£1,200 per till, bought outright or leased | £300–£600 for a tablet and reader; stands optional |
| Software licence | One-off £400–£700, plus paid upgrades | £0 licence; pay monthly subscription |
| Monthly fees | None, unless on a service contract | £29–£79 per till, includes updates |
| Card processing | 1.6 %–1.9 % + 20p per transaction | 1.1 %–1.6 % + 10p; volume discounts |
| Support & maintenance | Call-out £150+; annual service plan extra | Remote help included; on-site visit rarely needed |
| Add-on modules | Paid separately, limited choice | App store; many free, some £5–£30 monthly |
Context Examples:
- Small boutique, one till, £20k card sales/month
- POS: £1,500 year one, £4,000 fees over three years
- EPOS: £800 set-up, £50 subscription, £3,000 fees over three years
- Three-site café group, five tills, £120k card sales/month
- POS: ~£9,000 hardware, higher rates, ~£30k fees in three years
- EPOS: ~£4,000 hardware, lower rates, ~£23k fees in three years
Disclaimer: Cost figures and examples are illustrative only. Always seek professional advice before committing funds or signing a contract.
Numbers vary by provider and volume. Always get written quotes and ask your accountant to review the total cost of ownership before you commit to a contract.
Security & Compliance
Card data, customer details and financial records carry strict legal duties—get them wrong and fines can dwarf any till-saving. Here’s how each system protects you:
| Risk Area | Traditional POS | Cloud EPOS |
|---|---|---|
| PCI DSS card security | Hardware is usually certified, but you must run updates and keep paperwork on-site. | Provider handles annual audits; you complete a simple questionnaire. |
| GDPR data protection | Customer information stored on a local drive; backup and encrypt it yourself. | Data held in UK-based, ISO-27001 cloud centres with automatic encryption. |
| End-to-end encryption | Depends on your payment terminal; may need a paid service upgrade. | Built-in tokenisation from card reader to bank. |
| Access controls | Single clerk PIN; no change log. | Role-based permissions and audit trails for every sale. |
| Disaster recovery | Hardware failure can wipe records unless you copy them offsite. | Hourly cloud backups; fail-over servers keep tills running. |
Compliance checklist
- Confirm your provider’s latest PCI DSS certificate.
- Ask where data is physically stored and how long for.
- Create user roles: cashier, supervisor, admin.
- Test your restore process; could you recover yesterday’s sales in an hour?
Treat these checks as a starting point, not legal advice. For bespoke guidance, consult a qualified data-security specialist or your accountant before committing to any system.
Pros & Cons of Each
Traditional POS
Pros
- Lower upfront learning curve; most staff already know the keypad.
- Works happily without internet, ideal where broadband is patchy.
- One-off licence means no monthly software bill.
Cons
- Reports arrive after closing time, so decisions wait until tomorrow.
- Adding mobile wallets or online ordering usually needs extra kit.
- Expanding to new sites means buying more tills and merging data by hand.
Cloud EPOS
Pros
- Live dashboards show takings, stock levels and best-selling items in seconds.
- Lightweight kit: tablet, card reader, wireless printer.
- Plug-and-play links to Xero, Shopify, CRM and loyalty apps.
Cons
- Needs a stable connection; offline mode saves sales but pauses cloud insights.
- Monthly subscription fees stack over the years.
- Older staff may need training on a touch-first interface.
How to Decide Whether POS or EPOS Fits You Best
Follow this four-part test and see which option ticks most of your boxes.
- List must-have features
- Need only basic sales recording and printed Z-reports? Leans POS.
- Want live stock levels, remote dashboards or loyalty tools? Leans EPOS.
- Match the hardware to your trading style
- One fixed counter, patchy broadband, no pop-ups on the horizon? POS is safer.
- Queue-busting, market stalls or multiple counters on the shop floor? EPOS’s tablet setup wins.
- Run a three-year cost-of-ownership check
- Low turnover, single till, rare card payments? POS’s one-off licence is often cheaper.
- High card volume or plans to open new sites? EPOS’s lower processing rates and scalable subscriptions can pull ahead; get written quotes and compare totals.
- Stress-test compliance and resilience
- Happy to handle PCI paperwork, local backups and engineer call-outs? POS works.
- Prefer automatic cloud backups, vendor-managed PCI and remote support? EPOS is the smoother route.
Whichever side wins the majority of these checkpoints is your likely best fit. If it’s a tie, request demos from both vendors and weigh real-world usability before signing.
How to Decide Whether POS or EPOS Suits You
When you weigh up a till upgrade, keep these questions front of mind. Each one highlights a pressure point where POS and EPOS perform differently.
- Sales environment: Do you trade from a single fixed counter, or do you also sell at markets, events, or different spots on the shop floor? Tablet-based EPOS thrives on mobility, while a counter-bound POS keeps things simple.
- Connectivity: Is your broadband stable all day? If not, a local POS runs regardless of outages, although most EPOS systems now store transactions offline until the connection returns.
- Data and insights: How quickly do you act on sales figures? If you need live dashboards or automatic stock alerts, EPOS delivers them. If daily totals printed after closing are enough, POS covers the basics.
- Integration needs: Do you already use Xero, Shopify, or a loyalty app? Cloud EPOS plugs straight in, saving manual data entry.
- Growth plans: Opening a new branch next year? EPOS scales with a subscription login. Sticking to one location? A single-purchase POS could cost less long term.
- Compliance workload: Happy to manage your own PCI paperwork and backups? That leans toward POS. Prefer a provider that handles security in the cloud? EPOS simplifies the admin.
Run through the list, note which side solves more of your pain points, then arrange demos before you decide.
FAQs
Sometimes, yes. If your till is just a standard Windows or Android touchscreen, an EPOS app may install directly; check processor speed, RAM and available USB ports first, and confirm with the EPOS vendor.
EPOS screens prompt customers to add a tip during card checkout and record it automatically for payroll. Traditional POS tills usually need a separate button or a manual note, increasing tally errors at cash-up.
Most EPOS providers offer a one-hour remote walkthrough plus video tutorials. Staff familiar with smartphones pick it up quickly. A legacy POS can take longer if it uses multi-layer menus or function keys.
Many EPOS platforms let you price items in sterling but accept payments in euros or dollars at the current FX rate; handy for tourist areas. A standalone POS often requires a dedicated multi-currency terminal.
Typical terms range from rolling monthly to 36 months. Shorter contracts cost a little more per month but protect you if service levels drop. Always read the exit-fee clause before signing.
