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10 Best Affordable POS Systems for Small Businesses in the UK (2025)

Discover 10 affordable POS systems for UK small businesses. Compare prices, features & hardware-free options for cafés, shops, food trucks & more.

You know what a POS system is.

You just want one that works, doesn’t cost a fortune, and actually suits a small business in the UK.

So, in this guide, I’ve listed 10 affordable POS systems made for small UK businesses, whether you’re running a food truck, yoga studio, or high-street shop.

Simple pricing. Real use cases.

And yes, a few that don’t need any hardware. 

Let’s get you caught up.

Who This List Is For

This list is for any UK seller who wants a simple, low-cost way to take payments, without bulky hardware or long contracts.

It’s perfect for:

  • Local shops, cafés, and salons

  • Food trucks, pop-ups, and markets

  • Freelancers and mobile service pros

  • Event sellers and solo founders

  • Anyone selling online, in person, or both

If you run a business and want to save money on payments, this list is for you.

How We Picked These Tools

We chose POS systems that are:

  • UK-based — Priced in GBP and built for local businesses

  • Truly affordable — We looked at all costs: monthly fees, transaction rates, hardware

  • Easy to set up — No tech skills or complicated setup needed

  • Reliable support — Good help when you need it

  • Hardware-free (when possible) — Tools that work right from your phone get extra points

Simple, low-cost, and made for real UK sellers.

Here’s a quick comparison between the 10 POSs to find the perfect solution for you.

10 Best Affordable POS Systems for Small Businesses in 2025 (with a Quick Comparison Table)

Tool

Starting Price

Hardware Needed

Ideal For

Transaction Fee

Free Plan?

Tapp

£0/month

No

Sellers who want a phone-based, hardware-free setup

1.49% flat

Yes

Zettle

£29 one-time

Yes

Retail shops, cafés

1.75%

Yes

SumUp

£39 one-time

Yes

Small retailers, market sellers

1.69%

Yes

Square UK

£0/month

Yes (optional)

Cafés, in-person and online sellers

1.75%

Yes

Dojo

£20+/month

Yes

Restaurants, pubs, hospitality

Custom

No

Shopwave

Custom quote

Yes

Quick-service chains

Custom

No

Lightspeed

£69/month

Yes

Larger retail stores

1.5–2.6%

No

Shift4 (SkyTab)

Custom quote

Yes

Hospitality and restaurant chains

Custom

No

Clover UK

£39+/month

Yes

Multi-location shops

1.69–1.99%

No

Epos Now

£25+/month

Yes

Hospitality and retail

Custom

Free trial

Let’s get into the details. 

Usetapp.io: Best Terminal-Free POS for UK Mobile Businesses

What is Tapp?

Tapp is an AI-powered, terminal-free payment and online ordering platform designed for small and medium-sized businesses. 

It turns any smartphone into a POS with no hardware, no setup fees, just tap-and-pay.

Who It's For

  • Market traders

  • Food trucks

  • Pop-ups

  • Beauty & wellness professionals

  • Cafes, bistros, and small restaurants

  • Service providers who value mobility, speed, and ease of use

Core Value Proposition

“No terminals. Just Tapp.”

  • Launch in minutes with AI-powered onboarding

  • Accept contactless payments via smartphone

  • Self-serve checkout via QR codes or an online shop

  • Real-time payment notifications

  • Digital receipts via SMS/email

  • Built-in PCI compliance and secure transactions

Pricing Snapshot

Plan

Cost

Key Features

Free

£0/month

Unlimited transactions, 1.49% flat fee, business dashboard

Pro

£29/month

Everything in Free + Live support, AI sales prediction, 1.29% flat fee

What Makes Tapp Different?

  • AI-powered digital setup: menus, KYC, onboarding

  • No contracts or hardware dependency

  • Works as both a POS + an eShop with QR & online checkout

  • Transparent pricing with no setup or monthly fees (on Free plan)

Zettle by PayPal: Best for Simple Hardware-Based Setup

Zettle Homepage

What is Zettle?

Zettle by PayPal (now part of the PayPal Point of Sale ecosystem) is a hardware-based POS and payment system designed for small and medium-sized businesses. 

It combines in-store payment terminals, mobile card readers, and a versatile POS app to help merchants manage payments, inventory, staff, and reporting in one place.

Zettle turns your phone or tablet into a smart POS, or works with advanced hardware like the PayPal Terminal. 

Who It’s For

  • SMBs that already use or trust PayPal

  • Businesses looking for integrated POS + payments + reporting

Core Value Proposition

“Sell smarter with PayPal’s all-in-one POS system.”

  • Accept contactless, chip & PIN, and mobile wallet payments

  • Fast payouts to a PayPal Business account within minutes

  • No monthly fee or rental cost — just buy hardware and start

  • Sell in-store, online, or remotely via invoicing and payment links

  • Track inventory, sales, staff, and performance in real time

  • Works with smartphones, tablets, and optional hardware (readers, tills, printers)

Zettle Pricing Snapshot

Zettle Pricing

Plan

Cost

Key Features

POS App

£0/month

Free POS app, unlimited products, reporting dashboard

Card Reader

£29 (one-time)

Connects via Bluetooth, 1.75% per transaction

Terminal

£149 (one-time)

All-in-one touchscreen POS with 4G/WiFi + receipt printer, 1.75% fee

Custom Pricing

Custom (for high volume)

Tailored rates for businesses processing £10,000+/month

Pros and Cons of Zettle

Here’s a simple table showing what people liked and didn’t like about Zettle in their recent reviews:

Screenshot of a Zettle review

Pros

Cons

Easy to use when the terminal works

Devices often fail just after warranty; no repair options

Smooth account setup for some users

Poor customer support when issues arise

Some loyal users satisfied after years of use

Long account verification process delays onboarding

Acceptable transaction rates for basic use

High transaction fees; AMEX cannot be disabled

Helpful staff during initial onboarding

Reports of fraud and money going to wrong accounts


No refund or resolution if terminal fails after warranty


Quality and service have declined since PayPal acquisition


Multiple devices suddenly stop working


No resolution follow-up from support, even after repeated contact

What Makes Zettle Different?

  • Trusted PayPal ecosystem for instant access to funds

  • Multiple checkout methods: POS, QR, PayPal, contactless, e-commerce

  • Fast onboarding with no rental fees or long-term contracts

  • Offline mode support to keep selling even with no connection

  • Complete business toolkit: POS + inventory + analytics + multi-user access

  • Omnichannel capabilities: accept payments anywhere, anytime

SumUp Air: Best Entry-Level POS for Solo Traders

SumUp Homepage

What is SumUp?

SumUp is a payment solution provider offering affordable card readers and mobile POS tools designed for small businesses. 

With no monthly fees on basic plans, SumUp helps you accept card and contactless payments anywhere via simple, low-cost hardware.

Who It’s For

  • Small shops

  • Market stalls and mobile vendors

  • Food trucks and cafés

  • Freelancers and beauty professionals

  • Service-based businesses needing card readers

Core Value Proposition

“Get paid anywhere. No contracts. No surprises.”

  • Affordable card readers starting at £25

  • Accept all major cards and wallets (Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, Apple Pay, etc.)

  • Free SumUp mobile app for reports, insights, and item management

  • Instant setup and easy onboarding

  • Next-day payouts, even on weekends

  • No monthly fee on Pay-as-you-go plan

SumUp Air Pricing Snapshot

SumUp Air Pricing for taking payments SumUp Air Pricing for POS Solutions 

Plan

Monthly Cost

In-person Fee

Online Fee

Key Features

Pay-as-you-go

£0

1.69%

2.50%

Free app, no contract, buy device separately

Payments Plus

£19

0.99%

0.99%

Lower fees, dedicated support, pro tools

POS Pro

£49

Custom

Custom

Advanced POS features, contact sales

Card Reader Pricing

Device

Price

How It Works

Tap to Pay (Phone only)

£0*

Accepts contactless directly on your smartphone

Air

£25*

Basic reader, connects via Bluetooth to phone

Solo

£69*

Built-in SIM, standalone card reader with screen

Terminal

£139*

Full POS with receipt printer, WiFi + 4G, item mgmt

*All prices excl. VAT. 30-day money-back guarantee.

SumUp Air Pros and Cons

Here’s a table with the top 5 pros and cons of SumUp Air, based on their recent reviews:

Screenshot of a SumUp Air review

Pros

Cons

Easy to use for both sellers and customers

Devices get blocked without warning

Tap-to-pay via mobile phone is fast and convenient

Customer support is slow and hard to reach

No monthly fees – pay only per transaction

Older devices become unsupported after updates

Fast payouts with no hidden charges

Bluetooth connection issues with Air device

Works well for freelancers and small business owners

Payment delays and occasional failed transactions

What Makes SumUp Different?

  • No monthly cost on standard plans

  • Plug-and-play setup (even on your phone)

  • Fast payouts, even on weekends

  • Flat and transparent fees (no hidden charges)

  • Works online, in-person, and via payment links

  • Built-in SIMs for mobile card readers

Square UK – Best for Multi-Channel Sellers

Square Homepage

What is Square?

Square is a full-stack payment, POS, and business management platform designed for growing businesses. 

It helps you sell online, in-store, or on-the-go while also managing inventory, staff, marketing, and more from one dashboard.

Who It’s For

  • Restaurants and cafés

  • Retail stores

  • Beauty and wellness professionals

  • Fitness studios and appointment-based businesses

  • Multi-location businesses

  • Online sellers looking to sync with offline sales

Core Value Proposition

“All-in-one commerce tools. Start free, scale fast.”

  • POS system with built-in payment processing

  • Online store and checkout tools

  • Staff and inventory management

  • CRM with loyalty, invoicing, and email marketing

  • Banking, payroll, and loans under one roof

  • Hardware options for every business model (handheld, register, terminal)

Square Pricing Snapshot

Square Pricing

Plan

Cost

Key Features

Free

£0/month

POS app, online store, customer directory, invoicing, basic reporting

Plus

£29+/mo

Advanced tools for retail, restaurants, or appointments (varies by business)

Premium

Custom

Bespoke setup, dedicated support, lower processing fees

Processing Fees (UK Standard):

  • In-person: 2.6% + 15p

  • Online: 2.9% + 30p

  • Manual: 3.5% + 15p

  • Invoices: 3.3% + 30p

Square Pros and Cons

Here’s a table with the top 5 pros and cons of Square, based on their recent reviews:

Screenshot of a Square review

Pros

Cons

Easy and quick to set up

Customer support can be unhelpful or hard to reach

Fast next-business-day payouts

Device updates happen too often and take too long

Simple and user-friendly POS system

Delays in account verification, especially for large payments

Great for mobile/on-the-go use (e.g., taxi, stalls, small shops)

Refunds to end customers can take up to 14 days

Helpful sales reporting and daily email summaries

Unexpected daily transfer limits after account reviews

What Makes Square Different?

  • Omnichannel selling: Syncs online + in-person sales

  • Hardware ecosystem: From £149 stands to £799 registers

  • Banking built in: Instant transfers, loans, savings, and debit cards

  • Free POS software with optional paid upgrades

  • Tailored pricing by business type: Retail, restaurant, appointments

  • Integrates loyalty, CRM, marketing, and inventory in one system

Dojo – Best for UK Hospitality Businesses

Dojo Homepage

What is Dojo?

Dojo is a modern payment platform built specifically for fast-paced hospitality, personal services, and in-person businesses. 

It offers ultra-fast mobile card machines, seamless EPOS integrations, and real-time insights.

It’s best known for serving cafes, pubs, restaurants, salons, and mobile service professionals who need speed, reliability, and intuitive tools at the point of payment.

Who It’s For

  • Restaurants, pubs, and cafés

  • Barbers, salons, beauty professionals

  • Mobile businesses (e.g. tree surgeons, taxis)

  • Quick-service counters and food stalls

  • Dental clinics and healthcare

  • Any business needing on-the-go payments and EPOS sync

Core Value Proposition

“High-speed, secure, and service-first payments.”

Built to keep your business moving fast and your payments even faster.

  • Card machines 58% faster than industry average

  • Dual Wi-Fi + 4G connectivity

  • 10-hour battery life for mobile usage

  • Seamless EPOS integration (400+ systems)

  • UK-based 7-day support and remote troubleshooting

  • Simple PCI compliance and built-in security

Dojo Pricing Snapshot

Dojo Pricing

Plan

Cost

Key Features

Fix

£39.99/month

Flat pricing for <£100k turnover, includes AMEX, locked for 12 months

Flex

Custom

Tailored rates, £10/month/location platform fee, flexible contract options

Pro

Custom

Bespoke deal for £1M+ turnover, lower fees, tailored hardware + setup

Hardware

From £15/month (or £179 one-time)

Dojo Go, Pocket, or Wired machines with next-day delivery

Processing + Hardware

  • Accepts Chip & PIN, contactless, Apple Pay, Google Pay

  • Tap to Pay on iPhone (no hardware required)

  • 10-hour battery, portable and lightweight

  • Integrated receipt printer

  • Works with 400+ EPOS systems

  • 99.99% uptime with auto-connect Wi-Fi/4G

Dojo Pros and Cons

Here’s a table of the Top 5 Pros and Cons of Dojo, based on their recent reviews:

Screenshot of a Dojo review

Pros

Cons

Easy and smooth onboarding process

Aggressive sales tactics and spammy reseller calls

Intuitive card terminals and simple mobile dashboard

Difficult cancellation experience and contract exit issues

Helpful, UK-based customer support (often praised by name)

Delays or holds on payouts due to compliance checks

Reasonable fees compared to competitors (for many users)

Inconsistent support for complex issues or unusual use cases

PCI compliance made simple with built-in features

Unexpected post-cancellation charges and poor follow-up

Customer service reviews are the most mixed.

Some users praise the support, while others report slow responses or poor issue resolution.

What Makes Dojo Different?

  • Built for speed: Card machines 58% faster = serve 48 more customers/day

  • Always connected: 4G + Wi-Fi = never miss a sale

  • Hospitality-first design: Split bills, tipping, staff permissions, daily reports

  • Flexible setup: From full-service restaurants to salons, plug into your flow

  • iPhone-native payments: No hardware needed with Tap to Pay on iPhone


  • Exit support: Will cover up to £3,000 in switching fees (terms apply)

Shopwave – POS for Quick Service Restaurants

Shopwave Homepage

What is Shopwave?

Shopwave is a modern, omni-channel POS and retail management platform built for fast-growing food and beverage businesses. 

It’s designed to simplify complex restaurant and retail operations connecting front-of-house, kitchen, payments, and inventory under one scalable system.

Used by brands like Cook and Timberyard, Shopwave helps QSRs and retail chains manage multiple ordering formats, improve accuracy, and serve customers faster.

Who It’s For

  • Quick service restaurants (QSR)

  • Coffee shops & bakeries

  • Fast casual or multi-location restaurants


  • Food halls and supermarkets

  • Retailers with online + offline operations

  • Brands scaling across multiple stores

Core Value Proposition

“Built for fast service brands ready to scale.”

Shopwave delivers high-speed, flexible commerce infrastructure to simplify workflows and unify customer experiences across all channels.

  • Mobile-friendly POS and Roaming ordering

  • 95%+ inventory accuracy with built-in stock tools

  • Kitchen Display System (KDS) to improve prep time

  • Real-time analytics dashboards

  • BYOD, kiosk, and mobile ordering support

  • Integrates with thousands of services and processors

Shopwave Pricing 

No transparent pricing, it is not available publicly.

Shopwave Pros and Cons

✅ Pros

❌ Cons

Designed for fast-service restaurants and QSR workflows

No transparent pricing available publicly

Flexible ordering: counter, kiosk, mobile, BYOD

No native customer review/rating feature

Highly accurate inventory and kitchen management tools

Learning curve for full feature adoption in larger chains

Omnichannel experience with full POS + Payments + Analytics suite

Smaller user community compared to Square or Toast

Built-in APIs and integration with 1000s of third-party tools

Limited DIY documentation; relies on demos and onboarding support

Also NOTE: These pros and cons are based on what Shopwave highlights on their website.

Since there aren't many public user reviews available, it’s a good idea to book a demo and see if it fits your business before making a decision.

What Makes Shopwave Different?

  • QSR-first design: Optimized for fast-moving restaurants with multiple order and payment formats

  • Inventory + KDS Integration: Drives operational accuracy and prep time reduction

  • Experiential Retail: Focus on customer experience across all channels and devices

  • Enterprise-Ready Stack: APIs, payment orchestration, ELT/iPaaS integration, and BI dashboards

  • No contract needed for demo: Easy to explore without commitment

Lightspeed UK – Best for Growing Retail Chains

Lightspeed UK Homepage

What is Lightspeed?

Lightspeed is a global commerce platform offering unified ePOS + payments designed for retail, restaurants, and golf businesses

In the UK, it’s best known for helping retail chains and hospitality brands scale operations across multiple locations with advanced reporting, inventory tools, and integrated payments.

Used at over 165,000 locations globally, Lightspeed caters to growing businesses looking for speed, customisation, and multi-store control.

Who It’s For

  • Multi-location retail stores

  • Growing hospitality brands

  • Independent boutiques aiming to scale

  • Omnichannel businesses (online + offline)

  • High-inventory retail operations

  • Restaurant chains using iPad-based POS

Core Value Proposition

“The commerce platform built for scale.”

Lightspeed helps growing businesses streamline operations, personalise customer experiences, and gain real-time insights from a single system.

  • Built-in payments and POS

  • Customisable roles and workflows

  • Advanced inventory and eCommerce integrations

  • Forecasting, landed costs, and API access

  • Real-time analytics and reporting dashboards

  • 24/7 support with white-glove onboarding

Lightspeed Pricing Snapshot (Retail Plans – Monthly, USD)

Lightspeed UK Homepage

Plan

Price/month (USD)

Best For

Basic

$109/mo

Independent retailers with essential POS and inventory needs

Core

$179/mo

Retailers seeking advanced tools to manage and grow operations

Plus

$339/mo

Established multi-location retail chains with custom reporting needs

Note: Pricing may vary by region and industry. Hardware sold separately.

Lightspeed Pros and Cons

Here are the top 5 Pros and Cons table for Lightspeed UK, based on their recent reviews:

✅ Pros

❌ Cons

Excellent POS system with strong reporting and stock management

Aggressive payment integration upsells (e.g., forced card payments)

Fast payouts (next working day) that improve business cash flow

Poor experience with contract cancellations or refund disputes

Smooth onboarding process praised by many reviewers

Onboarding support occasionally unresponsive or inconsistent

Friendly and knowledgeable account managers (Theo, Simmone often praised)

Payment terminals reported to fail during high-pressure hours (e.g., weekends)

Good support during setup and training

Pricing concerns, unexpected charges, and poor follow-up support

What Makes Lightspeed Different?

  • All-in-one solution for POS, payments, inventory, and eCommerce

  • Flexible plans for businesses ready to scale from 1 to 100+ locations

  • Capital lending with pay-as-you-sell repayments

  • Custom roles and APIs for enterprise-grade control

  • Global reach but local UK support + onboarding team

Clover UK – POS for Multi-Branch Shops

Clover Homepage

What is Clover?

Clover is a full-service point-of-sale (POS) system designed for small to medium businesses with multi-location needs. 

Owned by Fiserv, Clover combines payment processing, staff management, inventory control, and customer engagement tools into sleek, cloud-based hardware solutions like Clover Flex, Mini, and Station Duo.

Who It’s For

  • Multi-branch retail stores

  • Pubs, cafés, and restaurants

  • Service businesses needing mobile or countertop setups

  • Growing businesses looking for scalability

  • Businesses needing a single provider for hardware + merchant services

Core Value Proposition

“All-in-one POS that grows with your business.”

  • Take payments anywhere: online, in-person, mobile, or over the phone

  • Manage staff rotas, distribute tips, and track performance

  • Launch loyalty campaigns, discounts, and gift cards

  • Real-time inventory and sales insights across locations

  • Built-in business funding (up to £500,000) with repayments from card sales

Clover Pricing Snapshot

Clover Pricing
  • Promo Offer: 1.49% transaction fee + monthly service fee from £1

  • Hardware Included: Clover Mini, Flex, or Station (based on plan)

  • Contracts: Varies – typically bundled with Fiserv merchant accounts

Clover UK Pros and Cons

Screenshot of a Clover review

Pros

Cons

Easy to set up and intuitive to use

Customer support can be inconsistent

Sleek, modern hardware with mobile options

Pricing and fees are not always clearly communicated

Works well for multi-location and retail businesses

Some users report slow response times during technical issues

Built-in inventory and staff management tools

Limited customisation on lower-tier devices

Real-time reporting with remote access via dashboard

Occasional glitches after software updates

What Makes Clover Different?

Clover goes beyond payments, it’s a full business management system.

  • All-in-one POS with hardware, payments, and tools from Fiserv

  • Mobile and countertop options (Flex, Mini, Duo)

  • Cloud-based with real-time reporting

  • Built-in tools for staff, stock, loyalty, and sales

  • Works across locations and online/offline channels

Ideal for growing retail, service, or hospitality businesses.

Final Verdict: Which POS Is Right for You?

Use Case

Best POS Tool

Why It’s the Best Fit

Small Shops or Food Stalls

Tapp

No hardware needed, fully mobile, low cost, perfect for small counters or solo operators

Multi-Branch Retail Stores

Clover UK

Central dashboard, real-time reporting, inventory + staff control, good for scaling

Mobile Sellers / Pop-up Businesses

Zettle by PayPal

Compact setup, easy to use, accepts all payments, fast onboarding

Restaurants & Cafés

Square UK

Includes table management, online ordering, CRM & loyalty tools, all-in-one suite

Appointment-Based Services (Salons, etc.)

Square UK

Built-in bookings, marketing tools, and customer profiles

Fast Transactions / Busy Counters

Clover Duo

Dual-screen, fast checkouts, contactless-friendly

Low-Budget Startups / First-Time Sellers

Tapp

Zero upfront hardware cost, accepts tap payments, simple setup from phone

Inventory-Heavy Retail Businesses

Clover UK

Strong inventory tracking, sales insights, customisation options

Businesses Needing Staff Payroll/Tip Tools

Clover UK

Integrated payroll, tip distribution, and rota management

UK-based businesses looking for lowest processing fee

Zettle

Low flat-rate transaction fees with no monthly cost

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right POS system isn’t just about features — it’s about fit.

If you’re running a café, salon, retail chain, or just starting out with a pop-up cart, the best tool is the one that works for your specific setup, not the flashiest.

  •  Clover gives you deep control if you're scaling across branches.

  •  Square brings a full suite if you're running bookings or restaurants.

  •  Zettle keeps it simple for quick sales and small counters.

  •  SumUp is decent if you're just looking to accept cards and keep costs low.

But if you want to skip the hardware, start instantly, and keep everything in your phone- Tapp is built for you.

Start Selling with Tapp - No Hardware Needed

Whether you're at a weekend market or managing multiple staff, Tapp lets you:

  • Accept tap-to-pay from any modern phone

  • Send digital receipts and track sales in real time

  • Keep costs low without bulky machines

👉 Get started with Tapp now and turn your phone into your point-of-sale.

Want a smarter POS?

Book a call and we will help you figure out, if Tapp is the right fit for your shop!