Quick answer: The best EPOS Now alternatives for UK hospitality in 2026 are DineOpen (flat £8/mo, no contract, zero transaction-fee markup), Square (free to start, great for cafes), Lightspeed (feature-rich but pricier), and SumUp or Zettle (simple and cheap for very small sites). Most restaurants leave EPOS Now over multi-year contracts, upfront hardware costs, and support — so prioritise month-to-month terms when you switch.
EPOS Now is one of the most recognisable EPOS brands in the UK, and for a lot of small businesses it does the job. But if you have landed on this page, you are probably weighing up a switch — usually because of a long contract, a chunky upfront hardware bill, or support that has not kept up. Here are the alternatives worth looking at, and how to choose.
Why do restaurants leave EPOS Now?
The reasons are consistent: long contracts that are hard to exit, upfront hardware and licence costs, add-ons that push the monthly bill up, and mixed reviews on support and cancellation. None of that means EPOS Now is bad — it means the terms do not suit everyone. When you switch, the fix is simple: choose something month-to-month with transparent pricing.
The 5 best EPOS Now alternatives in 2026
| Alternative | From | Contract | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| DineOpen | £8/mo | None | Restaurants, pubs & takeaways wanting full features, no lock-in |
| Square | Free | None | Cafes, coffee shops, small sites starting out |
| Lightspeed | £££ | Often annual | Larger or multi-site venues needing deep features |
| SumUp | Low | None | Market stalls, tiny cafes, mobile |
| Zettle (PayPal) | Low | None | Simple counter service |
Which EPOS Now alternative is cheapest?
Square and Zettle are cheapest on software (Square is free to start), but remember to include card processing in the comparison — a low monthly fee with a higher swipe rate can cost more overall. For a restaurant that wants proper features (table plans, KOT/kitchen display, allergens, Deliveroo and Just Eat) without a contract, a flat-rate system like DineOpen at £8/month with no per-transaction markup is usually the lowest all-in cost.
What should you look for when switching EPOS?
- Month-to-month terms — never sign a multi-year contract for software you have not lived with.
- Transparent processing — know your effective card rate, not just the headline.
- UK compliance built in — 20% VAT with eat-in vs takeaway rates, Natasha’s Law allergens, MTD/Xero export. Our VAT calculator shows how the eat-in vs takeaway split works.
- Delivery integrations — Deliveroo, Just Eat, Uber Eats.
- Own your hardware — avoid tie-ins to a single proprietary terminal you cannot reuse.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free alternative to EPOS Now? Yes — Square offers a free base plan (you pay only card processing), and Zettle and SumUp are low-cost. For full restaurant features without a contract, DineOpen starts at £8/month.
Can I leave EPOS Now early? It depends on your contract term. Check your agreement for the notice period and any early-termination charges before you switch, and line up your new EPOS so there is no gap in service.
What is the best EPOS Now alternative for a UK restaurant? For most restaurants, pubs and takeaways, a modern cloud EPOS with no contract, VAT and allergen handling, and Deliveroo/Just Eat integration — such as DineOpen — is the best balance of features and cost.