Ask every supplier for a written quote covering upfront equipment, monthly subscriptions, transaction fees, support, integrations, VAT and contract exit. Then compare the same three-year period for each offer.
The five figures to collect before comparing EPOS quotes
1. Hardware: List each touchscreen or tablet, card reader, printer, cash drawer and scanner separately. Check whether you own the equipment, lease it or must return it at the end of the contract.
2. Software: Request the monthly charge for every location and terminal, plus any paid reporting, stock, loyalty or online-ordering modules. A basic licence may not include the feature that caused you to enquire.
3. Card processing: Ask for rates by card type and channel, including in-person, online and manually keyed transactions. Confirm whether a fixed per-transaction charge or minimum monthly charge also applies.
4. Setup and support: Include installation, data migration, staff training, replacement hardware and support outside normal office hours. Restaurants and takeaways should ask about weekend cover; retailers should ask about holiday trading.
5. Contract terms: Ask what happens at renewal, when prices can change, how you export data, and whether you can keep using the hardware if you change processor.
Estimate a like-for-like three-year cost
This calculator uses your own quoted figures, not advertised offers. The starting figures are an illustrative example; replace every field before making a decision. Enter annual card turnover rather than total revenue; if a supplier quotes different rates for online and in-person payments, calculate those separately and add the results.
How to compare two offers without being misled
Normalise the quotes first. Put both on the same number of terminals and sites, the same annual card turnover and a matching contract period. Mark each charge as one-off, recurring or variable. A “free” software plan can still carry card fees, optional upgrades and hardware costs; an all-in-one bundle can have a different payment rate or contract obligation.
If two offers differ by 0.3 percentage points in card fees, a business processing £100,000 in card payments a year would pay £300 more annually at the higher rate, before any fixed fees. The arithmetic is £100,000 × 0.003.
Ask for a demonstration using your own workflow, and keep the written proposal. Do not rely on a quoted headline without checking what is included and whether VAT applies.
Ready to describe your EPOS requirements?
Build a practical checklist from your answers and register your enquiry for review. This does not create an instant supplier quote.
Build your briefSource and further reading
EPOS Direct describes its own products; check current features, offers and terms before buying.
Providers are illustrative market examples, not a paid ranking, confirmed partner roster or product test. Check demonstrations, pricing and contract terms with each supplier.