Epos Now Vs SumUp

Since the invention of the humble mechanical cash register in 1879, point of sales (POS) systems have become a common sight in retail and hospitality businesses worldwide. The POS systems of today are of course a far cry from their mechanical beginning and are highly sophisticated pieces of equipment. 

Over the years, more than a few POS companies have sprung up to offer businesses their own take on this useful technology. Epos Now and SumUp are two such companies that offer similar services and systems to business owners. 

In this blog, we’ll be comparing the two companies and seeing what they do well on and what they could do better. By the end of this blog, you should have a clear idea of which companies’ systems would be the better option for your business. 

All prices and information are correct as of March 2022. 

Background and Overview 

Epos Now

Founded in 2011, Epos Now is a UK based POS company that offers multi-award-winning  systems. The founding ethos of Epos Now is that all businesses should be able to access the tools they need to pursue. Epos Now’s founder and CEO, Jacyn Heavens, started the company after he spotted a gap in the market for powerful, yet still affordable, POS systems. 

Since its founding, Epos Now have integrated with over 100 industry-leading apps, expanded into 71 countries, and served over 40,000 customers worldwide. Epos Now also support the following services:  

• A cloud-based system with online/offline synchronisation 
• POS software for Android, IOS, and Windows operating systems
• A range of devices including tablets, computers, card readers and smart POS systems
• Sector-specific software packages for the hospitality and retail sectors
• A fully stocked AppStore with hundreds of integrations 
• A choice of software and hardware bundles 
• Epos Now Payments, Epos Now’s own payment processing service

SumUp 

The idea behind SumUp was formulated in 2011 and the company was officially started in 2012. While its initial head office was in Berlin, Germany, it now has its headquarters in London, England. Sind 2021 it has established offices across Europe and the Americas. They currently offer the following services: 

• A cloud-based system 
• POS software compatible with the IOS operating system
• Compatible with tablets and smartphones 
• A customisable software plan with most features at an additional cost
• Separate software plan for Hospitality and retail businesses
• A fully integrated app store 
• Partnerships with major payment processors 

Both companies offer retail and hospitality packages. This is a major plus for both as some alternatives to SumUp and Epos Now only cater to one industry. 

Analysis

To ensure that we compare both companies fairly, it’s important to see how they stack up against each other in several key features. 

Connectivity 

Both Epos Now and SumUpoperate on cloud-based systems. This means that both systems automatically collect and collate your sales data and store it off-site in secure servers. This frees up space on your premises and ensures that your all-important data is safe from theft and accidental damage. 

Cloud-based systems do have their issues, one of which is reliant on a strong internet connection. In some lesser systems, an internet outage can spell the cessation of trade and the loss of sales data. Both Epos Now and SumUp get around this by offering an offline mode. 

SumUp’s offline mode works using 3G and 4G to continue transactions. This means that unlike some of SumUp’s competitors, they can still take card payments in the event of an internet outage. If your business operates in an area with poor coverage, you may find your transactions timing out for lack of connection. 

Epos Now boasts a seamless offline/online synchronisation. This means that trade never has to stop. Even in the event of an outage, your system will continue to allow transactions and locally store your sales data. Once you regain connection, it will process your data and transfer it to the relevant places. 

Cloud-based storage also enables Epos Now customers to access data remotely using the Back Office module. This allows remote access to live data and performance analytics 24/7. 

Hardware

The most sophisticated software in the world isn’t worth its code if it isn’t backed by reliable hardware. Both Epos Now and SumUp offer their own ranges of POS hardware. We’ll be comparing their hardware packages to help you decide which is more suitable for your business. 

SumUp boasts that it offers its customers a customisable POS solution. This means their customers can pick and choose what pieces of hardware they think they need. The downside of this is that many pieces of their hardware come at an additional cost. For instance, if you wanted a customer-facing display screen, it would cost you an extra £9 a month. 

The Complete Solution is the primary hardware package available at Epos Now.  For no additional  cost, this package comes with the essential items that retailers need to start trading including:

• Epos Now Pro-C15W terminal with water-resistant touch screen and solid-state drive 
• 80MM thermal Epos Now GX receipt printer 
• Sturdy all-metal cash drawer

The Complete Solution comes with installation, training, and configuration at no extra cost. 

Additionally, Epos Now offer their Pro Range. This is a range of card machines and hand-held POS systems that allow you to run your entire business from one small device. For businesses that lack the space needed for a Complete Solution, this is a very convenient option. 

Software

For the purposes of this blog, we’ll be comparing the basic software packages offered by both companies. 

Epos Now currently offer their software package for £25 a month. This package offers customers inventory management and smart business reports. With Epos Now, you can further customise your system with integrations. Epos Now software works with its own nomination hardware or on hardware with Android, IOS, and Windows operating systems.

The SumUp basic package comes in at £29 a month. For this slightly higher price, you get the same features as Epos Now with a few extras. These include loyalty programmes and staff rotas. Extra features come at a high monthly price with advanced reporting alone costing £29 a month. 

Here's a grid comparison so you can better visualise their hospitality packages:

Make the right choice for POS 

Your POS system is the heart of your business so it’s important you make the right choice for your needs. While we’ve laid out the facts so you can make an informed decision, we would always advise you to do your own research when choosing a system. 

If you’d like to hear more about Epos Now, get in touch with our team below and see how we can help you.