Epos Now vs Bill Feeds — UK Restaurant POS Comparison

Epos Now is one of the most recognized POS brands in the UK. Founded in Norwich in 2011, they have grown to serve tens of thousands of businesses across Britain. Their model is familiar: buy a hardware bundle (touchscreen terminal, receipt printer, cash drawer), pay a monthly software subscription, and you are set.

But in 2026, the question every UK restaurant owner should ask is: do I actually need dedicated POS hardware? Bill Feeds answers that question with a firm no. Using a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) approach, Bill Feeds turns any phone, tablet, or laptop into a full POS terminal — no hardware purchase, no maintenance contracts, no obsolescence risk.

Let us compare both platforms across every dimension that matters for UK restaurants.

Epos Now Overview

Epos Now has built its reputation on all-in-one hardware packages for hospitality and retail. Walk into many pubs, cafes, and restaurants across London, Manchester, and Birmingham, and you will spot their distinctive touchscreen terminals.

Epos Now Strengths

• Established UK brand — Well-known name with extensive UK market presence
• All-in-one bundles — Hardware + software packaged together for a turnkey solution
• Payment integration — Built-in card payment processing through Epos Now Payments
• App marketplace — Third-party integrations for accounting (Xero, QuickBooks), delivery, and loyalty
• UK-based support — Phone and email support from the UK

Epos Now Limitations

• Hardware lock-in — Their ecosystem ties you to Epos Now hardware. If a terminal breaks, you need an Epos Now replacement
• High upfront cost — Hardware bundles start from £399, with complete setups easily reaching £800-1,200
• Contract commitments — Many users report being locked into multi-year contracts that are difficult to exit
• Hidden fees — Add-ons for features like kitchen display, online ordering, and premium support can add up quickly
• KDS costs extra — Kitchen display system is not included in base packages

Bill Feeds Overview

Bill Feeds is a cloud-based restaurant POS that runs entirely in a web browser. Every plan includes Kitchen Display Feeds, QR table ordering, multi-branch management, and VAT-compliant billing. The BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) philosophy means zero hardware cost — your iPad, Android tablet, laptop, or even your phone becomes your POS terminal.

Bill Feeds Strengths

• BYOD — zero hardware cost — Use any device you already own. No proprietary terminals needed
• Transparent pricing — £9/month Starter, £19/month Professional, £29/month Enterprise (multi-currency billing)
• KDS included free — Real-time kitchen display in every plan, not an expensive add-on
• No contracts — Cancel anytime, no lock-in period
• Multi-currency — GBP, EUR, USD, INR, AED supported natively
• Robust offline mode — Keep taking orders during internet outages

Feature Comparison Table

Why Is Epos Now's Hardware Lock-In a Problem for UK Restaurants?

Epos Now locks UK restaurants into proprietary hardware that depreciates rapidly — a £500 terminal is worth £0 in five years. Scaling to a second location means buying another complete setup at £800+, and hardware financing often ties owners to long-term contracts. BillFeeds uses BYOD, so any existing device becomes the POS terminal with zero hardware cost and no contracts.

Epos Now's business model is built on hardware. You buy their touchscreen terminal, their receipt printer, their cash drawer. This creates several problems that UK restaurant owners increasingly find frustrating:

• Depreciation — POS hardware depreciates rapidly. A £500 terminal bought today is worth £100 in three years and £0 in five
• Replacement cost — When hardware fails (and it will), you need to buy another Epos Now terminal. You cannot just grab a laptop and keep going
• Scalability cost — Opening a second location means buying a second complete hardware setup at £800+
• Contract trapping — Hardware financing often ties you to long-term contracts. Multiple Trustpilot reviews mention difficulty cancelling Epos Now contracts

Bill Feeds eliminates all of this with BYOD (Bring Your Own Device). Your iPad becomes the POS. Your kitchen staff's Android phone becomes the KDS. Your laptop at the counter handles reports. If any device breaks, you grab another one and log in — zero downtime, zero replacement cost. Our BYOD POS guide breaks down the full cost comparison in detail.

VAT Compliance for UK Restaurants

Both Epos Now and Bill Feeds handle VAT for UK restaurants. Key VAT requirements that both platforms address:

• Standard rate (20%) — Applied to most restaurant food and drink consumed on premises
• Reduced rate (5%) — Applied to certain food items for takeaway
• Zero-rated items — Cold takeaway food below the VAT threshold
• VAT receipts — Both platforms generate VAT-compliant receipts with VAT number and breakdown

Bill Feeds has configurable tax profiles, making it straightforward to set up different VAT rates for dine-in versus takeaway items — a common requirement for UK restaurants that do both.

UK Restaurant Considerations

Running a restaurant in the UK in 2026 comes with specific challenges that your POS should address:

• Allergen information — Natasha's Law requires clear allergen labelling. While neither POS handles allergen labelling directly, Bill Feeds' menu management lets you add allergen notes to each item that display on QR order screens
• Staff shortages — The UK hospitality sector continues to face staffing challenges. QR table ordering (included free with Bill Feeds) lets customers order without waiting for staff, effectively increasing your capacity without hiring
• Rising costs — Energy bills, food costs, and rent are all up. A BYOD POS that costs £9/month versus a hardware POS at £25+/month plus £800 in hardware helps protect margins
• Multi-location growth — If you are expanding from one location in London to a second in Manchester, Bill Feeds' multi-branch support on all plans means no additional per-branch hardware costs

How Much Can UK Restaurants Save with BillFeeds vs Epos Now?

UK restaurants save over £1,500 over three years by choosing BillFeeds over Epos Now. Epos Now's three-year total cost reaches £1,880 including £800 in hardware, £25 per month software, and KDS and QR ordering add-ons. BillFeeds costs £324 total over three years at £9 per month with KDS, QR ordering, and multi-branch support all included.

Over three years, Bill Feeds saves a UK restaurant over £1,500 compared to Epos Now. And that does not account for hardware replacement costs or contract exit fees that Epos Now customers sometimes face.

When Epos Now Makes Sense

• You want a single vendor — If you prefer one company handling hardware, software, and payment processing in a single package
• You need integrated card payments — Epos Now Payments provides a bundled payment processing solution
• You prefer physical hardware — Some restaurant owners simply prefer a dedicated terminal at the counter rather than using existing devices

When Bill Feeds Wins

• Budget-conscious restaurants — £9/month with no hardware cost versus £800+ upfront plus monthly fees
• Multi-location restaurants — No per-location hardware cost; just add another branch in your dashboard
• Restaurants wanting flexibility — BYOD means you are never locked into specific hardware
• Contract-averse owners — No lock-in, cancel anytime
• Restaurants with unreliable internet — Full offline mode keeps operations running during outages
• International restaurant groups — Multi-currency support for restaurants operating in UK, India, UAE, or beyond

The Verdict

Epos Now is a well-established UK POS provider with a proven track record. But their hardware-first model feels increasingly dated in a world where any phone can be a POS terminal. The combination of high upfront hardware costs, contract lock-in, and add-on pricing for features like KDS and QR ordering make Epos Now an expensive choice for most independent UK restaurants.

Bill Feeds offers a modern, BYOD alternative that costs a fraction of the price. KDS and QR ordering are included, not add-ons. There are no contracts, no hardware costs, and the platform works on any device. For UK restaurants looking for the best value POS in 2026, Bill Feeds is the smarter choice.

For more on restaurant POS options across the UK, see our city-specific guides for London, Manchester, and Birmingham.

Frequently Asked Questions