The hospitality sector in the UK is a vibrant and ever-evolving one where the seamless integration of technology plays a pivotal role in shaping the customer experience. Since it was founded by Jack Dorsey and his contemporaries in 2002, Square, a mobile payment company, has presented comprehensive tools to help various sectors’ operation procedures.
Square has offered multiple services, including online payments, business management software, analytics, and Electronic Point-of-sale solutions (EPOS). Among all the services offered by Square, the electronic point-of-sale (EPOS) rapidly became a backbone for various hospitality businesses in the UK, offering many benefits, from streamlined transactions to enhanced inventory management.
However, while Square has long been a prominent player in the EPOS market, the demand by UK businesses for advanced EPOS systems in the UK continues to grow. This demand brought about an increase in many innovative, customised, and compelling alternatives to Square.
This article will look at the top five Square alternatives in 2024, providing insights into their features, user experience, pricing, strengths, limitations, and security.
Understanding the criteria for determining the best alternatives
Before deciding on the Square alternative, there are some criteria to look out for. Understanding these criteria gives you a thorough assessment of the five best alternatives to Square.
These criteria include:
- User experience and interface design (UX/UI) to gauge the ease of implementation and staff training.
- Pricing models and contract options to determine cost-effectiveness and flexibility.
- The features of each alternative to identify the extent of functionalities they offer.
- Robust security measures that safeguard sensitive customer data.
- Adaptability to emerging trends
With these criteria, you can rest assured that these are the best on the list.
The top 5 square alternatives for businesses in 2024
Below is a detailed outline of the best five Square alternatives that you can choose in 2024:
Alternative 1 – Grafterr
Grafterr is designed explicitly for hospitality and catering businesses. It can be seen as the ultimate business solution for professionals, providing convenient access to all aspects of business operations with just a single touch. Grafterr empowers everything you do, from sales to customer relationships and more.
Grafter offers two products to users, the Grafterr GO! and Grafter Hospitality. While Grafterr GO! allows users to transact using a smartphone or Tablet, Grafterr Hospitality is a technology set to streamline full-service operations specifically for Hospitality and Catering Professionals with functions such as:
- Self-Service Kiosk
- Digital Ordering
- Flexible Payments
- Electronic Point Of Sale
- QR Order And Pay
Grafterr EPOS Features
Grafterr ePOS system UK is designed to power the entire business, not just sales. It lets you manage every operational aspect of your business from a single screen. It has many features, such as
- Interactive menu builder
- Multiple service types (Eat-in, take away, delivery, collection)
- Powerful promotions and Marketing tools
- Table management and cooking
- Stock control and supplier Management
Grafterr Electronic POS Pricing
These are five Grafter ePOS pricing models:
- Free – up to 1 POS terminal
- Standard – £34 Per Month for up to 2 POS terminals
- Pro – £55 per Month for up to 4 POS terminals
- Ultimate – £75 per Month for Unlimited POS terminals
- Enterprise – £100 per Month for multi-location and Franchise businesses
These features, affordable pricing, and more make this Restaurant ePOS Systems UK easily fit into our list of best alternatives.
Alternative 2 -SumUp
SumUp POS offers you a quick and easy way to boost your business. It is one of the POS systems UK that offers various software and hardware merchants to process credit card payments. It is a popular POS system in Europe and has recently expanded to other locations like the United States.
SumUp initially offered a mobile point-of-sale system that allows payment acceptance on the go. Still, the company has launched a full-scale POS system for retail owners who want all the features required to accept in-store payments.
Features
- SumUp Stand serves as the physical base for the POS system.
- Air Card Reader that enables acceptance of major debit and credit cards.
- SumUp Charging Station ensures the terminal is always ready for use by keeping it charged.
- Supporting App
- Product Catalogue that lets you create, manage, and customise all the products and categories in your business.
- Stock Management
SumUp pricing
These are the Pricing models associated SumUp:
- In-person transactions: 2.75% per transaction, including swipes, chips, and contactless payments.
- Remote transactions (phone or payment link): 3.25% plus 15 cents per transaction.
- Online invoice payments: 2.90% plus 15 cents per transaction.
Strength
- User-friendly interface.
- Low transaction fees.
- Well-designed and highly functional.
- Reliable customer support.
Weakness.
- Less widespread presence in the US market.
Note: SumUp requires only a one-time cost for the physical device. The specific price of the device may vary depending on the model you choose. Also, SumUp does not charge a monthly subscription fee. You only pay the transaction fees and the one-time cost for the device.
Alternative 3- myPOS
myPOS was created to serve as a payment acceptance technology for all merchants, regardless of their business size and type. This Complete Epos System UK was developed as a cross-border payment solution that empowers merchants to accept various payment methods like debit, credit, and prepaid cards.
With myPOS, merchants can receive their funds instantly and reduce operational expenses.
MyPOS system features
myPOS has expanded to offer comprehensive features that equip businesses with the necessary tools for accepting payments and conducting in-store and online sales. The key features and services provided by myPOS include:
- Traditional and Smart POS Devices and ePOS Systems.
- myPOS Online: Allowing merchants to create their online store without hosting, developer resources, or designers.
- The myPOS Glass app: Transforms a merchant’s Android smartphone into a POS terminal.
- Online payment solutions for merchants without a website
- myPOS AppMarket: Offering tailored solutions for various industries, including F&B, Hotel, Retail, Travel & Transportation, Professional Services, Events & Entertainment, and Parking.
myPOS pricing
myPOS offers three payment options which include:
- myPOS Go2- £Pounds
- myPOS Go2 Combo- £pounds
- MyPOS Pro- £179.
The functionalities of this alternative easily make it a good addition to the list.
Alternative 4- Zettle
Zettle offers an intuitive and user-friendly interface that makes it easy for businesses to implement, take payments, track all sales from one place, and train their workers quickly. Being under PayPal’s Umbrella, Zelle benefits from the robust security measure of a reputable fintech giant; as such, sensitive customer data is safeguarded through encryption and secure payment processing methods.
Zettle features
- A comprehensive suite of POS products, including the handheld Zettle Terminal and Zettle Reader 2 for mobile devices.
- Barcode scanner functionality that works only with the Zettle iOS app.
- The PayPal Zettle mobile app enables businesses to easily manage inventory, set prices, and track sales activities.
- Metrics tracking and staff schedule management within the mobile app.
Zettle pricing models
Zettle’s pricing includes the following:
- Hardware costs
- Terminal – $199
- Card Reader – $29.
- Transaction fees
- In-person card transactions – 2.29% + $0.09,
- Manually entered card transaction- 3.49% + $0.09.
- QR code transactions -2.29% + $0.09.
Zelle is rated one of the best POS systems for restaurants and bars.
Alternative 5- Take Payments (tPOS)
Take payment POS system is the last on our list of top EPOS systems UK alternatives to Square. It is an all-inclusive POS system built for independent businesses to help them make intelligent decisions.
This EPOS system comes with two options.
- tPOS counter
This is a table-sized system that can sit neatly on your countertop. It has the following features:
- A Crisp and clear 12.5-inch display
- Powerful Quad-core processor that helps speed up your service
- It comes with a battery and main charging options
- It comes with a portable card machine fully integrated with the tPOS software.
2. tPOS Complete
This option is visually striking with its dual screen that allows you to deliver superfast performances, manage your stock, access real-time reporting, and take payments. It has the following features:
- A large 15.6-inch display
- Superfast printer
- Flexible power charging options
- It comes with a portable card machine, fully integrated with the tPOS software
Its additional hospitality features include
- Customer management
- Easy Reservations and appointments creation
- Text reminders
- Product and list modifiers
Pricing details
- tPOS Counter costs £45 for retail and £55 for Hospitality monthly
- tPOS Complete costs £55 for retail and £65 for hospitality monthly.
Final verdict
UK hospitality sectors heavily rely on technology, especially the Electronic point of sale, to enhance customer experience. The five alternatives discussed in this article perfectly fit, however, the choice of an EPOS system should be guided by your restaurant’s unique needs, the system’s features, and the level of customer support provided.
