Free POS system UK: what "free" really costs
Square, SumUp and Loyverse all offer a free POS system in the UK, but free means £0 for the software, not £0 to run: you pay through the card rate instead. On a £5,000 a month shop that is £84.50 a month with SumUp at 1.69% and £87.50 with Square at 1.75%, which still beats every paid plan we can price.
Prices read from each vendor's own UK site on 1 November 2026.
The free POS systems, and what you pay instead
| System | Software | What you pay instead | Hardware | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SumUp Free POS | £0/month | 1.69% per in-person card payment | Solo Lite £25 ex VAT (£30 incl. VAT) | Payments run through SumUp only; POS Plus features (preset discounts, deposits) are paid |
| Square Free | £0/month | 1.75% per in-person UK card payment | Square Reader £19 + VAT | Payments run through Square only; Square for Restaurants Free has weekday 9:00 to 17:00 support, Plus has 24/7 |
| Loyverse | £0/month | Your connected payment provider's rate | Your own iOS or Android phone or tablet, plus a card reader | Add-ons per store: sales history £5/month per store, employee management £20/month per store, advanced inventory £20/month per store (excl. taxes) |
| EPOS Direct | £0 after the hardware is paid | Hardware From £799 outright (VAT not stated), or £66.99/month for 12 months, then £0 | Included in the package | Not free up front; you choose and pay your own card provider |
The cheapest POS system for a £5,000 a month shop
- SumUp Free POS: £0 + £5,000 × 1.69% = £84.50 a month (£1,014.00 a year).
- Loyverse with a SumUp reader: the same £84.50; add advanced inventory and employee management and it becomes £84.50 + £20 + £20 = £124.50 a month.
- Square Free: £0 + £5,000 × 1.75% = £87.50 a month, £36.00 a year more than SumUp at this volume.
The difference between the free options is the card rate: 0.06% on every pound you take. Pick on features and the reader you prefer; on cost alone the gap is small.
Cheap EPOS systems when free is not enough
| Plan | Software + card fees at £5,000 | Total a month | Extra over SumUp Free |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epos Now (from) | £25.00 + £5,000 × 1.70% | £110.00 | £25.50 |
| Shopify Basic | £25.00 + £5,000 × 1.7% | £110.00 | £25.50 |
| SumUp POS Plus | £39.00 + £5,000 × 1.69% | £123.50 | £39.00 |
Epos Now's figure is the "starting at" price of a 12-month payments and support subscription tied to its discounted bundle; Shopify Basic is a "starting at" price. Every vendor, including the ones that hide their card rate, is on the EPOS systems comparison.
Free POS system download, Windows and open source
The free options above are apps, not downloads for a Windows PC: Loyverse runs on iOS and Android, and Square and SumUp run on their own apps and devices. We have not priced open-source or Windows till software, because none of it publishes a UK card rate; you would need to arrange the card machine and support yourself, which is where the real cost sits.
When to stay on free, and when to pay
Stay on a free plan if one till does the job. Paid plans rarely pay for themselves through lower card fees at small-shop volumes: Square for Retail Plus costs £49 a month and cuts the rate by 0.15%, so it breaks even at £49 ÷ 0.15% = £32,667 a month of card sales.
Pay when you need staff permissions, deeper stock control, a kitchen display or several sites, and then compare the card rate that comes with the plan, not only the monthly fee. Our free statement review shows what your current card rate costs you.
On a free POS but paying too much in card fees?
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Frequently asked questions
Is there a genuinely free POS system in the UK?
Yes for the software: Square Free, SumUp Free POS and Loyverse charge £0 a month. You pay through card fees instead (1.69% with SumUp, 1.75% with Square, or your chosen provider's rate with Loyverse) and you buy the card reader, from £19 + VAT for Square or £25 ex VAT (£30 incl. VAT) for SumUp.
What is the cheapest POS system for a small business in the UK?
On published prices, SumUp Free POS: £84.50 a month all in at £5,000 of card sales, £3.00 a month less than Square Free because of SumUp's lower rate. Loyverse paired with a SumUp reader costs the same until you add paid features.
Can I download a free POS system for Windows?
None of the free plans we price here is a Windows download. Loyverse runs on iOS and Android phones and tablets; Square and SumUp run on their own apps and devices. We have not priced open-source or downloadable Windows tills, because none publishes a UK card rate and you would arrange card payments and support separately.
When should I pay for a POS plan instead?
When you use the features, not to save on fees. Square for Retail Plus at £49 a month only pays for itself through its lower 1.6% rate above £32,667 a month of card sales. Below that, pay for Plus only if you need its stock and reporting tools.