Epos Now vs Epos Direct: What’s the Best EPOS System?
Point of sale technology has revolutionised the way that retail and hospitality do business. These systems allow businesses unparalleled control over their sales information and their processes.
With the right EPOS system, any business can thrive. Epos Now and Epos Direct have emerged as two strong systems in the EPOS landscape. Both companies offer complete packages that offer everything needed to trade effectively. But who wins in the Epos Now vs Epos Direct comparison?
In this blog, we’ll be exploring both systems in detail* and help you make the right decision as to which one to adopt.
Background and overview
After identifying a gap in the market for an affordable, and easy-to-use EPOS system, CEO and founder Jacyn Heavens founded Epos Now in 2011. With the goal of making transformative technology available to everyone who needed it, Heavens began developing the hardware and software behind Epos Now in earnest. As of 2021, the company has expanded into 71 countries and boasts over 40,000 customers worldwide.
Epos Now currently offers the following services:
- The EPOS software runs on iOS, Android, and Windows operating systems
- Compatible with a variety of devices, including tablets and computers
- Hardware and software bundles available
- A cloud-based EPOS system with included offline mode
- One software plan that includes the core EPOS features for retail and hospitality
- Customers can choose from a range of third-party payment processors or Epos Now’s Payments
- Connects with over 100 applications through its app store
Based in London, Epos Direct offers a variety of different EPOS systems to suit the needs of its clients. According to their website, they operate in 21 countries and have served 100,000 customers since they were founded.
Epos Direct currently offer the following services:
- Epos Direct software runs on Windows operating systems
- Compatible with Windows tablets and computer
- Hardware and software bundles are available
- Cloud-based EPOS systems
- A variety of systems tailored to the retail and hospitality industries
- Full integration with an in-house app store
Analysis
Now that we understand the basics of each company and their services, we’ll explore some of the core aspects in closer detail.
Connectivity
Both Epos Now and Epos Direct both have the option to operate on a cloud-based system. This means that all the data collected by the system is stored on remote services. Cloud-based systems offer a convenient way to store and back up data without input from the business.
The downsides of cloud-based systems come in areas where internet coverage is patchy or where internet services are prone to cutting out. Both companies offer offlines services so that trading doesn’t need to stop if a business suffers an outage.
With the Epos Now system, businesses can continue processing payments even in the event of a power outage with EMV chip and pin, magstripes, and contactless options. Epos Now devices can also work off of your local internet, protecting you even further from any unfortunate situations.
Thanks to their cloud-based systems, you can rest assured that all of your data will be fully protected from accident or theft by both Epos Now and Epos Direct.
Hardware
Both companies offer their own range of EPOS hardware. While we won’t go into every piece of equipment available, we’ll take a look at each companies’ basic retail systems to get a general overview.
Epos Direct hardware
- True Flat 15” touch screen terminal
- A metallic cash drawer
- A thermal receipt printer
- One chip and pin terminal
Epos Direct hardware only runs off the Windows operating system. This means that if your business runs off IOS or Android you will have to adjust your operating system.
In addition to their basic set, Epos Direct does offer additional pieces of hardware such as customer displays, weighing scales, and barcode scanner at an additional cost.
Epos Now Hardware
- Epos Now Pro-C15W terminal, including water-resistant touch screen and solid-state drive
- Pax A920 - A 5” touchscreen Android terminal with built-in POS integration for WorldPay compatibility
- Epos Now Pro+ - A handheld device for processing orders on the go and anywhere in-store through a mobile POS
- A secure all-metal cash drawer
In addition to the basic set, Epos Now software can be run on your existing EPOS system meaning you have the option for much more flexibility. Epos Now Software is available on IOS, Android, and Windows. This alway means that if you choose to switch away from Epos Now, your new system would have no trouble running on your hardware.
As with Epos Direct, Epos Now customers have the option to purchase additional pieces of equipment if and when they need it.
Operating systems
As mentioned above, Epos Now works with IOS, Android, and Windows operating systems. This is a strength in a couple of different ways. Epos Now will easily integrate with your existing hardware, no matter what operating system it uses.
Epos Now also works with Google Chrome and and Safari in-browser, meaning that as long as you have an internet connection, you can check in from anywhere. If there’s an issue with your hardware, Epos Now also lets you log in via their website, meaning you could easily work off a laptop.
Epos Direct solely works with Windows operating systems. While windows is the most common operating system [1], it does mean that you would have to choose a different EPOS system if you ever wanted to switch operating systems.
Pricing
In the interest of fairness, we will be comparing the prices of the basic retail sets offered by both companies.
The Epos Now retail starter kit is currently available for £399 and includes everything we’ve already mentioned above plus a few extras. The retail starter kit also comes with full installation and training, 24-hour customer service, and the option to integrate your system with thousands of apps via the Epos Now app store.
Over at Epos Direct, their EPOS System for Retail clocks in at £1199. This includes the hardware we’ve already mentioned, remote installation and training, 24-hour customer service, and full integration with their in-house apps [2].
Choosing the right system
From what we’ve gone into here, we believe that there is a clear winner in the Epos Now vs Epos Direct debate. As always, we would advise you to do your own research and make the decision of what’s right for your business yourself.
If this blog has piqued your interest in Epos Now, we’d love to hear from you. Our expert team will make sure that you have everything you need to make your business thrive.
*All details, prices, and features are accurate as of December 2021.