Best POS Systems for Pubs & Bars in the UK
Behind a busy bar you need fast rounds, open tabs and card machines that don't sulk on a Friday night. Reliability and speed beat shaving pennies off the rate.
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Our top picks for pubs & bars
Dojo
4.1Built for growing businesses that want faster payouts and hands-on, sales-led support. Strong in hospitality and higher-volume retail. Rates are quote-based — read the contract and monthly structure carefully.
Best for
- Monthly fee
- From ~£15/mo (quote-based)
- Transaction fee
- Tailored rates (quote-based, often blended)
- Contract
- Contract terms vary — check carefully
- Payouts
- Next-day, as fast as same-day payouts
- Fast payouts (as quick as same day)
- Quote-based pricing — less upfront transparency
Square
4.5The strongest free POS software option. Tidy app, decent ecosystem, no monthly fee to start. Great for small retail, cafés and service businesses that want software without signing their life away.
Best for
- Monthly fee
- £0 (paid POS tiers available)
- Transaction fee
- 1.75% in-person (no monthly/setup fee on standard)
- Contract
- No contract (pay-as-you-go)
- Payouts
- Next working day (instant transfer for a fee)
- Genuinely good free POS app
- 1.75% flat rate isn't bespoke-cheap at high volume
Lightspeed
4.1A serious retail/hospitality POS with strong inventory and multi-location features. More advanced and more expensive — overkill if you only need basic card payments.
Best for
- Monthly fee
- From ~£59/mo (plan dependent)
- Transaction fee
- Payments via Lightspeed or integrated provider (quoted)
- Contract
- Subscription, often annual
- Payouts
- Depends on payments provider
- Powerful inventory and reporting
- Pricier monthly subscription
Epos Now
3.6A full till-system specialist for retail and hospitality, with strong hardware bundles. Capable, but review contracts, payment terms and add-on costs carefully.
Best for
- Monthly fee
- Software from ~£25/mo (bundles vary)
- Transaction fee
- Via Epos Now Payments or integration (quoted)
- Contract
- Contract & payment terms vary — read carefully
- Payouts
- Depends on payments setup
- Complete till/POS hardware setups
- Contracts and add-on costs need scrutiny
What matters for pubs & bars
Speed & open tabs
Quick rounds, pre-auth tabs and fast contactless.
Reliability
Hardware and connectivity that survive a full session.
Fast payouts
Cash flow matters; next/same-day settlement helps.
Stock control on kegs & spirits
Pour cost and stock tracking for the cellar.
Fees to watch
Recommended setup
Dojo card machines for speed and fast payouts, paired with Square or a hospitality POS for tabs and stock. Bigger venues lean to Lightspeed or Epos Now for deeper stock control.
Compare these providers
Showing 4 of 4 providers
Prices last checked:| Provider | Best for | Monthly | Transaction | Reader from | Contract | Payouts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Square4.5 | Cafés | £0 (paid POS tiers available) | 1.75% in-person (no monthly/setup fee on standard) | £19 + VAT | No contract (pay-as-you-go) | Next working day (instant transfer for a fee) | Visit |
Dojo4.1 | Restaurants | From ~£15/mo (quote-based) | Tailored rates (quote-based, often blended) | Hardware/payment-plan pricing (quoted) | Contract terms vary — check carefully | Next-day, as fast as same-day payouts | Visit |
Lightspeed4.1 | Multi-location retail | From ~£59/mo (plan dependent) | Payments via Lightspeed or integrated provider (quoted) | Hardware bundles (quoted) | Subscription, often annual | Depends on payments provider | Visit |
Epos Now3.6 | Full till systems | Software from ~£25/mo (bundles vary) | Via Epos Now Payments or integration (quoted) | Till bundles (quoted, finance options) | Contract & payment terms vary — read carefully | Depends on payments setup | Visit |
- Monthly
- £0 (paid POS tiers available)
- Transaction
- 1.75% in-person (no monthly/setup fee on standard)
- Reader from
- £19 + VAT
- Contract
- No contract (pay-as-you-go)
- Payouts
- Next working day (instant transfer for a fee)
- Watch out for
- 1.75% flat rate isn't bespoke-cheap at high volume
- Monthly
- From ~£15/mo (quote-based)
- Transaction
- Tailored rates (quote-based, often blended)
- Reader from
- Hardware/payment-plan pricing (quoted)
- Contract
- Contract terms vary — check carefully
- Payouts
- Next-day, as fast as same-day payouts
- Watch out for
- Quote-based pricing — less upfront transparency
- Monthly
- From ~£59/mo (plan dependent)
- Transaction
- Payments via Lightspeed or integrated provider (quoted)
- Reader from
- Hardware bundles (quoted)
- Contract
- Subscription, often annual
- Payouts
- Depends on payments provider
- Watch out for
- Pricier monthly subscription
- Monthly
- Software from ~£25/mo (bundles vary)
- Transaction
- Via Epos Now Payments or integration (quoted)
- Reader from
- Till bundles (quoted, finance options)
- Contract
- Contract & payment terms vary — read carefully
- Payouts
- Depends on payments setup
- Watch out for
- Contracts and add-on costs need scrutiny
Find the right POS for your pubs & bar
Answer a few quick questions and we'll match you to providers that fit how you actually trade.
FAQs
What card machine is best for a busy bar?
Dojo is a popular choice for bars thanks to fast, reliable card machines and quick payouts. Pair it with a POS that handles tabs well if you run table or tab service.
How we compare
We compare providers using publicly available pricing, contract information, hardware costs, payout details, software features and suitability for different UK business types. Some links may earn us commission, but providers cannot pay to change our editorial verdicts. Read our full methodology.
The POS editorial team
Independent UK payments research. We test, read the small print and write it up in plain English.