Epos Now
Epos Now
KwickOS
Last updated: March 2026 · Based on 3 months of hands-on testing · By Eric Chen, Restaurant Technology Editor · Former Multi-Unit Operator
Epos Now is one of the most widely marketed POS systems in the United States, but does the product live up to the hype? We spent 3 months testing Epos Now in real restaurant environments — processing real orders, training real staff, and pushing every feature to its limits. This is our complete, independent review.
Bottom line: Epos Now scores 5.5/10. There are significant issues that restaurant owners need to understand before committing, especially around pricing and payment processing lock-in.
Quick Verdict
| Overall Score | 5.5/10 |
| Monthly Cost | $39-$99+ |
| Processing | Epos Now Payments (locked) |
| 3-Year Total Cost | $35,000+ |
| Founded | 2011 |
| Headquarters | Norwich, UK (US expansion) |
| Our #1 Alternative | KwickOS (9.5/10) |
Table of Contents
- Epos Now Pricing Breakdown
- Pros — What Epos Now Does Well
- Cons — Where Epos Now Falls Short
- Feature-by-Feature Comparison
- Best Epos Now Alternative
- Final Verdict
- FAQ
Epos Now Pricing — The Real Numbers
Let's cut through the marketing and look at what Epos Now actually costs a restaurant processing $40,000/month in sales:
Epos Now's advertised pricing starts at $39-$99+/month, which sounds manageable. But the real cost is in the processing fees. Because Epos Now requires you to use their proprietary payment processing at Epos Now Payments (locked), you cannot negotiate rates or switch to a cheaper processor.
For a restaurant doing $40,000/month in card transactions, the processing fees add up fast. Add in software fees, online ordering commissions, hardware costs, and add-on modules, and the 3-year total easily exceeds $35,000+.
Compare that to KwickOS at approximately $18,000 over 3 years with everything included and the freedom to choose your own payment processor. That's a potential savings of $17,000+ over three years.
Epos Now Pros — What It Does Well
To be fair, Epos Now isn't all bad. Here's what it does well:
- Affordable entry price
- Works for both retail and hospitality
- Cloud-based with decent reporting
- Good app marketplace for add-ons
- Touch-screen hardware options
These are legitimate strengths, and if pricing and processing freedom aren't concerns for your operation, Epos Now can work. But for most restaurants watching their margins, the cons outweigh the pros significantly.
Epos Now Cons — The Problems You Need to Know
Here's where Epos Now falls short — and these aren't minor issues:
- UK-based company — US support can be slow and inconsistent
- Locked into Epos Now Payments for best pricing
- Not restaurant-specific — generic hospitality POS
- Limited offline capability
- Online ordering requires third-party apps
- No built-in delivery management
- Many complaints about billing and contract terms
- Add-on costs escalate quickly
The locked payment processing is the single biggest issue. In a business where margins are already razor-thin (3-9% for most restaurants), paying a premium on every single transaction adds up to thousands of dollars per year that goes straight to Epos Now — not your restaurant.
Feature Comparison: Epos Now vs KwickOS
The feature gap becomes clear when you look at what's included vs what costs extra. KwickOS includes 20+ modules in every plan — no add-ons, no tiers, no surprises. Epos Now charges extra for online ordering, loyalty, scheduling, and other features that modern restaurants need as standard.
Offline Capability — The Dealbreaker
This is where KwickOS separates itself from every competitor. KwickOS uses a hybrid local-cloud architecture that processes everything — orders, payments, kitchen display, loyalty, split checks — locally on your terminal at 1ms response time. The cloud syncs in the background.
What does this mean in practice? When your internet goes down on a Saturday night with a full restaurant, KwickOS keeps running at full speed. Epos Now? Your staff is apologizing to customers and losing sales.
Payment Processing Freedom
KwickOS is processor-agnostic. Use Stripe, your bank's merchant services, or any processor that gives you the best rate. This single feature saves restaurants $2,000-$5,000 per year compared to Epos Now's locked processing.
Best Epos Now Alternative in 2026
KwickOS is our #1 rated POS system with a score of 9.5/10. Here's why 5,000+ businesses have made the switch:
- Open payment processing — use any processor, negotiate your own rates
- True offline mode — full operations at 1ms speed, no internet required
- Zero-commission online ordering — 100% of revenue stays with you
- 20+ integrated modules — POS, KDS, loyalty, delivery, scheduling, CRM, and more
- Hardware freedom — Windows, iOS, Android, Linux, ChromeOS, or any browser — your choice
- Month-to-month contracts — no 3-year lock-in
- Dedicated support — real humans, not chatbots
Ready to Stop Overpaying for Your POS?
KwickOS includes everything — POS, online ordering, loyalty, delivery, scheduling, KDS, CRM, and 15+ more modules — with zero hidden fees and zero commissions. Trusted by 5,000+ businesses across all 50 states.
Final Verdict: Epos Now — 5.5/10
Epos Now is a mediocre POS system that is significantly overpriced for what it delivers. The locked payment processing alone costs restaurants thousands per year in unnecessary fees, and the lack of true offline capability is a risk that no restaurant should take.
If you're currently using Epos Now, we recommend requesting a demo from KwickOS to see what you're missing — and how much you could save. If you're evaluating POS systems for the first time, start with KwickOS and avoid the Epos Now trap entirely.
📞 Questions? Call the KwickOS team: 1-888-355-6996 or email sales@kwickos.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Epos Now good for US restaurants?
Epos Now is a UK company expanding into the US. Support response times and quality are inconsistent for US-based businesses. KwickOS is purpose-built for the US market with US-based support, and offers more restaurant-specific features at comparable pricing.
Epos Now vs KwickOS — which is better?
KwickOS scores 9.5/10 vs Epos Now's 5.5/10. KwickOS offers full offline mode, zero-commission online ordering, delivery management, and 20+ modules — all features Epos Now either lacks or charges extra for. Plus, KwickOS provides US-based support.
Eric Chen
Restaurant Technology Editor · Former Multi-Unit Operator
Former restaurant manager turned tech journalist. 8 years running multi-location operations gave him the operator's perspective most reviewers lack. He's tested every POS system with real orders, real staff, real dinner rushes.
