Epos Now vs ithPOS: Which EPOS System Is Better for Irish Hospitality?

Epos Now and ithPOS both provide cloud-based EPOS, integrated payments, reporting and hospitality features. However, they package their systems very differently.

Epos Now is a large international provider serving both retail and hospitality. Its strengths include broad hardware compatibility, an extensive app marketplace and strong stock-management functionality.

ithPOS is an Irish payments provider with a specialist hospitality EPOS offering built on SkyTab. It focuses on restaurants, cafés, pubs, hotels and takeaways, with the main hardware, integrated payments, local installation and Business Intelligence available from €39 per month for qualifying businesses.

The best choice therefore depends on what matters most to your venue. If you want a broad app ecosystem or a system that can work across retail and hospitality, Epos Now deserves consideration. If you want a hospitality-focused package with €0 upfront, local on-site installation, a 12-month contract and more hospitality software capability included within the standard proposition, ithPOS is likely to offer stronger overall value.

The Answer in Brief

For most independent and growing Irish restaurants, cafés, pubs, hotels and takeaways, ithPOS is the stronger-value hospitality option.

The main reasons are:

• €39 per month with €0 upfront for qualifying businesses
• Main EPOS display, printer, cash drawer and integrated payment terminal included
• Local on-site installation and menu-build support
• Advanced SkyTab Business Intelligence included
• Lifetime hardware warranty
• 24/7 customer support
• A 12-month EPOS contract rather than the two-year subscription attached to Epos Now's advertised discount
• Kitchen Display System hardware and software from €24 per month, compared with Epos Now's published €69 monthly KDS package
• Business Intelligence, marketing and loyalty, reservations and waitlist, workforce tools, online-ordering capability and Website Creator available within the standard ithPOS proposition
• Optional integration with advanced restaurant-management platforms including Nory and Cactus.ai
• Integrated payment pricing quoted around the merchant's turnover and card profile

Epos Now remains a credible option. It is particularly attractive to retailers, mixed retail-and-hospitality businesses and operators that value compatibility with iPad, Android, Mac and PC or want access to a very broad app marketplace.

Epos Now vs ithPOS at a Glance

Pricing: Compare the Whole System, Not One Headline Number

Epos Now currently advertises its Countertop 2 complete system from €299, reduced from €899.

The offer includes a POS terminal, card machine and printer on its main Irish page, while its Complete Solution page lists the Countertop 2 terminal, software, receipt printer, installation, configuration and training.

The advertised discount requires a two-year subscription.

Epos Now also publishes software from €29 per month. However, a hospitality venue may need more than one core software licence.

The final cost can change when payment integration, additional licences, Premium Support, a cash drawer, handheld ordering, a Kitchen Display System and paid apps or integrations are added.

ithPOS takes a bundled monthly approach.

For qualifying hospitality businesses processing at least €10,000 per month, the €39 package includes:

• SkyTab EPOS display
• Receipt printer
• Cash drawer
• Integrated payment terminal
• Four paper rolls
• Lighthouse Business Manager and Business Intelligence access
• Local installation and configuration
• Menu-build consultation
• Dedicated project support and two-week hypercare
• 24/7 customer support
• Lifetime hardware warranty

There is no upfront hardware payment on the qualifying package. Optional devices can then be added according to the venue's needs rather than inflating the cost of the main setup.

This makes ithPOS pricing easier to evaluate as a complete hospitality proposition.

The important comparison is not simply €299 versus €39.

One is an upfront promotional price connected to a longer subscription, while the other is a monthly package with €0 upfront.

The right calculation is the total cost over the full contract, including every device, software licence, integration, support plan and payment-processing charge.

Core Software Versus Paid Upgrades

Epos Now is modular, which can be useful because a business can select the components it wants.

However, it also means that the headline price may not represent the cost of a fully configured hospitality system.

Its published terms describe separate Basic and Plus propositions, with Plus enabling Epos Now Payments.

Support is also tiered. Premium Support adds 24-hour telephone assistance and runs as a separate 12-month support-plan contract.

KDS software, KDS hardware, extra software licences, third-party apps and additional equipment are separate cost considerations.

The Epos Now Pro+ is a good example.

Pro+ is not simply a more advanced software subscription. It is an optional handheld device combining EPOS and payments.

It can take orders, manage tables, split bills, access reports and send orders to the kitchen, but its cost is added through a quotation. Epos Now's own payment information also notes that additional hardware fees apply.

ithPOS includes a wider suite of hospitality software capability within its standard €39 proposition for qualifying venues.

This includes:

• SkyTab EPOS and cloud back office
• SkyTab Business Intelligence
• Marketing and loyalty
• Reservations and waitlist management
• Workforce management
• Contactless ordering capability
• Online-ordering capability
• Website Creator
• 24/7 support

Optional equipment such as SkyTab Glass, SkyTab Mobile, a customer-facing display or KDS is priced separately, as are specialist partner integrations.

The distinction is that a venue does not have to move through multiple core software or support tiers to obtain the everyday management capability included in the standard ithPOS proposition.

Contract Length and Flexibility

Contract terms matter because an EPOS system becomes central to everyday trading.

Epos Now's Irish hospitality pages state that the discounted price requires a two-year subscription. Its Irish terms also describe Basic Monthly and Plus Monthly as 24-month propositions.

Early termination of a fixed term can make the remaining monthly payments payable, subject to the provider's terms.

The ithPOS EPOS solution has a 12-month contract.

That gives a hospitality business a considerably shorter commitment while still receiving the included hardware, installation and ongoing support.

When comparing quotations, check the renewal process, cancellation notice and any hardware-return obligations as well as the minimum term.

The central distinction remains clear: Epos Now's advertised discount requires two years, while the ithPOS EPOS contract is 12 months.

Installation, Configuration and Training

EPOS installation is more than plugging in a screen.

The till, printers, kitchen routing, card terminals, network, users, permissions, menus, taxes and reports all need to be configured correctly before staff can rely on the system during a busy service.

Epos Now promotes installation, configuration, onboarding and training.

However, its published Irish terms state that the customer is responsible for installing the hardware unless another arrangement is agreed in writing.

A prospective customer should therefore confirm whether the quoted service is remote setup or an engineer attending the venue.

ithPOS includes local on-site installation and configuration.

The menu build is planned with the venue, equipment is connected on site, staff receive guidance and a dedicated Project Manager provides hypercare after launch.

For a restaurant, pub or hotel where printer routing and network reliability are operationally critical, this local implementation model is a meaningful advantage.

Hardware Warranty and Ongoing Protection

Epos Now's published terms provide a 12-month limited warranty for new hardware manufactured by Epos Now.

Faulty hardware may need to be returned for inspection, and enhanced replacement services can depend on an applicable support plan.

ithPOS provides a lifetime warranty on its commercial-grade SkyTab hardware while the merchant remains on the service.

This reduces the risk of facing an unexpected replacement bill after the first year.

Businesses should still confirm what each warranty covers, how quickly replacements are dispatched and whether accidental damage is included.

Kitchen Display System Costs

Both providers offer a Kitchen Display System that sends orders from the till to the kitchen, helps organise tickets and gives kitchen staff clearer visibility during service.

Epos Now publishes three KDS options:

• €69 per month for a screen and KDS software with no upfront cost
• €29 per month for KDS software only
• From €329 upfront plus €29 per month for a screen, software and accidental-damage cover

The ithPOS Kitchen Display System starts from €24 per month and includes the screen and software.

It supports digital tickets, preparation times, station routing and real-time order updates.

As a simple illustration, the published monthly screen-and-software pricing comes to €1,656 over 24 months with Epos Now and €576 over 24 months with ithPOS.

That is a difference of €1,080 before VAT and any offer-specific charges.

Contract terms and exact specifications should still be checked, but the difference is significant for venues adding more than one kitchen screen.

Handheld Ordering and Pay at Table

Both providers can support mobile hospitality service.

Epos Now's Pro+ combines POS and payments in one handheld device. It can manage tables, take orders, split bills and send orders to the kitchen.

Pricing is provided as part of a quotation.

ithPOS offers two main mobile options:

• SkyTab Mobile from €14 per month: an integrated payment terminal for pay at table and mobile checkout
• SkyTab Glass from €24 per month: a handheld extension of the main EPOS for taking orders and payments at the table

Both approaches can reduce walking time and improve table turnaround.

The best comparison is the monthly price per device, what functionality is available on each device and whether an additional software licence is required.

Payment Processing and Settlement

Epos Now Payments publishes a 1.70% flat rate for Visa and Mastercard transactions, free customer refunds and no additional authorisation or PCI-compliance fees.

It offers custom pricing for larger businesses.

Its Pro range page states that funds are normally paid after two working days and that faster payouts can be selected for a 1% fee.

ithPOS uses pricing based on turnover and card mix.

Published rates start from 0.8% for eligible volumes, with American Express at 1.99%.

Businesses below €5,000 in monthly card turnover are quoted a 1.4% blended rate, with discounted rates available above that level.

ithPOS does not charge authorisation or PCI fees and advertises next-day settlement.

A flat rate is simple, but it is not automatically the lowest-cost option.

A venue processing substantial monthly card turnover should compare both providers using a full month of real card data, including debit, consumer credit, commercial cards, Amex, refunds, settlement fees and any fixed transaction charges.

For qualifying hospitality venues, ithPOS's volume-based pricing can produce a materially lower effective rate than Epos Now's published 1.70% Visa and Mastercard rate.

Hospitality Features

Both platforms provide the main tools expected from a modern restaurant or pub EPOS system, including:

• Table and floor-plan management
• Menu management and modifiers
• Split bills
• Kitchen printing and KDS options
• Staff controls
• Stock and sales reporting
• Integrated payments
• Online ordering and delivery options
• Multi-site capability

Epos Now explicitly promotes ingredient-level stock tracking, automated purchase orders and low-stock alerts.

That may appeal to businesses that want detailed inventory functionality directly within their core EPOS environment.

ithPOS concentrates more heavily on the connected service workflow:

• Fast order entry
• Bar tabs
• Kitchen routing
• Integrated payments
• Handheld ordering
• Pay at table
• Management reporting

Venues that need more advanced stock control, food-cost analysis, labour planning or restaurant management can extend the platform through integrations with Nory and Cactus.ai.

Nory Integration

Nory connects with SkyTab to synchronise sales, labour and inventory data.

Its AI-powered restaurant-management platform brings together:

• Sales forecasting
• Staff scheduling
• Inventory management
• Payroll
• Business Intelligence
• Multi-site performance management

Cactus.ai Integration

Cactus.ai integrates with Shift4 Dine/SkyTab in Ireland and provides:

• Invoice scanning
• Food-cost tracking
• Recipe management
• Ingredient inventory
• Waste logging
• Purchasing insights
• Forecasting

This allows ithPOS customers to add specialist cost and stock control without replacing their main EPOS platform.

Nory and Cactus.ai are optional third-party services with separate subscriptions. They are not included within the €39 ithPOS package.

Their importance in this comparison is that advanced stock control is not a limitation of the ithPOS ecosystem. Venues can connect specialist tools at the level appropriate for their operation.

The right demonstration should follow a real order from the table or counter through the kitchen, payment, end-of-day reconciliation and management reporting.

A generic feature checklist will not reveal how quickly staff can complete those tasks.

Reporting and Business Intelligence

Epos Now provides real-time reporting across sales, staff, customers, margin and stock.

Owners can access reports remotely and use the data to monitor products, inventory and business performance.

ithPOS includes SkyTab Business Intelligence rather than limiting the entry package to basic till totals.

Owners and managers can access:

• Real-time sales and labour KPIs
• Customisable dashboards
• Sales-summary and product-mix reporting
• Labour reporting
• Payments and tender analysis
• Voids and discounts reporting
• Group By and Drill To analysis
• Scheduled reports by email
• User and permission controls
• Single-site, multi-site and group reporting

This allows an operator to move from asking "What did we sell?" to understanding when the venue is busiest, which products are underperforming, how labour compares with sales and where discounts or voids require attention.

Integrations and Platform Flexibility

Epos Now's app ecosystem is one of its clearest strengths.

It advertises more than 130 apps and integrations across accounting, ecommerce, customer management, loyalty, staff management, online ordering and other business functions.

Its software is compatible with Epos Now hardware, iPad, Android, Mac and PC.

That breadth makes Epos Now particularly attractive to retailers and businesses that want to assemble a system from a large marketplace of third-party tools.

ithPOS uses purpose-built Android hospitality equipment and a more curated ecosystem.

Depending on the venue and package, supported capabilities include:

• Just Eat, Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Flipdish integration options
• Online ordering through the venue's own website
• Website Creator
• Marketing and loyalty
• Reservations and waitlist management
• Workforce management
• OpenTable integration
• Nory for AI forecasting, labour, inventory, payroll and multi-site restaurant management
• Cactus.ai for invoice processing, recipe costing, food and beverage inventory, waste control and forecasting
• Oracle OPERA 5 and OPERA Cloud integration for applicable hotel workflows

For hotels, the ability to connect food-and-beverage transactions with a supported Oracle OPERA environment can be especially important.

For a mixed retail business, Epos Now's wider device compatibility and app marketplace may be the more natural fit.

Support

Hospitality businesses need help outside ordinary office hours.

Both providers promote access to 24/7 support.

Epos Now offers one-to-one onboarding, training and round-the-clock support plans, although some of its pages describe 24/7 coverage as part of a Premium Support package.

The exact support level should therefore be included in the written quotation.

ithPOS includes 24/7/365 technical support and adds a local Irish escalation point.

The local team can assist with the initial setup, venue-specific configuration and ongoing commercial relationship, while the wider SkyTab support operation covers technical assistance around the clock.

For an independent Irish hospitality business, the combination of local accountability and 24/7 technical coverage can be more valuable than dealing only with a large international support operation.

When Epos Now May Be the Better Choice

Epos Now may be the better fit if:

• You operate primarily in retail rather than hospitality
• Your business combines retail and hospitality workflows
• You want to use existing iPad, Android, Mac or PC equipment
• Access to a broad app marketplace is a priority
• Detailed ingredient stock and automated purchase ordering are central requirements
• Its specific integrations align more closely with your existing systems

Epos Now is not a basic till.

It is a capable and flexible platform with credible hospitality functionality. Its strongest advantage is breadth.

When ithPOS May Be the Better Choice

ithPOS is likely to be the stronger choice if:

• You run a restaurant, café, pub, hotel or takeaway in Ireland
• You want the main EPOS hardware with €0 upfront
• You prefer a 12-month EPOS contract to a two-year promotional subscription
• Local on-site installation and menu configuration matter
• You need handheld ordering, integrated payments or pay at table
• You want a KDS without a high additional monthly cost
• You want detailed Business Intelligence included from the entry package
• You want the option to connect advanced stock control and restaurant-management platforms such as Nory or Cactus.ai
• Lifetime hardware warranty is important
• You value both local Irish assistance and 24/7 technical support
• You want payment pricing assessed against your real turnover and card profile

See how ithPOS works in your type of venue: restaurants, cafés, pubs and bars, hotels and takeaways.

Final Verdict: Epos Now or ithPOS?

Epos Now offers greater breadth.

Its cross-sector software, device compatibility, inventory tools and extensive app marketplace make it a sensible option for retail and mixed-use businesses.

For Irish hospitality, however, ithPOS provides the stronger overall proposition for most independent and growing venues.

The combination of €0 upfront, a complete main hardware package from €39 per month, broad hospitality software capability at standard pricing, local on-site installation, a 12-month EPOS contract, lifetime warranty, lower published KDS pricing, integrated payments and advanced Business Intelligence gives restaurants, cafés, pubs, hotels and takeaways more included hospitality value at a highly competitive cost.

Where a venue requires deeper operational control, ithPOS can also connect with specialist platforms such as Nory and Cactus.ai for advanced inventory, food costs, forecasting, labour and restaurant management.

The fairest way to decide is to compare two itemised quotations over the full minimum term and test both systems against the way your venue actually operates.

Related EPOS Comparisons

Comparing other hospitality EPOS providers too? Read our ithPOS vs Lightspeed comparison, our ithPOS vs SumUp comparison, our ithPOS vs Clover comparison, our ithPOS vs Square comparison and our ithPOS vs Toast comparison.