Tap Compare ยท Tills and EPOS
Which till should an Irish pub or restaurant buy?
Every till system sold in Ireland, split into the three ways you can buy one: pay-as-you-go apps, hospitality platforms on contract, and Irish installers who supply and support the kit locally. Prices are as published, checked 21 October 2026.
1. Pay-as-you-go: no contract, card fees do the work
| Square | SumUp | Revolut POS | Loyverse | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software | Free, or Restaurants Plus €69 + VAT a month per location | Free; Plus €49, Pro €55 + VAT a month; hospitality module €19 a month; kitchen screen €10 a month each | Free with a Revolut Business account (€10 to €90 + VAT a month) | Free core POS and kitchen display; add-ons from €5 to €25 a month |
| Card rate | 1.75% + VAT in person | 1.69%, or 0.95% on Irish/EEA cards with the €19 Payments Plus plan | 0.8% + 2c on domestic consumer cards; 2.6% + 2c on all others | Set by the card provider; in Ireland only SumUp readers connect |
| Hardware | Register €599, Stand €119, reader €19 (+ VAT) | Register €399 one-off; iPad | iPad only; Revolut Reader €69 + VAT | Your own iPad or Android |
| Contract | None | Reported 12-month lock-in on some plans; check | Monthly | None |
| Best fit, in our view | Cafés and casual restaurants up to two tills | Small bars and takeaways chasing the lowest card rate | Coffee carts, pop-ups and venues already banking with Revolut | Tiny budgets; not for a busy bar |
2. Hospitality platforms: deeper features, usually on contract
| Lightspeed Restaurant | Toast | Epos Now | Trivec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software | Not published for Ireland. Third-party estimate (USD): Starter about $69, Essential about $189, Premium about $399 a month | From €90 a month | From €90 + VAT a month (Plus, with hardware); Basic €114 + VAT without payments | Priced per module; ask |
| Card rate | Ask. Third-party estimate 2.6% + 10c in person (US) | Ask | 1.7% with Epos Now Payments | Ask |
| Contract | Ask | 24 to 36 months | 12 to 24 months | Ask |
| Strengths | Deep stock, multi-site reporting, table service | Built for hospitality: handhelds, kitchen screens, 24/7 support | Customisable, hardware bundles | Bar control and European hospitality focus since 1993 |
| Watch for | Add-ons that push you up a tier; hardware cost €800 to €1,500 a station | Long contract | Lock-in and service complaints in reviews | Its review listings name Nordic and Benelux countries, not Ireland; confirm Irish support before you sign |
3. Irish installers: local support, quote only
Costa Systems
Navan, Co. Meath. Own hospitality EPOS with stock, bookings, caller ID, table planner, loyalty and hotel links; works with most hardware. Names Esquires, FX Buckley, Fallen & Byrne and The Lime Kiln among clients.
QuoteCBE
Irish EPOS group with pub-specific stock control (per-pour tracking against sales), clerk sign-on keys, handheld table ordering and its own CBE Pay.
QuoteUnipos
Dublin. Supplies and installs hospitality EPOS, handhelds, app and online ordering, and third-party maintenance nationwide.
QuotePOSTree
Irish provider with strong local support and online-ordering links; Windows hardware only; reviews mention slow bug fixes.
Quote, 12 months+Inntally
Cloud POS aimed at Dublin venues: offline mode, kitchen screens with allergen flags, keeps your own card provider, links stock and recipes.
QuoteAsk every till company these eight questions
- Total monthly cost for my number of tills, handhelds and kitchen screens, including VAT.
- Card rate on Irish debit, Irish credit, UK and non-EU cards, and any monthly minimum.
- Contract length, notice period and the cost of leaving early.
- Who owns the hardware, and what a replacement costs on a Saturday night.
- Does it keep trading when the broadband drops?
- Does it track draught and spirits stock by the pour, and flag voids and no-sales by staff member?
- Does it connect to my booking system, accounts package and payroll?
- Can I export all my sales and product data if I leave?
Sources: Mobile Transaction, POS systems in Ireland (Sept to Oct 2026); Square Ireland; SumUp Ireland; UpMenu Lightspeed pricing estimate (July 2026); GetApp Ireland: Trivec; Costa Systems; CBE pub EPOS guide; Unipos; Inntally. Lightspeed and Trivec did not publish Irish prices we could read. Vendors: send published Irish pricing to hello@tapandpass.ie and we add it with a link.