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Restaurants · head to head

Epos Now vs Heartland Restaurant

Epos Now logo

Epos Now

Restaurants

Cloud point of sale for hospitality and retail sold with hardware finance and attached payment processing

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Heartland Restaurant logo

Heartland Restaurant

Restaurants

Complete restaurant management ecosystem

From
$89/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Epos Now hardware is often placed on a finance agreement with a third party, so cancelling the software subscription leaves the equipment payments running for the remainder of the term.; Heartland Restaurant high processing fees and early termination penalties increase total cost of ownership
  • They diverge on capability: Epos Now covers Cloud till software, Heartland Restaurant covers POS system.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Epos Now and Heartland Restaurant actually diverge.

Attributes where Epos Now and Heartland Restaurant differ
AttributeEpos NowHeartland Restaurant
Starting priceOn request$89/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, WindowsWeb, iPad, Android
FoundedUnknown2001

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Restaurants).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Epos Now

  • Cloud till software
  • Hardware bundles
  • Integrated payments
  • AppStore add ons
  • Stock and product management
  • Multi site reporting

Only in Heartland Restaurant

  • POS system
  • Payment processing
  • Payroll
  • Customer engagement
  • Gift cards
  • Reporting
  • Heartland Payroll
  • QuickBooks

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Epos Now

  • A single site cafe or bar wanting a low upfront cost till system installed quicklynot Heartland Restaurant
  • An independent needing basic stock, staff and sales reporting without an implementation projectnot Heartland Restaurant
  • An operator running both a small retail line and a food offer on one systemnot Heartland Restaurant
  • A business replacing a mechanical till that has no reporting or remote access at allnot Heartland Restaurant

Heartland Restaurant

  • Point of Salenot Epos Now
  • Order Managementnot Epos Now
  • Inventory Controlnot Epos Now
  • Staff Schedulingnot Epos Now

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Epos Now

  • Hardware is often placed on a finance agreement with a third party, so cancelling the software subscription leaves the equipment payments running for the remainder of the term.
  • Software, hardware finance and card processing are three separate agreements with different notice periods, which makes a clean exit difficult and is the source of most published complaints.
  • The vendor makes its margin on payment processing, so the low advertised software price is offset by a card rate that costs far more across a year of trading.
  • Sales is telesales led and buyers report pressure to sign quickly, which is a poor fit for a decision involving multi year finance commitments.
  • Useful capability is spread across paid add ons in the application store, so the functional system a restaurant actually needs costs considerably more than the entry subscription.

Heartland Restaurant

  • High processing fees and early termination penalties increase total cost of ownership
  • Lack of customization compared to open-source POS systems
  • Data migration to Heartland has been reported as problematic by users
  • Pricing details are not transparent, making budgeting difficult for prospective customers

Pricing, plan by plan

Epos Now

On request
  • Epos Now$undefined/year
    • Software subscription quoted per till
    • Hardware frequently supplied under a separate finance or lease agreement
    • Card processing contracted separately and priced by negotiated rate

Heartland Restaurant

$89/month
  • Basic$89/month
    • POS
    • Payment processing
  • Professional$149/month
    • Advanced features
    • Payroll integration

Which should you pick?

Choose Epos Now if

  • You need cloud till software.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Windows.
  • You also want hardware bundles.
Epos Now review

Choose Heartland Restaurant if

  • You need pos system.
  • You work on Web, iPad, Android.
  • You also want payment processing.
Heartland Restaurant review

Questions people ask

Is Epos Now or Heartland Restaurant better?
Neither clearly leads. Epos Now starts at On request and Heartland Restaurant at $89/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Epos Now or Heartland Restaurant?
Epos Now starts at On request and Heartland Restaurant at $89/month.
Does Epos Now or Heartland Restaurant run on more platforms?
Epos Now runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows. Heartland Restaurant runs on Web, iPad, Android.
What is Epos Now best used for?
Epos Now is most often used for a single site cafe or bar wanting a low upfront cost till system installed quickly, an independent needing basic stock, staff and sales reporting without an implementation project, an operator running both a small retail line and a food offer on one system, a business replacing a mechanical till that has no reporting or remote access at all. Of those, a single site cafe or bar wanting a low upfront cost till system installed quickly and an independent needing basic stock, staff and sales reporting without an implementation project are not what Heartland Restaurant is typically brought in for.
What can Epos Now do that Heartland Restaurant cannot?
Epos Now covers Cloud till software, Hardware bundles, Integrated payments, AppStore add ons. Heartland Restaurant covers POS system, Payment processing, Payroll, Customer engagement.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Epos Now: Is the hardware bought or leased?

Frequently financed through a third party agreement rather than bought outright. Ask explicitly which it is and read the term before signing.

Heartland Restaurant: Does Heartland Restaurant work with multiple locations?

Yes, Heartland Restaurant is designed for multi-location operations with the Complete plan targeting restaurants with more complex requirements across multiple sites.

Source
Epos Now: Can I cancel the software and keep trading?

You can stop the subscription, but a separate hardware finance agreement continues to its own end date, and processing is contracted separately again.

Heartland Restaurant: What payment methods does Heartland accept?

Heartland includes integrated payment processing and accepts all popular payment methods, but specific details are available on their pricing and features pages.

Source
Epos Now: Do I have to use their card processing?

It is the commercial basis of the pricing. Using another acquirer, where permitted, changes the software quote.

Heartland Restaurant: What hardware options does Heartland Restaurant offer?

Heartland provides touchscreen terminals ranging from $1,295 to $1,895, handheld devices at $695, and supporting equipment like printers ($275-$375) and cash drawers.

Source
Epos Now: Is it suitable for a busy full service restaurant?

It handles straightforward hospitality service. Complex coursing, large table management and high volume kitchens are better served by restaurant specific systems.

Heartland Restaurant: Can Heartland Restaurant integrate with other business systems?

Yes, Heartland offers a developer-friendly API that enables custom integrations with various third-party systems.

Source
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