Softwr

Restaurants · head to head

Epos Now vs Lineup.ai

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
Lineup.ai logo

Lineup.ai

Restaurants

AI-powered restaurant forecasting

From
$79/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.; Lineup.ai pricing is per location per month, costs increase with each additional location
  • They diverge on capability: Epos Now covers Cloud till software, Lineup.ai covers AI sales forecasting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Epos Now and Lineup.ai actually diverge.

Attributes where Epos Now and Lineup.ai differ
AttributeEpos NowLineup.ai
Starting priceOn request$79/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, WindowsWeb
FoundedUnknown2019

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 Lineup.ai

  • AI sales forecasting
  • Labor optimization
  • Schedule suggestions
  • Weather integration
  • Event tracking
  • Reporting
  • Toast
  • 7shifts

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 Lineup.ai
  • An independent needing basic stock, staff and sales reporting without an implementation projectnot Lineup.ai
  • An operator running both a small retail line and a food offer on one systemnot Lineup.ai
  • A business replacing a mechanical till that has no reporting or remote access at allnot Lineup.ai

Lineup.ai

  • Forecasting restaurant sales and building labor schedulesnot 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.

Lineup.ai

  • Pricing is per location per month, costs increase with each additional location
  • No free tier available; only 30-day risk-free trial with refund guarantee

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

Lineup.ai

$79/month
  • Forecasts Only$79/month
    • Unlimited users and employees
    • Automated AI-generated forecasts
    • Custom Labor Allowance Budget
  • Forecasts + Scheduling$149/month
    • All Forecasts Only features
    • Schedule builder
    • Automated scheduling

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 Lineup.ai if

  • You need ai sales forecasting.
  • You also want labor optimization.
Lineup.ai review

Questions people ask

Is Epos Now or Lineup.ai better?
Neither clearly leads. Epos Now starts at On request and Lineup.ai at $79/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Epos Now or Lineup.ai?
Epos Now starts at On request and Lineup.ai at $79/month.
Does Epos Now or Lineup.ai run on more platforms?
Epos Now runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows. Lineup.ai runs on Web.
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 Lineup.ai is typically brought in for.
What can Epos Now do that Lineup.ai cannot?
Epos Now covers Cloud till software, Hardware bundles, Integrated payments, AppStore add ons. Lineup.ai covers AI sales forecasting, Labor optimization, Schedule suggestions, Weather integration.

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.

Lineup.ai: How much does Lineup.ai cost per location?

Forecasts Only plan is $79 per location per month. Forecasts + Scheduling plan is $149 per location per month. Both offer 10% discount with annual commitment.

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.

Lineup.ai: Does Lineup.ai offer a free trial?

Yes, Lineup.ai offers a risk-free 30-day trial with a refund guarantee if forecasts do not meet expectations. No credit card required.

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.

Lineup.ai: Can I add more locations later?

Yes, customers can start with as many locations as needed and add more locations at any time at the monthly rate.

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.

Lineup.ai: What integrations does Lineup.ai support?

Lineup.ai integrates with Toast, Brink POS, Square, Clover, Snowflake, and Omnivore.

Source
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