Clever Till vs SumUp: Choosing the Right EPOS System for Your Business

Choosing the right EPOS system for your business can be daunting. There are many solutions available today, from card readers to comprehensive point-of-sale systems. It is important to find a platform that works for your business now, and into the future.

 

Clever Till and SumUp are two big players in the UK market. Both provide excellent technology to help operate and grow your business.

The difference between the two is that they provide support for slightly different situations.

 

This article compares Clever Till and SumUp across several factors (features, pricing, support, and suitability for your business) to help you make the best decision for your small business

 

Features, Flexibility vs Simplicity

 

SumUp is popular for its simplicity. It produces a stylish mobile card reader, and a simple POS solution but is more suited to pop-up shops or market stalls. It is provided for small businesses that require simple things - take payments, print receipts, limited inventory management.

 

Clever Till consists of a more complete EPOS solution. It is designed for hospitality venues that are looking for more flexibility; it includes features like:

 

•       Employee shift and performance management
•       Integrated loyalty programs
•       Table management (suitable for restaurants)
•       Multi-location support
•       Real-time sales and inventory tracking

 

For businesses that plan to scale or need something other than payment processing capabilities, Clever Till is clearly a more competent platform.

 

Pricing: Transparent vs Transaction-Based 

 

SumUp does not charge a monthly fee, which can be appealing to micro-businesses. Rather, it operates on a per-transaction pay-as-you-go model. While this is viable for businesses operating at lower volume, it can become burdensome as your turnover rises. 

Clever Till has a moderate price point, yet typically has pricing that is transparent and one time payment that often includes hardware, software and support.

 

For many businesses, it creates a better long term value proposition, particularly when preparing to scale or to leverage more sophisticated features. Moreover, there are no surprise transaction fees to factor in, creating confidence in fiduciary budgeting.

 

Support & Setup: Self-Service vs Personalised

 

Onboarding In terms of support, SumUp is chiefly self-service. There are an online help centre and email support, but no personal onboarding into their system. 

This might not be intimidating to some business owners or individuals knowledgeable about EPOS systems, it is a significant hurdle for new business owners lacking familiarity with them.

 

Clever Till provides personalized onboarding and customer service to help you set up easily. You can access chat support, phone support, and a team that understands restaurants and hospitality.

Clever Till ensures that you will have the confidence that help is just a phone call away.

 

Business Suitability: Casual Seller vs Growing Business

 

SumUp is perfect for people with side hustles, market vendors, or small pop-up shops. If you're only processing a few sales a day and don't need detailed reports or integrations, then SumUp will be perfect for you.

 

If you're working a café, restaurant, bar, or retail shop with multiple locations, you will soon find that your needs outstrip what SumUp can offer you. This is when Clever Till is a great solution. Clever Till is designed to support businesses in high-demand spaces by optimizing their business processes, reducing errors and improving their customer experience.

 

Clever Till is well-suited for those business owners that are serious about the long-term ownership of their business by enabling multiple users, access to a cloud-based system, and the ability to integrate with kitchen printers and accounting software.

Integrations & Customization

 

Clever Till covers a greater number of integrations with third-party apps, including accounting tools, payment gateways, and online order systems.

This level of flexibility allows Clever Till to adjust to your business' ever changing needs, whether you are starting small or have big plans.

SumUp has more limited options. It has a clean interface and some basic integrations, but no customization for complex businesses.

 

Final Verdict: Which is right for you?

 

The choice between Clever Till and SumUp comes down to the type of business you are and your growth plans.

• If you are running a weekend stall or a hobby business, SumUp provides a truly easy, no-commitment way of starting to accept payments

• If you are a serious person keen on developing a professional retail or hospitality business, then Clever Till provides you with a future-proof POS system that works with your business' evolving needs.

 

Both tools serve a purpose, but Clever Till is the obvious option due to its wide-ranging features, bespoke support, and scalable pricing. It’s a platform built, not to just take your payments--but to help you grow your business.