Alternatives · Point of Sale (POS) Systems

Best SumUp Alternatives in 2026

A sourced shortlist of the top SumUp competitors: Square POS, Loyverse, Shopify POS and Clover. Each is compared with SumUp on pricing, free plan, features and fit, using dated vendor and independent sources. No rankings and no paid placement.

  • Updated 10 Nov 2026Profiles verified 11 Nov 2026
  • 4 alternativesEach with a full sourced profile
  • Not a rankingFit depends on your priorities
  • Not tested by Stack18Editorial summary of documented facts
Quick answer

What are the best alternatives to SumUp?

The main alternatives to SumUp covered here are Square POS, Loyverse, Shopify POS and Clover. Square POS may suit most small businesses wanting a free, easy POS, while Loyverse may suit very small shops and cafes on a budget. None is best for everyone: the right POS system depends on team size, budget and which SumUp limitation you are trying to solve.

Teams usually start looking beyond SumUp for documented reasons: comparison published by SumUp itself; plus plan price not stated. SumUp remains a reasonable fit for sole traders and small merchants wanting simple card payments, so an alternative is not automatically better, only different.

Below, every option is compared with SumUp in one table, then described with its strengths, trade-offs and pricing, each taken from its own sourced profile. Anything the sources do not document is marked as unknown.

Why switch

Why teams look for SumUp alternatives.

Each reason is a limitation documented on the SumUp profile, with its source cited there.

01

Scope and fit

Comparison published by SumUp itself.

02

Cost and pricing

Plus plan price not stated.

03

Other trade-offs

UK prices only in source.

According to its profile, SumUp may be less suited to: large restaurants; complex inventory retail.

Comparison table

SumUp vs its top alternatives at a glance.

SumUp is shown first for reference. Summaries come from each sourced profile; suitability depends on company size, budget, use case and technical requirements.

SumUp and its alternatives compared on best fit, pricing model, software from, free plan, industry, best for
ProductBest forPricing modelSoftware fromFree planIndustryBest for
SumUp (current tool)Sole traders and small merchants wanting simple card paymentsPer transactionFreeNo monthly feeAllSmall merchants
Square POSMost small businesses wanting a free, easy POSFree + processingFreeYesAllSmall businesses
LoyverseVery small shops and cafes on a budgetFree + add-onsFreeYesRetail, foodMicro businesses
Shopify POSBusinesses selling both online and in personIncluded / per locationIncluded; Pro $89/moLite includedRetailOnline + in-store
CloverBusinesses wanting flexibility through appsReseller monthly~$14.95/mo (reported)NoAllApp flexibility
In detail

Each SumUp alternative described.

Pricing, strengths and trade-offs are taken from each product's profile, where every point is linked to a dated source.

Square POS

Block (Square) · All-purpose POS

Square POS is a point of sale system for retail, restaurants and services, combining free software, card processing, hardware and add-ons such as online stores and loyalty.

Pricing
Free plan; Plus $49, Premium $149 a month; processing ~2.6% + 15c on the free plan (US).
Free plan
Yes
Team size
Small teams, Mid-size teams
Strengths
  • Free plan.
  • Easy setup.
Trade-offs to weigh against SumUp
  • Processing costs rise with volume.
  • Advanced features need paid plans.

Loyverse

Loyverse · Free POS for small shops

Loyverse is a free point of sale app for small retail and food businesses, with paid add-ons for employee management, advanced inventory and integrations.

Pricing
Free core apps; add-ons $29 a month.
Free plan
Yes
Team size
Small teams
Strengths
  • Free core POS.
  • Easy to start.
Trade-offs to weigh against SumUp
  • Basic feature set.
  • Often outgrown.

Shopify POS

Shopify · Unified online and in-store POS

Shopify POS is Shopify's point of sale for in-person selling, sharing products, inventory and customers with a Shopify online store.

Pricing
POS Lite included with Shopify plans; POS Pro $89 a month per location.
Free plan
Yes
Team size
Small teams, Mid-size teams
Strengths
  • Unified online and in-store data.
  • Lite included.
Trade-offs to weigh against SumUp
  • Needs a Shopify plan.
  • Pro costs $89 per location.

Clover

Fiserv · Flexible POS with app market

Clover is a point of sale platform from Fiserv with hardware, payments and an app marketplace for niche business needs.

Pricing
Reported $14.95-$69.95 or $89.95-$109.90 per location a month; varies by reseller.
Free plan
No
Team size
Small teams, Mid-size teams
Strengths
  • App marketplace flexibility.
  • Many hardware options.
Trade-offs to weigh against SumUp
  • Pricing varies by reseller.
  • Extra fees can add $100+.
Best-fit scenarios

Which SumUp alternative should you choose?

No single alternative is best for everyone. Match the scenario to your own requirements, then test two or three options against a real process.

Consider Square POS if you are…

  • Most small businesses wanting a free, easy POS
  • Pop-ups and markets
  • Cafes
See the Square POS profile

Consider Loyverse if you are…

  • Very small shops and cafes on a budget
  • Kiosks
  • New businesses testing demand
See the Loyverse profile

Consider Shopify POS if you are…

  • Businesses selling both online and in person
  • Shopify merchants opening stores
  • Pop-up shops
See the Shopify POS profile

Consider Clover if you are…

  • Businesses wanting flexibility through apps
  • Retailers with niche needs
  • Small restaurants
See the Clover profile

Stay with SumUp if you are…

  • Sole traders and small merchants wanting simple card payments
  • Market traders
  • Mobile businesses
See the SumUp profile
Switching

How to switch from SumUp.

Moving off SumUp means exporting products or menus, customers, gift card balances and sales history, setting up new hardware and payment processing, retraining staff and reconnecting accounting and delivery integrations. Check contract end dates and plan the switch for a quiet trading day. Ring up a typical busy hour of real orders on each shortlisted POS and compare speed, total processing cost and reporting.

Switching checklist
  1. Export a sample of your SumUp data and test an import into the new product.
  2. List the automations, integrations and permissions you would need to rebuild.
  3. Compare total cost for your real seat count, including add-ons and onboarding fees.
  4. Pilot with one team before a full cut-over.
  5. Check contract terms, renewal dates and notice periods with SumUp.

General guidance, not specific to any vendor. Confirm migration options with the vendors.

FAQ

SumUp alternatives: questions and answers

What is the best alternative to SumUp?

No single alternative is best for everyone. The alternatives covered here are Square POS, Loyverse, Shopify POS and Clover. Square POS may suit most small businesses wanting a free, easy POS. Loyverse may suit very small shops and cafes on a budget. Shopify POS may suit businesses selling both online and in person. Test two or three against your own process before deciding.

Is there a free alternative to SumUp?

Yes. Square POS, Loyverse and Shopify POS list a free plan or free tier in their sourced profiles. Free plans usually cap users, records or usage, so check the limits on each profile before relying on one.

Which SumUp alternative is best for small teams?

Square POS, Loyverse, Shopify POS and Clover are documented for small teams. Square POS may suit most small businesses wanting a free, easy POS. Loyverse may suit very small shops and cafes on a budget. Shopify POS may suit businesses selling both online and in person.

Why do teams switch from SumUp?

The limitations documented on the SumUp profile are: Comparison published by SumUp itself. Plus plan price not stated. UK prices only in source. Whether they matter depends on your team and budget.

Who should stay with SumUp?

SumUp may still suit sole traders and small merchants wanting simple card payments; market traders; mobile businesses.

Where can I compare SumUp with a competitor side by side?

Stack18 has head-to-head comparisons for SumUp vs Square POS, each with a feature table and pricing summary.

How were these SumUp alternatives chosen?

They are the products listed as alternatives on the SumUp profile and other products in the Point of Sale (POS) Systems category with overlapping use cases. They are listed in the order shown, not ranked, and no vendor paid for placement. Each profile was verified on 11 Nov 2026.

Sources and verification

Where this shortlist comes from.

Alternatives are summarised from the linked profiles and their sources: all sources for SumUp and the main sources for each alternative. Confirm current details with each vendor. Stack18 has not tested these products.

Next step

Evaluating SumUp alternatives?

Compare your shortlist side by side, read the full profiles, or talk to Stack18 if off-the-shelf software is not the answer.

Logos provided by Logo.dev. Product names and logos are trademarks of their respective owners and appear for identification only; they do not imply endorsement.