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Compare Epos Now vs Lavu: pricing, features, pros, cons, and which is right for your business.

Epos Now vs Lavu

Updated October 2026 · Restaurant POS Software software comparison

Epos Now

Epos Now

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Low-cost iPad and tablet restaurant POS with in-house flat-rate card processing

★ 4.6 26 reviews
Lavu

Lavu

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iPad restaurant POS with in-house Lavu Pay processing and direct online ordering

★ 4.2 259 reviews

At a Glance

Criteria Epos Now Lavu
Overall Rating ★ 4.6
26 reviews
★ 4.2
259 reviews
Starting Price Contact vendor Contact vendor
Pricing Model Quote Only Quote Only
Free Trial No No
Deployment cloud, mobile cloud, mobile
Best For Freelancer, Smb Smb, Mid Market

Strengths & Weaknesses

Epos Now
Lavu
Pros
✓Low upfront cost — the hardware bundle headline (around $349) undercuts restaurant-native rivals
✓Runs on off-the-shelf Apple iPads — not locked to proprietary hardware, so you can buy replacements anywhere
✓Transparent flat card processing at 2.6% + 10¢ with free refunds and no long-term processing contract
✓In-house Lavu Pay processing is integrated with the POS and accepts payments offline during an internet drop
✓Runs on your own iPad or Epos Now tablet kit — not locked to fully proprietary hardware
✓Dual Pricing / cash-discount program offsets card-processing fees by shifting them to card-paying guests
✓Ingredient-level inventory with automated purchase orders and low-stock alerts
✓MenuDrive direct online ordering syncs dine-in, takeout, and delivery to one report set, avoiding marketplace commissions
✓KDS groups tickets by course and order type to speed the line during a rush
✓Ease of use, support, and reporting are the dominant praise across reviews
✓In-house payments plus accounting, loyalty and reservation integrations in one platform
✓24/7 live support from real people included
Cons
✗Reporting depth is the dominant gap — basics are covered but data-driven operators outgrow it
✗Price and fees draw recurring complaints; no published rate means you must request a quote to compare
✗Fees draw recurring complaints even with the flat published processing rate
✗Setup, onboarding, and migration run long and costly for some operators
✗Integrations can bring gaps or friction connecting some third-party tools
✗Occasional bugs reported in reviews
✗The mobile app experience is a repeated gripe in reviews
✗Hardware friction cited by some reviewers
✗Software subscription is sold by quote with no public monthly price
✗Integration gaps noted; the live integrations catalog is not enumerable since the integrations page now redirects
✗General retail-and-hospitality platform — restaurant workflows are broader but shallower than restaurant-only rivals
✗Support quality is uneven — a top strength for many but a friction point for others

Who uses restaurant software — and what each person does with it

🧑‍🍳 Owner / GM

Watches sales, food cost, labor and prime cost across shifts and locations on one dashboard — sees which menu items and dayparts actually make money.

📋 Floor manager

Builds the schedule against forecasted sales, approves shift swaps, seats the floor and clears the waitlist, and pulls the daily close from the POS.

🍽️ Server / FOH

Fires orders from the POS or a handheld, splits and adjusts checks, takes payment tableside, and the kitchen sees the ticket instantly on the KDS.

👨‍🍳 Kitchen / BOH

Works tickets on the kitchen display with station routing and timers, marks items 86'd, and depletes inventory automatically as dishes sell.

The flow the software runs end to end: guest orders (dine-in, online or delivery) → ticket fires to the KDS → items depleted from inventory → payment captured at the POS → sales, food and labor cost post to reporting and accounting → schedule and purchasing adjust to the numbers. Each stage hands off to the next without re-keying.

Who Should Choose Which?

Choose Epos Now if…
  • Your team fits the freelancer or smb profile
  • You prioritise peer-verified quality — higher rating (4.6 vs 4.2)
  • Your preferred deployment is cloud or mobile
  • Low upfront cost — the hardware bundle headline (around $349) undercuts restaurant-native rivals
Choose Lavu if…
  • Your team fits the smb or mid market profile
  • Your preferred deployment is cloud or mobile
  • Runs on off-the-shelf Apple iPads — not locked to proprietary hardware, so you can buy replacements anywhere

Our Verdict

Epos Now
Epos Now edges ahead with a higher overall rating (★ 4.6 vs ★ 4.2) and stronger review volume (26 vs 259 verified reviews) .

Epos Now targets freelancer/smb businesses with quote only pricing . Its strongest selling points include low upfront cost — the hardware bundle headline (around $349) undercuts restaurant-native rivals and transparent flat card processing at 2.6% + 10¢ with free refunds and no long-term processing contract.

Lavu targets smb/mid_market businesses with quote only pricing . Its key advantages include runs on off-the-shelf apple ipads — not locked to proprietary hardware, so you can buy replacements anywhere and in-house lavu pay processing is integrated with the pos and accepts payments offline during an internet drop.

Both tools are reviewed independently — see the full reviews below to dig into integrations, implementation timelines, and user sentiment.

Free · No credit card

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  • 30-minute product walkthrough
  • Custom pricing based on your seat count
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