Type “best EPOS system UK” into Google and you’ll get a wall of comparison articles. Most of them compare software subscriptions, card rates and monthly fees. Very few look properly at the hardware, which is a shame, because the hardware is the bit your staff bang on, spill coffee over and rely on at 8pm on a Saturday.
We sell a lot of EPOS terminals. The one that leaves our Leicester warehouse more than any other is the HiStone HK568. So we thought it was only fair to put it side by side with the names that keep coming up on page one: the Epos Now Countertop 2, the Square Register and the Sunmi T3 Pro.
Yes, we’re biased. We’ll be honest about where the others do well, too.
The quick comparison
| HiStone HK568 | Epos Now Countertop 2 | Square Register | Sunmi T3 Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main screen | 15.6″ Full HD (1920 x 1080), true-flat capacitive | 15.6″ FHD capacitive | 13.25″ touchscreen | 15.6″ Full HD |
| Operating system | Windows 10/11 or Linux | Epos Now platform | Square only | Android (dual-OS version available) |
| Processor options | Intel Celeron J6412, Core i3-1115G4E or Core i5-1145G7E | Not published | Not published | Octa-core Qualcomm |
| Memory | 4GB up to 16GB | Not published | Not published | 6GB (Android) / 8GB (dual-OS) |
| Customer display | Optional 10.1″ or 15.6″, touch or non-touch | Optional 10.1″ touch | Built-in customer-facing card terminal | Optional 10.1″ or 15.6″ |
| Serial ports | 3 x RJ48 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Runs your choice of software | Yes, any Windows or Linux EPOS software | Built around Epos Now software | No, Square software only | Android apps |
| Sealed housing | Yes: waterproof, dustproof, oil and soot resistant | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Competitor details taken from the manufacturers’ own UK product pages and published reviews in October 2026. “Not published” means we couldn’t find the figure, not that it’s bad.
Where the others do well
Square Register is very slick if you’re a small business that wants everything in one box from one company. Card payments, software and hardware all come from Square, and it’s quick to get going. The trade-off is that you can’t use it with non-Square software or another payment provider. If you ever want to change software, the hardware goes in a drawer.
Epos Now is a household name for a reason. Its Countertop 2 is a good-looking 15.6″ unit, and the bundles are aimed squarely at small retailers and cafés who want a complete package with support. The bundle pricing is tied to a 12-month payments, care and support plan, so it suits businesses that are happy to commit to the Epos Now ecosystem.
Sunmi makes some genuinely clever Android hardware, and the T3 Pro is a nicely built terminal. If your software is Android-only and you want a thin, modern-looking unit, it’s worth a look.
Why the HK568 keeps winning for our customers
1. It’s an open platform, not a locked box
This is the big one. The HK568 runs Windows 10/11 or Linux, so it runs the EPOS software you choose. That includes ICRTouch TouchPoint, which the HK568 is accredited for, plus pretty much every Windows-based retail and hospitality package in the UK. Change software in three years’ time? The terminal stays on the counter.
For resellers and software houses that matters even more. You can standardise on one piece of hardware across all your customers, whatever software they run.
2. It’s built for real counters
The HK568 has a completely sealed design with no visible screws or cables on the outer housing. It’s waterproof, dustproof, and oil and soot resistant, with an anti-oxidation scratch coating on top. If you’ve ever seen what a fryer does to a till in a busy takeaway, you’ll understand why that matters.
The screen also rotates 180 degrees, so the same unit can be a staff-facing till or flipped round for self-service.
3. Proper power when you need it
Most competitors don’t publish their processor. We’d rather you knew exactly what you’re getting. The HK568 starts with an Intel Celeron J6412 quad-core for everyday retail and goes up to an 11th Gen Core i5 with up to 16GB of RAM for heavier software, big menus and multi-screen setups.
4. All the ports the old kit needs
Three RJ48 serial ports, six USB ports (including a 24V powered USB), Gigabit LAN, HDMI and a 24V cash drawer port. Scales, legacy printers, pole displays, cash drawers: it’ll take the lot without a pile of adapters behind the counter.
5. That Hisense DNA
Pick up an HK568 and the first thing people say is “that’s heavy”. At 9kg, it’s solid. HiStone started life as Hisense Intelligent Commercial Systems, the commercial POS arm of Hisense. It’s been building point-of-sale hardware for more than 30 years, and it led China’s domestic POS market for 13 years in a row before rebranding as HiStone in 2019. That background in big-volume electronics manufacturing shows in the fit and finish. The quality of the HK568 is, frankly, amazing for the price.
So which is the best EPOS system in the UK?
It depends on how you buy:
- Want one company for software, payments and hardware, and happy to stay put? Square or Epos Now will suit you.
- Running Android-only software? Look at Sunmi, or our own HiStone HK566Q.
- Want commercial-grade hardware that runs any Windows or Linux EPOS software, survives a kitchen and is supported in the UK? That’s the HK568.
Buying the HK568 from B-Spoke
We’re the official UK distributor for HiStone. Every HK568 ships from stock in Leicester and can be imaged with your software, configured, tested and asset-tagged before it leaves us. Warranty repairs and spares are handled here in the UK by our own technicians.
Want to see it in person? Bring your software along to our Leicester showroom and try it for yourself. Or call us on 0116 260 3100, email sales@b-spokesystems.com, or build a quote online.