POS system price UAE: what you actually pay for

Most owners in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah start by asking for the POS system price in the UAE as if it were a single figure. It rarely is. A point-of-sale system is a bundle of software you rent, hardware you buy, work someone does to set it up, and fees charged by other parties every time a customer pays. The cheapest monthly fee can turn into the most expensive system once those other lines are added, so the useful question is not “how much?” but “how much, for what, over how long?”

What drives the POS system price in the UAE#

Every quote you receive can be sorted into five buckets. Put each provider’s figures into the same buckets and the comparison becomes honest.

1. 1Software subscription: the monthly or yearly fee for the till and the back office. This is the recurring cost that grows with your business.
2. 2Hardware: terminals, printers, kitchen screens and cash drawers. Usually bought once and kept for years.
3. 3Setup and training: menu or catalogue loading, printer and kitchen routing, staff training, and moving data from your old system.
4. 4Payment processing: the fees charged on card and digital payments. These are set by your payment provider and acquiring bank, not by the POS software.
5. 5Add-ons: extra devices, extra branches, extra users, premium support and integrations beyond what the plan includes.

Software: per location, per company, or per device#

How a provider counts is as important as the headline price. Three models are common. Per device charges for each till, so adding a second counter or a waiter handheld raises the bill. Per location charges for each branch, with a set number of devices included. Per company charges once for the business, which suits offices, trading companies and service firms that do not run a counter at every site.

Before comparing, write down what you will actually run in each branch: how many tills, kitchen screens, kitchen printers, handhelds and staff logins. Then check what each plan includes and what each extra device costs. A plan that looks cheap for one till can cost more than a larger plan once you add the devices a busy Friday needs.

As a worked example, here are our own published plans. They are listed to show how a price ladder is structured, not as a comparison with anyone else.

Restaurant and retail plans are billed per location and each step up includes more devices; every other business is billed per company. Paid plans start with a 14-day trial without a card, and plans can be cancelled without a termination fee. All prices above are before VAT, so add 5% when you budget.

Hardware, setup and training#

Hardware is usually a one-off purchase, and the range is wide: a single tablet with a built-in printer at a small café, or several counter terminals, kitchen screens, label printers and a self-order kiosk at a busy restaurant. Ask for hardware to be quoted line by line, with the warranty period and what happens if a device fails on a Saturday night. Our own hardware is quoted in the proposal, once we know the venue, rather than from a fixed list.

Check too whether you can use devices you already own. If the software runs in a browser, a reasonably recent tablet or computer may be enough for some roles, which can lower the first-year cost considerably.

Setup is where quotes differ most. Some providers include menu loading and remote training; others charge for each. Moving products, customers and opening stock from an old system is a separate job and is worth paying for if your catalogue is large. For reference, our white-glove migration is listed as a one-time fee from AED 2,500 before VAT. Whoever you choose, ask who does the setup, how long it takes and what is included in the price.

Payment processing fees sit outside the POS#

Card fees are charged by your acquiring bank or payment provider, usually as a percentage of each transaction, sometimes with a fixed amount per payment and a monthly terminal rental. The POS provider does not normally set them, so be wary of any quote that bundles them in without showing the rate. Ask the payment provider directly for the rate on local debit cards, local credit cards, international cards and digital wallets, and for any minimum monthly charge.

Hidden costs to ask about before you sign#

The surprises usually come after the first invoice. Put these questions to every provider in writing.

• Minimum contract term: is there a one- or two-year commitment, and what does early cancellation cost?
• Extra devices: what does a third till, another kitchen screen or another handheld cost per month?
• Extra branches and users: how is a second location billed, and is there a charge per staff login?
• Support hours: is weekend and late-evening support included, or a paid upgrade?
• Integrations: are delivery platforms, accounting exports and e-invoicing included or charged separately?
• Data export: can you take your sales, customers and stock history with you if you leave, and in what format?
• VAT on the quote: are prices shown before or after VAT? A 5% gap matters across a year.
• Price changes: can the monthly fee rise mid-contract, and with how much notice?

Our own add-ons are published on the pricing page: for example, an extra device beyond the plan is AED 49 per month and an additional branch beyond the plan is AED 150 per month, both before VAT.

Compare POS system cost over three years, not one month#

A simple total cost of ownership makes quotes comparable. For each provider, add up the subscription for 36 months, the hardware, the setup and training, any migration, and the add-ons you expect to need as you grow. Leave card fees out of this sum and compare them separately, because they depend on your provider and your sales mix rather than the POS. The quote with the lowest monthly fee is often not the lowest three-year total.

Questions owners ask#

Is a free POS plan really free?

It can be, but check the limits. Free plans usually cap devices, users or history, and charge for card processing through the provider. Our free EXO Bites plan covers one till and one kitchen screen, with UAE VAT included; hardware and card fees are separate.

Should I pay monthly or yearly?

Monthly keeps you flexible while you test a system in a real service. Yearly can make sense once you are sure, but read the cancellation terms first.

Is VAT charged on the POS subscription?

Yes, a UAE provider registered for VAT will add 5% to its fees. If your business is VAT-registered you can normally recover that input VAT, provided you hold a valid tax invoice; confirm the treatment with your tax agent.

Why do hardware prices vary so much between quotes?

Screen size, build quality, built-in printers, warranty length and whether the device is new or refurbished all move the price. Ask for each device to be named and quoted separately so you can compare like with like.