EPOS Now & Dojo Integration Ended: What It Means & Alternatives

Quick Summary

If you previously used Epos Now and Dojo together for integrated card payments, changes to the relationship between the two providers mean some businesses have had to reconsider how their till and payment terminal work together.

Dojo representatives publicly stated in 2026 that Epos Now had deactivated the integration. Businesses affected by the change may therefore need to decide whether to:

• keep Epos Now and change payment provider;
• keep Dojo and change EPOS system;
• operate the card machine separately from the till where appropriate; or
• review both systems and move to a different integrated-payment setup.

The right decision depends on contracts, processing costs, integrations, operational disruption and which part of the existing setup provides the most value to the business.

MAS View: The Epos Now and Dojo situation highlights a wider risk with integrated payments: a merchant can be happy with both its EPOS and its payment provider, but still be affected if the commercial or technical relationship between the two changes. Integration compatibility should therefore be considered alongside payment rates and contract terms when choosing a setup.

What Happened Between Epos Now and Dojo?

Epos Now and Dojo previously supported businesses that wanted their EPOS system and Dojo card terminals to communicate directly.

In 2026, Dojo representatives publicly stated that Epos Now had decided to deactivate the integration. Businesses using the combination were subsequently faced with decisions about how they wanted to continue taking payments.

The exact position can vary according to the merchant's account, existing configuration and contractual arrangements. Businesses should therefore confirm the current position relating to their own account directly with both providers before cancelling or replacing anything.

This is particularly important where a merchant has separate:

• EPOS software terms;
• terminal or hardware agreements;
• payment-processing contracts;
• integration charges; or
• minimum contract periods.

Can You Still Use Dojo With Epos Now?

The key distinction is between taking payments and having those payments fully integrated with the EPOS system.

A standalone card terminal can operate separately from an EPOS system in many circumstances. The member of staff enters the transaction into the till and then manually enters the amount into the payment terminal.

That is different from an integrated setup where the EPOS automatically sends the amount to the card machine and the payment result is returned to the till.

If your Epos Now and Dojo integration has been affected, ask both providers to confirm in writing:

• whether your existing integration will continue to operate;
• whether Dojo can be used in standalone mode;
• whether additional charges apply;
• whether your current hardware remains usable;
• whether any functionality will be lost; and
• what notice or contract terms apply.

Why Does EPOS and Card Machine Integration Matter?

Integrated payments connect the card terminal with the software being used to record the sale.

Instead of a member of staff typing £74.50 into the EPOS and then separately typing £74.50 into the card machine, the till sends the amount automatically.

This can help businesses:

• reduce manual keying errors;
• speed up checkout;
• simplify end-of-day reconciliation;
• connect payments with orders and receipts;
• improve staff workflows;
• manage tipping and table-service processes; and
• create clearer reporting across locations.

Dojo currently promotes integrated payments across a large number of EPOS partners and describes automatic transaction synchronisation and reconciliation as key benefits of the model.

The wider issue is therefore not limited to Epos Now and Dojo. Businesses increasingly need to understand who controls the connection between their EPOS and payment provider, and what happens if that relationship changes.

Our guide to integrated payments solutions explains the different integration models and what businesses should check before choosing a payment setup.

Find Your New Processor

What Are Your Options if the Epos Now and Dojo Integration Has Ended?

There are four main routes to consider.

Option 1: Keep Epos Now and Change Payment Provider

If the Epos Now software works well for the business, changing the payment side may be the least disruptive route.

This can be particularly relevant where the EPOS system contains significant:

• product or menu data;
• stock information;
• customer records;
• employee permissions;
• hospitality configurations;
• accounting integrations; or
• multi-site reporting.

Before moving, establish which payment providers are currently supported by the specific Epos Now setup being used.

Potential options may include Epos Now's own payment proposition and other supported payment providers, depending on the merchant's account and requirements.

Do not choose purely on the basis of the headline transaction rate. Compare the total payment arrangement, including:

• transaction pricing;
• terminal fees;
• integration fees;
• minimum monthly charges;
• settlement;
• contract length;
• exit costs;
• support; and
• the functionality available through the integration.

Option 2: Keep Dojo and Change EPOS Provider

If the business is happy with Dojo, the alternative is to retain the payment relationship and find an EPOS system that supports the required Dojo integration.

Dojo currently states that it works with hundreds of EPOS providers, so businesses should assess which of those systems are appropriate for their sector and operational requirements rather than simply choosing the first compatible option.

This route may make sense where:

• the existing Dojo payment arrangement is commercially attractive;
• the merchant is happy with Dojo's terminals and service;
• the EPOS system was already due for review;
• the business wants greater future payment-provider flexibility; or
• another EPOS platform better fits the business operationally.

Changing EPOS can, however, be more involved than replacing card terminals.

The merchant may need to migrate menus, products, stock information, staff settings, reporting and integrations with systems such as accounting, booking, loyalty or ecommerce software.

Option 3: Run the Card Machine Separately

Some businesses may decide that they do not need integrated payments at all.

In a standalone setup, staff enter the sale into the EPOS and then enter the payment amount separately into the card machine.

That may be perfectly workable for a lower-volume environment.

However, the impact can be much greater for a busy:

• restaurant;
• bar or pub;
• café;
• retailer;
• leisure venue;
• multi-site operator; or
• other business processing a high number of face-to-face transactions.

Manual entry can increase the risk of:

• incorrect amounts being entered;
• sales and payment records not matching;
• slower customer service;
• more complicated cashing up; and
• additional staff administration.

Businesses should therefore calculate the operational cost of losing integration rather than treating standalone processing as automatically equivalent.

Option 4: Review Both EPOS and Payments

An integration change can also provide a reason to reconsider the whole setup.

If both the EPOS and payment contracts are approaching renewal, or the business has outgrown the existing configuration, it may be more sensible to assess the overall payment architecture rather than replace one component in isolation.

This is particularly relevant for:

• growing multi-location businesses;
• hotel and hospitality groups;
• businesses combining online and face-to-face payments;
• operators using booking systems;
• businesses requiring centralised reporting;
• companies with complex integrations; and
• software-led businesses embedding payments into their product.

For these businesses, the question may no longer be simply “Which card machine works with my till?”

It may be:

“Which payment architecture gives us the flexibility to change technology or provider later without rebuilding the whole operation?”

Should You Keep Epos Now or Keep Dojo?

There is no universal answer.

A useful way to make the decision is to identify which part of the current setup would be hardest or most expensive to replace.

MAS View: Do not assume the cheaper component is automatically the right one to replace. For a business processing significant card volume, payment pricing can have a much larger long-term financial impact than the monthly cost of the EPOS software.

Before Switching, Calculate the Real Cost

When an integration stops being available, there is a temptation to accept whichever replacement appears easiest.

Businesses should instead compare the total cost of each route.

For the payment side, review:

• current effective transaction rate;
• interchange and scheme fees where applicable;
• provider margin;
• terminal charges;
• authorisation or transaction fees;
• PCI or compliance charges;
• integration fees;
• settlement charges;
• minimum monthly fees; and
• exit fees.

For the EPOS side, consider:

• software subscription;
• hardware replacement;
• installation;
• data migration;
• staff training;
• third-party integrations;
• support costs; and
• potential operational disruption.

For businesses processing larger volumes, even a small difference in transaction pricing can outweigh an apparently cheaper EPOS migration.

Check Card Machine and EPOS Compatibility Before Moving

Do not assume that because a payment provider and EPOS platform can technically connect, the integration supports everything the business currently uses.

Check whether the proposed combination supports:

• Pay at Counter;
• Pay at Table;
• tipping;
• split bills;
• refunds;
• pre-authorisation where required;
• multiple terminals;
• multi-site reporting;
• offline or standalone operation;
• reconciliation; and
• any booking, stock or accounting integrations.

Before replacing either provider, read our guide to integrated card machines and EPOS compatibility.

Who Supports the Integration When Something Goes Wrong?

This is one of the most overlooked questions when businesses buy integrated-payment systems.

The merchant may have:

• one company supplying the EPOS;
• another providing the card terminals;
• another organisation acquiring the transactions; and
• software connecting the different components.

If something fails, businesses need to know who owns the problem.

Before signing a new agreement, ask:

• Who built the integration?
• Who supports it?
• Who is responsible if transactions stop passing between systems?
• Can the terminal continue taking payments independently?
• What happens if the EPOS provider and payment provider stop supporting each other?
• Who owns or controls the payment data?
• Can another payment provider be connected later?

Integration Flexibility Should Be Part of Provider Selection

The Epos Now and Dojo situation illustrates why integration should not be treated purely as a technical feature.

It can also create commercial dependency.

A tightly bundled system can be extremely convenient while everything works together. But if changing one component means replacing several others, the merchant may have less negotiating power when contracts or payment rates change.

This is particularly important for larger businesses.

A more flexible setup may involve:

EPOS → Integration Layer → Gateway / PSP → Acquirer

rather than one supplier controlling every part of the payment journey.

That does not automatically make the flexible structure better. A single-provider setup can be simpler to manage. The important thing is that merchants understand the trade-off between simplicity today and portability tomorrow.

What if You Need to Switch Card Machine Provider?

If keeping Epos Now means changing the payment provider, treat the move as a planned migration rather than simply replacing a terminal.

Consider:

• contract notice;
• terminal delivery;
• merchant account approval;
• EPOS configuration;
• integration testing;
• staff training;
• refund handling;
• settlement reconciliation; and
• the cutover date.

Our guide to switching card machine provider explains how to change without unnecessarily disrupting payments.

What if You Operate Multiple Locations?

The decision becomes more important where a merchant has multiple locations.

A single-site café changing one terminal is very different from a restaurant group replacing dozens of devices and updating EPOS configurations across an estate.

Multi-site operators should assess:

• centralised reporting;
• settlement by location;
• merchant IDs;
• hardware rollout;
• central configuration;
• support arrangements;
• site-by-site testing;
• staff training; and
• business continuity during migration.

Read our guide to merchant services for multi-location businesses.

What if Your Business Needs More Than a Card Machine Integration?

For larger businesses, software companies and platforms, this type of integration issue raises a broader question about payment architecture.

The merchant may need payments to connect with:

• EPOS;
• ERP software;
• CRM systems;
• booking platforms;
• ecommerce;
• subscriptions;
• mobile applications; or
• proprietary software.

At that point, simply finding another card terminal may not solve the wider requirement.

Businesses with more complex technology should consider whether they need a provider that supports payment API integration or a broader integrated-payment architecture.

MAS View: The more operational systems that depend on payments, the more important payment-provider portability becomes.

Find Your New Processor

Questions to Ask Before Choosing an Epos Now or Dojo Alternative

Before committing to another provider, ask:

• Is the payment integration fully integrated, semi-integrated or standalone?
• Does it support the functionality we actually use?
• Who owns and supports the integration?
• What happens if the EPOS/payment partnership ends?
• Can we change acquirer or payment provider later?
• Will we need new hardware?
• What happens to reporting and reconciliation?
• What are the total processing costs?
• How long is the payment contract?
• How long is the EPOS contract?
• Are there early termination charges?
• Can the terminals operate independently if the EPOS fails?
• How would a future migration work?

The Wider Lesson for Integrated Payments

The Epos Now and Dojo change is useful beyond the two providers involved.

Businesses increasingly rely on payment systems being connected to operational software.

That makes the relationship between providers important.

A merchant evaluating an integrated-payment system should therefore consider:

Compatibility → Ownership → Support → Commercial Terms → Portability → Continuity

not simply:

“Does this card machine connect to my till?”

A technically good integration can still create problems later if the business cannot easily move one component without changing the rest of its payment stack.

How Merchant Advice Service Can Help

Merchant Advice Service helps businesses compare payment providers based on their existing technology, transaction profile and operational requirements.

Where an EPOS/payment integration has changed, we can help businesses look at the wider options including:

• keeping the existing EPOS and changing payment provider;
• keeping the existing processor and changing EPOS;
• comparing integrated card-machine providers;
• reviewing processing costs;
• assessing contracts and migration requirements;
• multi-site payment setups; and
• more complex API or integrated-payment requirements.

Merchant Advice Service is free for merchants to use. Where a business proceeds with a provider introduced through MAS, we may receive a referral fee or commission from that provider.

Learn more about how Merchant Advice Service works.

Related Guidance

• Integrated Payments Solutions: EPOS, ERP and CRM
• Integrated Card Machines & EPOS Compatibility
• Switching Card Machine Provider
• Merchant Services for Multi-Location Businesses
• Payment API Integration
• Compare UK Payment Providers

Sources

• Dojo – Integrated Payments
• Dojo – UK Payments Platform
• Epos Now – Epos Now vs Dojo Comparison
• Epos Now Developers – Integration Overview

Editorial & Commercial Disclosure

This article is intended to explain the payment and EPOS considerations for businesses affected by changes to the Epos Now and Dojo integration. Provider integrations, product availability, pricing and contractual arrangements can change. Merchants should confirm the current position relating to their specific account directly with the relevant providers before making contractual or operational changes.

Merchant Advice Service is an independent payment consultancy and comparison service. We may receive a referral fee or commission where a merchant chooses to proceed with a provider we introduce. This does not determine which providers we discuss or recommend.

Read more about how Merchant Advice Service researches and compares payment providers and our research and data methodology.