Top 6 Vape Shop POS Software in the UK 2026

Vape retailers in the UK work inside a landscape shaped by strict product rules, rapid shifts in customer preferences, and the pressure to keep every detail of stock and sales accurate. Many shop owners reach a point where traditional systems fall short, especially when handling regulated items or managing a wide mix of SKUs. A POS built for this sector can change how a store operates, but the market is crowded and not every system fits the demands of vape retail.

This article from ConnectPOS advises on six options of vape shop POS software worth considering for 2026, focusing on real needs inside vape stores rather than generic retail checklists.

Table of Contents

Highlights

UK vape shops face strict compliance, age checks, and complex inventory across flavors, nicotine levels, and devices, requiring specialized POS support.
A vape shop POS must track product details, manage stock across locations, and provide actionable sales and purchasing data.

Key Challenges Unique to Vape Shops in the UK

Vape shops operate under unique constraints, blending standard retail complexity with stringent product regulations (TPD/TRPR), making compliance and inventory management the primary hurdles.

Strict Regulatory Compliance (TPD and TRPR): The biggest challenge lies in meeting the requirements of the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations. These rules limit nicotine strength, restrict the capacity of vape tanks, and set maximum sizes for e-liquid bottles. In addition, every new product must be submitted for notification to the MHRA(Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) well in advance, resulting in a long lead time before it can be sold.
Age Verification and Illegal Sales Prevention: Selling to anyone under 18 is strictly illegal. Shops must enforce robust Challenge 25 policies and ensure their POS immediately flags age-restricted items. Non-compliance results in heavy fines and reputational damage.
Complex and Rapidly Changing Inventory: The industry is defined by rapid innovation in hardware (mods, pods) and a vast catalog of e-liquid flavors. Products have short life cycles and high SKU counts, requiring careful segregation of regulated products (liquids) from unregulated accessories (coils) for appropriate handling and compliance.
Marketing and Advertising Restrictions: Vape businesses face severe limitations on promoting nicotine products across major media (TV, radio, most social media). This makes customer acquisition difficult, forcing retailers to rely heavily on in-store education, expert staff recommendations, and compliant direct marketing efforts.
Public Perception and Local Licensing: Despite being recognized as a harm reduction tool by health bodies, vaping often faces negative public perception. This can complicate securing leases, obtaining necessary local council permissions, and dealing with community resistance near schools or public spaces.

What to Look for in a Vape Shop POS Software?

Selecting the right Point of Sale (POS) software for a vape shop requires it to function as a compliance tool first, and a transaction processor second, given the UK’s strict regulatory scrutiny.

The POS must include robust, configurable features for the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations (TRPR), such as integrated age verification prompts upon scanning age-restricted items, and the ability to set maximum thresholds for nicotine strength and liquid volumes to block non-compliant sales. Crucially, the system needs built-in reporting to document all compliance efforts for simplified MHRA audits.

Beyond compliance, the complex inventory necessitates specialized management and strong customer tools. The vape shop POS software needs advanced variant management to handle thousands of SKUs and accurately segregate regulated e-liquids from unregulated hardware. Due to advertising restrictions, the POS must integrate a strong Customer Relationship Management (CRM) module to capture preferences for personalized recommendations, driving retention.

Finally, look for true omnichannel functionality to support Click-and-Collect (BOPIS), ensuring a real-time, unified inventory view across the physical store and the website to prevent stock discrepancies.

Top 6 Vape Shop POS Software in the UK 2026

Choosing a POS system for a vape business in the UK calls for technical capabilities that match TRPR requirements, handle high SKU complexity, and support direct customer interaction. These six platforms stand out in the market, each bringing strengths that suit the demands of this specialised retail sector.

ConnectPOS

ConnectPOS is a cloud-based solution of vape shop POS software engineered for high-volume, multi-store retailers, making it highly suitable for vape businesses needing robust inventory control and scalability. It focuses heavily on deep, real-time integration with e-commerce platforms and provides specific tools to manage the complexity of e-liquid variants and compliance requirements.

►►► Optimal solution set for businesses: Multi store POS, Next-gen POS, Inventory Management Software (MSI), Self Service, Automation, Backorders

Highlight Features

Age Confirmation for Compliance: The system contains built-in tools that check customer identification automatically. This confirms every transaction complies with UK age-restriction laws. This process keeps your business safe from fines and risk.
Complete Stock Management: Control thousands of product types. You track items by flavor, nicotine level, coil type, and size. Real-time tracking across all locations prevents popular products going out of stock. Automated alerts signal when stock needs replenishing.
Unified Online and In-Store Sales: Connect your physical store with major eCommerce POS platforms sites like Shopify, Magento, and BigCommerce simply. Stock, prices, and customer data always stay the same everywhere. The system supports ordering online for pickup in the shop.
Management of All Your Locations: Collect all sales and inventory data from every shop into one clear view. You move stock between branches without difficulty. Get detailed retail information to guide decisions across your whole business.
Payment Flexibility: Take all usual UK payment types, including cash and debit/credit cards. The system integrates with payment gateways that understand the special requirements of this industry.
Customer Rewards Programs: Create a stable customer group by giving store credits, reward points, and custom sales based on buying habits. The system records preferences like flavor and nicotine strength.
Modern Shopping Experience: Start using self-service kiosks. These can include ID scanners for e-cigarette sales. This keeps customer wait times short and maintains rule conformity.

Pricing

Standard: 49$
Advanced (Most Popular): 79$ (Includes Loyalty, Partial Payments)
Premium: 99$ (Includes Multi-source Inventory, Click & Collect)

Lightspeed

Lightspeed Retail is a powerful, unified commerce platform known for its robust inventory management capabilities, making it a strong fit for vape shops dealing with large, diverse product catalogs across multiple locations. It strongly emphasizes compliance tools and customer relationship management.

Highlight Features

Built-in Compliance Tools: Provides integrated RACS (Restricted Age Commodities Scheme) compliance support to guide staff through the legal selling process quickly.
Inventory Variant Tracking: Allows effective tracking and management of variants like flavors, nicotine levels, and accessories (coils, batteries) to maintain accuracy and prevent shrink.
Lightspeed Insights: Customizable and flexible reports on inventory costing, demand forecasting (including suggested order quantities), and staff performance give retailers the insight they need to make informed purchasing decisions.
Built-in Loyalty Programs: Facilitates the collection of shopper data and purchase histories to create personalized promotions and reward programs, crucial for customer retention given advertising restrictions.

Pricing

Lightspeed provides tiered plans starting at $89 per month. The Basic plan covers inventory management and integrated payments, while hardware expenses are additional and vary by setup.

EPOS Now

EPOS Now is a flexible, cloud-based vape shop POS software widely used by small to mid-sized retailers in the UK. Its inventory tools are easy to handle, and its multi-channel functions support both in-store and online activity. For vape shops aiming for operational clarity and steady growth, it serves as a straightforward and dependable option.

Highlight Features

In-built Age Verification: Includes native age verification prompts to ensure compliance at the point of sale, minimizing the risk of illegal sales and fines.
Hassle-free Stock Control: Manages thousands of products easily, providing minimum stock alerts and automated purchase orders to integrate with suppliers and save time on administration.
Integrated E-commerce: Allows retailers to open an online store and synchronize sales and stock across both online and physical locations, facilitating multichannel selling and Click & Collect services.
Loyalty Integrations: Supports easy integration with third-party loyalty apps (like Loyalzoo) and CRM tools to drive repeat business and build marketing databases.

Pricing

Epos Now provides a Complete Solution bundle starting at $349 upfront, including a countertop terminal, card reader, cash drawer, software, and onboarding. A software-only plan is available at $39 per month or $449 upfront for a 12-month term.

Square for Retail

Square is recognized for its accessible hardware, simple pricing structure, and user-friendly interface, making it a popular choice for smaller or single-location vape businesses. While its compliance features are often managed through item setup, its core retail inventory and payment processing are highly reliable.

Highlight Features

Advanced Inventory Tools (Plus Plan): Includes features like automatic purchase orders, barcode label printing, and item bundling, which are essential for organizing and managing the high SKU count and component sales common in vape shops.
Real-Time Stock Sync: Stock counts automatically sync across all locations and the Square Online store, giving retailers immediate control over their inventory for online and in-store sales.
Customizable Checkout: Allows retailers to set up customized grids on the POS screen for fast access to high-selling items or flavor categories, speeding up the transaction process.
Built-in CRM: Automatically creates customer profiles to track spending habits, allowing staff to quickly access customer notes and preferences for personalized service.

Pricing

Square’s basic retail plan is free, including core features, e-commerce, and the POS app. A tiered plan is available at $89 per month for additional functionality.

Shopify POS

Shopify POS is vape shop POS software that is ideal for vape retailers who primarily sell online and need a tightly integrated POS solution for their physical storefronts. It excels in omnichannel synchronization but requires careful attention to compliance rules, as Shopify Payments prohibits transactions involving vaping products, necessitating third-party gateway integration.

Highlight Features

Smooth E-commerce Synchronization: The tightest integration between the POS and the Shopify online store, providing unmatched synchronization of product catalog and inventory data across all channels.
App Ecosystem for Compliance: While compliance features are not native, the extensive Shopify App Store provides tools (like Age Check apps) that can be integrated to meet legal requirements for age verification both online and in-store.
Accepts High-Risk Payments: Requires integration with a high-risk payment gateway (like PayKings or specific UK processors), which is necessary because Shopify Payments excludes vape products.
Mobile POS: Operates smoothly on mobile devices (iPad, iPhone), allowing staff to check stock, process returns, and make sales anywhere in the store.\

Pricing

Shopify’s basic plan, suitable for sole proprietors, starts at $89 per month and includes integrated payments. Using a third-party processor incurs a 2% fee, increasing processing costs.

Clover POS

Clover is known for its distinctive, proprietary hardware and focus on payments, providing a secure, all-in-one system suitable for smaller UK vape shops. This vape shop POS software supports age-restricted sales directly through item tagging, although custom regulatory limits may require App Market extensions.

Highlight Features

Age-Restricted Item Management: Allows merchants to flag items (under the ‘Tobacco’ category) as age-restricted in the item list. The POS prompts staff to confirm the customer’s age before proceeding with the sale.
ID Scanning Capability: Integration with accessories like the Clover Age Verification Scanner, which instantly reads government-issued IDs, significantly speeding up the Challenge 25 process while improving compliance.
Modular App Market: Users can extend functionality with apps from the Clover App Market to handle specialized needs, such as more complex inventory or loyalty programs specific to the vape industry.
Simple Setup: Known for its ease of use and quick setup, making it an accessible choice for new or smaller businesses who prioritize a plug-and-play solution.

Pricing

Clover provides payment plans for hardware and software. The basic retail plan starts at $60 per month for 36 months, with card processing fees of 2.6% plus 10 cents. It includes a touchscreen and a receipt printer.

Conclusion

The right vape shop POS software is the one that supports day-to-day operations without adding friction, keeps product data consistent, and gives teams the clarity they need to run a regulated business with confidence. The platforms covered in this guide represent different approaches, and each can be the right match depending on store size, product range, and workflow priorities.

If you are looking for a system built with the realities of vape retail in mind, ConnectPOS is ready to support your next move. Reach out to discover how it can align with your plans for growth in the UK market.

FAQs Vape shop pos software

Why do vape shops in the UK need a specialized vape shop POS software ?

Vape shops face regulatory challenges (TRPR), high SKU complexity (flavours, nicotine strengths), and age-restriction requirements. A specialized POS helps manage compliance, inventory, and customer data properly.

Do these POS systems support multi-store (branch) operations?

Several do: for example, ConnectPOS and Lightspeed allow centralized back-office management, stock transfers between stores, and consolidated reporting.

How do these POS systems support online & in-store sales (omnichannel)?

Systems like ConnectPOS, Lightspeed, and Shopify POS have real-time syncing between your physical store and your e-commerce shop. This helps with Click-and-Collect, live inventory counts, and unified customer data.

►►► Optimal solution set for businesses: Shopify POS, Magento POS, BigCommerce POS, WooCommerce POS, NetSuite POS, E-Commerce POS