AirPOS
AirPOS (AirPOS Ltd) provides subscription-free, cloud-based POS and integrated payment processing software to independent retailers in the UK and Ireland, monetising through per-transaction fees and hardware sales rather than monthly subscriptions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersBelfast, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What AirPOS does
AirPOS (legal entity AirPOS Ltd) is a Belfast, Northern Ireland-based software company that provides subscription-free point-of-sale (POS) and integrated payment processing to independent retailers across the UK and Ireland. Founded around 2009 and registered as a private limited company in Northern Ireland (Company No. NI072757), the company serves hundreds of small and medium-sized retail businesses through a freemium, transaction-fee-based model that eliminates monthly subscriptions and contracts. Headcount sits in the 11–50 range and the company has been bootstrapped or self-funded since its last disclosed funding round in 2012 (cumulative external funding approximately $610K across three 2009–2012 rounds).
The core technology is a cloud-based POS platform with native apps for Windows, Android, and iPad, paired with a 24/7 online backoffice supporting remote management, customisable reporting, and multi-location filtering. The product surface bundles free inventory and stock control, customer accounts, loyalty programmes, and advanced reporting alongside the core payment terminal. The platform integrates with Xero for automated accounting and UK Making Tax Digital compliance, with Shopify for omnichannel e-commerce, and routes all card transactions through PayPal's payment architecture (with iZettle as a secondary rail) — AirPOS does not store cardholder data on its own servers. Card readers and hardware bundles are sold through a separate AirPOS Hardware e-commerce storefront.
AirPOS generates revenue primarily from payment transaction fees (1.4% + 14p per transaction for new merchants; discounted rates from 0.8% for existing businesses migrating from other providers), with secondary revenue from hardware sales. The go-to-market is product-led and self-serve: merchants sign up free with no credit card, download a POS app, optionally receive a free assisted setup, and only pay when they actually process card volume. Acquisition is driven by word-of-mouth and an extensive review footprint (96% recommendation rate, 4.76/5.0 across 86 reviews), with no disclosed channel partners, resellers, or outbound sales motion. The company reports support response times under three minutes and same-day resolution in 90% of cases.
AirPOS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AirPOS
- Legal name
- AirPOS Ltd
- Website
- https://airpointofsale.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- AirPOS (AirPOS Ltd) provides subscription-free, cloud-based POS and integrated payment processing software to independent retailers in the UK and Ireland, monetising through per-transaction fees and hardware sales rather than monthly subscriptions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
AirPOS industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Point of Sale Software
- SIC
- Wholesale-Computers & Peripheral Equipment & Software (5045), Retail-Computer & Computer Software Stores (5734)
- akta.pro primary industry
- POS Payment Software & Middleware (Terminal OS, Apps, Device Management) (FSAMADAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Mobile POS (mPOS) Devices & Handheld Terminals (HDACAKAB), Point-of-Sale (POS) & On-Property Commerce (THALACAI), POS Accessories & Spares (Cables, Stands, Cases, Replacement Parts) (HDACAKAL)
Keywords
Where AirPOS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Belfast
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
AirPOS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Payment Transaction Fees: Primary revenue stream from transaction fees charged per card payment. New businesses pay 1.4% + 14p per transaction. Existing businesses receive discounted rates from 0.8% per transaction. No subscription fees, no contracts, no monthly charges. Merchants only pay when they actually process card transactions.
- Hardware Sales: Sale of card readers and hardware bundles through airposhardware.com for businesses requiring physical POS equipment.
- POS Software (Free Tier): Free POS and stock control software provided to merchants. The software is free; revenue is generated through the associated payment processing when merchants use AirPOS Pay.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | New Business - 1.4% + 14p per transaction |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Existing Business - From 0.8% per transaction |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free POS Software |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
AirPOS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AirPOS provides cloud-based point-of-sale and integrated card payment software built specifically for independent retailers and small hospitality venues in the UK and Ireland. The platform is delivered through free POS apps for Windows, Android, and iPad that unify till operations, inventory, customer loyalty, reporting, e-commerce, and accounting integrations, with revenue generated primarily through transparent per-transaction payment fees and the sale of proprietary card-reader hardware.
Product overview
AirPOS offers a subscription-free point of sale and payment platform for independent UK and Ireland retailers, consisting of the core AirPOS Pay product combined with multiple integrated modules. The core AirPOS Pay product provides free POS software for Windows, Android, and iPad with fully integrated payment processing via card readers. This is complemented by free stock control, loyalty programs, customer accounts, integrated e-commerce via Shopify, automated accounting through Xero, and advanced reporting capabilities. The platform operates on a transaction-fee model where users pay only a small fee per card transaction with no monthly subscriptions, contracts, or hidden fees.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- AirPOS (Cloud POS and Payments Platform) Cloud-based point-of-sale and integrated card payment platform for independent retailers and small hospitality venues in the UK and Ireland. Combines till operations, inventory, customer loyalty, reporting, e-commerce, and accounting integrations via free Windows, Android, and iPad apps, with revenue earned through per-transaction payment fees.
- AirPOS Hardware (Card Readers) Proprietary and compatible card-reader hardware sold to AirPOS merchants to enable in-store card acceptance (chip-and-PIN and contactless) integrated with the AirPOS cloud POS platform.
Quantifiable outcome
- Support response time under 3 minutes with same-day resolution in 90% of cases
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use AirPOS
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
AirPOS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature7 records
AirPOS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- ShopifycoreShopify integration allows AirPOS merchants to sell online alongside their physical retail operations. Provides end-to-end solution for modern retailers combining in-store POS with e-commerce capabilities.
- XerocoreXero integration automates accounting by automatically syncing sales data. Supports Making Tax Digital compliance for UK merchants. Simplifies VAT return filing and reduces manual accounting tasks.
- PayPalcorePayPal's secure payment architecture processes all payments taken by AirPOS. AirPOS does not store credit card information on their servers. Integration provides secure payment processing for merchants.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
AirPOS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SumUp: SumUp provides mobile POS card readers and integrated software for SMBs across Europe, including the UK and Ireland. It competes head-to-head with AirPOS on transparent per-transaction pricing for independent retailers.
- Lightspeed Retail: Lightspeed provides cloud POS, payments, and e-commerce for retail and hospitality SMBs across multiple geographies. It overlaps directly with AirPOS on retail POS, multi-location inventory, and integrated payments.
- Clover (Fiserv): Clover is a POS and business management platform for SMBs, distributed via banks and acquirers in the UK and globally. It competes with AirPOS on integrated POS, payments, and app marketplace for independent merchants.
- EPOS Now: EPOS Now is a UK-headquartered POS and payments provider targeting SMB retailers and hospitality with bundled hardware and software. It is one of the closest direct competitors in the same UK geography and customer segment.
- Square (Block): Square offers an integrated POS and payments solution for SMBs including independent retailers, with a freemium software model and per-transaction pricing. It is the most direct global competitor to AirPOS's subscription-free POS plus payments proposition.
- Shopify POS: Shopify POS integrates in-store retail with Shopify's e-commerce platform, targeting independent and DTC retailers. It is both a key integration partner for AirPOS's online channel and a direct competitor for omnichannel SMB retail software.
- Zettle by PayPal: Zettle (formerly iZettle, owned by PayPal) provides mPOS hardware and integrated retail software for SMBs in Europe. It is both a payments partner to AirPOS and a direct competitor for the same UK/Ireland independent merchant segment.
Emerging players
- Stripe Terminal: Stripe Terminal provides developers and platforms with integrated POS hardware and processing for in-person payments. It is comparable to AirPOS in combining payments and POS for SMB merchants, though it primarily serves platform-led rather than independent retailer use cases.
Broad incumbents
- Worldpay: Worldpay is a major UK-based payment processor offering merchant acquiring, POS hardware, and integrated software solutions. It competes with AirPOS on payments processing for UK SMBs and could acquire or partner with players in this space.
- Toast: Toast is a large US-focused restaurant POS and payments platform that is expanding into retail and adjacent SMB verticals. It is comparable to AirPOS's emerging hospitality ambitions and represents a scaled incumbent moving into the same SMB software-plus-payments category.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
AirPOS social profiles
Digital presenceAirPOS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AirPOS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
AirPOS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
AirPOS M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about AirPOS
What does AirPOS do?
AirPOS provides cloud-based point-of-sale and integrated card payment software built specifically for independent retailers and small hospitality venues in the UK and Ireland. The platform is delivered through free POS apps for Windows, Android, and iPad that unify till operations, inventory, customer loyalty, reporting, e-commerce, and accounting integrations, with revenue generated primarily through transparent per-transaction payment fees and the sale of proprietary card-reader hardware.
Is AirPOS a public or private company?
AirPOS is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was AirPOS founded?
AirPOS was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is AirPOS based?
AirPOS is headquartered in Belfast, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does AirPOS make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Payment Transaction Fees are the primary driver. The others are hardware Sales and POS Software (Free Tier).
Who are AirPOS's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SumUp, Lightspeed Retail, Clover (Fiserv), EPOS Now, Square (Block), Shopify POS and Zettle by PayPal. Stripe Terminal is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Worldpay and Toast.
Does AirPOS have an API?
No public API is recorded for AirPOS.
What industry is AirPOS in?
AirPOS's product category is Point of Sale Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAMADAC, POS Payment Software & Middleware (Terminal OS, Apps, Device Management), with a secondary code of HDACAKAB, Mobile POS (mPOS) Devices & Handheld Terminals. Its SIC code is 5045.