uniCenta
Restaurant POS systems
Retail POS systems
POS software
Hospitality software
Restaurant software
- Features
- Ease of use
- Ease of management
- Quality of support
- Affordability
- Market presence
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£6 per month
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Free version
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What is uniCenta
uniCenta is a point-of-sale (POS) application used to run checkout, manage products, and track sales for small retail and hospitality operations. It is typically deployed as a self-hosted system on local hardware, with options for single-terminal or multi-terminal setups depending on edition and configuration. The product is commonly used by organizations that want local control over data and do not require a tightly bundled payment-processing ecosystem. It is available in open-source and commercially supported variants, which affects features, updates, and support options.
Self-hosted local deployment
uniCenta can be installed and operated on on-premises computers rather than requiring a cloud subscription model. This suits businesses that prefer local data storage and offline-first operation for basic sales workflows. It also allows operators to choose their own hardware and operating environment within the product’s supported requirements. For some buyers, this reduces dependency on a single integrated payments-and-hardware vendor.
Configurable catalog and pricing
The system supports product/item setup, categories, pricing, and tax configuration suitable for both retail and food service menus. It can be adapted to different store layouts and workflows through configuration rather than a fixed template. This flexibility can help small operators with mixed offerings (e.g., café plus retail items). It is generally oriented toward straightforward POS needs rather than enterprise merchandising.
Open-source availability option
An open-source edition is available, which can be evaluated without a traditional vendor procurement process. This can be useful for technical teams that want to inspect, customize, or integrate the POS with other systems. It also provides an alternative to platforms that lock key functionality behind proprietary app stores or payment contracts. Commercial editions and services can be added when formal support is required.
Limited built-in cloud services
Compared with POS platforms that include native cloud dashboards, multi-location management, and centralized device administration, uniCenta typically requires more self-management. Remote access, backups, and cross-site reporting often depend on the customer’s own infrastructure and processes. This can increase IT overhead for operators without technical staff. It may be less suitable for rapidly scaling multi-site chains.
Payments and integrations vary
Payment processing support and third-party integrations are not as standardized as in ecosystems that bundle payments, online ordering, and loyalty. Depending on region and edition, connecting to card-present payments, delivery marketplaces, or accounting tools may require additional configuration or custom work. Buyers should validate supported payment terminals and gateways for their country before committing. Integration depth can be uneven across use cases.
Support depends on edition
Support expectations differ between the community/open-source path and paid offerings. Community support can be slower and less predictable than vendor-backed SLAs common in subscription POS products. Documentation and upgrade paths may require more hands-on effort, especially for customized deployments. Organizations needing guaranteed uptime support should confirm commercial support terms.
Plan & Pricing
| Plan | Price | Key features & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Base | £6 per month (charged yearly, £72/year) | Downloads; Source code; Update notifications; Web Reporting; Remote Order Display; Standard forum support; User guides; Rate discount 10%; Developer guides; Access to Betas; Developer support; API access; (Email support: Custom plan only). Source: uniCenta "Apply" page. |
| Plus | £12 per month (charged yearly, £144/year) | Everything in Base plus Priority forum support; Rate discount 15%; Limited developer support; Unlimited API access; Access to Betas; Email support: Custom plan only. Source: uniCenta "Apply" page. |
| Hosted | £15 per month (charged yearly, £180/year) | Everything in Plus plus Hosted/cloud service (no setup); Runs on iPad/Android/most browsers; Custom URL with HTTPS; Daily backups; Email support; Built-in web firewall; Automatic upgrades; Latest security features; API access as standard; Runs with other uniCenta installs. Source: uniCenta "Apply" page. |
Note: uniCenta oPOS itself is free and open source under the GNU GPLv3; subscriptions are paid contributions that provide updates, support, hosted service and additional member benefits (see uniCenta "Subscription Levels" page).
