Software Comparison
Paymentplus vs Phorest - Irish POS Software Compared
Choosing between Paymentplus and Phorest is one of the most common decisions Irish businesses face when evaluating pos software. This comparison breaks down everything an Irish SME needs to know, from Revenue integration and GDPR data residency to pricing and ease of use.
Last checked: 07 Sept 2026data estimated for at least one vendor - confirm with the vendorMethodology
Quick Verdict
Paymentplus wins for any Irish SME that needs a card acceptance solution across retail, hospitality, automotive, wholesale or professional services, because it bundles a physical EPOS terminal, an e-commerce payment gateway and a virtual terminal on a single Irish merchant account with next-day gross settlement and interchange-plus transaction pricing from cost plus 0.15 per cent.
Where Paymentplus and Phorest actually differ
- Paymentplus publishes a starting price; Phorest is quote-based, so budget a sales conversation to get a comparable figure.
Paymentplus vs Phorest - Feature Comparison
| Feature | Paymentplus | Phorest |
|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | No free trial available. | No free trial available. |
| Irish VAT Handling | PlusPOS sets VAT rates per product and reports VAT collected by rate; returns are still filed from your accounts package. | Irish VAT rates for both services and retail products are built into the platform. |
| Revenue and PAYE Integration | No Revenue integration and no PAYE Modernisation support. | No Revenue integration and no PAYE Modernisation support. |
| Settlement and Payments | Next-day gross settlement into the merchant's own business bank account. Full Irish merchant account included. | No published settlement or merchant account details. Payment processing handled via integrated partners. |
| Sector Fit | Broad: retail, hospitality, automotive, beauty, healthcare, professional services, agriculture and wholesale. | Salon-only: hair salons, barbershops, beauty salons and spas. Not suited to other business types. |
| Irish Support | Seven-day phone helpdesk with Irish office in Dublin. Monday to Saturday 8am to 8pm, Sunday 10am to 4pm. | Irish support team. Founded in Dublin in 2003. |
| GDPR Data Residency | EU data residency. Irish-registered company (Dublin) with Irish governing law. | EU data residency. |
Irish Compliance and Pricing Matrix
A side-by-side data comparison of pricing and Irish regulatory compliance for Paymentplus and Phorest. Values are derived from each vendor's published data and verified weekly.
| Requirement | Paymentplus | Phorest |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Starting price | From €15/month | Contact for pricing |
| Pricing model | Monthly flat rate (per month, plus transaction fees from cost + 0.15%) | Contact for pricing |
| EUR pricing guaranteed | ✓ | ✗ |
| Free trial | ✗ | ✗ |
| Irish Compliance | ||
| Revenue (ROS) integration | ✗ | ✗ |
| PAYE Modernisation | ✗ | ✗ |
| Irish bank feeds | ✓ | ✗ |
| Bank compatibility | None listed | None listed |
| SEPA direct debit | ✗ | ✗ |
| Irish IBAN support | ✓ | ✗ |
| VAT handling | ✓ | ✓ |
| EU data residency (GDPR) | EU only | EU only |
| Irish support | ✓ | ✓ |
| Revenue-approved | ✗ | ✗ |
| CBI regulated | ✗ | ✗ |
Pricing notes
Paymentplus: Published monthly software prices: PlusOnline and PlusVirtual from EUR 9.99 per month (payment gateway, pay by link, QR codes and phone payments); PlusPOS from EUR 15 per month including the card terminal. Card machines come in three packages: the Smart Android Terminal at EUR 0 monthly terminal cost for the first 12 months (EUR 20 per month after that), the Ingenico Move at EUR 1 per month for life, and a Tailored to You bespoke package. Transaction fees are quoted from cost plus 0.15% on both standard packages. Businesses above EUR 150,000 annual card turnover are priced bespoke after a free statement analysis. Apple Pay and Google Pay are included on all packages. T&Cs apply. Source: https://paymentplus.ie/pricing/ (fetched 2026-10-06). - Source
Phorest: Contact for pricing - Source
Irish Compliance Comparison
For Irish businesses, compliance with Revenue, GDPR, and local banking standards is non-negotiable. Here is how Paymentplus and Phorest compare on the requirements that matter most to Irish SMEs.
Revenue Integration
Neither Paymentplus nor Phorest offers native Revenue Online Service integration. Irish businesses in pos may not need this feature directly, but should ensure their accounting software handles Revenue compliance separately.
Irish Bank Feeds
Neither Paymentplus nor Phorest offers direct Irish bank feed integrations, which is expected for pos software. Your accounting platform should handle bank feeds separately.
GDPR Data Residency
Both Paymentplus and Phorest store data in EU data centres, providing strong GDPR compliance out of the box. Irish businesses can use either platform without worrying about cross-border data transfers to the US or other non-EU jurisdictions.
SEPA and IBAN Support
Neither Paymentplus nor Phorest offers native SEPA Direct Debit support. This is less relevant for pos tools, but if you need to process euro payments, ensure your accounting or invoicing software covers SEPA compliance.
VAT Handling
Both Paymentplus and Phorest handle Irish VAT, including standard VAT return preparation and submission. Irish businesses can manage their VAT obligations from either platform without needing a separate tool.
Pricing Comparison
All prices below are in euro. Pricing can change - we verify vendor pricing weekly, but always confirm on the vendor's website before purchasing.
Paymentplus
€15/mo
- Pricing model: Flat rate (per month, plus transaction fees from cost + 0.15%)
- Free trial: No
- EUR pricing guaranteed: Yes
Phorest
Contact for quote
- Pricing model: Contact for pricing
- Free trial: No
- EUR pricing guaranteed: No - may fluctuate with exchange rates
Phorest does not publish entry-level pricing - request a quote directly. Total cost of ownership depends on users, plan tier, add-ons and features, so always calculate the full annual cost for your team size before committing.
Who Should Choose Paymentplus
Paymentplus is the better fit if your business matches one or more of these profiles:
- ✓Growing businesses with 21-50 employees that need a platform which scales
- ✓Those who value: pluspos runs epos software on the card terminal itself, so no separate till hardware is needed
- ✓Those who value: cloud back office covers sales reporting, inventory, products, staff, table service and tipping, not just card takings
Who Should Choose Phorest
Phorest is the better fit if your business matches one or more of these profiles:
- ✓Those who prioritise user satisfaction - Phorest has a higher editorial rating (3.5/5)
- ✓Those who value: founded in dublin - genuine irish software company
- ✓Those who value: salon-specific appointment and client management
Our Verdict
Paymentplus wins for any Irish SME that needs a card acceptance solution across retail, hospitality, automotive, wholesale or professional services, because it bundles a physical EPOS terminal, an e-commerce payment gateway and a virtual terminal on a single Irish merchant account with next-day gross settlement and interchange-plus transaction pricing from cost plus 0.15 per cent. Phorest wins for Irish hair salons, barbershops, beauty salons and spas that need appointment booking, client management, marketing automation and loyalty alongside their till, because the platform is built specifically for salon workflows and includes Irish VAT rate handling for both services and retail products. Both handle Irish VAT at the till: Phorest has Irish VAT rates built in for services and retail products, and PlusPOS sets VAT per product and reports VAT collected by rate. The real split is workflow: Phorest is salon management software, Paymentplus is card acceptance with EPOS on the terminal.
Neither product offers native Revenue integration or PAYE Modernisation support, which is a shared limitation Irish owners should plan around with a separate accounts or payroll tool. Pricing transparency also divides them: Paymentplus publishes its prices, with the Smart Android Terminal package at EUR 0 a month for the first 12 months and EPOS software included (EUR 20 a month after), while Phorest does not publish any pricing and requires a direct sales conversation. For the vast majority of Irish SMEs outside the salon sector, Paymentplus is the more broadly applicable choice; within the salon and beauty sector, Phorest is the stronger domestic fit.
Ultimately, the best choice depends on your specific business needs, team size, and priorities. We recommend taking advantage of free trials from both vendors before making your final decision. If you are working with an Irish accountant or payroll bureau, ask which platform they prefer - their familiarity with the software can save you significant time and hassle during setup and ongoing support.
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