First Essential
Memberships, donations and payments for community and culture across the UK
Memberships, donations and payments for community groups in one tidy place, built and looked after here in the UK, with real people on the phone when you need a hand.
Less time on the spreadsheet, more time with your people
Galleries, museums, community centres, clubs and membership bodies all run on the same thing, the goodwill of people who keep turning up. We put your memberships, donations and payments in one place, looked after here in the UK, so the admin never gets in the way of that.
What is an EPOS and a card machine for a community organisation?
If you run a gallery, museum, community centre or club, a couple of plain definitions make the rest of this page easier to weigh up.
EPOS (Electronic Point of Sale)
An EPOS, sometimes called an electronic point of sale or till system, is the screen and software that records what you take at the door, in the shop or at the cafe. For a community venue it ties memberships, ticket sales, shop and refreshments together, and shows you what came in and from where.
Card machine (card reader)
A card machine, also called a card reader, is the device that takes a payment by tap, chip and pin, or phone wallet. It lets a visitor join, give a donation or buy a ticket in seconds. With us the card reader is free when you take an EPOS, and rates start from 0.3% (rates vary by card type and business, confirmed at setup).
Memberships and donations
Memberships are the recurring joins and renewals that keep your organisation funded year to year. Donations are the one-off and regular gifts on top. We keep both in one place, so a renewal that lapses or a gift that needs a thank you never quietly slips past you.
Self-service kiosks and member portals
A self-service kiosk is a screen visitors use themselves to buy a ticket or find their way around. A member portal is the part of your website where people join, renew and book. Both take routine admin off your team so they can give the warm welcome.
Payments for community groups, and everything that keeps people coming back
Solutions that work together, so your members, events and donations live in one tidy place, with one UK team behind all of it.
First Essential One
Memberships, email and a simple CRM, so renewals run themselves and every member feels remembered.
Learn moreCard payments
Take memberships and donations in person or online, with a tap that makes giving feel effortless.
Learn moreEPOS and till
One till for tickets, shop and refreshments, so every penny that comes in is recorded in one place.
Learn moreSelf-service kiosks
Ticketing and info points that welcome visitors at the door and free your team for the warm welcome.
Learn moreApp and web
Websites and member portals where people join, book and stay close to what your community is doing.
Learn moreAI for your front desk
An AI helper that answers the routine questions about opening times, joining and events, so your team need not.
Learn moreEvery member in one place, joins and renewals made simple
Joins, renewals, gifts and messages all sit in one view, so renewals run themselves and nobody slips through the gaps. Keeping your whole community in the loop stops being a job in itself.
Donations and card payments that feel effortless
Take memberships and donations in person or online with a single tap on the card machine, so giving feels easy and every gift is recorded for you. Card rates start from 0.3% (rates vary by card type and business, confirmed at setup), and the card reader itself is free when you take an EPOS.
Ticketing and info points without the queue
Self-service kiosks meet visitors at the door and handle tickets and information, so events run without a queue and your team is free for the warm welcome. Websites and member portals keep everyone close to what your community is up to.
Whichever kind of community organisation you run
The same memberships, donations and payments flow works across the sector. Here is where each part tends to earn its keep.
Galleries and museums
Ticketing kiosks at the door, a membership scheme that renews itself, and a shop and cafe on one EPOS, so visitor income and member income sit together.
Community centres
Room and event bookings, a simple member list, and easy card payments for hires and classes, all looked after by one UK team.
Clubs and societies
Subscriptions chased automatically, one place for the whole membership, and a tap-to-give option for fundraisers and match days.
Membership bodies
Joins and renewals handled for you, member comms in the same flow, and a portal where people manage their own membership online.
Charities and good causes
Donations by tap, online or at an event, every gift recorded automatically, and a clear picture of who gives and how often.
Venues and events
Self-service kiosks for tickets and information, card machines that move the queue along, and a website that sells the next event.
What it costs, and what we will not hide
Plenty of providers in this space keep the real numbers off the page, then add a monthly fee and a long lock-in once you have signed. Here is how we are different, in plain terms.
| What matters | First Essential | Some providers |
|---|---|---|
| Card machine cost | Free card reader when you take an EPOS | Hardware fee or rental, sometimes buried in the small print |
| Card payment rates | From 0.3% (rates vary by card type and business, confirmed at setup) | Headline rate that climbs once non-standard cards are added |
| Platform trial | 14-day free trial of First Essential One, no card up front for the trial | Pay first, find out later if it suits you |
| Contract and lock-in | No long tie-in pushed on you. We confirm the terms with you before you commit | 24 to 36 month contracts that are hard to leave |
| Support | Real UK people, 7 days, included in the service | Offshore queues or support charged as an extra |
| What you get | EPOS, card payments, kiosks, AI and web on one connected stack | One product, then a separate bill for everything else |
Why no exact monthly price on this page? Because the honest answer is it depends on your venue, your card mix and which parts you take. We would rather show you a real figure on a short call than print a number that quietly changes later. Ask for a clear quote
One UK partner for the whole organisation
Most providers sell you a card reader, or a membership tool, or a website, and then leave you to stitch them together. We do all of it, and one UK team supports the lot. That means fewer logins, one place your data lives, and one number to call when something needs sorting.
It all joins up
Your EPOS, card machine, kiosks, member portal and website talk to each other, so a join at the door and a gift online land in the same place.
Your data, looked after
Member and donor records are handled with care and GDPR in mind. We set up and support everything here in the UK.
One number to call
When you need a hand you reach real UK people, 7 days, who know your setup, rather than a different supplier for each tool.
See the full picture across industries we serve, or read more about First Essential.
Community and culture, questions answered
What is the best EPOS and card machine for a community or cultural organisation in the UK?
What does it cost, and is the card machine really free?
Is there a long contract or lock-in?
Can people donate online and in person with a single tap?
How do you handle our member and donor data, and is it GDPR compliant?
Can I switch from my current till or membership system, and how long does setup take?
Do you support galleries, museums, community centres, clubs and charities?
Let us take the admin off your hands.
Book a free, no-obligation demo and see how much easier running your community can be. Real UK people, no pressure, and a clear quote before you decide anything.
Book a community demoTalk to a UK expert