Quick answer: Odoo splits receipt printers into three groups, and which group you buy into decides your cost for years. Only network ePOS printers talk to Odoo directly — everything else, including all standard ESC/POS printers, requires an IoT system. And one hard limit before you shop: Odoo's documentation states plainly that “Bluetooth printers are not compatible with Odoo”.
If you already run Odoo POS on a Windows machine, the cheapest sound route is a standard ESC/POS printer such as the NBTP-8080 plus Odoo's Windows virtual IoT, which carries no IoT subscription. On a tablet-only setup the arithmetic changes — see the comparison below.
The three groups, and why it matters which one you are in
This is the part most printer listings never explain, and it is the whole decision:
| Group | Protocol | Connection | IoT system needed? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Network ePOS printers | ePOS | Wi-Fi or Ethernet | No — talks to Odoo directly |
| ePOS printers over USB | ePOS | USB | Yes |
| ESC/POS printers | ESC/POS | USB or network | Yes |
| Bluetooth printers | — | — | Not compatible at all |
ePOS is Epson's own protocol. A printer speaking it can be driven straight from Odoo over the network, which is why Odoo's documentation strongly recommends the Epson TM-m30 series and notes those models are fully tested with Odoo Point of Sale. If you buy one, the printer needs to be capable of operating in HTTP mode.
Every other thermal receipt printer on the market — ours included — speaks ESC/POS. That is the universal command set, supported by essentially every POS system in existence. On Odoo specifically, it means the printer connects through an IoT system rather than directly.
We would rather be plain about that than let you discover it after delivery. It is not a defect in either the printer or in Odoo; it is an architectural choice Odoo made, and it applies equally to every non-Epson printer you might consider.
What the three routes actually cost
Here is the comparison nobody selling you a printer will lay out, because two of the three columns are not in their interest.
| A. Epson network ePOS | B. ESC/POS + Windows virtual IoT | C. ESC/POS + IoT Box | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Printer cost | Highest | Lowest | Lowest |
| Extra hardware | None | None (uses your Windows PC) | IoT Box unit |
| Ongoing subscription | None | None — the Windows virtual IoT carries no IoT subscription | Monthly per box |
| Requires | Nothing extra | Odoo POS running on a Windows machine | Any setup, including tablets |
| Best for | Tablet-only tills wanting the simplest possible setup | Windows tills — usually the best value | Tablet tills, or several devices to connect |
Route B is the one that gets overlooked. If your Odoo POS already runs on a Windows PC — which is common in retail — you can use Odoo's Windows virtual IoT rather than buying a physical box, and it does not carry the IoT subscription that a physical box does. That combination gives you a standard ESC/POS printer at a fraction of an Epson's price with no recurring cost.
Route C still makes sense in two situations, and they are not unusual:
- Your till is a tablet. There is no Windows machine to host the virtual IoT.
- You are connecting several devices. One IoT system handles multiple peripherals on the same network — receipt printer, label printer, scale, customer display, payment terminal. Spread across four devices, the box stops looking expensive.
Odoo also supports running the IoT image on a Raspberry Pi. That is a real option used by cost-conscious implementers, but treat it as a technical project rather than a purchase — you are taking on the setup and the support yourself.
Pricing for IoT Box hardware and subscription varies by region and changes over time. Check Odoo's current pricing directly rather than trusting any figure quoted on a supplier's blog, including ours.
Do not buy a Bluetooth printer for Odoo
It deserves its own heading because it is unambiguous and because Bluetooth is a headline feature on a lot of cheap thermal printers:
“Bluetooth printers are not compatible with Odoo.”
Several of our own printers offer Bluetooth as an interface option. For an Odoo installation, do not specify it — you would be paying for an interface that cannot be used. Specify USB or LAN instead. If a supplier offers you a Bluetooth model for an Odoo till, they have not read Odoo's documentation.
The two things that break network printing
Both apply whether the printer reaches Odoo directly or through an IoT system.
1. The IP address changed. Odoo's documentation calls this out for ePOS printers using Local Network Access: the printer must have a static IP address, otherwise it may become unreachable, and the static address should be configured through the router.
The symptom is always the same and always sounds mysterious: printing worked for weeks, then stopped overnight with nothing changed. A router reboot or power cut handed the printer a different address. Fix it at installation — DHCP reservation in the router, or a static address outside the DHCP pool. Five minutes, once.
2. The browser will not talk to the printer. Odoo POS runs in a browser over HTTPS, and a browser blocks requests from a secure page to an insecure device. This is why Odoo documents generating a self-signed certificate for ePOS printers. If you are on that route, follow their current instructions — skipping this step produces a printer that is on the network, reachable by ping, and silent in Odoo.
80mm or 58mm?
80mm at 203dpi gives 48 characters per line — enough for item name, quantity and price in readable columns, and the right default for a shop or restaurant counter.
58mm gives 32 characters. Fine for a queue ticket or a short docket, cramped for an itemised receipt. It wins on footprint and paper cost, which suits a stall, a kiosk or a delivery counter.
NETBYE models for Odoo
All of these are ESC/POS, so all connect through an IoT system. Specify USB or LAN, never Bluetooth.
| Model | Paper | Speed | Cutter | Interfaces to specify | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NBTP-8080 | 80mm | 160mm/s | Auto | USB / USB+LAN | Standard counter — the default |
| NBTP-8050 | 80mm | 200mm/s | Auto | USB / Serial / Ethernet | Busier checkout |
| NBTP-8020 | 80mm | 180–200mm/s | Auto | USB / USB+LAN | Standard counter, budget |
| NBTP-5880 | 58mm | 90mm/s | Manual | USB / Serial / Ethernet | Queue tickets, short dockets |
203dpi direct thermal, 576 dots per line on the 80mm models (72mm print width) and 384 on the 58mm (48mm print width). Browse the full range of thermal receipt printers, or narrow to 80mm.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an IoT Box to use a receipt printer with Odoo?
For any ESC/POS printer, yes — an IoT system is required. The exception is a network printer speaking Epson's ePOS protocol, which Odoo drives directly. If your POS runs on Windows, the virtual IoT is the low-cost way to satisfy the requirement.
Can I use a cheap Bluetooth thermal printer?
No. Odoo's documentation states Bluetooth printers are not compatible. Specify USB or LAN.
Why does Odoo recommend Epson specifically?
Because ePOS is Epson's protocol and those models have been tested against Odoo POS. It is a reasonable recommendation, not a restriction — ESC/POS printers work, they just take the IoT route.
Printing worked for weeks and suddenly stopped.
Almost always the printer's IP address changed after a router reboot or power cut. Set a DHCP reservation or a static IP.
The printer is on the network but Odoo cannot print to it.
If you are on the direct ePOS route, this is usually the certificate step — a browser on HTTPS will not talk to an insecure device. Follow Odoo's instructions for generating a self-signed certificate.
Can one IoT system serve more than one device?
Yes. It manages multiple peripherals on the same network — printers, scales, customer displays, payment terminals — which is what makes the cost reasonable when you are equipping a whole counter rather than buying one printer.
Does the cash drawer connect to the IoT Box?
The drawer is normally fired by the receipt printer over RJ11. See our Odoo cash drawer guide.
A note on this guide. The printer side above — ESC/POS versus ePOS, interfaces, print widths, IP addressing, why a browser refuses an insecure device — is what we know from the products we supply. The Odoo-specific rules, including the three printer categories and the Bluetooth incompatibility, are drawn from Odoo's published Point of Sale documentation and quoted rather than paraphrased. Odoo changes between major versions and pricing varies by region, so confirm current details and costs with Odoo directly. If something here did not match your installation, tell us and we will correct this page. We would rather publish something accurate than something impressive.
Get pricing
NETBYE supplies distributors, system integrators and retailers worldwide. Our printers are built by our partner factories in Shenzhen and sold under our own model range — we handle specification, quality control and support, so you deal with one supplier rather than several factories. Direct wholesale pricing, low MOQ on first orders, and OEM/ODM covering branding, packaging and firmware defaults — including units shipped with a static IP already configured for your network plan.
Tell us which models, what quantity, which country and whether your till runs on Windows or a tablet, and you will get an accurate quote in one reply — including an honest answer about which of the three routes above will actually cost you least over three years. Request a quote.
Related guides
These guides form a set. If you are specifying a complete till, the other hardware for Odoo POS is covered here:
- Barcode scanner for Odoo POS
- Cash drawer for Odoo POS
- Label printer for Odoo POS
- POS terminal for Odoo POS
And if you are comparing across POS software, the same hardware for other systems: