Clover VS Square: Which POS System Is Best For Your Small Business?
Clover and Square both have innovative hardware, user-friendly interfaces, and affordability. The size of your business may determine which one is better for you.
Clover and Square are two industry heavy hitters in the world of point of sale. The two POS systems have a lot in common — innovative hardware, user-friendly interfaces, and affordable pricing plans. However, a few distinct differences may make one a better option for your small business than the other.
In this post, we’ve put Clover vs. Square head-to-head so that you can easily make the most informed decision for your business. Keep reading to find out whether Clover or Square is the best POS solution for you.
Clover | Square | |
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Ideal For |
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Pricing | $0-$94.85/month | $0-$60/month |
Standout Features |
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What’s Missing |
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Next Steps | Visit Site Read Review |
Visit Site Read Review |
Table of Contents
Clover VS Square At A Glance
Both Square and Clover are strong POS solutions, boasting numerous features, user-friendly interfaces, and sleek hardware options. But Clover has strong back-end features better suited for larger and growing businesses. Meanwhile, Square’s easy, affordable pricing model and ease of use make it a popular choice among smaller businesses.
Clover Overview
Pros
- Easy to set up & use
- Intuitive interface
- Numerous integrations
Cons
- Must use proprietary POS hardware
- Potential contracts and ETFs
Clover’s customizable and scalable POS software is ideal for businesses of any size. A strong set of features and numerous integrations provide everything you’d want in a POS system.
Square Overview
Pros
- Easy to set up & use
- Intuitive interface
- Free plan
Cons
- Occasional fund holds
- More advanced features available only with paid plans or add-ons
While Square can be used by businesses of all sizes, it is best for smaller businesses that want an easy-to-use POS solution with pricing that’s easy to understand.
What’s The Difference Between Clover & Square?
Clover and Square each hold their own in the POS industry, but there are a few distinct differences between the two. Square is one of the best free POS systems on the market, and users can upgrade their system with Square’s add-ons and paid plans. Clover’s plans feature robust feature sets while also giving you the freedom to choose your own merchant services provider.
Both Clover & Square Offer…
- Virtual terminals
- Inventory management
- Employee management
- Multichannel selling
- Marketing tools
Only Clover Offers…
- Built-in loyalty program
- The ability to choose your own merchant services provider
Only Square Offers…
- The ability to use third-party hardware solutions
- Free magstripe card reader
- Free online store
- Appointment add-on
- Payroll add-on
Clover VS Square Pricing
Clover | Square | |
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Monthly Fees | $0-$94.85/month | $0-$60/month |
Hardware Costs | $49-$1,799 | $0-$799 |
Payment Processing Costs | 2.3%-3.5% + $0.10 | 2.6%-3.5% + $0.10-$0.30 |
Early Termination Fees | Varies | None |
Additional Costs | Optional add-ons Merchant Application Fee: $150 Debit Card Setup Fee: $50 Additional Devices: $9.95+/month |
Optional add-ons |
Square offers pricing plans starting at $0/month up to $60/month if you opt for Square for Retail or Square for Restaurants. Additional paid add-ons include Square Appointments, Square Marketing, and Square Payroll. Clover also offers basic payment processing with no monthly software fees. Other plans range from $14.95/month to $94.85/month.
Which Is Cheaper, Clover Or Square?
The cheaper of the two is based on a number of factors, including your monthly subscription plan, optional add-ons, and the hardware you select. Fortunately, Clover and Square both offer numerous plans and hardware options suitable for almost any budget.
Square offers free POS software that also includes one free card reader, making it one of the best free POS options on the market. For more advanced features, you will have to upgrade to Square for Retail or Square for Restaurants, each priced at $60/month. Additional costs to consider are add-ons, such as Square Appointments, Square Marketing, Square Loyalty, and Square Payroll.
Clover has numerous pricing plans, starting with a basic free POS plan that is compatible with the Clover Mini, Clover Flex, and Clover Go. If you don’t want to purchase Clover hardware, you can subscribe to the Starter plan (with no hardware) for $14.95/month. Additional paid plans are available up to $94.85/month. You can purchase your hardware upfront, or you can sign up for a monthly leasing plan starting at $90/month for your hardware and software.
One other cost to consider before making your choice is payment processing fees. Clover’s payment processing fees start at 2.3% + $0.10 per transaction. Square’s payment processing fees start at 2.6% + $0.10 per transaction. Rates vary by plan, and discounts may be available for high-volume sellers.
Clover VS Square Features
Clover | Square | |
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Payment Processing | ||
Split Payments | ||
Loyalty Program | Add-on | |
Employee Management | ||
Inventory Management | ||
Stock Alerts | ||
Offline Mode | ||
Gift Cards | ||
Appointments | Add-on | |
Online Ordering | ||
Delivery | ||
Payroll | Add-on |
Clover and Square each boast a solid set of POS features. Both options support online ordering, tableside ordering, marketing tools, inventory management, employee management, multichannel selling, gift cards, eCommerce tools, and reporting. Note that the features you have access to for either Clover or Square are dependent on the plan you select.
Clover stands out for its built-in loyalty program, which is only available from Square as an add-on. Square’s additional add-ons include appointments and payroll, neither of which is offered directly by Clover.
Clover VS Square Reviews
Square’s customer reviews are overall positive, while it’s more of a mixed bag for Clover. Common complaints among both POS providers surround customer support and pricing issues.
Clover Common Complaints
- Confusing pricing structure
- Pricing increases
- Poor customer service
- No support for third-party software
Square Common Complaints
- Flat-rate processing fees can get expensive for larger businesses
- Occasional holds on funds
- No 24/7 phone support for users on the free plan
- More robust features only available on paid plans
Which Is Best For My Business Needs: Clover Or Square?
While Clover and Square are both strong contenders in the POS space, what works for one business may not be the right choice for yours. If you’re still undecided between Clover POS vs. Square, consider the following situations to determine which POS solution best fits the specific needs of your business.
Choose Clover If…
- You need strong inventory management and reporting
- You own a restaurant with complex menus and table mapping needs
- You have a large-scale or enterprise business
- You need a scalable solution for a business that’s growing quickly
Choose Square If…
- You need a payment processor and minimal inventory management
- You want a POS system with numerous add-ons and integrations
- You want a simple, easy-to-use, and scalable POS with affordable hardware
- You want an easy POS solution for multichannel selling
Clover VS Square Comparison: The Final Verdict
A solid set of features at competitive pricing make it easy to see why Clover is such a popular POS solution. While it is missing a few key features, numerous apps are available to fill in the gaps and help bolster your business. Clover does boast a bit more firepower than Square when it comes to the depth of some of its back-end features and is probably a slightly better option for large-scale or enterprise businesses.
Square’s all-in-one POS solution stands out for its simple built-in payment processing, large app store, sleek hardware, and affordable pricing. Square continues to grow and stay on top of POS trends, such as mobile ordering and eCommerce options. While Square certainly is suitable for businesses of all sizes, it’s an excellent choice for smaller businesses that want an easy-to-use solution for accepting payments and making sales through multiple channels.
Get hands-on with the software yourself with free plans and free trials to find the best POS software for your business.