Clover Payments: 5 Top Merchant Services Companies To Compare

• 4 comments
• Updated on: Jan 21, 2021
• Posted by: Shannon Vissers

Clover is everywhere these days. All the hip new stores seem to have this modular, Apple-esque point of sale system.  So what makes Clover such a powerhouse that everyone wants, anyway?

Clover has many benefits from a business owner’s standpoint, whether you’re a retailer or a restauranteur. The all-in-one Clover payment system is super easy to use and set up, and it looks sleek and modern on your countertop to boot. You can accept virtually any payment type, send email receipts, tie in a loyalty program, and customize your system for just about any industry using apps from the Clover Market. Clover gives you several different hardware options, including the Clover Station, Clover Mini, or Clover Flex. You can even take on-the-go payments on your mobile device with Clover Go.

Where can you get a Clover system? That’s where it gets a little tricky.

Learn More About Our Top Picks

Read more below to learn why we chose these options.

How Does Clover Merchant Services Work?

Numerous vendors sell Clover point of sale systems, but you want to choose your Clover reseller very carefully. Clover is almost always sold with a merchant services contract. That means the entity from which you buy your Clover hardware will also determine your Clover credit card processing rates and monthly service fees and provide system support should anything go wrong.

Another essential thing to know is that Clover POS is locked into First Data (now Fiserv) for payment processing. So any merchant services company that offers Clover has to use Fiserv as its back-end processor. That leads to a lot of confusion and different experiences. Below, I’ll walk you through the best options for purchasing a Clover POS and the accompanying Clover merchant account — and also let you know which companies to avoid at all costs.

The Best Clover Credit Card Processing Companies

Below are some of our favorite Clover resellers that offer fair rates, transparency, no long-term contracts, and the option to buy the hardware outright.

1. National Processing

National Processing	Visit Site Read our Review

Best for high-volume businesses.

National Processing is a great service for businesses that want low rates from a reliable company. Interchange-plus pricing combined with low-cost monthly plans means you’ll save money using your Clover with National Processing, particularly for Clover Go users and higher-volume businesses. If a problem should arise, you can rely on National Processing’s 24/7 domestic support, regardless of your account level.

As you can see on its pricing page, National Processing’s processing fees start at 0.15% + $0.07 over interchange for small to medium restaurants and can be as low as 0% + $0.05 over interchange for larger plans. All plans come with a free Clover Go, and high-volume businesses also get a free Clover Mini or Flex with a free terminal upgrade every two years. Even if you have a lower-volume business that only processes $10K/month, National Processing promises to beat the rates of any other Clover payment processor (and if it can’t, you’ll get a $500 Visa gift card). We are normally a bit wary of those promises, but we’ve seen that National Processing is the real deal.

As for monthly pricing, National Processing plans start at $10/month, which is charged on top of Clover’s monthly software fees, similar to Dharma. A business on this Clover plan (Register) might expect to pay $49.95/month to use Clover with National Processing. You’ll get lower transaction fees with National Processing than you would if you bought a plan straight from Clover, though (more on Clover’s plans and fees in a bit).

Get Started with National Processing

Read our in-depth review

Jump back to comparison chart

2. Payment Depot

Payment Depot	Visit Site Read our Review

Best for having the lowest Clover transactions fees for small and mid-sized businesses.

Payment Depot is one of the few reputable Clover/First Data resellers, combining honest sales practices and low processing fees. Payment Depot offers a transparent membership pricing structure, whereby a flat monthly fee covers just about everything — depending on your membership level, you pay only a small markup over interchange. There are no hidden fees, no ETF, and you can pay month-to-month or yearly. You also get next-day deposits, which is pretty much the only advantage Bank of America, another popular Clover reseller, has over some Clover vendors.

Perhaps most importantly, Payment Depot has the lowest transaction fees I’ve seen for low-volume businesses processing between $10K-$25K/month. I don’t think another Clover reseller offers 0% interchange-plus pricing for Clover to businesses this small.

For the equipment itself, you can expect to pay $1,499 for the Clover Station, $599 for Clover Mini, or $449 for Clover Flex. Payment Depot has a few different monthly pricing plans. With the Basic membership package, which has a monthly processing limit of $25K, you’ll pay a flat fee of $49/month, plus $0.15 + interchange on each transaction. On the next level of membership, which has a $75K/month processing limit, you’ll pay $79/month and just $0.10 over interchange. Not too shabby!

Get Started with Payment Depot

Read our in-depth review

Jump back to comparison chart

3. Dharma Merchant Services

Dharma Merchant Services	Visit Site Read our Review

 

Best ethical Clover reseller.

Dharma Merchant Services is among the finest and most ethical First Data/Clover resellers we know of. Dharma is very upfront about all its fees. It exclusively uses the interchange-plus pricing model (i.e., the best pricing model), charging excellent in-person processing rates of 0.15% + $0.07/transaction over interchange and even lower rates for higher-volume businesses processing upward of $100K/month. Dharma offers next-day deposits, month-to-month contracts, and no early termination fee. Dharma also has great customer service agents who do not work on commission, and the company even donates a percentage of its profits to charity every year.

As for service fees, Dharma offers several monthly service plans directly from Clover, including a limited “Payments Plus” plan ($4.95/month) for basic Clover Mini and Flex users who don’t need to track inventory or use very many third-party apps. More advanced Mini or Flex users, as well as Clover Station users, will pay for the Register Lite ($9.95/month) or Register plan ($29.95/month) through Dharma. Additionally, Dharma charges a $20/month membership fee for payment processing. This means, for example, that a Clover Station user will pay $49.95/month through Dharma.

Dharma charges $1,349 for the Clover Station hardware, $499 or $599 for Clover Mini (depending on whether you want the LTE-enabled model), and $499 for Clover Flex. You can also buy an LTE service plan for the Flex for an additional $15/month. Dharma provides a wealth of information about terms and fees for Clover POS systems on its website. Dharma does offer Clover leases, but it’s very clear about the terms, and you are under no obligation to lease your equipment if you don’t want to.

Get Started with Dharma Merchant Services

Read our in-depth review

Jump back to comparison chart

4. Clover.com

Clover POS	Visit Site Read our Review

Best for very low-volume businesses.

Ironically, Clover has not always been a recommended place to buy Clover equipment and the accompanying merchant services contract. However, it has made some pretty impressive strides at improving its product: 0% interest financing on hardware that you can buy outright, clear pricing disclosures, and flat-rate processing, to name a few. In light of this, I feel like Clover merits a mention, particularly for lower-volume businesses that want a powerful POS for a lower price since the previously mentioned vendors are better for higher-volume businesses.

Interchange-plus pricing is not offered for Clover payments, but it has a flat-rate pricing model that may appeal to lower-volume merchants looking for a payment processing system that compares to what Square offers. Clover’s plans and rates are below. Other merchant services providers commonly resell these Clover service plans, though pricing may differ:

• Register Lite (For Go, Flex, Or Mini Only): $9.95/month and 2.7% + $0.10 processing — best for very small businesses processing less than $50K/year
• Register: $39.95/month and 2.3% + $0.10 — best for most businesses processing more than $50K/year
• Table Service Restaurant: $69.95/month and 2.3% + $0.10 — best for full-service restaurants
• Counter Service Restaurant: $39.95/month and 2.5% + $0.10 — best for QSR

Adding additional devices to a Clover software plan will cost $9.95/month/device, regardless of the plan. Clover.com is also a good option if you can’t afford to buy a Clover Mini, Flex, or Station outright, but you don’t want to get stuck in a years-long lease. With Clover’s interest-free equipment financing, you can pay off your POS in just a few monthly payments.

Get Started with Clover POS

Read our in-depth review

Jump back to comparison chart

5. AND Processing

AND Processing	Visit Site

Best new, competitive, and membership-based fee payment processor.

AND Processing is a relative newcomer to the merchant services game — we haven’t yet formally reviewed it — but it seems to be taking cues from most of the right places. AND uses a membership pricing model, which moves some of your costs from interchange to a predictable monthly fee. This has advantages for higher-volume businesses in particular.

AND charges $1,399 for the Clover Station hardware, $599 for Clover Mini, and $499 for Clover Flex. Alternatively, you can buy them on a monthly plan for $50/month, $25/month, and $20/month, respectively. You can also lease the equipment through AND, but the usual cautions apply.

AND charges a monthly rate based on your transaction volume. The plans are as follows:

• Starter: Supports up to $10,000 in transactions a month and costs $19/month plus a $0.15 per transaction fee.
• Business: Supports up to $50,000 in transactions a month and costs $79/month plus a $0.07 per transaction fee.
• Premier: Supports up to $200,000 in transactions a month and costs $179/month plus a $0.05 per transaction fee.

Jump back to comparison chart

Dishonorable Mentions: The Worst Companies To Buy Clover POS & Register Products From

What makes some credit card terminal companies bad to buy from? It’s generally not the POS equipment or even the payment processing itself, but the terms of service and fees that come with your merchant services contract. Here are some common problems we see in subpar POS resellers, including many Clover vendors:

• Terrible merchant agreements (for example, multi-year service plans with early termination fees or ETFs)
• Hardware leases
• Poor customer service — though Fiserv/Clover handles technical support for all Clover products 
• Excessively high fees 
• Lack of transparency about terms and prices

Historically, Clover terminals were leased on three to four-year non-cancelable agreements that ended up costing as much as three times the value of the hardware. In addition to being more expensive, leases also keep you locked into processing with that company, even if you are not happy with their services. While most Clover resellers have moved away from this leasing model, there are still a lot of terrible companies out there that will try to pressure you into a lease. If you’re considering a lease, make sure you read our post on why you should never lease your credit card machine.

In any case, the following are some Clover resellers that are best to avoid. Not all of them are completely terrible, but there are better options available.

Leaders Merchant Services

Leaders Merchant Services is a classic Clover POS/First Data (Fiserv) reseller. Unfortunately, it’s known for deceptive advertising and sales tactics. You can expect a three-year contract with an ETF and lots of hidden fees with this company.

The only good thing about Leaders Merchant Services is that it caters to high-risk businesses, so it could be an option if you are in a high-risk industry and want to use Clover. Just make sure you have a crystal-clear understanding of your contract’s fees and terms before signing a merchant services agreement with this company.

Note that Leaders Merchant Services is owned by iPayment, which also owns another Clover reseller called Flagship Merchant Services. (Flagship is not great but not as bad as Leaders Merchant Services.)

First Data/Fiserv

You have the option to get your Clover with a traditional First Data/Fiserv merchant services account, but we wouldn’t recommend it. I know it’s a little confusing since all Clover resellers ultimately use a First Data/Fiserv merchant account for payment processing. But again, it all comes down to the terms of your merchant services contract — and First Data does not have the best.

Yes, First Data/Fiserv is a huge name in payment processing, and it’s always nice to buy your POS system from the same company that makes it; that way, there’s no middleman marking up the price.

However, while First Data may be a decent choice for large businesses, small businesses probably won’t find the best rates here. Rates vary from business to business, but First Data could set you up with any number of billing options, including tiered, interchange-plus, flat rate, or enhanced billback (you really don’t want that last one). First Data does not disclose any rates or pricing for Clover on its website.

If you decide to get your Clover directly through First Data, make sure you don’t agree to a lease. First Data leases are handled through its subsidiary, First Data Global Leasing, one of the industry’s worst equipment leasing companies. You’d be better off going through Clover.com directly because you will get clearly disclosed rates — and again, the option for 0% financing instead of a lease.

Bank Of America Merchant Services

Bank of America Merchant Services is a popular Clover reseller that partners with First Data/Fiserv to provide its merchant services. BofA has decent customer service and offers the considerable advantage of next-day deposits (though only if you have a BofA bank account). Its rates and terms are not the worst we’ve seen, but they are not particularly competitive, either; most businesses can find lower Clover processing fees elsewhere.

In recent years, BofA has at least moved to a flat-rate, month-to-month pricing model for Clover; it now discloses 2.7% flat-rate pricing for Clover card processing. While this is an okay rate for low-volume businesses, it’s not as even as low as you could get from Clover directly on the Register plan. BofA offers the same monthly software service plans as Clover, and there doesn’t seem to be an additional markup. While BofA charges a little less than Clover does for the Register Lite plan, again, if you’re on the fully-featured Register plan, you’ll save money by going directly through Clover.

BofA does give you the option of purchasing Clover equipment outright (though its rates seem a little inflated), and it also offers leases on Clover equipment through First Data’s aforementioned terrible leasing company.

BofA is a decent provider of merchant services for Clover and one of the largest Clover resellers. But unless the perk of next-day deposits outweighs the service costs and commitment, you may want to search elsewhere for your Clover POS system.

Sam’s Club Merchant Services

In addition to flat-screens and 24-packs of Pringles, Sam’s Club also sells Clover, using First Data’s merchant services. Indeed, it’s one of the larger Clover resellers out there. That may seem strange, and it kind of is. Aside from its brand name, Sam’s Club doesn’t provide any additional value to First Data’s merchant services offering. Its products and fees are the same as First Data’s, and you can’t get next-day deposits the way you can with BofA. While it might be a great store at which to buy toilet paper, it’s probably not the best place to get a merchant services contract.

Wells Fargo Merchant Services

Wells Fargo Merchant Services is another major Clover POS system reseller/First Data merchant account reseller, but it’s no better than Sam’s Club or BofA. In fact, it’s probably worse than both of those companies. Some things you can expect with WFMS include hefty processing fees, an early termination fee (if you break your four-year merchant services contract), and outrageously expensive terminal leases. Please never lease a POS system; it’s always better to scrounge up the thousand-some bucks to buy it outright, even if you need to borrow the money.

WFMS does not disclose its rates for Clover online or elsewhere.

Merchant One

Merchant One is yet another Clover reseller and a Registered ISO of Wells Fargo. There’s not a whole lot to say because it doesn’t disclose rates or fees on its website, but from what we can determine, it charges a lot of hidden fees and uses tiered pricing by default. Merchant One also pushes noncancelable Clover leases through First Data Global Leasing and requires a three-year contract with a monthly minimum. Merchant One has a friendly-seeming website, but when you get down to it, its terms for Clover are neither transparent nor fairly priced.

Choosing The Right POS Device For Your Clover Payments System

There are several different Clover systems to choose from. Depending on space and your type of business, you might decide to purchase one or multiple Clover devices, as they are all compatible with each other and can be used on the same account. Any good Clover provider should offer all of the following devices:

Clover Station

• 14″ swivel-neck POS screen with built-in magstripe swiper and EMV reader
• Includes cash drawer and receipt printer
• Option to buy a standard receipt printer or a receipt printer w/4.3″customer-facing display and NFC
• Camera and barcode scanner built-in
• Fingerprint employee login
• Compatible with an external barcode scanner, kitchen printer, scale, and other accessories
• Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity
• Accept swipe, chip, and tap (NFC) payments (NFC payments only with customer-facing NFC printer) 
• Connects to other Clover hardware (Flex or Mini)

Clover Station is a complete POS station and an impressive piece of machinery, as it can do just about anything you want it to.

The price to purchase a Clover Station can vary depending on the reseller, but it’s usually sold at $1,349 with the basic receipt printer or $1,399 with the customer-facing printer (and NFC).

Clover also recently added a new version of the Station called the “Station Pro,” which includes a customer-facing display and MSRPs at $1,649.

Clover Mini

• 7″ touch screen with swivel base
• Built-in card reader, receipt printer, camera, and barcode scanner
• Accept swipe, chip, tap, EBT, and debit payments
• Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and LTE connectivity (Optional LTE plan costs extra)*
• Cash drawer sold separately
• Compatible with an external barcode scanner, kitchen printer, scale, and other accessories
• Can run on battery unplugged

*LTE only on 2nd generation; 1st generation has 3G

Clover Mini is a lightweight, portable POS that is deceptively powerful. In effect, it can do everything the Clover Station can do but with a much smaller footprint (though the footprint automatically becomes a bit larger if you want to integrate it with a cash drawer, which most businesses would). Clover Mini can also be used with a Clover Station as a customer-facing screen and can accept PIN debit, EBT payments/SNAP benefits, and NFC payments. So in a sense, the Mini is even more robust than the Station because it can process any payment type without any additional equipment. However, it does not come with a cash drawer, so you’ll have to purchase that separately.

Clover Mini has a wide price range, generally from $499 to $749, depending on the seller. The lower-priced models might not be the latest generation with LTE/4G connectivity, so make sure you check first if that’s important to you. I’ve also seen the option to add a customer-facing Clover Mini to a Clover Station setup for just $350.

Clover Flex

• 5″ touchscreen display
• Accept swipe, chip, tap, EBT, and debit payments
• Works on Wi-Fi, LTE, and even offline*
• Embedded printer, barcode scanner, and camera
• Compatible with accessories such as a kitchen printer and label-maker
• Battery life can last the length of an entire business day

*LTE only on 2nd generation; 1st generation has 3G

Clover Flex is a modern handheld POS terminal that can be used on its own or in conjunction with a Clover Station or Mini. Designed to bridge the gap between POS and mobile POS, the Flex is not quite as robust as the Mini. However, it can still perform all the essential POS operations and is unmatched in flexibility. The Flex can accept any type of payment out of the box and be a useful tool for scanning inventory. Despite its small form factor, this handheld “smart terminal” is compatible with most of the apps in the Clover App Market.

The Clover Flex typically retails at $499 to $599.

Check out our unboxing video below for a better look at Clover’s newest POS device.

Clover Go

• Bluetooth-connected mobile POS device for iOS and Android
• Accept swipe, chip, and tap payments
• Syncs with your other Clover devices

Clover Go is a mobile credit card and contactless payment reader that you can use with your iPhone or Android smartphone. In both appearance and function, it’s similar to Square’s chip and tap reader.

The Clover Go reader can cost between $29 and $89, depending on where you buy it. Sometimes you can get it for free with a service contract. The Apple Store, which also sells Square, currently sells Clover Go for $39.95 (note: this version of Go cannot accept Samsung Pay) and advertises a flat-rate processing rate of 2.75% per transaction. You do still have to apply for an account through the Clover website, though.

Clover Payments FAQ: Common Questions For Businesses

 

Which Clover Credit Card Processing Option Is Best For Me?

Hundreds of different banks and merchant services providers sell Clover payment systems. But the institution you buy it from matters a lot; remember, you’re also buying an accompanying merchant services contract from that vendor. Be sure to read the fine print when purchasing Clover and the associated merchant account contract that comes with it.

Here are some final pieces of advice I have when it comes to buying Clover:

• Try to buy Clover from Payment Depot, National Processing, Dharma Merchant Services, AND Processing, or Clover.com if you can
• Very low-volume businesses processing less than $10K/month should consider buying from Clover directly
• As a standalone mobile processor, consider using Square or SwipeSimple instead of Clover Go
• Don’t lease your terminal
• Don’t buy your Clover on eBay
• Be advised that Clover hardware is almost always sold with a merchant services contract
• Be advised that you must use First Data/Fiserv for Clover payment processing (though your First Data merchant account can come from one of many resellers)

If you’re unsure about a Clover reseller, you can research merchant account providers in our merchant account reviews section or contact us for some personalized help in choosing a provider and Clover reseller. And finally, if you’re open to using a POS system other than Clover, you might want to take a look at some Clover alternatives that could work better for you.

In Summary: The Best Clover Credit Card Processing Companies

1. National Processing:
   • Free Clover Go with all accounts
   • Interchange-plus pricing
   • No long-term contract or ETF
   • Transparent rates and terms
   • Plans start at $10/month (+ Clover fees)
2. Payment Depot:
   • Sells Clover hardware outright
   • No long-term contract or ETF
   • Transparent rates and terms
   • 0% interchange-plus pricing
   • Next-day deposits
   • $49 monthly service fee
3. Dharma Merchant Services:
   • Sells Clover hardware outright
   • Interchange-plus pricing: 0.15% + $0.07 + interchange
   • No long-term contract or ETF
   • Transparent rates and terms
   • Plans starting at $20/month (+ Clover fees)
   • Next-day deposits
4. Clover POS:
   • Sells Clover equipment outright or with interest-free financing
   • Month-to-month billing
   • Flat-rate credit card processing
   • $39.95/month for Clover Station
5. AND Processing:
   • Sells Clover hardware outright or starting at $20/month
   • Membership pricing
   • High-volume rates
   • Next-day funding

Read Next

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Guides & Resources

Read More

Jan 5, 2021

How To Implement A Gift Card Program For Small Business: What You Need To Know & How To Get Started

Read More

Jan 13, 2020 10 Filed under: Point of Sale, Small Business

These 9 Cheapest Credit Card Processing Companies Will Save Your Small Business Money

Read More

Jan 5, 2021 14 Filed under: Credit Card Processing

Best Emergency Business Loan Options For Your Small Business

Read More

Dec 8, 2020 2 Filed under: Business Credit Cards, Business Loans, Merchant Cash Advance

What Is Shopify & How Does Shopify Work?

Read More

Dec 22, 2020 15 Filed under: eCommerce

Leave a comment

4 Comments

Responses are not provided or commissioned by the vendor or bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the vendor or bank advertiser. It is not the vendor or bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

Toby Wiik January 4, 2019 at 1:18 pm

Great article. Well written and informative. It was posted in April of 2017. We are looking at opening a store in the spring of 2019. Are you aware of anything in the landscape of these companies that has changed for better or worse?

This comment refers to an earlier version of this post and may be outdated.

Reply

Shannon Vissers January 10, 2019 at 2:56 pm

Thanks Toby! I don’t think anything much has changed. We still recommend buying Clover through Payment Depot, Dharma Merchant Services, or National Processing, as those First Data resellers have the best rates and terms. Definitely avoid leasing your Clover or buying from BofA, Sam’s Club, etc. I believe the chart at the end of the article with entry-level quotes for each vendor is updated automatically, so those rates should be current.

This comment refers to an earlier version of this post and may be outdated.

Reply
Jeanene C Valdes December 14, 2018 at 1:12 pm

Very Helpful and knowledgeable article , Thank you!
Recently reeling from researching/closing accounts with ipayments/Flagship
Merchant Services/Blackstone (did you hear about the complaints with fees for Public service RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS?! shady! ) I literally had to create a spreadsheet to keep up with who I was talking to and who they were representing, and who I needed to talk to about different fees. Seriously, there needs to be a class action suite on that company.
What a sham!
Anyway your article is helpful for me to know where to ask questions.
I’m currently looking at Stone Bridge processing Combined with Clover app to invoice and link through QuickBooks. I am being promised 1% + .10 per trx on credit cards. Clover is $30/month. If its all true would be waaaaay better than the mess above, and QuickBooks which is my current processor.

FYI-I DID comb through terms & conditions on information they resell, or “Share”. Stone Ridge and Clover both look pretty good on the “personally identifiable information” arena. Specifically they claimed (and I verified to the best of my ability in the terms) they will not share my, or my customers phone number, address, or e-mail address, which is a big deal for me.

I would appreciate any feedback on Stone Ridge Payments if available.

This comment refers to an earlier version of this post and may be outdated.

Reply

Jessica Dinsmore December 17, 2018 at 11:44 am

Hi Jeanene! So glad to hear you’re finding helpful info on our blog! We love hearing this kind of feedback from our readers! Unfortunately, we haven’t yet reviewed Stone Ridge Payments, so we can’t give an assessment one way or the other. If you have any other questions, please let us know and we will do our best to answer them. Good luck to you!

This comment refers to an earlier version of this post and may be outdated.

Reply