Clover was founded in 2012, and almost immediately, the company was acquired by First Data Corp. Clover initially specialized in mobile payments, but after being acquired, the company started offering POS systems for small businesses. In 2019, Clover was acquired again – this time, by Fiserv, one of the largest payment providers in the world. That means that when you sign up with Clover, you’ll have Fiserv as your payment processor.

Clover specializes in working with service providers, restaurants and retail locations. For instance, the company offers many of the features restaurant owners need, like online ordering and contactless payments.

Clover provides all of the basic hardware you need for your daily business operations, as well as functional and intuitive software. Best of all, you can mix and match both the hardware and the software, so you can create a system that’s customized specifically for your business.

Key takeaway:Some benefits of Clover include the comprehensive software, high-quality  hardware, customization options, quick and easy setup, and reasonable pricing.

Clover Pricing and Terms

Clover charges a monthly subscription fee, hardware costs and payment processing fees. Let’s look at what you can expect to pay overall.

POS Software

Here are the two main software subscription plans Clover offers:

• Register Lite Plan: If you do less than $50,000 per year in credit card transactions, the Register Lite Plan is probably ideal for you. The service is free for the first 30 days, and then it costs $9.95 per month. The payment processing fees are 2.7%, plus 10 cents per transaction for in-person transactions, and 3.5%, plus 10 cents per transaction for keyed-in transactions.
• Register Plan: If you process more than $50,000 annually in credit card transactions, the more robust Register Plan is probably a better fit. This plan has a monthly subscription fee of $39.95. The payment processing fees are 2.3%, plus 10 cents per transaction for in-person transactions, and 3.5% plus 10 cents per transaction for keyed-in transactions.

POS Hardware

One of the advantages of choosing Clover is the wide variety of hardware. Here are the options:

• Clover Go: The Clover Go is a lightweight card reader that allows you to accept payments from anywhere. This is an advantage for retail businesses and restaurants, where staff may need to assist customers and take payments from various locations throughout the store. Clover Go shows all open, pending and completed transactions, and you can view additional items that are relevant to your business, like discounts or tips. The technology is encrypted, so your business’s data and customer information remain safe. You can purchase the Clover Go on its own for $69 or in addition to one of the other Clover systems.
• Clover Flex: The Clover Flex is also a handheld device that allows you to accept payments from anywhere in the store. In addition to using the Clover Flex to track your sales, you can process customer refunds and manage inventory. Clover Flex has a one-time fee of $499, or you can purchase it as an add-on to the Clover Station.
• Clover Mini: With the Clover Mini, you’ll have the capabilities of a full POS system in a small device that can fit nearly anywhere. You can use the Clover Mini to run payroll and manage your staff and inventory. You can purchase the device for $749 or three monthly payments of $250.
• Clover Station: The Clover Station is the best option for any business that needs a way to accept payments, run reports, offer customer loyalty options and schedule staff.

You can purchase the Clover Station for $1,399 or upgrade to the Station Pro for a one-time fee of $1,649. The Station Pro comes with additional capabilities, like the ability to offer contactless payments and accept tips from guests.

Did You Know:Clover offers a wide range of pricing plans with one-time fees ranging from $69 to $1,649, plus payment processing fees that depend on the pricing tier you select.

Features

Here are the features you can take advantage of when you sign up for Clover POS:

Point of Sale

Clover provides the hardware and software you need to take orders and accept payments from customers. The software is cloud-based, so you can access your data from anywhere. Clover also offers accessories such as barcode scanners, a cash drawer and a weight scale for added functionality.

Reporting

Clover allows you to track real-time data about your business in one easy-to-access location. The company provides a mobile dashboard where you can track your sales, identify top-performing locations and stay on top of customer refunds. The software also integrates with dozens of other popular apps.

Employee Management

Your employees are the lifeblood of your business, which is why you need the right software to manage them. With Clover POS, you can create employee schedules, manage time-off requests and reward your employees with customizable tip screens. You can also use the software to track how many hours your employees work, set up employee benefits and easily run payroll.

Online Ordering

Some customers are still wary of in-person dining because of the coronavirus pandemic, so it’s important for restaurants to provide online ordering options. With Clover, you can create a digital menu that guests can easily scroll through. Any changes you make to your menu options will automatically show up on your online ordering page, which will help eliminate errors and confusion. Once a guest has placed their order, they can schedule it for curbside pickup. Clover doesn’t charge any fees for its online ordering options. 

Customer Management

In addition to providing tools for managing your business and your employees, Clover gives you a way to manage the relationship with your customers. Building customer loyalty is important for any business, and you can use Clover’s Customer Engagement Suite to do the following:

• Contact your customers directly
• Send them promotional offers
• Offer customer loyalty rewards
• Solicit feedback from your guests

You can also use the software to send physical or digital gift cards and choose from over 70 premade templates. Customers can buy gift cards and redeem them directly from their smartphones.

Invoicing

Clover offers flexible invoicing features designed for service-based businesses. You can use the software to quickly generate new invoices and track customer payments. If you need a more comprehensive solution, you can take advantage of Clover’s integrations with popular invoicing apps.

TIP: Clover supports online ordering, payment processing, customer and employee management, inventory management and invoicing.

Drawbacks

The biggest drawback of Clover POS is that it requires the use of Clover-branded hardware and thus does not work with third-party hardware. Although Clover’s hardware options are expansive and the equipment is high-quality, the incompatibility with non-Clover hardware could be a limitation for some business owners. If you have a lot of third-party hardware that still works, you might instead consider choosing a platform that is compatible with your existing POS hardware.

Ready to choose a POS system? Here’s a breakdown of our complete coverage: