Square vs Clover: A Plain Read

• Square fits a new or small business that wants to start today. You sign up, pick a plan and hardware, and sell.
• Clover fits a business that wants more device choices, an app market and room to grow, and is happy to shop your card fees.
• Either one is worth a statement check once your sales grow.

We sell Clover, so you should know that. Still, we'll tell you straight when Square is the better start. Our Square page does the same.

Square is a payments and software company. Its site shows a hardware line: Square Register, Square Handheld, Square Terminal, Square Stand, Square Kiosk, and card readers for contactless and chip, and for swipe. Its pricing page says plans start at $0, with no locked-in contracts.

Clover is a family of checkout systems owned by a big payments company, Fiserv. Its site names the Station, Mini and Flex. You can start with software, pick a device or no device, and add apps from its App Market. Our Clover page also covers the Station Duo and Kiosk.

Both charge a fee on each card sale, and both have software plans. Square puts its plans and fees on its pricing page. Clover says you pick your devices and software plan when you buy.

Prices change, so check each maker's page for today's hardware price.

Here's the part most people miss. Who sets your processing rate? With Square, Square does. With Clover, it depends on how you buy it. Our Clover direct vs broker page explains that.

Square fits when

• You're starting out, or your sales are small.
• You want to be taking cards the same day.
• You like one company for software, hardware and support.

Clover fits when

• You want a counter system with a cash drawer, printer and customer screen, or a handheld.
• You want apps for things like loyalty, online ordering or QuickBooks.
• You want to shop your card fees rather than accept a listed rate.

• Square hardware works with Square. Our Square page says so. If you leave, you leave the hardware too.
• Clover bought direct can carry a rate you can't negotiate and a software plan you don't use, per our Clover page.
• Both can cost more than they need to as your sales grow. Your statement will show it, line by line.

Ask either company these:

1. What is the full processing fee on a card sale, and what is the monthly software fee?
2. Is there a contract, a cancellation fee, or am I renting the device instead of owning it?
3. Do I own the hardware?
4. How fast do I get paid, and what can hold up my money?
5. What does support look like when something breaks?
6. Can I take a dual pricing or surcharge program, and who sets it up?

A broker like us shops your card fees for you. We don't change the hardware. We help with the account underneath. On Clover, we shop your card fees, match the software plan to your business, and set up the way fees are passed on before day one. On Square, we can tell you when it's still the right call and when a bid is worth a look. Take cards at a counter? See how dual pricing works.

Want to compare more options? Browse our checkout systems.