Square vs Clover: 2026 POS comparison

Where Clover is stronger

Clover's edge is the cost of each card swipe when you buy direct.

• A smaller fixed fee on every card. Clover charges 10¢ per in-person transaction on every clover.com plan. Square charges 15¢, which adds up on small tickets.
• The lowest top-tier rate. Clover's Growth plans charge 2.3% + 10¢ in person, below Square Premium's 2.4% + 15¢.
• No money down on devices. Clover's 36-month subscriptions bundle device and software, with Equipment Protection covering accidental damage, theft and loss.
• Restaurant bundles in one box. Clover's restaurant bundles include a cash drawer and receipt printer with the Station Solo.

Where Square is stronger

Square wins on what you get for free, what hardware costs and how easy it is to leave.

• A $0 plan you can run a business on. Square Free includes the POS app, item library, online ordering page, invoices and appointment booking. Clover's Starter plan covers payments, basic sales reports and employee profiles.
• Cheaper hardware. Square Register is $1,000 less than Clover Station Duo, and Square Reader is $140 less than Clover Go.
• No locked-in payments. Square financing is a fixed-term purchase plan. Clover's 36-month subscription can't be cancelled, only paid off.
• One price everywhere. Square's published prices apply wherever you buy. Clover says its listed prices are only available on clover.com.

What a month really costs

Take a shop doing $20,000 a month in card sales at a $25 average ticket, about 800 transactions. Here is software plus in-person card fees on each entry plan, before hardware:

• Square Free: $0 software + $640 in card fees = $640 a month.
• Square Plus: $49 software + $620 in card fees = $669 a month.
• Clover Starter: $0 software + $600 in card fees = $600 a month, with basic reports only.
• Clover Essentials: $29.95 software + $580 in card fees = $609.95 a month.

Reading those numbers

On fees alone, Clover Essentials comes out about $30 a month cheaper than Square Free at this volume, thanks to the 10¢ fixed fee. Hardware moves the math the other way: Square Register costs $1,000 less than Clover Station Duo, which covers that gap for about 33 months. Clover's subscription route costs more too. A Clover Flex on Essentials is $70 a month for 36 months ($2,520), against $749 bought outright plus $29.95 a month ($1,827 over the same 36 months).

Buying through a bank or agent

Clover is sold by clover.com, by banks and by independent agents. Clover states that its listed prices apply only on clover.com and that contract terms and termination fees vary by seller. Clover devices also can't be used with other payment processors. If a bank or agent offers you Clover, get the rate, monthly fees and termination terms in writing. Square's prices and processing rates are the same wherever you buy, and we add no markup.

When to choose each

Pick the system that fits how you sell and how you want to pay.

• Choose Clover if you buy direct on clover.com, run a high number of card transactions, and the 10¢ fixed fee saves more than Clover's higher hardware prices cost you.
• Choose Square if you are starting out, want online ordering, invoices and booking without a monthly fee, or want to avoid a 36-month device term.
• Choose Square Plus or Premium if your volume is high enough that 2.5% or 2.4% + 15¢ pays back the $49 or $149 monthly plan.

Switching from Clover to Square

We export your item library and customer list from Clover and import them into Square during free onboarding. Clover hardware can't move to another processor, so plan for Square hardware, which starts at $59 for the Reader.