Square vs Clover

Square and Clover are both point-of-sale systems with card processing. Square sells plans with a free tier; Clover sells hardware bundles by business type. This comparison uses published retail pricing, checked on 2026-10-15.

Quick verdict

Choose Square if…

You want to start at $0 a month: the Free plan is listed at $0 per location.
You want to be able to leave: Square says "Cancel or switch anytime" and "No hidden fees or locked-in contracts".
You want published in-person rates that fall further on Plus and Premium.

Choose Clover if…

You want the lower published in-person rate on a mid-tier bundle (Standard and Advanced list a lower in-person percentage than Square's Free plan).
You want 24/7/365 support: Clover's page lists it and a phone number.
You want a hardware bundle priced by business type, including a retail Basic bundle.

Side by side, from published data

Feature	Square	Clover
Entry in-person rate	2.6% + $0.15 (Free)	2.6% + $0.10 (Retail Basic bundle)
Best published in-person rate	2.4% + $0.15 (Premium)	2.3% + $0.10 (Retail Standard bundle)
Keyed-in or manual entry	3.5% + $0.15 (Free)	3.5% + $0.10
Monthly software plan	$0/mo	Basic $16/mo for 36 months or $349; Standard $180/mo for 36 months or $1,899 + $84.95/mo; Advanced $240/mo for 36 months or $2,648 + $104.90/mo
Faster payout	Square Checking is listed with instant access to funds	1.75%
Contract terms	No locked-in contracts; cancel or switch anytime	Subscriptions are non-cancelable and ineligible for refunds
Overall score	10/10	8.4/10

Limitations to know about

Square: limitations

Lower in-person rates require a paid plan, and add-ons such as the KDS app ($30/mo per device on Plus) cost extra per device. Source

Clover: limitations

Clover says subscriptions are non-cancelable and ineligible for refunds, and the higher bundles add a monthly software fee ($84.95 to $104.90) on the purchase option. Source

Scores from our methodology

Scores come from a public checklist applied equally to both providers. They measure what each publishes, not product quality, and a high score does not mean it fits your business. Read the methodology.

Square

Score breakdown: Overall score 10/10

Category	Weight	Score	Evidence
Pricing transparency	30%	10/10	4 of 4 checks
Total cost for a typical small business	25%	10/10	$0 → 10
Features	20%	10/10	6 of 6 checks
Contract and fee fairness	15%	10/10	3 of 3 checks
Support and reputation signals	10%	10/10	2 of 2 checks

Cost input: Lowest recurring monthly price shown for an entry system on the provider's pricing page (software plan or subscription bundle; one-time hardware purchases and processing fees excluded): $0

Clover

Score breakdown: Overall score 8.4/10

Category	Weight	Score	Evidence
Pricing transparency	30%	10/10	4 of 4 checks
Total cost for a typical small business	25%	9.4/10	$16 → 9.4
Features	20%	10/10	6 of 6 checks
Contract and fee fairness	15%	6.7/10	2 of 3 checks
Support and reputation signals	10%	0/10	0 of 2 checks

The checklist behind the scores

Software or plan prices are published
Card processing rates are published
Hardware prices are published
Amounts for extra fees (add-ons, inactivity, instant payout) are published
Inventory management
Online ordering or an online store
Staff, scheduling or labor tools
Reporting or analytics
Offline mode
Integrated card payments
No long-term contract is stated
A free plan, free trial or $0 starting price exists
Hardware can be bought outright or subscribed to
24/7 support is stated
A phone number is published on the page

Cost: Lowest recurring monthly price shown for an entry system on the provider's pricing page (software plan or subscription bundle; one-time hardware purchases and processing fees excluded). Each $25 subtracts one point from 10 (floor 0).

Where to go next

Go to Clover

Frequently asked questions

Is Square or Clover cheaper?

Clover's mid-tier bundles list a lower in-person percentage, but they come with hardware subscriptions and monthly software fees; Square's Free plan has no monthly fee. Compare total cost at your volume.

Can I cancel Clover?

Clover says subscriptions are non-cancelable and ineligible for refunds, though an agreement can be ended through a buyout or upgrade. Read the agreement.

Does Square lock you in?

Square's pricing page says there are no locked-in contracts and that you can cancel or switch anytime.

Which is better for restaurants?

See our Toast vs Square and Clover vs Toast comparisons, and note that Clover prices restaurants separately.

How current is this comparison?

We read both pricing pages on 2026-10-15.

Related tools and guides

Sources

Square: pricing (checked 2026-10-15)
Clover: retail pricing (checked 2026-10-15)

Last updated: October 15, 2026 · Prices verified: October 15, 2026