Clover vs. Square: Fees, Hardware and Best Fit (2026)

Clover and Square are two of the most popular point-of-sale systems for small businesses. Walk into a coffee shop, salon or food hall in Miami and there's a good chance you'll see one of them at the counter.

Both are solid choices. They just take different approaches. Square is an all-in-one system you can sign up for online and start using quickly. Clover gives you more choice in who processes your payments and sells a wider range of hardware.

This guide compares the two side by side: hardware, software plans, processing fees, contracts, offline mode and which types of business each one fits best. All prices below are what each company publishes or what NerdWallet reports, so check current pricing before you buy.

Clover vs. Square at a glance

Hardware

Square is known for low-cost hardware. According to Square's hardware page, its contactless and chip reader is $59, Square Stand (for an iPad) is $149, Square Terminal is $299, Square Handheld is $399, Square Register is $899 and Square Kiosk is $1,999. Square also offers Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android, which lets you take contactless payments with just your phone.

Clover hardware costs more up front, but there's a wider range. According to NerdWallet's 2026 review, Clover Go is $199, Clover Flex is $749, Clover Mini is $849, Clover Station Solo is $1,799 and Clover Station Duo is $1,899.

One thing to know with Clover: you can buy it directly or through banks and independent processors, and devices are usually programmed for the processor that sold them. If you switch processors later, you may need new hardware.

Software plans

Square keeps it simple, with three plans per location, according to Square's pricing page: Square Free ($0), Square Plus ($49 a month) and Square Premium ($149 a month). Some add-ons cost extra. For example, Square lists its kitchen display (KDS) app at $30 a month per device on Plus and $20 a month on Premium, and it's not available on the Free plan.

Clover prices plans by business type. According to NerdWallet, Clover's plans run from $0 to $129.85 a month. Restaurant plans start at $89.95, and the mid-tier retail plan is $84.95.

If you only need to take payments, Square's free plan is hard to beat. If you need restaurant or retail features, compare the specific plan you'd use on each side, not just the starting price.

Processing fees: Square vs. Clover

This is where the two differ most, and where the long-term cost adds up.

In-person payments

According to NerdWallet, Clover's in-person rates run 2.3% to 2.6% plus 10 cents, depending on your plan. Restaurant plans get the 2.3% rate.

According to Square, its in-person rate is 2.6% plus 15 cents on the Free plan, 2.5% plus 15 cents on Plus and 2.4% plus 15 cents on Premium.

Here's what that looks like on a $25 sale:

• Clover at 2.3% + 10¢: about $0.68
• Square Free at 2.6% + 15¢: about $0.80

That's simple math on one sale. The real difference depends on your volume, average ticket and plan.

Online and keyed-in payments

According to Square, online payments cost 3.3% plus 30 cents on Free and 2.9% plus 30 cents on Plus and Premium, and keyed-in payments cost 3.5% plus 15 cents. According to NerdWallet, Clover's online and keyed-in rate is 3.5% plus 10 cents.

If you sell a lot online, Square's paid plans may cost less per online sale. If most of your sales happen at the counter, Clover's in-person rates may come out ahead.

Both use flat-rate pricing when you buy direct. To see how flat-rate compares to other models, read Flat Rate vs. Tiered vs. Interchange-Plus. For a full breakdown of Clover costs, see Clover POS Fees Explained.

Contracts and merchant accounts

According to Square and NerdWallet, Square has no long-term contracts or termination fees. You can cancel or switch plans anytime.

According to NerdWallet, Clover's promotional pricing requires a three-year contract, and you may owe a termination fee if you cancel early when Clover is your processor. Terms differ if you get Clover through a bank or independent processor, so always ask.

The setup is different too. According to NerdWallet, Square users join Square's aggregated merchant account as sub-merchants, which makes sign-up quick with no lengthy application. Clover sets you up with your own merchant account, which takes an application up front. NerdWallet notes that dedicated merchant accounts are generally less likely to see account freezes. If that's a concern for your business, our guide on why processors freeze funds explains what triggers them.

Offline mode

Internet outages happen, so it's worth knowing how each system handles them.

According to Clover's help center, Clover devices can take card payments offline for up to 7 days when offline payments are turned on, and the payments are submitted when the device reconnects. You can set limits on the amount per offline payment and the total.

According to Square, offline payments are processed automatically when your device reconnects, and they're declined if you don't reconnect within 24 hours of the first offline payment.

With both systems, you take on the risk that an offline card payment is declined later, for example if the card turns out to be expired.

Clover or Square: which fits your business?

Restaurants

Both have restaurant plans. According to NerdWallet, Clover's restaurant plans get its lowest in-person rate (2.3% plus 10 cents) and include online ordering pages. Square offers restaurant features on its paid plans, with kitchen display and kiosk software as per-device add-ons, according to Square. Comparing Clover vs. Square vs. Toast? NerdWallet notes Toast was built specifically for restaurants, so it's worth a look for full-service dining. See also our page for restaurants.

Retail

Square's free online store and low-cost hardware make it easy to start selling in person and online. Clover's retail plans and countertop stations suit shops with steady in-store volume that want lower in-person rates.

Salons, services and mobile businesses

Square's Tap to Pay and $59 reader work well for businesses on the go. Clover Go and Clover Flex are portable options too, with Clover's 24/7 phone support.

So, is Clover better than Square?

Neither is better for everyone. Square is often the easier start: quick sign-up, low-cost hardware and no contracts. Clover often fits businesses that process more in person and want their own merchant account. Look at your monthly card volume, how you sell (counter, online, on the go) and the features you'll actually use.

Frequently asked questions

Is Clover cheaper than Square?

It depends on how you sell. According to NerdWallet and Square's published pricing, Clover's direct in-person rates (2.3% to 2.6% plus 10 cents) are lower than Square's (2.4% to 2.6% plus 15 cents), but Square's hardware and starting software costs are lower. With dual pricing on Clover through Pine Payments, your processing rate is 0%.

Does Square charge monthly fees?

According to Square, its Free plan is $0 a month, Square Plus is $49 a month per location and Square Premium is $149 a month per location. Some add-ons, like kitchen display and kiosk software, have their own per-device fees.

Can Clover and Square work offline?

Yes. According to Clover, its devices can accept offline card payments for up to 7 days when enabled. According to Square, offline payments must reconnect within 24 hours or they're declined.

Does Clover require a contract?

According to NerdWallet, Clover's promotional pricing requires a three-year contract when you buy direct. Terms vary by seller. Pine Payments' Clover dual pricing has no contracts.

Is Clover or Square better for restaurants?

Both can work. Clover's restaurant plans get its lowest in-person rate and include online ordering pages, according to NerdWallet. Square's paid plans add restaurant tools, with kitchen display and kiosk software priced per device. Compare the plan you'd actually use.

Whichever you choose, processing is the cost that keeps adding up

Hardware is a one-time cost. Software is a set monthly fee. Processing is the cost that grows every time you make a sale. Buying direct, standard in-person processing runs about 2.3% to 2.6% plus 10 to 15 cents per sale on either Clover or Square, and more for online and keyed-in payments.

There's another option on Clover. Pine Payments offers Clover with 0% processing on all card payments, in-person, online and keyed-in, through dual pricing. Every item has a cash price and a card price, for example $10.00 cash or $10.40 card, and customers choose how to pay. See how it works on our Clover dual pricing page, or read What Is Dual Pricing?.

With Pine Payments:

• 0% processing on in-person, online and keyed-in card payments
• No setup fees
• No contracts
• Running within 72 hours for most merchants
• New Clover equipment included for qualifying dual pricing accounts

Serving Miami-Dade and Broward. Call 786-383-1656 or visit [pinepymt.com](https://www.pinepymt.com).