CLOVER VS. SQUARE

SQUARE

With this POS you would process directly with Square, who charges 2.75% per swipe and 3.5% + $0.15 for keyed in transactions.

CLOVER

Clover is sold as a standalone POS system, which means it can be used with a large variety of credit card processing companies but used with American Merchant Brokers Processors. This is good for merchants because it gives them the ability to shop for credit card processing companies and get a lower cost (i.e. less than 2.75% per swipe – average for Square 2.95). Merchants switching to American Merchant Brokers have the extra security of knowing their rates are locked for life with never an increase from American Merchant Brokers.

Monthly Fees and Rates Example Comparison at $50,000 in Processing and 1000 transactions**:

Square: Average rate of 2.95% (all card types) and .15 per transaction = $1,775.00
Clover POS: Average rate of 1.80% + .08 per transaction = $980.00

The difference is approximately $795.00 per month using American Merchant Brokers and Clover. Over a 12 month time period you’d spend an additional $9,540.00 using Square vs. American Merchant Brokers and Clover POS. If your company qualifies for the free Clover POS Station that’s an additional $1,299.00 in cost reduction so overall that your saving (cost reduction to your business) could be $10,839.00 over the first year alone***

Both Clover POS and Square Dash POS systems offer merchants different tools to manage everything from inventory to reporting, but each goes about offering these tools differently.

SQUARE

With Square Stand, merchants download the Square Register app, which is the all in one POS. Within the app, users are able to manage payments, reporting, etc. One downfall of this type of system is that merchants only have the business management tools Square builds into the app.

CLOVER

With Clover Station, merchants are able to access the Clover App Market, which allows merchants to download the specific business management apps they need. This app market is the same idea as the Apple App Store, where Apple and third party developers can build apps, which allows for more app diversity, as well as some that are free and some that must be paid for.

Merchants using Square Stand will deal directly with Square’s customer service department while Clover Station users will deal with the credit card processing company they choose to work with. Unfortunately, Square’s customer service has gotten a pretty bad reputation because of lack of availability. With Clover, merchants are at the mercy of the customer service of the processing company they choose, so it could either be good or bad. If someone goes with Clover, he or she should make sure the processing company has good service in addition to good rates. Something to consider.

Clearly, both of these machines have been built with design aesthetics in mind. However, in my opinion, Clover seems to have created a more cohesive design including the cash drawer and receipt printer into the main concept, where with Square I feel like those two elements were after thoughts. None the less, these two POS systems are built for the modern business.

Clover and Square both offer similar additional accessories to accompany their systems. From bar code scanners, pin pads to additional printers, both of these POS systems allow users to expand the system to meet the demands of their business.

Watch our videos below to see Clover POS in action and evaluate its benefits for your business.