Overview
Founded in 2010 in Sunnyvale, California, Clover is a full-service payments company offering point-of-sale systems and payments processing solutions to dining establishments, retailers, and service businesses, as well as support for eCommerce and online enterprises.
Each Clover POS device comes with software that allows for payment tracking and reporting, inventory and cash flow management, and employee management capabilities. Clover’s software also integrates with leading accounting software, such as Quickbooks and Xero. For an added fee, merchants can use Clover to launch customer loyalty programs, offer gift cards, and feature remote, order-ahead services via a Clover app built for restaurant customers.
Clover Is Ideal For:
Small business owners, particularly physical restaurants and service businesses
What’s On Offer
Mobile and desktop point-of-sale devices
Credit and debit, NFC, mobile wallet, and QR code payments processing
Transaction and inventory tracking and management
Sales tax collection and tracking
Payments data collection, transaction analysis, and cash flow management tools
Sales reporting and integrations with accounting software
Mobile app for in-advance ordering and individual customer account/profile creation
Customer engagement offerings, such as loyalty programs and discounts
Employee time-tracking tools, plus tiered access levels
How Clover Works
Application Process
Merchants interested in using Clover’s POS can sign up on the company’s website. Prospective customers will need to provide their name, email address, phone number, business name, and zip code to Clover’s sales team, who will reach out to conduct a 45-minute discovery call.
If merchants determine that Clover’s POS is the best system for their business needs, they will be asked to sign a purchase contract that details one-time hardware costs, monthly software fees, volume-dependent processing fees, and other rates and costs.
What’s Unique About Clover?
Clover is a California-based company that offers fully customizable point-of-sale (POS) systems for small and midsize enterprises.
The company’s POS hardware offerings come in several different flavors. The handheld Clover Go and Flex devices are built with convenience in mind, and ensure that micro retailers and restaurants can process credit cards anywhere they set up shop, even if they don’t have a dedicated checkout counter or in-person dining lobby.
Clover’s Mini, (Solo) Station, and Duo devices are made for larger businesses with permanent locations and checkout spaces. These POS solutions come with touch-screen interfaces and integrate with Clover’s sophisticated software suite, which ranges in price from $0/month and 2.6% + $0.10 per transaction to $69.95/month and 2.3% + $0.10 per transaction.
Moreover, Clover’s integrated POS software enables businesses of any size to satisfy their sales needs. More expensive software packages come with a larger set of features, offering established enterprises the ability to manage inventory, analyze payment volume, and sync transaction data with accounting software, all in addition to accepting card payments.
Merchants with long-established customer bases who want to deepen client relationships can take advantage of customer-focused add-ons, such as loyalty programs, gift card offerings, a mobile app with order-ahead capabilities, and individualized customer profiles. These offerings further customer engagement and enhance merchant reputation, and personalize the checkout experience for clients.
Finally, merchants with sophisticated security or technical support needs can request customized setup and onboarding help. Clients can even subscribe to Clover’s extended warranty and technical consultation programs, ensuring that their POS systems start and remain optimized throughout their useful life.
In short, Clover’s convenient, packaged POS offerings combine purpose-built hardware and software into a single product, allowing businesses at any stage of their lifecycle to process and accept payments quickly, effortlessly, and efficiently.
Clover Customer Support
Clover’s website offers both a Help Center and an FAQ section for common queries. U.S.-based clients with troubleshooting questions can call (855) 853-8340 or email support@clover.com.
For an additional fee, clients can get access to an installation specialist. For ongoing help, merchants can purchase Clover Care, a warranty covering technical issues and system malfunctions.
Clover Pricing
Special Offers
Clover’s POS system uses encryption technology that meets stringent Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliance standards. The company’s website is secured using the Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol, ensuring that data shared are inaccessible to third parties.
Customers can access the majority of the site without sharing their personal information. However, those interested in becoming merchants will need to share their contact information with Clover’s sales team for onboarding purposes.
Merchants who use Clover will benefit from a straightforward fee structure. Pricing details are provided below:
Product/Service
Pricing
Go (mobile POS hardware)
$99
Flex (handheld POS hardware)
$499 or $166/month for 3 months
Mini (desktop POS hardware, small version)
$749 or $250/month for 3 months
Station (desktop POS hardware, standard version)
$1,349 or $450/month for 3 months
Station Duo (desktop POS hardware, standard version + customer panel)
$1,649 or $549/month for 3 months
Payments plan (payment processing capabilities only, no on-screen POS software)
$0/month + 2.6% + $0.10 per transaction
Essentials plan (payment processing + POS software for merchants with <$50,000 in annual sales)
$9.95/month + 2.6% + $0.10 per transaction
Register plan (payment processing + POS software for merchants with >$50,000 in annual sales)
$39.95/month and 2.3% + $0.10 per transaction
Table Service Restaurant plan (payment processing + POS software for merchants with >$50,000 in annual sales)
$69.95/month and 2.3% + $0.10 per transaction
Last updated January 2022
Bottom Line
Clover offers small businesses a full-featured point-of-sale system that integrates payments processing, inventory management, and transaction analytics capabilities into a single device. Merchants can also purchase add-ons such as customer-focused loyalty schemes and extended warranties.
With five hardware offerings and four software packages, Clover’s POS solutions are suitable for both micro-businesses just starting out and for larger enterprises with complex payment processing needs.