Square vs Clover POS for Restaurants and Bars
Square vs Clover POS is the comparison restaurant and bar owners ask us about most. Both can run a counter, a dining room and a bar. The biggest difference is how each one is sold and priced. Here is Square POS vs Clover side by side: who each fits, the hardware, and what to check on your statement before you choose.
Filed under POS and payments. Every system we see is on the processors index.
Who Square fits
- Square vs Clover POSTerm
- Square POS vs CloverTerm
- Square for restaurantsTerm
- 1Square: new or smaller operations that want to start fast
- 2Square: owners who want published pricing and to buy hardware outright
- 3Clover: operators who want a provider relationship and more setup choices
- 4Either: restaurants, cafes and bars with counter, table or bar service
Square POS hardware and key features
- Who sells it
- Square is owned by Block and sold directly by Square.
- Pricing style
- Square publishes its processing rates and its Free, Plus and Premium software plans on its own site.
- Hardware
- Square Register with dual screens, Square Terminal with a built-in receipt printer, Square Stand for an iPad, Square Handheld for tableside orders, Square Reader and Square Kiosk.
- Restaurant tools
- Table and course management, split checks, Square KDS for the kitchen, automatic 86 of sold-out items, self-ordering kiosks and delivery app integrations.
- Bar tools
- Square lists preauthorized bar tabs in its food and beverage features.
Square POS vs Clover, line by line
| Line item | Square | Clover |
|---|---|---|
| Owned by | Block | Fiserv |
| Sold by | Square, directly | Fiserv, banks and many independent providers |
| Pricing | Published on Square's site | Set by whoever sold you the system |
| Hardware | Bought from Square, or paid over time | Bought, leased or bundled, depending on the provider |
| Bar tabs | Preauthorized tabs listed as a feature | Depends on your account setup. Check with your provider. |
| Where fees show | Usually taken before deposit, shown in the Square Dashboard | On the processing statement from your provider |
More on Clover on our Clover restaurant POS page.
Square at a restaurant or bar
Square tends to suit counters, cafes, food trucks and smaller dining rooms that want to be up and running fast, with pricing they can read before they sign up.
Clover tends to suit operators who want a provider to set things up, more hardware choices, or pricing built around their volume. That flexibility cuts both ways: a Clover account can be priced well or badly.
What to check on a Square statement
We check every one of these during a merchant statement analysis.
- Your effective rate on each system, not the headline rate
- The software plan level and any per-device fees
- Hardware payment plans or leases still running
- Keyed-in and online payments, which usually cost more than tapped cards
- On Clover, the agreement terms your provider set, including any early termination fee
Send it. We check every line.
Get my free statement reviewKeep reading
- Clover Restaurant POS: Hardware, Fit and Fees to CheckFiserv's POS, sold by many providers. Station, Mini, Flex and more.
- Genius POS, Formerly Heartland GeniusGlobal Payments' POS platform, still known to many as Heartland Genius.
- Dejavoo POS Terminals, Including the Dejavoo P5Android terminals, from the pocket-size P12 to countertop QD models.
- Restaurant and bar POS system comparisonEvery system we see, compared on one page.
- Cash discount vs surchargeWhat to check before you pass card fees on.
- Get a free merchant statement reviewSend one recent statement. We read every line.
Square questions
1Is Square or Clover better for a restaurant?
Neither is better for every restaurant. Square often suits smaller, simpler setups that want to start fast. Clover often suits operators who want more setup choices through a provider. Your volume and card mix decide which costs less.
2Why is Square pricing easier to compare?
Square publishes its processing rates and plans on its own site. Clover pricing is set by whoever sold you the system, so you need your statement to know what you pay.
3Do Square and Clover both handle bar tabs?
Square lists preauthorized bar tabs in its food and beverage features. On Clover, check with your provider how tabs and pre-authorization are set up on your account.
4Can you compare my Square fees with a Clover quote?
Yes. Send a recent monthly report of your Square fees and any quote you have. We line them up fee by fee and show the effective rate for each.
Send us your Square statement. We will read every line.
Upload or email your statement through our contact page. Free review, plain English, no obligation.
Form LL-02Statement review
- What you send
- One recent statement
- What we read
- Every line
- What it costs
- Nothing
- What you owe
- No obligation