Square and Clover both run the till in shops, cafes and salons. They take card payments, track sales and manage items. They price very differently. Square starts free and sells hardware on its own. Clover bundles hardware, software and payments into one system. Here is how they compare, using US prices as of October 2026.
The short verdict
- Pick Square if you are starting out, want low upfront costs, or sell at markets and pop-ups with a small reader and a phone.
- Pick Clover if you want a full countertop system from one supplier, or sell enough by card that a lower rate pays for a monthly fee.
Prices, as of October 2026
These are US prices from each company's own pages. Both change often and both run offers.
- Square Free: $0 a month. 2.6% + 15¢ per tap, dip or swipe.
- Square Plus: $49 a month per location. 2.5% + 15¢ in person.
- Square Premium: $149 a month per location. 2.4% + 15¢ in person.
- Typed-in card or card on file: 3.5% + 15¢ on every plan.
- Hardware: options start at $59.
Card rates come from Square's fee guide. Square's pricing page also lists extra per-device fees for some apps, such as its kitchen display and kiosk apps.
Clover, retail systems bought on clover.com:
- Basic, a compact countertop terminal: $16 a month for 36 months, or $349. 2.6% + 10¢ per tap, dip or swipe.
- Standard, a 14-inch countertop screen with a customer display: $180 a month for 36 months, or $1,899 plus $84.95 a month. 2.3% + 10¢ in person.
- Advanced, the Standard set-up plus a handheld device: $240 a month for 36 months, or $2,648 plus $104.90 a month. 2.3% + 10¢ in person.
- Typed-in card: 3.5% + 10¢ on all three.
- Rapid Deposit, to get card money within minutes: 1.75% fee.
Clover's page says these prices are only available on clover.com. Restaurant and service plans have their own prices. At the time of writing, Clover also showed an online offer of a statement credit with some devices. Check the terms before you count on it.
The differences that matter
Upfront cost
This is the biggest gap. You can start with Square for the price of a reader and pay nothing monthly. Clover's systems are bought as a package, either over 36 months or up front plus a monthly software fee. For a new business with uncertain sales, Square keeps the risk low.
Card rates at volume
Clover's Standard and Advanced systems charge 2.3% + 10¢, lower than any Square plan. At $20,000 a month in card sales, 0.3 points less than Square Free is about $60 a month. Whether that covers Clover's monthly cost depends on your volume. Do the sum with your own numbers, and include Square Plus or Premium too.
How you buy it
Square's pricing page says there are no locked-in contracts. Clover's page says its online prices are only available on clover.com, so an offer you get somewhere else can be priced differently. If someone offers you Clover outside clover.com, ask for the full monthly cost, the card rates and the terms for ending the agreement, in writing.
Getting your money
Square sends card money to your bank the next business day for payments before 5 PM Pacific, at no fee. Instant transfers cost 1.95%. Clover lists Rapid Deposit at 1.75% for funds within minutes.
How to decide
- Write down your monthly card sales and your average sale.
- List the hardware you really need: a counter screen, a customer display, a printer, a handheld.
- Add up 12 months of cost for each option: hardware, monthly fees and card fees.
- Ask how you end the agreement, and what happens to the hardware.
- Try the app if you can. Staff will use it every day.
A till is only part of running a shop. Keep your stock in order with inventory management basics, and watch money in and out with these cash flow habits. If you also sell online, see Stripe vs Square. Fees and tax rules vary by state and country, so ask your accountant how to record them.