Clover POS Review

Why Clover Is Best for Overall Value

We chose Clover as the best POS system for overall value, thanks to its comprehensive software and hardware options. The platform’s robust features — including reporting tools, POS inventory management, payment processing and customer engagement options — will help you run nearly every aspect of your business. It also facilitates invoicing and online ordering. Additionally, Clover integrates with hundreds of third-party payment processors, vastly increasing its usability.

Clover’s hardware is well-designed and an excellent choice for restaurants and retail stores. You can purchase individual hardware devices or hardware bundles through Clover or a third-party vendor. Its software is competitively priced, and many businesses will welcome the platform’s flat-rate credit card processing fees. And if you run into any problems, Clover offers 24/7 customer support by phone and has helpful online resources.  

Clover lets businesses customize their systems with the right mix of software, hardware and add-ons. Source: Clover

Usability

We found Clover’s software easy to set up and fairly intuitive, which isn’t the case with some competitors we reviewed. We found Clover’s software easy to set up and fairly intuitive, which isn’t the case with some competitors we reviewed. Even businesses setting up a POS system for the first time should have no issues with Clover. 

We were impressed with how customizable the platform is, especially when you take advantage of Clover’s App Market. Through this marketplace, you can download various apps to help run your business, including solutions for managing payroll, tracking inventory, viewing detailed analytics and managing customers. 

We also like that Clover’s virtual terminal lets you accept customer payments without purchasing hardware. This is a good option if you’re just starting a business and need an affordable way to accept credit cards and other customer payment methods. However, if you need hardware to run your establishment, Clover’s options are durable, functional and easy to navigate. 

Additionally, we appreciate that if your internet is temporarily down, you can still accept payments via the platform’s Offline Payments option. Once your internet connection is restored, the system automatically submits offline payments for authorization. This kind of reliability is a huge benefit to businesses.

Clover’s POS system is even more functional when combined with the Clover App Market. Source: Clover

Clover Features

Point of Sale

Clover provides the hardware and software businesses need to take orders and accept customer payments. You can use Clover to accept credit and debit cards, EMV chip cards and contactless NFC mobile payments. These features allow even the smallest businesses to give their customers flexibility in how they choose to pay.

We particularly like that Clover facilitates in-store or online payments — with or without Wi-Fi. You’ll set up your tax rate once and apply it automatically to every payment. You’ll also receive payment fraud protection of up to $100,000, , which could make the difference between survival and closure for very small businesses. 

We like that the software has cloud-based storage, allowing you to access your data from anywhere. We also appreciate that Clover offers accessories like barcode scanners, a cash drawer and a weight scale for added functionality.

Clover’s hardware gives you all the tools you need to run your business efficiently. Source: Clover

Reporting

Clover’s POS reporting functions allow you to track real-time data about your business from one easy-to-access dashboard. We like that the company provides a mobile dashboard where you can review sales, identify top-performing locations, and stay on top of customer refunds.

Businesses will appreciate that Clover’s reporting software can sync with many of the best accounting software solutions, including QuickBooks. When a POS system integrates with QuickBooks and other top accounting tools, handling your finances becomes easier. And the depth of information you receive will help you make data-driven decisions about your business.  

Clover’s POS sales reports provide insights into sales trends and help you track key metrics. Source: Clover

Employee Management

Clover’s employee management software can help you handle your growing team. We like that it allows you to set POS system permission levels for various employees to control access and minimize confusion.  

We also like that Clover can help you create employee schedules, manage employee time-off requests and reward your workers with customizable tip screens. You can also use the software to track employee hours, set up employee benefits, run payroll and identify top performers. 

Online Ordering

Customers often expect the restaurants they frequent to offer online ordering. Fortunately, Clover lets you create a digital menu that customers can easily scroll through. We like that any menu changes you make will show up automatically on your online ordering page, eliminating confusion and errors. 

Once guests place an online order, they can schedule it for curbside pickup or delivery through a service like Uber Eats or DoorDash. You can accept payments directly through your website or via an online portal Clover will set up for you. 

Clover’s software allows restaurants to accept and manage online orders. Source: Clover

Customer Management

We were impressed that Clover is a CRM-enabled POS system that helps you stay in touch with your customers. You can use the platform to do the following:

• Contact customers directly
• Send promotional offers
• Offer customer loyalty program rewards
• Solicit feedback from your guests

You can also use the software to send physical or digital gift cards and choose from over 70 premade templates — a unique option we didn’t see from many competitors. Customers can buy gift cards and redeem them directly through their smartphones.

Customer loyalty programs and promotions are critical for driving repeat business, which is especially important for new businesses and small, local companies. Clover makes extending these offers easy, giving these types of businesses an effective way to compete against bigger brands.

Clover allows you to create customer profiles for centralized storage of credit card information and customer data. Source: Clover

Invoicing

Clover is among the best POS systems for restaurants and e-commerce businesses, but it’s also a great choice for service-based businesses. The software can create invoices, set up recurring payments and accept online payments from customers. 

Clover Costs

Clover’s pricing largely depends on your business type. There are six categories, each of which has Starter, Standard and Advanced pricing tiers with varying features (all include POS software). Here’s a brief outline of Clover’s Starter offerings: 

Standard and Advanced plans for each category provide more robust features and hardware and may have slightly different payment processing rates. You can buy additional hardware at any time. For example, a basic Clover Go handheld card reader costs $49, while a Clover Station Duo is $1,799. There are also various add-ons, including payroll integration.

With so many factors to consider, you’ll likely need to speak to a sales rep to confirm a monthly price. 

The Clover Station Duo features a customer-facing screen, receipt printer and cash drawer. Source: Clover

Clover Setup

You’ll begin your setup process by contacting a Clover sales rep to help you identify the right software plan and hardware options for your business. We like that Clover allows you to bundle multiple hardware options or only purchase the devices you need. 

Setting up your new Clover hardware is straightforward and should take only a few minutes. You’ll start by activating your device, which you can do by following the device-specific PDFs the company provides on its website. If you run into any issues setting up your POS system, you can log in to your account and receive personalized support.

Clover Customer Service

We were impressed that accessing Clover customer support is as easy as pushing the callback feature on your Clover device and entering your phone number. A Clover business consultant will call you right back. We preferred this system to other vendors that only offer live chats or forums. We also like that Clover support simplifies the process of managing disputes and chargebacks, which is a significant problem many providers have trouble solving.

Clover’s online help resources can assist with setup, troubleshooting or learning how to use your Clover system. Source: Clover

Clover Drawbacks

We identified the following drawbacks to Clover POS: 

• Proprietary hardware: The biggest drawback of Clover’s POS is that it requires using Clover-branded hardware and doesn’t work with third-party options. Although Clover’s hardware options are extensive and the equipment is high quality, the fact that it won’t integrate with non-Clover hardware could be a problem for some business owners. If you’re interested in a POS system that’s compatible with third-party hardware, check out our review of Epos Now and our Lightspeed review. 
• Complicated pricing: Additionally, Clover’s pricing can be challenging to understand. All its plans are listed on its website, but because costs vary by industry, pricing tier and the add-ons you’ll need, you’ll likely need to speak to a sales rep to arrive at a definitive price. Read our review of TouchBistro if you’d like to learn more about a vendor with a more straightforward pricing structure.

Methodology

When researching the best POS systems for overall value, we looked for competitively priced solutions with comprehensive features and numerous customization options. Our process included comparing more than a dozen POS systems, including Toast, Square and Lightspeed. 

After careful evaluation and examining dozens of customer reviews, we found that Clover met our overall value goals. Our research helped us see where Clover shines among competitors and where it could improve. 

Overall Value

We recommend Clover for …

• Small and midsize businesses.
• E-commerce businesses and restaurants.
• Any business looking for top-notch POS hardware options.
• Merchants seeking competitive payment processing rates.

We don’t recommend Clover for …

• Businesses looking for free software options.
• Businesses that want to use more than one payment processing company.
• Businesses that want to use non-Clover hardware.