What is Clover?
Founded in 2011, Clover is known for their efficient POS systems, but they also provide credit card and other forms of merchant services along with customer engagement and employee management tools with 24/7 support. Clover connects businesses to the best services that help build a powerful online existence.
Clover offers a flat-rate pricing structure which makes it a good choice for small to medium sized businesses. Most plans offered have competitive rates for in-store transactions. You are also able to upgrade your plan and add POS devices, which makes it useful for growing businesses. There are also special plans available for restaurants.
Clover offers a wide variety of integrations, allowing users to customize their experience. You can incorporate accounting and payroll softwares or even industry-specific apps to your Clover system. The Clover Go app, allows you to take payments from anywhere and on the move. Not to mention your customers can place orders virtually and also sign up to your loyalty program. This is available for free on the Google Play store and Apple App store.
You are able to get a merchant account and a POS software with Clover, available in several different packaged plans. Usually the software fee is waived for the first 30 days. After which you can cancel for free at any time. You can usually return any Clover hardware for up to 60 days. This gives you the option to try and see if it suits your business before committing long term.
With credit card processing from Clover, you will typically receive your payments the following day. If you need to start taking payments instantly there are options for an additional fee. You can also decide sign up without their hardware. It can take a few seconds for Clover to approve your merchant account and then you are all set to go. Clover is owned by fin-tech company Fiserv which is assuring when it comes to security.
The only major downside is that Clover doesn’t support payment processing with other Point-of-Sale systems. You can only use Clover POS with Clover payment processing. That means if your company is already using another POS system, Clover merchant services may not work for your business.
Clover
What popular features do you get with Clover?
- Flat-rate pricing and Clover POS package options
- Virtual Terminals for payments anywhere, anytime
- Credit and debit, NFC, mobile wallet, and QR code payments processing
- Supports mobile payment services including Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay.
- Scan and process paper cheques.
- Reports cash transactions with cash drawer option
- Mobile and desktop point-of-sale system option
- Inventory reporting and management
- Transaction analysis and cash flow management tools
- Sales reporting and integrations with accounting software
- Mobile app for in-advance ordering.
- Loyalty programs, gifts and discounts
- Employee tracking tools
Customer Support is available at Clover
Clover has 24/7 customer support and you can email them at support@clover.com or call (855) 853-8340 with specific questions or issues. Live help is accessible on their website and on the Clover Web Dashboard. Clover Help Center knowledgebase is offered for guidance on set up, troubleshooting, or learning how to operate your Clover system.
For an additional fee, you can also get access to an installation specialist. For ongoing help, merchants can also buy Clover Care warranty that covers you for any technical issues and system malfunctions.
What kind of business is Clover ideal for?
Clover works well for growing small businesses that are presented with a robust point-of-sale system which easily integrates a payments processing system, inventory management and transaction analytics into a single device. You can also purchase additional services such as customer-focused loyalty schemes and extended warranties. It is ideal for small foodservice businesses like restaurants and cafes, looking for an all-in-one POS, register system and credit card payment processor with a clear flat fee pricing structure.
Businesses with established customer bases who want to further build on their client relationships can take advantage of add-ons like loyalty programs, gift card offerings, order-ahead options. They help make your customer experience more personalized and engaging.
Pros and Cons
- Competitive transaction fees
- No cancellation fees
- Simple packed deals for POS devices and payments processing solutions
- Inventory tracking with accounting software integration
- 24/7 Specialists troubleshooting support
- Flat straight-forward pricing plans
- Loyalty programs, gifts and discounts
- Monthly fee per device even with $0 in sales
- Daily limits on transfers
- Clover merchant service only works with Clover POS
- Add-ons hardware or services may be costly for small business
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How much does Clover cost?
*based on information provided by the vendor. Actual cost may vary.
Clover offers a straightforward fee structure as below:
- Payments plan (payment processing capabilities only, no on-screen POS software) is $0/month + 2.6% + $0.10 per transaction
- Essentials plan (payment processing + POS software for merchants with <$50,000 in annual sales) is $9.95/month + 2.6% + $0.10 per transaction
- Register plan (payment processing + POS software for merchants with >$50,000 in annual sales) costs $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) is $69.95/month and 2.3% + $0.10 per transaction
- Subscription fees start at $9.95 per month
- Chargeback fee for disputed transactions is $25
- Rapid same day deposits for 1% fee
Final thoughts...
If you are preferring Clover, then you are likely to be paying for hardware, software, credit card processing fees, and maybe apps and additional service too, so there is a lot to bear in mind as you consider signing up. However with flat pricing structure clearly stated, you will have a fair estimate of your set up and on-going costs. It is also important to note that you need to purchase all hardware directly from Clover, especially the POS component as Clover payments is not compatible with other POS system.
If you are a growing business looking for straight forward pricing and a complete system for all your business needs in one place then Clover might be the deal for you.
