Clover vs Square comes down to how you want to pay. Square costs less to start and to leave: software from $0 per location, a $59 card reader, no locked-in contract, and in-person cards at 2.6% + 15¢ on Square Free. Clover Direct publishes lower per-payment fees — 2.6% + 10¢ on its $0 Starter plan, as low as 2.3% + 10¢ on Growth plans — but pricier hardware, bought outright or on 36-month subscriptions you can’t cancel. Low upfront cost and freedom favor Square; high card counts and small tickets favor Clover. Figures are each company’s published pricing, checked October 2026.
Clover vs Square: How Do They Compare Side by Side?
Here’s how the two compare on the terms each company publishes. One caveat from Clover’s own pages: its fees vary by business type and by your agreement.
| Feature | Square | Clover (Clover Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly software | Square Free $0, Square Plus $49, Square Premium $149 — per location, with no per-device POS fee (KDS and Kiosk apps extra) | Starter $0, Essentials $29.95, Growth plans $84.95 (retail, services) or $89.95 (restaurants); multi-device Growth bundles list more, e.g. $109.90/mo for Station Solo + Flex |
| In-person card rate | 2.6% + 15¢ (Free), 2.5% + 15¢ (Plus), 2.4% + 15¢ (Premium) | 2.6% + 10¢ (Starter), 2.5% + 10¢ (Essentials), as low as 2.3% + 10¢ (Growth) |
| Keyed-in or card on file | 3.5% + 15¢ on every plan | 3.5% + 10¢ typed-in rate |
| Card brands | Same fee for Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover | Same rates for all cards, including Amex and rewards cards |
| Selling online | Website and online ordering on Square Free; online card rate 3.3% + 30¢ (Free) or 2.9% + 30¢ (Plus, Premium) | Full-service restaurant bundles include no-fee online ordering; a new online store is an unpriced add-on on some plans |
| Buying hardware | Bought outright; optional financing from Block, Inc. at 15% APR on $49–$10,000, subject to credit approval | Bought outright or on a 36-month subscription; interest-free installments on devices ordered online |
| Contract | No locked-in contracts; no early termination fee | Subscriptions are non-cancelable for the term; termination fees vary by provider |
| Support hours | Phone: weekdays 6am–6pm PT on Free (first 90 days) and Plus, 24/7 on Premium; chat and email on all plans | 24/7 support on all plans |
| Payouts | Next business day free; instant or same-day transfer 1.95% | Typically 1–3 days, often next business day; Rapid Deposit 1.75% |
| Payroll | Square Payroll add-on from $35 a month + $6 per person paid | Payroll integrations are an optional add-on; no price published |
| Custom pricing | Square Pro: ask if you process over $250,000 a year | Clover says to contact it for a tailored quote |
Square vs Clover Fees: Which One Actually Costs Less?
Both use flat-rate pricing: a percentage plus a fixed fee per payment, the same for every card brand. Square’s in-person fixed fee is 15¢; Clover Direct’s is 10¢. Clover even has a $0 Starter plan at 2.6% + 10¢, offered with devices like the Go and Flex and limited to three logins. For how flat rates stack up against other models, see flat-rate pricing explained.
Here’s the plain arithmetic for one example: a counter-service café doing $30,000 a month in tapped or dipped card sales across 2,500 payments (a $12 average ticket), one location, no add-ons, hardware not included. The totals are in the table below; four things to know as you read it:
- Why Clover Direct comes out ahead in the table below: almost all of the roughly $125 gap between Square Free ($1,155.00) and either Clover Direct plan ($1,029.95) is the nickel per payment (2,500 × 5¢ = $125).
- Check features before totals: Clover Direct’s Essentials Mini for restaurants doesn’t include no-fee online ordering, table mapping, open tabs, split bills, QR code ordering or item variations and customization options. Square Free includes a commission-free online ordering profile and open checks, but split checks, preauthorized tabs and QR ordering need Square Plus. Price the plan that actually runs your counter.
- Why the gap can shrink: run the same $30,000 as 300 sales of $100 and Square Free comes to $825, against $809.95 on either Clover Direct plan.
- Why hardware changes it again: the totals below leave devices out. Square’s Register is $899, or $44 a month over 24 months financed at 15% APR, with the printer and cash drawer extra and no monthly software required on Square Free. Clover Direct’s Mini, which has a built-in printer, is $849 to buy. Or the restaurant Mini bundle runs $75 a month for 36 months on Essentials, or $135 on Restaurant Growth. Those monthly amounts already include the software fee, so don’t add $29.95 or $89.95 on top. Add the devices you’d actually buy on each side.
| Plan | Rate | Processing | Software | Monthly total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Square Free | 2.6% + 15¢ | $1,155.00 | $0 | $1,155.00 |
| Square Plus | 2.5% + 15¢ | $1,125.00 | $49 | $1,174.00 |
| Square Premium | 2.4% + 15¢ | $1,095.00 | $149 | $1,244.00 |
| Clover Direct Essentials (restaurant Mini) | 2.5% + 10¢ | $1,000.00 | $29.95 | $1,029.95 |
| Clover Direct Restaurant Growth | 2.3% + 10¢ | $940.00 | $89.95 | $1,029.95 |
Clover Direct prices are a public benchmark, not a universal price — Clover says partners set their own plans and contract terms. Square’s fees are set by Square, and Lone Star’s own dual pricing program and same day funding apply to the processing we provide, such as Clover. Get every quote in writing, and see our full Square fees breakdown.
How Does the Hardware Compare: Flex vs Terminal, Mini vs Register, Go vs Reader?
Both lineups cover the same jobs. Square prices each device to buy outright; Clover Direct shows a purchase price or a monthly amount on a 36-month subscription.
- Clover Flex vs Square Terminal: both are handheld card machines with a built-in printer that take tap, chip and swipe. The Terminal costs less than half as much up front ($299 vs $749); the Flex has the bigger screen, LTE as well as Wi-Fi, a built-in 1D/2D barcode scanner and a published battery life of at least 8 hours of typical use.
- Clover Mini vs Square: the Mini is an 8-inch countertop unit with its own printer. Square’s closest answers are the Stand, if you already own a compatible iPad, or the Register, which connects a receipt printer and cash drawer through its accessories hub.
- Clover Go vs Square Reader: Square’s $59 reader is the cheaper start for a truck, booth or service call. Both companies also let you take contactless payments on an iPhone with no reader at all; Square’s version runs 2.6% + 15¢ per tap and doesn’t work offline.
| Job | Square | Clover (Clover Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Full countertop station | Square Register: $899 or $44/mo over 24 months; seller and customer touchscreens; receipt printer and cash drawer sold separately (Square Register Kit from $1,189) | Station Duo: $1,899 to buy (plus Retail Growth software at $84.95/mo), or $180/month for 36 months on Retail Growth; 14-inch merchant and 8-inch customer screens, receipt printer and cash drawer included |
| Compact counter unit | Square Stand: $149 or $14/mo over 12 months, plus your compatible iPad | Clover Mini: $849 or $45/month; 8-inch screen with built-in printer |
| Handheld with printer | Square Terminal: $299 or $27/mo over 12 months; built-in receipt printer; Wi-Fi, or Ethernet with the Hub (sold separately) | Clover Flex: $749 or $40/month; built-in printer, nearly 6-inch screen, Wi-Fi and LTE, 1D/2D barcode scanner |
| Pocket handheld | Square Handheld: $399 or $37/mo over 12 months; built-in barcode scanner | Clover Flex Pocket: $699 or $35/month; digital receipts only |
| Phone-paired reader | Square Reader for contactless and chip: $59; first magstripe reader free | Clover Go: $199 Bluetooth reader |
| Kitchen display | 15.6-inch $749 or 21.5-inch $899, plus a KDS app fee of $30 (Plus) or $20 (Premium) per device monthly | 14-inch $799 or 24-inch $899, plus $25 per device monthly |
| Self-order kiosk | Square Kiosk: $149 plus a compatible iPad and a monthly Kiosk app fee | Clover Kiosk: no published price (contact sales) |
Clover says its devices, even when bought from someone else, can’t be used with other payment processors. On protection, Square Shop hardware comes with free 30-day returns and a one-year limited warranty on most devices (two years on the Register). Clover gives a one-year limited warranty on devices bought outright, and its subscriptions include the Equipment Protection Program, which covers accidental damage and theft or loss for the life of the subscription. Compare devices on our Square hardware guide and Square Reader page.
Clover vs Square for Restaurants: Which Runs a Kitchen Better?
Both handle counter service and table service; they just gate features differently. On Square for Restaurants, tableside ordering, QR code ordering, preauthorized bar tabs and split checks need Square Plus, while coursing and seat management are Square Premium only.
Clover Direct’s full-service restaurant bundles (Starter, Standard and Advanced) all run Restaurant Growth: $89.95 a month for the single-station Starter bundle, and $109.90 (Standard) or $129.85 (Advanced) a month in software when you buy the multi-device bundles outright. All three include table mapping, open tabs with card pre-authorization, bill splitting, QR order-and-pay and no-fee online ordering. Tableside ordering and tap payments start with the Standard bundle’s Flex; the full-service Starter bundle’s Station Solo takes chip and swipe only.
Online ordering is close on paper: Square’s ordering profile is commission-free on every plan, and Square POS integrates with DoorDash, Uber Eats and Grubhub, while Clover’s full-service restaurant bundles list no-fee online ordering.
- Quick service and coffee: Square Free keeps a single counter cheap to open; Clover Direct’s 10¢ fee pulls ahead as ticket counts climb.
- Full service: Square needs Premium ($149 a month per location) for coursing and seat management, so price that against Clover’s Standard bundle: a Station Solo plus one Flex at $239 a month for 36 months, or $2,548 plus $109.90 a month.
- Bars: both offer preauthorized tabs — Square on Plus and Premium, Clover in its full-service restaurant bundles on Restaurant Growth.
- Food trucks: Square’s hardware takes offline payments for up to 24 hours, and a $59 reader or a phone gets you started; on Clover, the $199 Go or an LTE-capable Flex covers the window, with Clover’s 10¢ fee helping on high-count days. Comparing restaurant-first systems too? See Square vs Toast.
Which Is Better for Retail Shops and Appointment-Based Businesses?
For retail, Square for Retail puts inventory management and stock intake, vendor and purchase-order management and cost-of-goods reporting on Square Plus, with transfer orders and cross-location returns on Premium. Basic item management and low-stock alerts come on every plan.
Clover Direct’s retail Standard bundle (Station Duo) runs Retail Growth at $84.95 a month, and the Advanced bundle, which adds a Flex, lists $104.90 a month in software; both add a scale integration for items sold by weight. Its $349 Basic bundle uses the Compact, which Clover describes as a payment terminal that doesn’t support menu, inventory or order management.
For salons, barbers and other booked businesses, Square Appointments includes an online booking site and reminders on Square Free, with cancellation policies and no-show fees on Plus. On Clover Direct’s professional services plans, appointment management comes only with Services Growth at $84.95 a month; check the personal-services bundle you’d be quoted for booking tools.
What Contracts, Support and Payout Terms Come With Each?
This is where they differ most. Square advertises no locked-in contracts, lets you cancel or switch plans anytime, and charges no early termination fee. Plus and Premium each start with a 30-day free trial.
Clover Direct’s 36-month subscriptions are non-cancelable and non-refundable, though you can pay one off or end it through a buyout or upgrade. At the end of the term it extends at the same monthly charge unless you tell Clover at least 30 days ahead. Processing is billed separately, and Clover publishes no termination-fee amount. Clover’s current online promotion waives software fees for a 90-day trial of Essentials or Services Growth, through December 31, 2026. Before you sign any agreement, check it against our list of processing contract red flags.
Support runs the other way. Clover lists 24/7 support on all plans. Square’s phone support is weekdays 6am–6pm PT on Free (first 90 days) and Plus, with 24/7 phone support on Premium; chat and email cover every plan.
On payouts, Square’s next-business-day transfer is free; instant or same-day transfers cost 1.95%. Clover says deposits typically take 1–3 days, often next business day, and Rapid Deposit costs 1.75% of the amount moved. Planning a move? Read how to switch payment processors first.
Who Should Pick Square, and Who Should Pick Clover?
Here’s how we’d call it for most Texas owners — then check it against your own statements.
- Pick Square if: you want to start for little or nothing up front, you’re seasonal or still finding your volume, you want to be able to leave without a fee, or you want POS, a website, invoicing and booking on a $0 plan.
- Square isn’t the best fit if: you run thousands of small tickets a month (that 15¢ adds up), you need 24/7 phone support without paying for Premium, or you want Lone Star’s dual pricing program, which runs on the processing we provide (see how dual pricing in Texas works).
- Pick Clover if: you want a countertop station with a 14-inch merchant screen, 24/7 support on every plan, or a lower per-payment fee (Clover Direct publishes 10¢ versus Square’s 15¢). Through Lone Star, Clover is quoted for your volume and can carry our dual pricing program and same day funding.
- Clover isn’t the best fit if: you want to drop your software plan at any time while you’re still paying off devices (a Clover Direct subscription rolls the device and any software fee into one 36-month payment that can’t be cancelled), you want a published $0 early-termination fee rather than terms that vary by provider, or you’re a low-volume seller who’d rather start with a $59 reader than a $199 one.
- Neither may fit if: your must-haves don’t show up on either company’s published plan tables. Lone Star also sells KORONA POS and LINGA, and we’ll say so when one of them is the better call.
How Does Lone Star Payments Help You Choose Between Clover and Square?
We sell both, so we’re not pushing a brand. For the full Square lineup, see our Square overview. Square sets its own rates, payouts and approvals — a Square account is a Square account. What we add is the legwork.
- Free side-by-side cost review: we put Square’s published costs next to our Clover quote and Lone Star’s other options for your actual card volume.
- Feature and hardware check: we match your must-haves — KDS, bar tabs, inventory, booking — to the plan, bundle and devices that actually include them.
- Setup done with you: item library or menu, modifiers, taxes, tipping, team permissions, hardware pairing and online ordering, plus data import where Square supports it. See Square setup and support.
- Training and go-live: on-site across Dallas / Ft. Worth, remote with a live specialist statewide, and a real person at (214) 838-1818 afterward.
- Square wins on flexibility: $0 software to start, devices bought outright from $59, and no locked-in contract.
- Clover Direct’s published in-person rates carry a 10¢ per-payment fee versus Square’s 15¢, which adds up on small tickets.
- Clover Direct device subscriptions run 36 months and can’t be cancelled; buying outright avoids the subscription, but Clover publishes no termination-fee amount. Clover also says its devices can’t be used with other processors.
- On Square, key restaurant and retail features depend on the plan, and Plus and Premium are priced per location.
- Clover Direct prices are a public benchmark; Clover through Lone Star is quoted for your volume, and Square’s fees are set by Square.
- We sell both — get a free side-by-side review before you sign.
Frequently asked questions
Is Square or Clover cheaper?
On published in-person and typed-in rates, Clover Direct is lower: 2.6% + 10¢ on its $0 Starter plan versus 2.6% + 15¢ on Square Free, and as low as 2.3% + 10¢ on Clover’s Growth plans. Square usually costs less up front and to exit — a $59 reader versus Clover Go at $199, and no locked-in contract. Both were checked October 2026 and can change, so confirm current rates or let us run both for you.
Is Clover or Square better for restaurants?
Both work. Square for Restaurants scales with the plan: tableside and QR ordering and bar tabs need Square Plus, and coursing and seat management need Square Premium at $149 a month per location. Clover Direct’s full-service restaurant bundles run on Restaurant Growth ($89.95 a month in software for the single-station Starter bundle, $109.90 for the Standard bundle with a Flex) and include tabs, bill splitting and QR order-and-pay, with tableside ordering on the Flex bundles. Your menu, floor plan and ticket count decide it.
Clover Flex vs Square Terminal: which handheld is better?
Both are handhelds with built-in receipt printers that take tap, chip and swipe. Square Terminal is $299 (or $27 a month over 12 months) and can run on Ethernet with its optional hub. Clover Flex is $749 or $40 a month on a 36-month subscription, with a nearly 6-inch screen, LTE, a built-in barcode scanner and a published battery life of at least 8 hours. Both are published prices, checked October 2026. Pick the Terminal for low upfront cost; pick the Flex for cellular, scanning or Clover’s 24/7 support.
Clover Go vs Square Reader: which is better for mobile sales?
For a low-cost start, Square: its contactless and chip reader is $59, and the first magstripe reader is free. Clover Go is a $199 Bluetooth reader that pairs with your phone. Both let you accept contactless payments on an iPhone without a reader, and Square’s Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android costs 2.6% + 15¢ per tap. Clover’s published Go rates are 2.6% + 10¢ on Starter and 2.5% + 10¢ on Essentials ($29.95 a month).
Can I use Clover hardware with Square, or switch later?
No. Clover says its devices can’t be used with other payment processors, even if you bought them from someone else, so switching to Square means new Square hardware. Ending a Clover Direct subscription early means paying it off, or a buyout or upgrade. Leaving Square is simpler on paper: Square advertises no locked-in contracts and no early termination fee. Going the other way, Square’s hardware is built to run Square Point of Sale. We’ll compare the cost of staying against switching before you decide.
Why does Lone Star Payments sell both Clover and Square?
Because no single system fits every Texas business. Offering both lets us recommend the right fit honestly — sometimes Square, sometimes Clover, sometimes another platform we carry. We’ll run a free side-by-side cost review on your real card volume, then set up whichever you choose, on-site across Dallas / Ft. Worth or remotely with a live specialist anywhere in Texas.
Want Clover and Square Priced Side by Side?
Send us a recent processing statement or just call (214) 838-1818. We’ll put Square’s published costs next to our Clover quote for your actual card volume — free — and tell you plainly which one fits.
Square and related marks are trademarks of Block, Inc., used here to identify the products Lone Star Payments offers. Square pricing and features described on this page are Square’s published information as of October 2026 and can change — confirm current terms when you sign up.