Best Clover Alternatives & Competitors For Small Businesses

Square’s flagship Square POS app is free, though there are paid add-ons you can purchase if you need advanced features like a rewards program, team management, and digital marketing—for example, Square Payroll, Square Loyalty, Square Marketing are popular Square add-ons.

Square also has both free and paid versions of industry-specific POS systems for the restaurant, retail, and service industries: Square for Restaurants, Square for Retail, and Square Appointments.

Square is superior to Clover in that it offers the following features:

• Free POS app with no commitment or monthly minimum
• Free online store on all accounts
• No merchant account required
• Use on any mobile device — iPad, iPhone, Android, etc.
• Affordable all-in-one hardware options include Square Terminal ($299) and Square Register ($799)
• Free Square Reader for taking magstripe payments

If you want to see how Square stacks up against Clover Go specifically, read our Square vs. Clover Go post.

Square has several proprietary POS hardware options that are comparable to Clover. The $299 Square Terminal is similar in its function to the Clover Flex or Clover Mini, while the dual-screen $799 Square Register (pictured below) is more of an answer to the Clover Station. For mobile businesses, Square’s contactless and chip reader ($49 for first-generation reader, $59 for second generation) can be used to accept EMV and NFC payments, such as Apple Pay, or you can use a Square magstripe reader, one of which you can get for free.

But the cool thing is you don’t have to use Square’s hardware (aside from a Square reader); you can instead use your iOS device or Android tablet if you like. If you enjoy the Apple-esque, all-white look of Clover, you might prefer to use the Square Stand, which is compatible with iPads and even has a swiveling screen, just like Clover.

Square’s payment processing is 2.6% +$0.10 per in-person transaction. You cannot use a separate payment processor with Square POS; you must use Square Payments.

Square processing provides an alternative to a merchant account for businesses that aren’t ready for the cost or commitment a merchant account entails. Square offers a pay-as-you-go system, which has no monthly fee or monthly minimum. However, Square has very sensitive fraud controls, and some merchants have reported that their accounts were unfairly terminated with no notice.

TouchBistro pricing starts at $69/month, which is less expensive than the Clover Table Service plan, and it includes more restaurant features out of the box. (All TouchBistro plans include 24/7 customer service, menu management, table management, cloud reporting and analytics, unlimited integrations, and unlimited users.)

As follows are some TouchBistro features that may appeal to small restaurants looking for a Clover alternative:

• iPad POS uses the same hardware as many other POS systems
• Choice of payment processors gives you multiple options for your merchant account
• In-house reservations management system available as a paid add-on

Some other unique features include upselling prompts for waitstaff, customization for right- or left-handed employees, and the ability to quickly toggle between breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus. Paid add-on options include gift cards, online ordering, loyalty, and reservation management, and you can choose from hardware add-ons such as a kitchen display system, kiosk mode, and a digital menu board.

If you want to expand TouchBistro’s functionality, you can integrate the app with various accounting software, inventory, bar management, analytics, and more.

TouchBistro uses iPad POS hardware, and you have the option to source your own components or buy a bundle from TouchBistro (call for a quote).

For payment processing, one option is TouchBistro Payments, in-house processing powered by Chase. TouchBistro also works with Square, TSYS, and Worldpay. Costs vary depending on your contract with your merchant account provider.

TouchBistro does require a contract, and the contract length is specified in your quote (typically a year). There is no month-to-month option and it’s not easy to leave your contract early. If you don’t wish to renew your contract at the end of your term, there is a short renewal window during which you can choose to cancel before the contract automatically renews.

Packages start at $0/month for the core Toast software and hardware (higher payment processing fees at this plan level cover the cost of your hardware). The core software offered at the lowest price level includes cloud-based reporting, menu management, and kitchen operations, while features such as online ordering, loyalty, gift cards, self-service ordering, and team management are paid add-ons.

If you want to pay for your hardware outright and get a lower processing cost, plans start at $69/month.

Restaurants that don’t want to use Clover may appreciate these Toast POS features:

• Android POS hardware is an alternative for those who don’t like Clover hardware (or iPad)
• Restaurant-grade hardware  designed specifically for waitstaff/foodservice
• Free plan for restaurants with limited budgets
• Full offline mode lets you operate seamlessly during an internet outage
• Excellent in-house support available 24/7
• In-house payment processing from Toast

Toast has a full suite of digital payment offerings, including curbside pickup, contactless delivery, and a feature that lets dine-in customers order and pay from their own mobile devices.

As with most of the other POS systems on this list, Toast has many integrations with other business software as well as an open API.

As mentioned, you can get your Toast POS hardware for free in exchange for a higher payment processing fee. Alternatively, you can purchase a hardware kit upfront for $1024 (basic countertop kit). It’s also possible to source your hardware yourself (though Toast doesn’t recommend it).

Toast uses Elo Touch i-Series 2.0 AiO touchscreen terminals with multiple size options. Toast also offers optional custom-built handheld tablets for waitstaff ($799, pictured above), self-service kiosks ($1339), as well as a custom-built kitchen display screen.

Toast POS users are locked into using Toast payment processing, but rates are competitive. Not having to deal with a separate payment processor/merchant account simplifies things; there’s only one number to call for any Toast POS issues, payment-related or otherwise.

Toast payment processing is 2.49% + $0.15 for most in-person transactions if you buy your hardware upfront. If you are on the free plan, fees start at 3.09% + $0.15 and go up from there depending on which advanced features you want.

Toast requires a two-year contract with an early termination fee should you decide to exit your contract early.

Lightspeed Retail offers relatively advanced retail-specific functions at a very reasonable price point, starting at $89/month when billed annually ($109/month with month-to-month billing).

All Lightspeed plans come with one POS register software license. Adding registers to your subscription will cost an extra $59/register/month.

Here are some features included with Lightspeed Retail that may make this POS a better choice than Clover for some retail stores:

• Various hardware options, including iPad, Windows PC, iMac, Chromebook, and more
• Choice of payment processors, such as TSYS, 2Accept, and Worldpay
• Quality customer support in one place
• Advanced retail features out-of-the-box (without the need for add-ons and integrations)
• Option to pay month-to-month if you don’t want to commit long-term

Lightspeed is also expandable with numerous Lightspeed add-ons.

Lightspeed sells iPad and desktop computer POS kits (desktop kit pictured above) for Lightspeed Retail. However, they do not list pricing and you will need to call Lightspeed for a quote.

Lightspeed Payments charges 2.6% + $0.10 per in-person transaction if you choose to use Lightspeed Payments for payment processing. Or, you can integrate an outside payment processor if you don’t want to use Lightspeed Payments.

As mentioned, you have the option to use Lightspeed with an annual or monthly contract. To get the lowest pricing, however, you will need to commit for a year.

The $29/month ($39/month paid monthly) “Basic” plan includes standard POS features like gift cards, staff PINs, inventory, as well as your own online store with a blog. If you need the full set of retail POS features, you’ll need the Shopify POS Pro add-on, which will bring your monthly fee to $118/month.

Omnichannel retailers looking for a Clover alternative may prefer Shopify POS for the following features:

• Cheaper hardware options (works with iPad and iPad peripherals, such as mPOP, as well as some Android tablets)
• Free website including eCommerce and blog on all plans ($29/month and up)
• More retail and eCommerce features out-of-the-box
• Monthly plans for businesses that don’t want to commit for a whole year
• Option to use outside payment processor if you don’t want to use Shopify Payments (for added fee)
• Highly rated customer support available 24/7

Note that Shopify does not have features specific to restaurants, but just about any other type of store that wants to sell online could find Shopify to be a better fit than Clover. Shopify also integrates with other business software with apps from the Shopify App Store.

Shopify POS can use iOS and Android devices, and you can buy your own hardware or source it straight from Shopify. Shopify sells $49 tap and chip readers you can use with a mobile device, as well as countertop POS kits for iPads and Android tablets for $459. Shopify also sells its own branded mobile POS Go devices ($299, pictured above) and even gives you the option to sell without any card reader using just your iPhone using Tap to Pay On iPhone.

The Shopify Payments flat-rate payment processing is included at 2.7% at the $29/month plan level, though you can get lower rates if you opt for a higher plan. You also have the option to integrate with an outside payment processor, though Shopify will add a 1% fee if you do that.

As mentioned, you can purchase Shopify POS on a monthly or annual basis, though month-to-month plans are more expensive.