A lot of things have been said about the Clover POS system. Despite what you may have heard, Clover presents you with a feature-rich, flexible as well as functional POS solution for restaurants and retailers.

Basically, the system couples cutting-edge hardware and security with some of the best POS features and capabilities in the industry today. For instance, the system will make it easier and more convenient for you to manage your customers and employees create and view various reports, track inventory levels as well as monitor revenue streams.

However, such are not the only things that make Clover the industry leader it is today. The provider presents you with variety; allowing you to choose a POS system that is best suited for your business. Discussed below are some of the things business owners have come to like about Clover POS.

Clover POS Reviews – Company Overview

It is common knowledge that superior products are produced by great companies. This is also true for the Clover POS system. The company was acquired in 2012 by First Data Corporation—one of the largest credit card processing companies in the country.

Over the years, the provider has unveiled some of the best POS products for almost any retail business. Buying any of the various Clover POS solutions will give you access to the renowned Clover POS App Market. The market boasts of POS applications that will enrich your POS experience.

Different businesses, even those within the same industry, can never be the same. As such, it is advisable to get a POS solution that is just as unique as your business model. This is why Clover offers several POS options for you to choose from.

A Variety of Tailor-made POS Solutions

Regardless of you’re the business model you are using or the POS needs in your business, Clover has the software and hardware components you need. To begin with, you will have to choose the right POS software for your business.

In this regard, the provider offers you six of the best POS options available today, Clover Station, Clover Go, Clover Flex, Clover Mobile, Clover Mini and the newest of them all—the 2018  Clover Station. As for the POS software, both the Clover POS software and POS App will never frustrate you.

Depending on your needs, the provider offers different pricing and payment options. While packed with a vast array of innovative features, you will find this POS solution to be quite affordable, as discussed below.

Clover POS Benefits

• Features an intuitive interface
• Has a lot of apps to offer on Clover POS App Market
• Equipped with many advanced capabilities
• Offers different pricing options
• Relatively easy to set up
• Aesthetically appealing
• Backed by reliable customer support
• PCI Certified solutions

Clover POS Drawbacks

• Provider only offers proprietary hardware components
• You will not be able to separate the POS from payment processing

Clover POS Pricing

As mentioned earlier in this review, different businesses have varying POS needs. Whether you are looking for a table, countertop or a simple and more mobile POS solution, Clover got you covered. In order to allow you to tailor your POS solution around your needs, the provider offers different pricing plans.

Now that Clover is your preferred POS provider, here are the main pricing plans you need to choose from:

Clover Station

Are you looking for the best stationery restaurant POS solution for your business? You should consider getting Clover Station—a superior counter top stationery POS terminal solution. In such a case, you will have an opportunity to choose the POS hardware components for the business.

Clover offers three main Clover Station pricing plans. The cost of these plans mainly depends on what they offer, especially the hardware components. Therefore, these are the 3 main pricing plans you should choose from:

1. SILVER

This is the cheapest plan you will get from this provider for clover station. For this plan, you will be required to pay a one-time upfront cost of $849. Being a basic plan, it only offers basic hardware components, including:

• The New 2018 Clover Station
• A cash drawer
• A built in fingerprint reader
• Standard receipt printer and receipt paper
• All the required cables and connectors

With this plan, you will be able to accept all types of payments, including Apple Pay, Android Pay as well as contactless, EMV and Swipe payments. Additionally, you will be required to pay a monthly software subscription cost of $35 per month.

You will also be charged 2.6 percent plus 10¢ for every swipe, tap and dip payment you process in your business.

2. GOLD

This plan is almost identical to the Silver plan discussed above. Actually, the only difference is that you will get a customer facing receipt printer instead of a standard receipt printer for the Gold plan. For the Gold Clover Station plan, you have to make an upfront payment of $949.

With this plan, you will also be required to pay a monthly subscription cost of $35 per month. Again, Swipe, Tap and Dip payments will be charged 2.6% +10¢ per transaction.

3. SILVER+

For an upfront cost of $1199, you will get the same POS hardware as you would with the SILVER plan mentioned above, in addition to Clover Mini Customer Facing Countertop POS. the monthly subscription cost for this plan is also higher; $40 per month.

Similar to the other plans, you will be charged 2.6% +10¢ for every Swipe, Dip and Tap transaction.

Clover Mini

If you do not have enough space for Clover Station in your business, Clover Mini will come in handy. Through smaller than Clover Station in design, Clover Mini is a great choice for a stationery POS terminal.

This solution will give you most of the features and capabilities you will find in a POS system, including the ability to scan barcodes and QR codes. For use as a card swiper or customer-facing display, Clover Mini may be connected to Clover Station.

To get this POS system, you will be required to make an upfront payment of $349. For this amount, you will get Clove POS Mini, Wi-Fi + Ethernet with 3G capabilities, a built in barcode scanner and a Gorilla Glass Display Screen.

Depending on your service level, you will be required to pay a monthly subscription cost of between $10 and $20.

Clover Go

Are you looking for a POS solution that can process card payments on-the-go? Well, Clover Go if the solution you need. The Clover Go is essentially a card reader that does not have its own display. As such, you need to pair it with a compatible tablet or Smartphone.

The hardware components for this plan come at a one-time payment of $89 and include:

• Clover Go App
• Bluetooth Enabled Clover Go Reader

The solution has been proven to pair seamlessly with a vast array of Android and iOS mobile devices. Once installed, Clover Go may be used to process any payment type, such as EMV, Android Pay, Apple Pay as well as Swipe and Contactless payments.

For this option, the processing fee is a bit higher. In this regard, the provider will charge you 2.75% +10¢ for each Swipe, Tap and Dip transaction you process.

Clover Flex

The size and functionality of this Clover POS solution may be compared to that of a conventional countertop credit card machine. The device features a 5-inch display and is only a pound heavy. Though portable and convenient, Clover Flex can only support few apps.

Once you have paid the required upfront cost of $399, you will be given the required hardware. For this option, you will get a starter kit that includes power cords, a charging cradle and thermal receipt paper. You will get include the handheld Clover Flex Wireless device that is capable of processing all types of payments.

With regards to connectivity, the provider offers Wi-Fi and optional 3G connectivity. To get 3G connectivity, you have to pay an additional $15 per month. With Clover flex, you will also be required to pay a monthly subscription cost of 10 per month.

Merchant Account Fees

Nowadays, a good number of consumers use credit cards to pay for their orders. As such, you need a POS system that is both secure and capable of accepting card payments. This capability does not come for free. The Clover POS provider doubles as a Merchant account service provider.

As you can see above, the credit card processing fees charged by this provider is relatively low. Basically, every Tap, Swipe and Dip payment will be charged a fee of 2.6% + 10¢ by the provider.

With Clover, you will know the much you are required to pay and what you are paying for beforehand. When it comes to pricing, this provider is very transparent regardless of your preferred Clover plan; the provider will not charge you any setup fees—as some POS providers do.

Clover Software Cost

In addition to the upfront hardware cost, the provider requires you to pay for the software. Access to the Clover POS software requires a monthly subscription. Currently, the provider is offering two main software subscription plans, as discussed below:

1. 2000 Service Plan

This is the most affordable subscription plan by Clover. The plan costs only $5 a month and is suitable for Clover Mobile and Clover Mini. This plan may be somewhat limited when it comes to features and capabilities, but will give you the capabilities of a traditional credit card terminal.

Some of the capabilities you will get with this plan include:

• Ability to accept multiple payment tenders, including debit and credit cards
• Refunds
• Support for Apple Pay and EMV payments
• Cloud Syncing
• Ability to manage authorizations, tabs and tips
• Features Transarmor protection
• Closedout reporting
• Optional Employee permissions

2. Pro Service Plan

As opposed to the 2000 Service plan, the Pro plan may be used on all Clover POS devices. As such, this software plan is ideal for use on Clover Station, Clover Mini as well as on Clover Mobile. For this plan, the provider charges $35 per month for one station.

Additional POS terminals are charged an additional $25 per month per unit. In addition to the features and capabilities of the 2000 Service Plan, this plan will also give you the ability to:

• Create Items
• Ring up orders
• Manage cash as well as tender types
• Charge tax
• Manage customers
• Apply discounts

Clover POS Hardware Accessories Cost

Although the provider lists the hardware components you will get for each plan, is not necessarily a limit. As one of the most scalable point of sale systems in the market, Clover allows you to add more hardware components to your system.

Being a proprietary POS system, Clover is only compatible with the hardware by the provider. If you are looking forward to expanding your Clover POS hardware; hence capabilities, here are some of the hardware components you should consider:

Handheld POS Barcode Scanner

For the best performance, you should get the customized clover version of the Motorola LI2208 Scanner. Priced at $129.99 a piece, this scanner can only capture 1D barcodes. The provider also offers an optional stand for use when you want to switch to a hands-free mode.

POS PIN Debit Pad

In order to process contactless and PIN-based debit transactions with your POS, you should get the FD40 PIN Pad. This unit is priced at $199.99 and is capable of processing such payment types as MasterCard PayPass, Apple Pay, Visa payWave and Google Wallet.

Similarly, this solution can process EMV payments, including support for Google Wallet as well as chip-and-PIN transactions.

POS Weight Scale

POS scales are a necessity for merchants who sale their products by weight. In such a case, you should invest in the CAS SW-RS (20lbs) (US). With this scale, you can easily switch between ounces and grams. Once integrated, the scale will be transferring weight data to the POS for fast and accurate checkouts.

This scale is currently priced at $359.99.

Label Printer

The Brother QL-710W is currently being offered as the label printing option for this POS. Priced at $139.99, the printer is capable of printing about 93 labels per minute. The printer may be used to print custom address labels, price labels, barcodes or labels for postage.

Kitchen POS Printer

Would you like to have orders printed rather than displayed on a kitchen display system (KDS)? Then you should invest in the Star Micronics SP742ML for your Clover POS system. This printer is specifically designed to withstand the high humidity and temperature in a restaurant kitchen.

This piece of equipment is priced at $289.99 and allows you to print orders in different languages. You can also get a longer, 50-feet long, LAN cable for the printer, if need be.

PIN Shield for Clover Mini

This may not be absolutely necessary but comes in handy for those who would like to cover the PIN entry on their Clover Mini. This piece of hardware will set you $25 back.

Merchant Keypad

This hardware component is specifically meant for use on Clover Mini. With this keypad, you will be able to control the payment process whilst engaging the customers as they make their payments. The keypad allows you to switch between authorizing cards, issuing refunds and taking payments fast and easily.

With this keypad connected to the system, you may as well use the Clover Mini as a modern and friendly payment display for the POS system. The Merchant keyboard is currently priced at $65.00.

Clover Mobile Printer

If you are using Clover Mobile as a stand-alone POS system in your business, the above discussed printers will be of no use. In such a case, you need to invest in a Clover Mobile printer. With this printer, you will be able to print receipts on the go from your Clover Mobile.

The printer costs about $169.99 and is made of liquid silicone rubber for enhanced drop protection. This hardware component comes with a base clip.

Clover Features and Capabilities

The Clover POS software platform essentially started as a basic One-Click Mobile Payments Platform. As one of the fastest growing POS systems in the market, Clover has made numerous improvements to their platform over the years.

The various Clover POS options are renowned for their outstanding security as well as adaptability. In this regard, the provider offers a myriad of apps that you may use to customize the system to your requirements.

Discussed below are some of the popular features and capabilities of the Clover point of sale system:

1. Clover POS App Market

With Clover POS system, you do not have to just settle for what the POS software is offering. Instead, the provider offers you a chance to upgrade the features and capabilities of your system at any time you wish to. In this regard, you will have access to the Clover POS App Market—a platform with more than 100 POS apps for your system.

This platform essentially equips business owners with unlimited functionality and outstanding scalability for their POS system. Regardless of your POS needs, the app market has the Apps you need to upgrade your system. Some of the useful apps you can get on this platform include:

HomeBase Time Clock

With a single click on the App market, you can now install this time clock for additional clocking capabilities. This app features export capability for Payroll-ready timesheets and integrated credit card tips. Additionally, it will help you keep track of employees; Clock-ins, breaks and clock-outs.

The app will also make it easier for you to utilize server banking and declare cash tips. Many business owners love the fact that the Time Clock App offers scheduling tools as well. Some of the scheduling tools you will get include the ability to: manage time-off requests, handle shift trades, send schedules through email or text messages and send employee reminders an hour before shift.

Perka Rewards

Clover software offers basic Gift Cards and Loyalty program tools. However, you can complement their functionality with the Perka Rewards App. With this app installed in your Clover POS software, you will be able to create more effective loyalty programs within a few minutes.

The basic, Lite version of this app offers you such capabilities as In-store signature, customizable listings within the app, a powerful dashboard that can track usage and the ability to integrate with Facebook and Twitter.

Such features are meant to enhance customer loyalty in your brand. Upgrading your Perka Rewards App will offer you even more capabilities. For instance, the other version of the app offers such tools as detailed customer data, Real-time notifications and specials as well as auto check-ins through a Bluetooth beacon.

Pizza Builder

This app serves as a pizza ordering screen for your pizzeria. The app is mainly meant to simplify the ordering process for your customers. As such, the customers will be able to place orders with a reduced number of touches on the app.

Additionally, this app will minimize the errors one can make while creating pizzas with respect to sizes, toppings and crusts. Some of the features and capabilities you will get from this app include:

• Proportional toppings prices
• Ability to choose double, light or triple toppings
• Ability to create and modify specialty pizzas, such as Combination, Veggie and Supreme pizzas
• Ability to set the price of toppings based on pizza size
• View the price as the pizza is being built
• View the order history

In addition to these, the Pizza Builder POS app may also be used to add customers to any order and add notes to specific items or the entire order. Finally, the app also features delivery and pickup options for your pizzeria.

Clover Insightics

The reports you get from your Clover POS system may not be enough to tell you how your business is faring. You will need an application that can synthesize this raw data and give you detailed and straightforward insights.

With this app, you can easily compare your business to similar businesses in your neighborhood. Such a capability will give you actionable data on where you currently stand and how you can better the business.

The App also allows you to unlock real time business data updates and insights, such as insights into product trends, customer spending and payment transactions. This application is specifically designed to give you insights you can act on, regarding what products are popular to different customer segments, how to respond to traffic, holidays or weather changes and how the various products are selling.

TrueBeacon Multi-Location

The Multi-Location application by TrueBeacon is the ultimate menu management tool for multi-location chain businesses. In its functioning, the application allows you to make real-time inventory, menu and pricing changes in an individual store, a defined group of outlets or even throughout the entire chain.

The application will also make it easier for you to manage employees at the store level or across the entire chain. In addition to the ability to update the inventory, the application offers a hierarchical structure, featuring a vast array of tools and capabilities desired by retailers and franchise organizations alike.

2. Reports

As you may be aware, almost all retail points of sale systems have a reporting capability. As such, the difference is what the reporting feature can actually do. With the Clover Station POS system, you will have access to decent reporting capabilities and tools.

To begin with, the application will present with you with By Payments reports. This report shows you a summary of the transactions completed within a particular time frame in the business. In addition to this report, the system will automatically compile business data and continually present you with an array of detailed reports.

For instance, Clover Station can give you detailed reports on employee statistics, cash transactions, net payment statistics, payments according to card types, discounts and taxes and employee activity among other reports. The feature allows you to sort such reports according to date and time or filter them according to certain requirements.

3. Customer Management

Collecting and storing customer information is not only important for creating targeted marketing campaigns; it helps you understand your customers. This will, in turn, help you serve them even better; hence improve their satisfaction in your business.

Some of the Customer Management tools offered by this system include:

Gift Cards

When it comes to creating customized gift cards and processing them, Clover is one of the best retail POS systems in the market today. This feature allows your customers to conveniently access their custom gift cards on their mobile devices.

Again, you will not need paper receipts to keep track of the cards. Instead, the POS system allows you to track them digitally. This feature also offers a reporting capability that will help you analyze gift card sales in your business.

Clover Online

This is an online eCommerce platform by Clover that is designed to integrate seamlessly with Clover POS system. This option gives an opportunity to manage your online store from anywhere. In addition to supporting different payment options, this platform is mobile device friendly.

You will also find the platform comparatively easy to set up. As a matter of fact, it is packed with tools to help you design and customize the platform to your preferred specifications.

Loyalty

The default version of this feature is included in the Clover Station POS system. You may decide to use this feature as is or customize it to your preferences. In this regard, you may create a custom loyalty program that allows your customers to accumulate loyalty points in different ways.

From the data collected by this feature, you will be able to look up different customers in your system and have a look at their spending habits. Using this feature, you can as well send out promotions through email or ext in real time.

4. Inventory Management

Managing the inventory is a vital part of management in any business. Without the right tools, managing the inventory effectively can be a daunting and time-consuming process. As you will come to learn, Clover Inventory has a horde of in-depth management capabilities to offer.

In order to use this feature, you are first required to download an inventory spreadsheet. You should then open the spreadsheet in .xlsx format, with an application like MS Excel. You should then fill in the various fields you would like to track, such as item name, type, price type, tax rate, price unit, product code, business cost and modifier group.

Clover Inventory makes it possible for you to describe the various inventory items using variants like options and color. You may as well organize the items into labeled categories for easier access. With this functionality, you may create new items with variants or without any variant.

5. Employees/Permissions

Clover point of sale system helps you regulate employees’ access to the POS system. Based on their roles and responsibilities in the business, you will be able to allow and restrict access to various POS features by your employees.

To begin with, the system makes it easier for you to add employees to your Clover account. While adding employees to the system, you will able to add such descriptions as their names, roles, nicknames—what will appear on customer receipts, contact information and login PINs.

In order to manage permissions, it is advisable to assign the various employees in your business a role. This way, it will be easier for you to allow access to sensitive POS features to only the right employees. The other employees will be restricted to basic POS registry functions.

Our Final Verdict

Whether you are looking for a stationery POS terminal or a mobile POS solution, Clover has the right solution for your business. The various POS products by this provider, including Clover Station, Clover Flex, Clover Mini and Clover Mobile, will offer distinct and tailor-made features for your business.

However, you do not have to stick to the basic functionality offered by this POS software. The Clover POS App Market has a horde of applications you can use to enhance the functionality and suitability of your system. Such are the aspects that make Clover one of the best retail POS system providers today.