Clover Review 2026: Fees, Contracts and Reseller Pricing

Verdict

Clover is a point-of-sale system first and a card processor second. It fits restaurants and shops that want countertop hardware, kitchen and table tools and processing from one vendor, and on Clover.com its Growth bundles bring in-person cards down to 2.3% + 10¢. Skip it if you mainly sell online or by phone, where typed-in cards cost 3.5% + 10¢, or if you will not commit to a 36-month hardware subscription that Clover says cannot be canceled. Before you sign anything, find out who is actually selling you Clover: prices on Clover.com are not the prices a bank or reseller has to offer.

How we did this: prices checked Oct 2026 on Clover's own pricing page and rechecked Nov 2026, along with Clover's retail and full-service restaurant pricing pages and the FAQ on its pricing page. We read pricing pages and terms. We did not open an account or test hardware.

Clover fees in 2026 (Clover.com prices)

Clover prices a software plan and a card rate together. Your card rate depends on the plan, and the plan options depend on the business type you pick on Clover.com.

The software plan rates, Clover Go price and deposit timing were checked Oct 2026; the bundle prices, Rapid Deposit fee and FAQ terms were rechecked Nov 2026. One detail from the full-service restaurant table: tap cards and mobile wallets are listed as not included on the Starter bundle, and Flex only on the Standard bundle. If your guests pay with phones, check that line before you choose a bundle.

Clover.com prices vs bank and reseller prices

This is the most important thing to know about Clover. Clover.com states plainly: "Prices shown are only available on Clover.com." The same hardware is sold through other channels. Clover's own FAQ says Clover is sold by financial institutions such as Citi, PNC and Wells Fargo, and that Clover hardware is available at retailers including Restaurant Depot and Sam's Club. The FAQ also refers to other Clover partners and many more financial institutions that sell Clover in the U.S.

Each of those sellers sets its own rates and terms. On termination fees, Clover's FAQ says: "Contract terms and any termination fees can vary based on your service provider." So a Clover quote from your bank can carry a different card rate, a different contract length and a cancellation fee that Clover.com does not charge. Clover also warns about sellers on eBay and elsewhere who advertise Clover at low prices without being genuine Clover partners.

Two practical rules follow. Ask any seller for the card rate, the monthly software fee, the contract length and the termination fee in writing, and compare them line by line with Clover.com. And know that, in Clover's words, devices bought or leased from other entities "cannot be used with other payment processors." Our guide to hardware lock-in explains what that means if you ever switch.

Questions to put to any Clover seller, bank or agent:

• What is my in-person rate and my typed-in rate, and is it flat or interchange-plus?
• What is the monthly software fee, and which plan is it?
• Is the hardware bought, leased or on a subscription, for how many months, and can that agreement be canceled?
• What is the processing contract length, and what is the termination fee?
• Are there PCI, statement or setup fees?

What Clover costs at $10K, $50K and $250K a month

These numbers come from our ranking engine, the same one behind our best payment processors ranking. It uses Clover.com prices, a $50 average sale and a card mix of 60% credit and 40% debit, and it picks the cheapest plan at each volume, software fee included. Hardware is not counted for any provider. For Helcim, which charges network cost plus a margin, the engine adds an interchange estimate of 1.55% in person and 1.70% online. Prices checked Oct 2026.

On card fees alone, Clover.com pricing beats Square in person at all three volumes: by $10 a month at $10K, $115 at $50K and $575 at $250K. It costs more than Helcim: $69 more at $10K, $315 at $50K and $1,475 at $250K. Typed-in cards are where Clover is weakest, at $1,850 a month on $50K against $1,275 on Helcim.

Remember what the table leaves out. Clover's bundles assume you buy or subscribe to Clover hardware, such as the retail Standard bundle at $180 a month for 36 months. Add that to the card fees before you compare. And if you buy Clover through a bank or a reseller, these Clover.com numbers may not apply at all.

What works

• One system for the counter and the kitchen. Hardware, POS software and processing come from one vendor, with table mapping, open tabs, bill splitting and online ordering on the restaurant bundles.
• A competitive in-person rate on Growth bundles. 2.3% + 10¢, which in our engine beat Square's cheapest plan at $10K, $50K and $250K.
• Small fixed fee. 10¢ per sale, against 15¢ on Square, which helps businesses with many small tickets.
• Fast money when you need it. Rapid Deposit puts funds in your account within minutes for 1.75%.
• No hardware needed to start taking keyed payments. Clover says its Virtual Terminal works from a web dashboard on a phone, tablet or computer.

What to watch

• The hardware subscription cannot be canceled. Clover's FAQ says subscriptions "are non-cancelable and ineligible for refunds." You can pay one off or upgrade, but you cannot walk away.
• It renews if you forget. At the end of the term you buy or return the equipment. If you do neither, the subscription continues at the same monthly charge. To stop it, tell Clover at least 30 days before the term ends.
• Typed-in cards cost 3.5% + 10¢. Phone orders, card-on-file billing and online sales all pay this rate.
• Your price depends on who sells it. Bank and reseller contracts can differ from Clover.com on rates, length and termination fees.
• Hardware stays with the processor. Clover devices bought or leased from other entities cannot be used with other payment processors.
• Promotions come with terms. The $450 statement credit for buying Station, Mini or Flex on Clover.com requires a 3-year contract and expires Dec 31, 2026.
• Several fees are not published. PCI, statement, setup and chargeback fees are not listed on Clover.com.

Who should use Clover

• Restaurants that want table mapping, open tabs and kitchen printing on dedicated hardware.
• Retail shops that want a countertop POS with inventory, barcode and scale support.
• Businesses that take most cards in person and plan to stay on the same system for at least three years.
• Owners who buy on Clover.com directly and can get the published Growth rate of 2.3% + 10¢.

Who should skip Clover

• Online-first and phone-order businesses, given the 3.5% + 10¢ typed-in rate.
• New businesses that are not sure they will still be open, or in the same format, in 36 months.
• Anyone offered Clover by a bank or agent who will not put the rate, contract length and termination fee in writing.
• Cost-first merchants who do not need Clover's hardware, since Helcim cost less at every volume in our engine.

Clover alternatives

• Square: a $0 plan with free POS software, hardware from $59 and no contract, at 2.6% + 15¢ in person. See Square vs Clover.
• Helcim: interchange + 0.40% + 8¢ in person with no monthly fee or contract, and hardware you buy outright from $199. The lowest in-person cost in our engine at $10K and $50K.
• Stax: interchange at cost plus 8¢ in person and a $99 to $199+ monthly subscription; the cheapest in-person option in our engine at $250K.

Running a restaurant? Compare Clover vs Toast and our best processors for restaurants. For the wider POS field, see the best POS systems for small business.