For growing businesses, selecting the right POS (point-of-sale) system is more than a payment tool—it’s a backbone for operations. As your sales increase, staff expands, and locations multiply, the POS you choose needs to scale with your business. Two of the most popular solutions are Clover and Square. Each offers strengths and trade-offs depending on growth trajectory, complexity, and budget.
In this guide, we’ll compare Clover vs Square with a focus on growing businesses, exploring pricing, features, hardware, scalability, ease of use, and suitability for expansion. By the end, you’ll have a clear picture of which system aligns with your growth plans.
What Are Clover and Square?
Clover is a full POS ecosystem that combines hardware, software, and flexible payment processing. It’s designed for retail, hospitality, and service businesses and supports multiple hardware models, from mobile readers to full countertop stations. Clover’s extensive app marketplace allows integration with accounting, loyalty programs, and industry-specific tools, making it suitable for businesses planning significant growth.
Square is known for simplicity and accessibility. It started with mobile card readers and has evolved into a complete POS platform, offering both hardware and software, with support for online and in-store operations. Square prioritizes ease of use, low upfront cost, and fast deployment, which appeals to businesses that want to start scaling without significant complexity.
Key Comparison Areas for Growing Businesses
Cost & Pricing Structure
Clover’s in-person payment rates generally start around 2.3%–2.6% + 10¢ per transaction. Hardware costs tend to be higher, with full station systems often exceeding $1,300. However, for high-volume businesses, Clover’s model may offer cost advantages over time, especially if you negotiate rates or manage multiple locations.
Square offers lower upfront costs, with basic card readers often free or inexpensive. Transaction fees typically start around 2.6% + 15¢. For businesses in early growth phases, Square allows lean scaling without heavy initial investment, though higher transaction volumes may make Clover more cost-efficient long-term.
Hardware & Ecosystem Depth
Clover provides multiple hardware tiers, including mobile devices, full countertop stations, and dual-screen setups for staff and customer interaction. Its ecosystem supports complex operations, multi-location management, and integration with third-party apps.
Square’s hardware is simpler and more streamlined, focusing on ease of deployment and cost efficiency. While it supports multiple terminals, the ecosystem is more contained, which can limit flexibility for highly complex operations.
Scalability & Flexibility
Clover excels in customization, allowing businesses to add multiple stations, integrate with various apps, and even use different payment processors through its reseller network. This makes it ideal for businesses expecting multi-location growth or complex workflows.
Square scales too, but primarily within its ecosystem. It offers a simpler growth path, which works well for businesses expanding steadily without intricate integration needs.
Ease of Use & Deployment
Square is widely praised for rapid setup and minimal training requirements. Businesses with high staff turnover or fast expansion may benefit from Square’s intuitive interface.
Clover, while powerful, can require more setup and training due to its advanced features and hardware options. Businesses need to weigh the trade-off between flexibility and onboarding complexity.
Support & User Satisfaction
User satisfaction ratings suggest Square generally scores higher (~93%) compared to Clover (~81%) in some surveys. For growing businesses, reliable support and minimal downtime are critical to prevent lost sales and operational bottlenecks.
Which System Fits Growing Businesses Better?
Choose Square if your business:
- Is in the early growth stage (single location or few terminals) and wants to keep operations lean.
- Wants low upfront cost, quick deployment, and minimal training.
- Values simplicity and fast setup over advanced customization.
- Operates online and offline but doesn’t require complex workflows or multi-location management.
Choose Clover if your business:
- Plans multiple locations, numerous checkout stations, or both mobile and fixed devices.
- Needs advanced hardware, custom workflows, and specialized integrations like loyalty programs or inventory management.
- Has the budget and staffing to support a more complex system.
- Wants to optimize transaction costs for high volumes and is comfortable managing or negotiating payment processing via a reseller model.
Final Thoughts
For growing businesses, the decision between Clover and Square comes down to the type and pace of growth.
Square offers a smoother, simpler path to growth, making it ideal for small-to-medium businesses that want efficiency, speed, and ease of use. Clover, by contrast, provides more room for complex operations, multiple locations, and deep customization—but at higher cost and complexity.