S
Square
4.6 /5
Simple, low-barrier POS for brick-and-mortar businesses
- Software
- $0+ per month
- In-person rate
- 2.6% + 15¢
retailrestaurantqsr
POS fit guide
Is Clover a good POS for retail stores?
Clover can work for retail stores, but it isn't our first pick for this segment (#5 of 5).
What retail stores need from a POS
Retailers live and die by inventory accuracy, purchase orders, barcode and variant handling, and reporting that ties margin to SKUs.
- Deep inventory with variants, barcodes and purchase orders
- Stock counts and low-stock alerts
- Per-SKU margin and sell-through reporting
- A customer directory and loyalty
Where Clover fits
- A free software tier keeps fixed costs down while you get running.
- Solid all-round POS for retail, quick-service and services
- Large app market for add-on functionality
- Attractive, well-built hardware (Station, Mini, Flex, Go)
Watch-outs
- Pricing, processing rates and contract length depend entirely on the reseller
- Some resellers lock devices to their processing ("Clover locking")
- Effective costs can be high once statement fees and add-ons are included
Clover pricing at a glance
- Software
- $0+ per month (reseller-set)
- In-person rate
- ~2.5% + 10¢ (reseller-set)
- Commitment
- 3-year contract
How Clover compares for retail
Among the 5 platforms we review that serve retail stores, Clover ranks #5 for this use case (3.9/5 overall). See the full ranking in our best POS for retail guide .
Frequently asked questions
Is Clover good for retail stores?
Clover can work for retail stores, but it isn't our first pick for this segment (#5 of 5). A free software tier keeps fixed costs down while you get running. The main watch-out: pricing, processing rates and contract length depend entirely on the reseller
How much does Clover cost for a retail store?
Software runs $0+ per month (reseller-set), in-person card processing is ~2.5% + 10¢ (reseller-set), and the commitment is: 3-year contract. Run a real month of your card volume through our processing-fee calculator to get an effective rate.
What is the best alternative to Clover for retail?
Square is the closest alternative we'd shortlist (it scores 4.6/5). Compare them side by side on our Clover vs Square page.
Setting up Clover for your retail store?
Tell us your setup and volume — we’ll come back with real pricing and the closest alternatives.
Clover for other business types
Other POS systems for retail stores
Clover for retail stores by city
Same fit, plus local sales tax, surcharging rules and tipping norms.