Which one you should choose depends largely on what kind of payment processing model works best for your business: flat-rate, interchange-plus, or cash discount. Your financial situation is unique and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. Easy to take with you and easy to hand to customers- they can dip, swipe, tap, enter a pin and sign, whether in line, in the aisle, or at the table. However, you have access to all sorts of settings related to payments directly on Flex, starting with the basics: tax and tip. The Clover Flex manual and online help materials include a neat little graphic that shows what everything is. Youll also need to choose a POS software plan, which will likely run anywhere from $14-$29/month per device, through Clover. Opinions expressed here are authors alone. Our researcher contacted Clover at the time of writing the post, and they did confirm for us that they now use 4G. Square is a top choice for POS for any type of business. I have questions about true costs. Connect easily with built-in 4G LTE and WiFi capability. Integrate a scale to sell items by weight. While its not the cheapest platform on the market, Clovers roster of payment partners make it a solid choice for businesses of all kinds. That starts with powering up the device and choosing your default language. Paying monthly over time like this is very similar to leasing POS hardware, which can end up costing more over time. Want all your POS hardware and software in one place? Clover accounts are subject to approval, including credit approval. The former editor-in-chief of SteelOrbis, Shannon has been researching and writing about small business software and financing since 2015. Each staff reviewer at Merchant Maverick is a subject matter expert with experience researching, testing, and evaluating small business software and services. These machines range in price from around $200 to $2,000, depending on the model and features that you choose. Other Clover merchant account providers may charge different payment processing fees. Here are some average rates for Clover: As with the cost of POS systems in general, Clover POS pricing depends partly on where you purchase it and which pieces of hardware you want to include in your POS setup. Accept payments online through a virtual terminal. Our unbiased reviews and content are supported in part by affiliate partnerships, and we adhere to strict guidelines to preserve editorial integrity. Clover is extra challenging because Fiserv has such a massively huge network of resellers offering the Clover suite, and, unfortunately, some of them are completely terrible. After you enter the activation code, Clover will download your apps for you. Give your customers so many ways to pay accept payments faster, easier . All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team. Some of these include: Clover does not charge as per the number of users, so you dont need to worry about paying more when you scale your team. Shannon attended San Diego State University, graduating in 2005 with a BA in English. Clover Flex comes with a 2100 mAh battery, which is a little bit weaker than what youll find in most high-end smartphones. We encourage you to shop around and compare several providers. All three have the same issues, battery life. The other two plans include a mobile card reader that connects to a phone so you can get paid anywhere. Clover charges monthly for subscriptions, but you must sign up for a 36-month or 48-month contract. For the best Clover pricing, we recommend buying from a merchant services provider that: If you cant afford to buy your Clover POS equipment outright, read our post on equipment financing. Merchant Mavericks ratings are not influenced by affiliate partnerships. BINGO! Orders pulls up any open tickets so that you can complete the transactions. If you go through Clover.com, Clover Flex will cost you $499 if purchased on its own. View Nicolette Kier's professional experience. We've done in-depth research on each and confidently recommend them. However, the Flex can be used with a manually operated cash drawer. Customers can . While reprogramming your payment equipment can take time (minutes or hours depending on on the situation), payment processors do not incur financial costs when they reprogram a terminal. $49-$1,799 per device Clover POS At A Glance Easy-to-use point of sale system geared toward retail shops and restaurants Versatile hardware offering Large app market to enhance Clover setup Clover software can only be used with Clover hardware Must find reliable merchant services provider to use Clover Show More Pros Easy to set up Sign up today and get a free card reader! It does display some pricing, but you will have to connect with their sales team to get deals such as $65 for Station Solo, $40 for Clover Mini and $30 for Clover Flex. The second-to-last step in setting up your Clover Flex is deciding what software plan you want. Other less-desirable Clover vendors offer tiered pricing or enhanced billback pricing, which are both confusing and expensive. Upfront cost: $4,097 for a Clover Station Solo, which is a 14-inch touch-screen terminal, receipt printer and a cash drawer; also includes a Clover Flex hand-held touch-screen device and a Clover Station Duo, which has a 7-inch customer-facing touch screen and a receipt printer. Clover is a user-friendly point-of-sale system for small and midsized businesses. Please refer to our Advertising Disclosure to learn more about how we earn compensation from affiliate partnerships and how we maintain our independent editorial integrity. What Is A POS System & Choosing The Best For Your Business, Discover The Best Business Credit Cards In 2023, Best Business Credit Cards For Your Nonprofit Organization, Explore Business Credit & Banking Resources, How Signing a Personal Gurantee Affects You. Note: Prices are based on using Clovers parent company, Fiserv, as your merchant service provider. Well we came up with our own fix. After the 30-day trial period, the cost for Virtual Terminal is $9.95 per month when no other software plan is in effect. However, many Clover users report long phone wait times, unhelpful interactions, and having to deal with generally misleading customer service representatives. Clover typically takes one to three business days to credit payments to your account. 2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. Features on Clover POS systems for restaurants are generally standard across tiers, unlike other POS systems that limit features on lower priced options. What Is A POS System & Choosing The Best For Your Business, Discover The Best Business Credit Cards In 2023, Best Business Credit Cards For Your Nonprofit Organization, Explore Business Credit & Banking Resources, How Signing a Personal Gurantee Affects You. After that, the real setup process begins, starting with your data connection settings. After hours of in-depth research and evaluation, we can confidently recommend this brand to our readers. No. . Lets talk about the biggest design-related issue: The Clover Flex is much bigger than a mobile device should be. We do not offer financial advice, advisory or brokerage services, nor do we recommend or advise individuals or to buy or sell particular stocks or securities. Cons: They cost to much they lied about the monthly payment. Upfront cost: $1,699 for a Clover Station Solo, which is a 14-inch touch-screen terminal, receipt printer and cash drawer. Our unbiased reviews and content are supported in part by affiliate partnerships, and we adhere to strict guidelines to preserve editorial integrity. Clover Flex reviews are generally positive, with customers appreciating its design and ease of use while occasionally mentioning bugs and customer service problems. Get a quote and cost analysis today. We have no other Clover products. The Clover Flex is all about making your payment solutions flexible enough to meet the demands of your ever-growing business. Upfront cost: $2,298 for a Clover Station Solo, which is a 14-inch touch-screen terminal, receipt printer and a cash drawer; also includes a Clover Flex hand-held touch-screen device. Something went wrong. If you find discrepancies with your credit score or information from your credit report, please contact TransUnion directly. Founded in October 2010, Clover was acquired by First Data Corp. in December 2012. Square Terminal is an all-in-one credit card machine for your business. For example, you cant connect a scale to weigh products. Clover.com offers a flat-rate pricing structurein which youll pay one of the following rates, depending on your plan: Card-not-present transactions include online orders, virtual terminal/invoice payments, phone orders, keyed-in card numbers, and orders from third-party software providers. Clovers terminal is designed to be used within the greater Clover ecosystem of software apps and other devices such as the mobile card reader. Whats the point in having multiple mobile devices? The Clover Flex started up with just about half its battery power, which is pretty standard for most electronics. The actually battery in the clover flex does not last the length of the 3 year term. However, you can create items (with variants), categories, and modifiers from Flex. Call (866) 989-1689 or connect to sales for a consultation. Check out Clover for simple, easy-to-use small business point of sale solutions. Access all features found in the Starter plan. There aresome Clover scams with merchant services providers that will sneak tons of hidden fees into their merchant services contracts. One device also wouldnt charge and when I called the support line was placed on hold for an hour and a half to which was then disconnected and no call back was made despite have my number, this is just a couple a issues we had in the one shift they were used, the list could go on and on. As a small business owner, contributing writer Nicolette Kier has been sharing her knowledge on all things related to freelancing and eCommerce since 2019. If, for example, you place a second Clover Flex in a second business location, youll pay the full monthly software fee for each device. Advertiser Disclosure: Our unbiased reviews and content are supported in part by, The former editor-in-chief of SteelOrbis, Shannon has been researching and writing about small business software and financing since 2015. Ive sent 17email 27phone calls to the 1888 number 14 calls to the rep who signed us up 8 text messages with that person as well. Let us know how well the content on this page solved your problem today. Competitive flat rates for payment processing. When you select the item to ring up, youll need to enter the quantity. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including cost, system capabilities, contract requirements, customer service and integrations and add-ons. We simply purchased 2 small android tablets, put a case on it and attached the clover go to the back of it. With Clover Flex, you can take card and mobile wallet payments on the go, print receipts, manage inventory, and more. Around the edge of the Flex, youll find the card readers, various buttons, and some secondary features: a power button, a barcode scanner, speakers, an audio jack, and even a USB Type C port. We occasionally send out emails with special offers. It is also sold by a variety of third-party resellers, which can complicate things further. You should double-check with the service provider/financial institution directly as well as obtain independent financial advice prior to making any financial commitments or business decisions. Its about the size of an early 90s brick cell phone but with a 5-inch smartphone screen instead of buttons. 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations. However, the receipt paper roll does rattle about a bit. Also, if youre also considering using Square POS, one of Clovers toughest competitors, read our Clover POS VS Square POS comparison post to help you make the right decision. You can specify the hourly range, the total timeframe (today, yesterday, the past week, the past 30 days, or a custom range), and filter reports by all devices or just your Clover handheld. The Standard and Advanced plans have a lower payment processing rate: 2.3% plus 10 cents per in-person transaction compared to 2.6% plus 10 cents in the Starter plan. This varies by plan and type of transactions, but most of Clovers plans charge 2.3% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions. This is included at no extra charge, and its fairly advanced. No fees in May*. This is absurd. If you choose to pay in full, you will encounter an upfront lump sum to own your hardware, plus a monthly software fee. Keep reading this Clover POS pricing guide for a detailed understanding of how much money business owners may pay per month to use Clover POS. To be eligible, merchant must: (1) apply for the account through our Clover Sales team, (2) choose a Clover Hardware Subscription or purchase equipment, (3) be credit approved no later than 6/30/23, (4) activate account by submitting a batch of $25 or more in sales within 30 . ), Line busting (if you purchase Clover Flex), Leasing hardware rather than buying it outright, Setup, early termination, and hidden fees (very common in long-term contracts). Service systems. Theres no centralized control for any of the settings. For the monthly pay option, the hardware and software price are rolled into one monthly payment, but you dont own the hardware up front. Responses are not provided or commissioned by the vendor or bank advertiser. Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions on Retail Starter, Personal Services Starter and Professional Services Standard plans, as well as Home & Field Services Standard and Advanced plans. You may be able to find different prices through other vendors, but those may also come with varying processing fees. Payment processing is also an additional fee to consider, with rates starting at 2.3% + $0.10 per transaction. Access all features in the Standard plan. And even if youve only ever used an iPhone, you should be able to master Clover Flexs app-based functionality in no time. The tip settings are fairly intuitive, but the tax settings might require a bit more thought, depending on where your business is located. Built-in Wi-Fi, 4G LTE and Ethernet connectivity for countertop use. Many entities sell Clover, from national banks and merchant services companies to retailers, such as Sams Club. Take payments and print receipts. Maddie Shepherd is a writer who specializes in small business financing and has expertise in business credit cards, accounting tools and merchant services. Clover pricing varies for POS hardware, software, and credit card processing. The Flexs screen size is pretty reasonable for a mobile device, but theres also a large open space above the screen where the NFC chip and receipt printer is located, making the whole device much bigger. 2.3% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions for most plans. Yes, they frequently turn off and need to be restarted, hard started etc. NerdWallets ratings for point-of-sale system providers reward companies whose products and services are priced well and work in a variety of payment scenarios, among other criteria. Buying a used machine from a private seller on a site like eBay or Craigslist means their merchant contract won't transfer to you, and the merchant services providers selling Clover POS machines on a site like Amazon are not usually reputable companies. The only costs to operate the Flex are the cost of the device (if you buy it, itll run about $400-$500; we strongly recommend buying outright instead of leasing. We have 3 clover flexs and after 3 years of use, all three are complete garbage. Most Clover users will pay a monthly software fee, though Clover does offer a free plan for payment processing only. We want to sale the products in india. All full-service restaurant plans have features that let users: Send remote orders directly to the kitchen. Her shopping and retail expertise has been cited in numerous publications, including Reader's Digest, MSN, Yahoo Finance, and GOBankingRates . It was very easy to use and navigation-friendly. All financial products, shopping products and services are presented without warranty. How do I get a card machine? Check Out Our Preferred Point of Sale Software . I have 50+ merchants with a Clover Flex with under a 2.3% effective rate. With its reports and analytics, business owners can also make informed decisions about their business. Compact, smart and customisable. Adding additional devices to the same plan is $9.95/month/device if the devices are in the same location or used on the go. But lets commence with what you need to do to get your Clover Flex set up for the first time. View real-time sales tracking and sales reports. It comes with a wide range of software and hardware options to suit your specific needs. While purchasing you will be asked to apply for a merchant account. The customer database lets you link transactions to customers and keep a database with their name, contact information, and even their birthday. You can purchase the hardware outright or pay one monthly fee for your hardware and software. You might be using an unsupported or outdated browser. Because the Clover Flex POS is meant to be mobile, it doesnt support a few of the inventory features that the Clover Station and Mini do. Some vendors provide flat-rate processing, but their rates may be higher than Clover processing fees. All at the tips of your fingers. I was advised by my processor that my current mobile device will be at its end of life this December 31st and that 3G will no longer be supported. Why we like it: The Clover Flex lets customers swipe, dip and tap credit cards and accepts the trio of digital wallet payments: Apple Pay . Here is a list of our partners. Customers are more likely to stay loyal and spend money if they feel important. Clover ratings Average score Ease of Use 4.1 Customer Service 3.4 Features 3.9 Value for Money 3.6 Likelihood to recommend 6.8/10 I like that you can create custom roles for your employees, set individual logins and restrict which features an employee can access on Clover devices based on their role. Whether you're in beauty, landscaping, or accounting, we can help your business prosper. Heres a rundown of the specs of the Clover Flex: As you might expect from a device called Flex, Clover throws in magstripe, chip card, and contactless payment support. However, 2100 mAh is robust enough to run a device like the Flex for a standard business day (eight hours). If you go through Clover directly, youll get the lowest hardware pricing and a month-to-month agreement with clear, simplified rates. The Clover Flex runs the full Clover POS and is compatible with the Clover Station and Clover Mini. Access to Clover App Market for unrivalled business support. But there are also reputable Clover resellers that are very upfront and transparent about their pricing and contract length! Integrate with your existing online store. With variable-price items, youll simply enter the cost when you add the item to an order. If, for example, you have two devices in two locations, youll be charged the full monthly software fee on both devices instead of an extra $9.95/month. Also your monthly pricing and equipment pricing are off. Copyright 2023 Merchant Maverick. $94.85 for Advanced Full-Service Dining plan. Clover Flex is point of sale (POS) hardware that doubles as a countertop POS device and mobile card reader. For example, if you want to add a Clover mobile reader that you can take anywhere with your phone and sync your sales with your main POS, you can purchase a portable Clover Go device for another $49. The device itself is pretty simple to set up. Work with our lending specialists to get smart answers to all your small business questions. The primary difference is the number and types of hardware Clovers software runs on. For example, Bank of America sells the Register plan with 2.7% processing. According to the manufacturer, the Clover Flex has an eight-hour battery life and can be fully charged in an hour. However, this does not influence our evaluations. NerdWallet strives to keep its information accurate and up to date. Clover software and hardware pricing could stand to be more transparent. The following are Clovers monthly software fees if you purchase your Clover hardware upfront: Note:There is an Essentials plan that does not require you to purchase or lease any hardware upfront. Clover is compatible with a range of different third-party hardware devices. Thats it folks. Long story short I was promised these devices would accept a particular gift card which my restaurant used in the past which they were never able to get working despite that promise. Includes everything in the Essentials plan, plus: Integrate with a weight scale and barcode scanner, Compatible with Clover Station Solo, Clover Station Duo, and Clover Flex, Card pre-authorizations to start bar tabs/house accounts, Run reports per revenue center (patio vs. bar), Grubhub and Order With Google integrations, Compatible with Clover Mini, Clover Station Duo, and Clover Flex, Contactless dining (Scan to Order and Scan to Pay), Run reports per revenue class (food, wine, etc. Now is the perfect time to try Clover Rapid Deposit. Regardless of the specific combination of Clover hardware and software, you'll have access to the following features: Reporting tools that allow you to track revenue, filter your POS reports to see your busiest times and your best-selling items, get aggregated sales across all your locations, view end-of-day reports, track total sales per employee and more. You can swipe left or right to access more screens with more features. Upfront cost: $49 for a Clover Go mobile card reader that pairs with your phone. It shouldnt take more than 10-15 minutes to get everything set up unless you need to research the software plans or your data connection is unbelievably slow. Unlike the Clover Station and Clover Mini, which are designed to sit on countertops, the Clover Flex is a handheld device meant to be mobile. Learn more about. The higher your average sales volume, the more beneficial this is. The primary difference is the number and types of hardware.Features on Clover POS systems for restaurants are generally standard across tiers, unlike other POS systems that limit features on lower priced options. Upfront cost: $1,799 for a Clover Station Duo, which is a 14-inch touch-screen terminal with a 7-inch customer-facing touch screen, a receipt printer and a cash drawer. Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Card-not-present transactions have a 3.5% + $0.10 payment processing fee no matter your monthly plan. I was told the range of the devices were great which within our small restaurant they kept dropping. Clover is always offered in conjunction with a merchant account, whether you buy it from Clover.com or elsewhere. Additional hardware add-ons, such as scales, barcode scanners, kitchen printers, and debit PIN pads, can drive Clover pricing up further. It does sound like a lot, but I have been very detailed in the setup process here! If you want to terminate your contract, you have to pay a fee equal to the total length of time left on your contract. Her shopping and retail expertise has been cited in numerous publications, including, View Shannon Vissers's professional experience. Here are some high-quality Clover POS vendors that we recommend: All of these recommended vendors offer fair, straightforward pricing and month-to-month contracts. Performance information may have changed since the time of publication. That means orders created on one device can be completed on the other, which is very important if youre dealing with mobile hardware and mobile staff. Upfront cost: $2,398 for a Clover Station Duo, which is a 14-inch touch-screen terminal with a 7-inch customer-facing touch screen, a hand-held touch-screen device, a receipt printer and a cash drawer. The vendors that appear on this list were chosen by subject matter experts on the basis of product quality, wide usage and availability, and positive reputation. Your business isn't one-size-fits all, and neither is Clover. With most plans you can either pay in full or pay monthly. In all, the Clover Flex earns a 4-star rating for its functionality and pun fully intended here, folks flexibility. Transactions are charged at 2.3% + 10 cents for in-person and 3.5% + 10 cents for keyed-in. So currently still have the units which have been used once! There are a few reasons for this: Here are a few examples of good and bad Clover POS hardware/software deals: To recap, Clover pricing is a good deal for various types of brick-and-mortar businesses that need POS hardware, software, and payment processing. Whether you run a retail. Clover Flex can be both a countertop and mobile POS, but be mindful that costs and contract terms depend on which provider you buy it from. Clover makes POS hardware and software and processes payments. Most payment-related settings are in the Clover Setup app, including customizing your accepted payment tenders and whether a transaction triggers a cash drawer opening. The Clover Inventory app populates all of your inventory when you open it and indicates what kind of pricing each item uses. Placement of these features is pretty standard if youre familiar with a smartphone just on a larger scale. Clover comes with a set of reporting tools that enable you to not just track sales but manage inventory and filter data to see your best-selling items, busiest business hours and more. Best of all, its completely free. The 5-inch screen is protected by Gorilla Glass, the same stuff used by most Android smartphones. how we rate point-of-sale systems providers. You should double-check with the service provider/financial institution directly as well as obtain independent financial advice prior to making any financial commitments or business decisions. Clover is owned by Fiserv, a payments and financial technology provider. Note that we are not able to provide private consultations, give advice, or answer questions. Most Clover reviews tend to be extremely negative and usually focus on payment processing or hardware leases. So how do we make money? Customer support is beyond terrible in fact arguably the worst I have ever experienced in my life! I also conveniently received a reminder email about my activation code shortly after I powered the Clover Flex up for the first time. You can buy Clover directly, but there are many other resellers, including Citi. All feedback, positive or negative, helps us to improve the way we help small businesses. The Clover hardware is on the pricier side, but it is attractive and high-quality; the monthly Clover software plans are affordable and include useful industry-specific features. Please refer to our Advertising Disclosure to learn more about how we earn compensation from affiliate partnerships and how we maintain our independent editorial integrity. A Clover coffee machine is an excellent investment for any coffee lover. We recommend you buy your Clover hardware upfront. Accept PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay and Google Pay. srinivasa rao .k To help support our reporting work, and to continue our ability to provide this content for free to our readers, we receive compensation from the companies that advertise on the Forbes Advisor site. All-day battery life to see you through the working day. Clover Flex made the cut. In short, Clover Flex and other Clover devices will feel intuitive if youve ever used an Android device before. Offer a customer loyalty program and sell gift cards. Clover payment processing fees are 2.3% + $0.10 or 2.6% + $0.10 for card-present transactions, depending on your monthly plan. To learn more about where to buy your Clover system, read our post on the best Clover resellers. Set up both digital and physical gift cards. The charging cable is about three feet long, so it can definitely sit on a counter. The editorial content on this page is not provided by any of the companies mentioned and has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. The Flex accepts the same receipt paper rolls as the Clover Mini internal printer. This information may be different than what you see when you visit a financial institution, service provider or specific products site. Your Clover POS system makes running your business a breeze. We used these devices literally once and since have been trying to return them. Selecting a Clover point-of-sale credit card processing device does not convey or guarantee approval.