Payment processor head-to-head
Square vs Clover
Square and Clover are both countertop systems: hardware, point-of-sale software and payments from one vendor. Clover's published card rates are lower; Square's free software plan and free next-business-day transfers keep its fixed costs near zero.
Updated October 2026. Figures from each company's published US pricing; where a figure is not published, we say so.
Square
$2.75
2.6% + 15¢
Clover
$2.70
2.6% + 10¢
Clover costs $0.05 less on every sale.
Quick answer
Is Square or Clover cheaper?
On card rates, Clover: 2.3% + 10¢ in person on a Station Solo bundle and 2.6% + 10¢ on Clover Go Starter, against Square's Free-plan 2.6% + 15¢, and 3.5% + 10¢ keyed in against Square's 3.5% + 15¢. Square's software starts free with a $59 reader, while Clover's runs $0 to $89.95 a month plus hardware (October 2026).
In person, Square Free against Clover Go Starter: what a $100 sale costs
Percentage plus fixed fee, as a share of a $100 sale, at each published US rate
- Anytime Capital
- Square
- Clover
Published US rates as of October 2026. Excludes international, currency-conversion, dispute and payout fees, and any monthly plan.
Published fees
Square vs Clover fees, line by line
| Fee | Square | Clover | Anytime Capital |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online card rate | 3.3% + 30¢ on Free; 2.9% + 30¢ on Plus and Premium | 3.5% + 10¢ keyed-in and card-not-present; no separate ecommerce rate published | 2.75% + 30¢ (2.5% + 30¢ for your first 90 days with the launch offer) |
| In person | 2.6% + 15¢ Free, 2.5% + 15¢ Plus, 2.4% + 15¢ Premium | 2.3% + 10¢ on Station Solo bundles and some service plans; 2.6% + 10¢ on Clover Go Starter | Customers scan and tap to pay on their own phone; no terminal to buy or rent |
| ACH bank payments | 1% on invoices ($1 minimum; capped at $10 on Plus and Premium) | Not published | ACH bank debit on payment links and invoices; current rate on the pricing page |
| International cards | Not published for 2026 | Not published | May carry an extra fee, shown in your dashboard before you accept the payment |
| Currency conversion | Not published | Not published | May carry an extra fee, shown in your dashboard before you accept the payment |
| Instant payout | 1.95% of the transfer | 1.75% with Rapid Deposit, up to $10,000 per request | Instant, 24/7, to your Anytime Capital business account |
| Disputes | No dispute fee today; the processing fee is lost if you lose | Not published | Shown in your dashboard; pre-dispute alerts can refund small payments automatically |
| Monthly fee | $0 Free, $49 Plus, $149 Premium, per location | $0 to $89.95 a month in software by plan, plus hardware | $0: no monthly, setup or PCI fees |
US pricing as of October 2026. “Not published” means no official figure was found, not that the fee is zero.
Sale by sale
What each one costs, at every sale size
01In person, Square Free against Clover Go Starter
| Sale | Square2.6% + 15¢ | Clover2.6% + 10¢ |
|---|---|---|
| $10 | $0.41 | $0.36 |
| $25 | $0.80 | $0.75 |
| $50 | $1.45 | $1.40 |
| $100 | $2.75 | $2.70 |
| $250 | $6.65 | $6.60 |
| $1,000 | $26.15 | $26.10 |
Clover costs $0.05 less on every sale.
02In person, Square Plus against Clover Station Solo
| Sale | Square2.5% + 15¢ | Clover2.3% + 10¢ |
|---|---|---|
| $10 | $0.40 | $0.33 |
| $25 | $0.78 | $0.68 |
| $50 | $1.40 | $1.25 |
| $100 | $2.65 | $2.40 |
| $250 | $6.40 | $5.85 |
| $1,000 | $25.15 | $23.10 |
Clover costs less at every sale size.
Square Plus is $49 a month per location. Clover's 2.3% + 10¢ comes with Station Solo bundles and some service plans.
03Keyed-in or card-not-present payment
| Sale | Square3.5% + 15¢ | Clover3.5% + 10¢ | Anytime Capital2.75% + 30¢ |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10 | $0.50 | $0.45 | $0.58 |
| $25 | $1.03 | $0.98 | $0.99 |
| $50 | $1.90 | $1.85 | $1.68 |
| $100 | $3.65 | $3.60 | $3.05 |
| $250 | $8.90 | $8.85 | $7.18 |
| $1,000 | $35.15 | $35.10 | $27.80 |
Clover costs $0.05 less on every sale.
A card number typed in, or a card on file. Clover publishes no separate ecommerce rate.
The short version
Which to choose
Choose Square if
- You want to start with no monthly software fee: free point of sale, free Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android, and a $59 reader.
- You want free next-business-day transfers to your bank, with instant transfers when you need them.
- You also sell online and by invoice from the same account, at published rates.
Choose Clover if
- You run a restaurant or retail counter and want a register, kitchen printing and a handheld from one vendor.
- Your card-present volume qualifies for 2.3% + 10¢ on a Station Solo bundle.
- Your sales are large enough for Clover's lower percentage to add up over a month.
Card rates: Clover is lower, plan for plan
Clover publishes 2.3% + 10¢ for in-person payments on Station Solo bundles and some service plans, and 2.6% + 10¢ on Clover Go Starter. Square charges 2.6% + 15¢ on its Free plan, 2.5% + 15¢ on Plus and 2.4% + 15¢ on Premium. Clover Go Starter matches Square Free's percentage with a fixed fee 5¢ lower; Station Solo is lower on both.
Keyed-in and card-not-present payments cost 3.5% + 10¢ on Clover and 3.5% + 15¢ on Square. Clover publishes no separate ecommerce rate; Square charges 3.3% + 30¢ online on Free and 2.9% + 30¢ on Plus and Premium.
Hardware and software costs
Square's point-of-sale software has a free plan, Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android is free, Square Reader costs $59 and Square Terminal $299 or $27 a month for 12 months. Plus ($49) and Premium ($149) are charged per location.
Clover sells Station Solo, Mini, Compact, Flex and Go hardware with its own software, priced from $0 to $89.95 a month by plan, plus the hardware. Clover is part of Fiserv, and its rates vary by plan and business type, so get the quote for your plan in writing and add the monthly software and hardware cost to the card fees.
Deposits and support
Square transfers sales free the next business day, with instant transfers at 1.95% of the amount, up to $10,000 (new sellers one a day, up to $2,000). Clover's standard deposit timing is not published on the pages we reviewed; Rapid Deposit moves funds 24/7 for 1.75% per transfer, up to $10,000 per request.
Square offers 24/7 priority phone support on Premium. Clover does not publish its support terms on its pricing pages.
At a glance
The two side by side
| Square | Clover | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Point of sale and payments for in-person sellers, from Block | Fiserv's countertop POS with bundled hardware and software |
| Background | Founded 2009 in Oakland, California; part of Block, Inc. | Part of Fiserv. Rates vary by plan and business type. |
| Payout speed | Free next-business-day transfers to your bank; instant transfers for 1.95% of the amount (up to $10,000; new sellers one a day, up to $2,000) | Standard deposit timing not published on the pages we reviewed; Rapid Deposit moves funds 24/7 for 1.75% per transfer, up to $10,000 per request |
| Payment methods | Cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Cash App Pay, Afterpay (6% + 30¢ on Plus and Premium), gift cards, ACH on invoices, and bitcoin for US sellers outside New York | Cards and contactless wallets on Clover hardware, and keyed-in card payments |
| Fraud tools | Not priced on the pages we reviewed | Not published on the pricing pages we reviewed |
| Point of sale | Free Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android; Square Reader $59; Square Terminal $299 or $27 a month for 12 months | Station Solo, Mini, Compact, Flex and Go hardware with Clover software |
| Support | 24/7 priority phone support on Premium | Not published on the pricing pages we reviewed |
The third option
Where Anytime Capital fits
If you take card numbers over the phone, send invoices or sell through links, Anytime Capital Payments charges 2.75% + 30¢ (2.5% + 30¢ for your first 90 days), which costs less than Clover's 3.5% + 10¢ keyed-in rate on sales above about $27 and less than Square's 3.5% + 15¢ above about $20. Below those amounts, theirs cost less.
In person it runs without terminal hardware: you key in an amount on any phone, tablet or laptop and the customer scans the code and taps to pay on their own phone. A busy counter that wants a register, printers and a cash drawer is better served by Square or Clover. Anytime Capital is a fintech company, not a bank.
Launch offer
Try Anytime Capital Payments: 2.5% + 30¢ for your first 90 days
Then 2.75% + 30¢ per card or wallet payment, with no monthly, setup or PCI fees. Links, invoices and in-person payments from day one, payouts to your bank (instant where eligible), and QuickBooks Online or Xero sync.
- 2.75% + 30¢ online, 2.5% + 30¢ for 90 days
- No monthly, setup or PCI fees
- Payouts to your bank, instant where eligible
- Live US business team
Questions
Square vs Clover: FAQ
Other head-to-heads
Where to go next
Important Disclosures
- Information about Square and Clover is drawn from their own published US pricing and pages (squareup.com/us/en/pricing, Square's help center articles on fees, deposit options and payment disputes, squareup.com/us/en/hardware and squareup.com/us/en/payments/instant-transfers; clover.com/pricing (Station Solo, Go and Professional Services pages), clover.com/financial-solutions/rapid-deposit and clover.com/shop) as of October 2026. Prices and features change; where a figure was not published, this page says so rather than giving a number. Check current pricing before you decide.
- Anytime Capital, Square and Clover are independent companies. This page is not endorsed by, affiliated with or sponsored by Square or Clover. Third-party names, logos and trademarks belong to their owners and are used only to identify the companies compared.
- This comparison is for information only and is not financial, tax or legal advice.
- Anytime Capital is a fintech company, not a bank. Payment processing, banking and payout services are provided by Anytime Capital's licensed partners. Rates shown are for US card payments; international cards, currency conversion and disputes may carry additional fees shown in your dashboard before you accept a payment.