Flex or Mini is the most common Clover question, and it has a simple answer once you describe how a payment happens in your business. This page gives the spec comparison, then the recommendation by business type.
Spec comparison, September 2026
| Clover Flex Gen 4 | Clover Mini Gen 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Form | Handheld | Countertop |
| Screen | 5.99 inch | 8 inch |
| Battery | Up to 8 hours | None; mains powered |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, LTE, Bluetooth | Wi-Fi, LTE; Ethernet via hub |
| Printer | Built in | Built in |
| Camera and barcode | 5MP camera, 1D and 2D | Handheld scanner via hub |
| Cash drawer | No | Yes, via hub |
| Customer-facing | Turn the device | Turn the device or use a swivel stand |
| Offline payments | Supported | Supported |
| Software | Same plans | Same plans |
| List price | $699 to $749 | $849 |
| Through us | Placed at no charge for qualifying merchants | Same |
By business type
| Business | Recommendation | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Full-service restaurant | Flex for servers; Station Duo or Mini at the counter | Pay at table turns tables and keeps cards in guests’ hands |
| Quick service, fast casual | Mini or Station Duo at the counter; Flex only for line busting | Counter is where payment happens |
| Cafe, coffee, bakery | Mini | One register, small footprint, customer taps on the Mini |
| Bar | Mini or Station at the rail; Flex for patio and events | Tabs live on the counter device |
| Food truck | Flex | Battery, LTE, printer, no counter power needed |
| Retail boutique | Mini with cash drawer and scanner | Register workflow, cash, barcodes |
| Retail with curbside | Mini plus one Flex | Flex goes to the car |
| Salon, barber, spa | Mini | Checkout at the desk with tips on screen |
| Medical, dental, veterinary | Mini at the front desk; Flex for exam rooms or vet techs in the parking lot | Copays at the desk, larger balances in the room |
| Contractor, mobile service | Flex, or text-to-pay with no hardware | Payment happens at the job |
| Market vendor, pop-up | Flex | Portable, cellular |
| Professional office | Mini or Compact | Occasional payments at a desk |
The one-device case
A very small counter without cash can run entirely on a Flex sitting in its dock, and take the Flex to events. A cafe that never leaves the counter can run entirely on a Mini. When in doubt between the two for a fixed counter, the Mini’s larger screen and cash drawer support make it the safer single device.
The two-device case
Restaurants with a dining room, retailers with curbside, and any business with a counter plus a road. Both devices sit on one account, one menu or inventory, one report. Dual pricing runs on both: the customer sees both totals on whichever screen is in front of them. The guest-side detail is on dual pricing on Clover.
Pricing
Through us both are placed at no charge for qualifying merchants, so the decision is about how you take payments, not about $100 of hardware. Software plans are identical. Processing is $0 under dual pricing or interchange-plus if you prefer one posted price. The Clover pricing page has the plan prices and worked examples.