These are the three systems in almost every small-business POS decision, and they are built on three different bets: Square on simplicity, Toast on depth, Clover on flexibility. We sell Clover. This page keeps the places where the other two win, because the wrong system is worse for us than the lost sale.
Side by side, September 2026
| Square | Toast | Clover direct | Clover through a dealer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-person processing | 2.6% plus 10¢ to 15¢ per item | Starter Kit about 2.99% + 15¢ (higher with $0 hardware); paid plan about 2.49% + 15¢ | 2.3% + 10¢ (2.6% + 10¢ Essentials) | Dual pricing $0; or interchange-plus |
| Online | 2.9% + 30¢ | Toast rates | 3.5% + 10¢ | Interchange-plus |
| Software | Free; Plus from $29 a month | $0 Starter; about $69 a month Point of Sale; custom | $14.95 to $89.95 by plan | Same Clover plans |
| Hardware | Reader $59; Terminal $299; Register $799 | Bundles about $449 to $1,024, or $0 upfront at higher processing | Mini $849; Flex $749; Duo $1,899 | Placed at no charge for qualifying merchants |
| Processing choice | Square only | Toast only | Fiserv | Dealer’s; can change behind the account |
| Contract | None | Commonly multi-year | No long-term processing contract | Month to month with us |
| Account type | Aggregator | Aggregator-style with underwriting | Merchant account | Underwritten merchant account |
| Restaurant depth | Good for small counters | Deepest: payroll, scheduling, inventory, multi-location | Good for single locations; Dining, KDS, online ordering | Same |
| Retail | Good for small inventories | Not for retail | Retail Growth for barcode retail | Same |
| Services | Appointments built in | No | Essentials plus scheduling apps | Same |
| Dual pricing | No (surcharging only) | No (fee programs under surcharge rules) | No | Yes |
| Support | Online, phone with plan | Toast | Clover | Dealer first; in person with us |
Figures from each company’s pricing page and 2026 reviews; all three adjust pricing periodically.
Worked cost: 60-seat restaurant, $60,000 a month, 1,600 transactions
| Square for Restaurants Plus | Toast Point of Sale plan | Clover direct, Table Service | Clover through us, dual pricing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software | $69 | $69 | $89.95 | $89.95 |
| Hardware | About $1,700 | About $1,000 to $2,000 | About $3,400 | $0 placement |
| Processing per month | About $1,800 | About $1,734 | About $1,540 | $0 |
| Annual processing | About $21,600 | About $20,800 | About $18,500 | $0 |
The card price under dual pricing covers what the merchant otherwise pays; the guest sees both prices and chooses. The mechanics and guest experience are on dual pricing on Clover.
Where each one wins
Square. Under about $5,000 a month. New businesses that do not know their volume. Anyone who wants an account in ten minutes and one login for POS, appointments, invoices and payroll. Very small retail and services.
Toast. Multi-location restaurant groups. Restaurants that want payroll, scheduling, tips management and inventory in one vendor and will pay for it in processing. Complex kitchens with Toast’s KDS and routing.
Clover. Single-location restaurants, bars and cafes above $5,000 a month that care about the processing line. Retail with barcodes. Service businesses that want a real POS. Any business that wants to choose its processor, run dual pricing, and keep month-to-month terms. Read the dealer contract; the risk on the Clover side is the seller, not the product.
The risks
Square: aggregator holds and closures after the fact. Toast: processing lock-in and multi-year terms; nothing is free, the $0 hardware is in the rate. Clover: a bad dealer with leases, ETFs and teaser rates. The eight questions that protect you from the last one are on Clover reseller vs direct.
The decision
Brand new or tiny: Square. Multi-location or one-vendor: Toast. Everyone else with a counter or a dining room: Clover through a dealer who puts terms on one page. The two-way comparisons with more detail are Clover vs Square and Clover vs Toast.