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Updated Sep 30, 2024

Clover vs. Toast POS & Payment Processing Comparison

Determine if Clover or Toast is a better POS system and payment platform for your food business.

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Written By: Jennifer DublinoSenior Writer & Expert on Business Operations
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Editor's Rating9.7/10
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Editor's Rating9.5/10
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Ensuring you’re using the right POS system and payment processor for your food and beverage business can be the key to long-term growth and stability. Clover and Toast are payment processing options that give restaurant businesses a convenient, easy way to accept credit cards and other digital payment methods while providing card readers, POS system functionality, backend software and customer support.

We’ll examine these two vendors’ features and costs to help you find the best credit card processor and POS solution for your unique needs. Our comparison focuses on several key areas, including fees, payment processing costs, ease of use, POS hardware and customer service.

Clover vs. Toast

Clover vs. Toast Highlights 

Clover and Toast are comprehensive payment processors with extensive POS system functionality. Both can help you abide by crucial credit card payment processing rules and laws. However, the vendors have several key differences, and one may be a better match for your food business than the other. 

Criteria

Clover

Toast

Best for

Retailers and fine-dining restaurants

Fast-food, casual and quick-service restaurants

Monthly fee

Ranges from $14.95 to $290 per month, depending on business type

Ranges from free to $165 per month, or custom pricing based on functionality needed 

Payment processing costs

Depends on plan level

  • Starter: 5% + $0.10 for card-not-present transactions
  • Standard: 5% + $0.10 for card-not-present transactions; 2.6% + $0.10 for card-present transactions
  • Advanced: 5% + $0.10 for card-not-present transactions; 2.3%+ $0.10 for card-present transactions

Interchange plus or flat rates, which vary depending on volume; the default flat rate is 2.49% + $0.15 

Ease of use 

Easy and intuitive

Easy and intuitive

POS system hardware and features

Attractive hardware you can use with other processors; robust and versatile software

Restaurant-specific POS functionality and robust software; hardware is incompatible with other processors

Customer service

24/7 phone support, plus email and online FAQs

24/7 phone, email and chat support

Who Is Clover For? 

Clover is ideal for established restaurants and retailers seeking a combined payment processor and POS system. Clover can handle nearly every aspect of business operations, such as payment processing, marketing and inventory. Learn more details about Clover’s capabilities in our in-depth Clover review.

Clover customer-management interface

Clover’s customer-management interface is intuitive and easily navigable. Source: Clover 

Who Is Toast For? 

Toast is a restaurant payment processor as well as a complete hardware and software POS solution, which makes it an excellent option for restaurants and bars of any size — particularly since smaller establishments can access a plan with no monthly fee. Our detailed Toast review goes into great depth about its restaurant-specific functions and features, including online ordering. 

Toast POS with a spill on it

Toast’s POS equipment is spill-proof, making it an excellent option for bars. Source: Toast 

Clover vs. Toast Comparisons

Here’s how Clover and Toast stack up on the crucial factors you must consider when choosing a payment processor and POS system for your business.

Monthly Fees

Clover

Clover’s monthly fees depend on your plan level (Starter, Standard and Advanced) and business type. For example, on the low end, home and field services and professional services can get the Starter plan for $14.95 per month. However, if you have a full-service dining establishment, the Starter plan costs $160 per month. This price includes hardware (a Station Solo with a cash drawer and receipt printer). You also have the option of paying upfront for the hardware, in which case you’d pay $1,699 plus $84.95 per month.

A full-service restaurant on the Standard plan would pay $210 per month or $2,298 plus $99.90 per month, but you’d also get a handheld Flex unit. Additionally, the Standard plan provides more functionality, such as tableside ordering. 

A full-service restaurant on the Advanced plan would pay $310 per month or $4,097 plus $114.85 per month. With this plan, you’ll receive the hardware on the Standard plan, along with a Station Duo with a merchant-facing POS and a customer-facing screen.

FYIDid you know
Clover charges several incidental fees. For example, if a customer's transaction doesn't go through, you'll incur a chargeback fee of $30 for credit cards and $25 for rejected ACH payments.
Clover Station Duo POS system

Clover’s Station Duo boasts a merchant-facing POS and a customer-facing screen. Source: Clover 

Toast

Toast has two options for its Starter Kit package: Pay as You Go and Standard. 

  • Pay as You Go: With the Pay as You Go option, you pay nothing upfront, and there’s no monthly fee. Instead, you pay a higher processing fee. 
  • Standard: On the Standard plan, you pay upfront for the hardware you want. You also pay a monthly fee and a lower processing fee. To get hardware comparable to Clover’s Station Solo, you’d pay $875 upfront plus $69 monthly. You would receive the Toast Flex POS terminal, Toast Tap payment device, a router, POS software and setup support.
Best for Monthly Fees
Toast
When it comes to monthly fees, Toast is the clear winner. It provides more hardware than Clover's standard plan for much less money. Restaurants that have low volume can get the entire system for nothing upfront and no monthly fee, which can make a big difference in cash flow.

Payment Processing Costs

Clover

Clover’s processing rate is 2.6% + $0.10 flat for in-person transactions and 3.5% + $0.10 for online or manual transactions (if you accept credit cards over the phone). 

However, Clover also has a program that allows businesses to pass the processing fee to the customer. In this scenario, customers paying by credit card would be automatically charged an additional 3 percent with no per-transaction fee. Customers paying by debit would not pay more, but the business would be charged only 1.75% + $0.25 per transaction.

Toast

Toast’s payment processing rate depends on whether you opt for its Pay as You Go or Standard plan. With Pay as You Go, the rate is 2.99% + $0.15 per transaction. The Standard Plan is 2.49% + $0.15 per transaction for card-present transactions and 3.5% + $0.15 per transaction for card-not-present transactions.

Did You Know?Did you know
The proposed Credit Card Competition Act of 2023, which has not yet become law, requires large banks to offer merchants the option of accepting cards other than Mastercard and Visa. This is intended to increase competition and reduce credit card processing fees.
Best for Payment Processing Costs
Tie
The winner here depends on your business type. For low-volume restaurants, Toast's Pay as You Go plan is competitive enough on processing rates to justify no upfront or monthly costs. However, if you have lower check amounts and a high transaction volume — as with quick-service or fast-food restaurants — Clover makes more sense. Fine-dining restaurants will save the most money with Toast's lower rates and higher per-transaction fees.

Ease of Use

Clover

Clover’s backend software and POS system are intuitive and extremely easy to use. The interface is well-labeled and straightforward, whether you’re running a report or processing a transaction.

Clover’s marketing and loyalty program modules are particularly helpful. SMS marketing is built in and customers are automatically enrolled after opting in. Additionally, the Clover system makes it easy to set up an e-commerce site fully integrated into Clover’s payment, inventory and customer data systems. 

For restaurants, Clover supports linking ingredient inventory with online menus so items that are no longer available won’t be displayed.

Clover ordering interface

Clover’s ordering interface and handheld Mini device are straightforward and easy to use. Source: Clover 

Toast

Toast’s restaurant-focused software has many more features than Clover’s system, so it takes more time to learn and set up. For example, Toast’s Order & Pay can help you accept mobile payments by enabling customers to order and pay from their mobile phones with little interaction with the server. Toast also facilitates transmitting tableside orders to the kitchen. 

While Toast offers plenty of setup and troubleshooting support, its additional features incur a steeper learning curve than Clover’s system. 

Toast ordering interface

Toast’s ordering interface is intuitive, but its fully featured system may incur a steep learning curve. Source: Toast 

Best for Ease of Use
Clover
Clover is the winner in ease of use if you're most concerned about the initial setup. Once the system is set up, however, Clover and Toast are both intuitive and easy to use. 
Did You Know?Did you know
Payment processing costs are a critical consideration before starting a restaurant. After food and labor costs, credit card processing fees are restaurants' third most significant expense.

POS System Hardware

Clover POS

Clover’s proprietary hardware is compatible with many payment processors. And in terms of looks, Clover’s POS and handheld hardware are second to none. The design is sleek, and the attractive, intuitive hardware is suitable for higher-end businesses. Clover allows you to accept various payment types, including credit cards; digital wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay; and debit cards with PIN capability.

In addition to POS stations with screens, stands, cash drawers and receipt printers, Clover offers Clover Flex and Mini handheld tablets that facilitate tableside payments. Its Station Duo has a large POS screen for the employee and a smaller, customer-facing screen for PIN entry, tipping and signature. 

Clover’s POS hardware is so popular that the vendor sells it to customers who don’t use its payment processing service. So, if you’re unhappy with Clover’s payment processing once your contract is over, you can still use its equipment with another payment processor.

FYIDid you know
Clover's robust and detailed POS reports enable business owners and managers to monitor inventory levels, sales by time (down to the hour) and employee productivity.

Toast POS

Toast’s POS hardware design is not quite as attractive as Clover’s. However, it has much of the same functionality. Like Clover, Toast offers a countertop kit with a screen, stand, payment device and CPU. Receipt printers are sold separately. Toast also has a handheld point-of-sale terminal similar to Clover’s Mini, although there is nothing comparable to the Clover Flex, a mini tablet with a bigger screen.

While Toast’s hardware isn’t as attractive as Clover’s, its unique options stand out. For example, its handheld POS terminals allow servers to take orders and payments. We also like Toast’s guest self-service kit; it allows customers of fast-food or quick-service restaurants to place their orders and pay all on their own.

Unlike Clover, Toast’s hardware can only be used with its payment processing services. If you eventually change processors, you’ll need to repurchase POS terminals and other hardware. 

Toast self-service kiosk

Toast’s self-service kiosks make it easy for customers to order and pay. Source: Toast 

Did You Know?Did you know
Toast allows your business to accept NFC mobile payments, which helps customers complete payments with their smartphones.
Best POS System Hardware
Tie

The best hardware for you depends on your business type. Quick-service and fast-food restaurants will benefit from Toast's less expensive hardware and self-service kiosks, while other retailers and fine-dining restaurants may prefer Clover's sleeker look.

Customer Service 

Clover

Clover provides 24/7 phone support as well as email support, which may take a little longer. It also provides plenty of online help and resources for merchants if they run into problems.

Toast

Toast has 24/7 phone support and 24/7 email and chat support, so your questions are more likely to be answered quickly whichever contact method you use. Toast also offers generous troubleshooting resources online.

Best for Customer Service
Toast
Toast provides quicker customer service, which gives it a slight edge in this category.

Clover vs. Toast Summary

    Clover and Toast both provide reliable POS systems and credit card processing services for businesses in the food and beverage industry. They offer similar features and equipment, so determining which solution is right for your establishment will come down to the finer details.

    Clover is best for fine-dining restaurants as well as nonrestaurant businesses.

    Clover’s hardware looks more high-end than Toast’s, though it’ll cost you more as well. That may be worth it in the long run since its equipment works with third-party payment processors. Plus, if you have a retail business or your restaurant has a retail component, Clover’s inventory management and other functionality can handle goods, not just food service.

    Toast is best for fast-food, casual and quick-service restaurants.

    Toast’s unique self-service kiosk can reduce wait times and order-taking staff requirements. You’ll also appreciate how the hardware is designed to withstand the temperatures and spills common in restaurant environments. Another asset is that Toast’s many restaurant-specific features make it easy for diners to order online for delivery or pickup through your website or Google.

    FAQs

    Whether Clover or Toast has the quicker payout depends on whether you're willing to pay for a faster turnaround and when your transactions are submitted. You can get a payout from Clover within one to three business days, but you can also get an immediate payout for a 1 percent fee. With Toast, credit card batches created before 9:30 p.m. ET will be deposited the next business day. Otherwise, payout will take an additional day.
    Clover and Toast handle deliveries a little differently. Clover integrates directly with DoorDash; Toast allows you to tap into Toast's on-demand network of delivery drivers, Toast Delivery Services. Both services also offer the option of using your own delivery drivers.
    Toast is best for bars and breweries, as Clover is better suited for full-service and quick-service food businesses. Toast has a bar POS system that allows you to close out tabs, increase revenue with quick order capabilities through Mobile Order and Pay, and hardware that can survive spills. Clover has fewer bar-specific features, although it does allow you to start and close out tabs and take orders at the table.
    Yes, Toast and Clover let you slow down ordering during busy times. Both Clover and Toast allow you to throttle ordering during peak times so your kitchen staff can catch up and not be overwhelmed.
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    author image
    Written By: Jennifer DublinoSenior Writer & Expert on Business Operations
    Jennifer Dublino is an experienced entrepreneur and astute marketing strategist. With over three decades of industry experience, she has been a guiding force for many businesses, offering invaluable expertise in market research, strategic planning, budget allocation, lead generation and beyond. Earlier in her career, Dublino established, nurtured and successfully sold her own marketing firm. At business.com, Dublino covers customer retention and relationships, pricing strategies and business growth. Dublino, who has a bachelor's degree in business administration and an MBA in marketing and finance, also served as the chief operating officer of the Scent Marketing Institute, showcasing her ability to navigate diverse sectors within the marketing landscape. Over the years, Dublino has amassed a comprehensive understanding of business operations across a wide array of areas, ranging from credit card processing to compensation management. Her insights and expertise have earned her recognition, with her contributions quoted in reputable publications such as Reuters, Adweek, AdAge and others.
    Clover logo
    Editor's Rating9.7/10
    Toast logo
    Editor's Rating9.5/10
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