How Clover charges: three parts, priced by business type
Clover's entry plans charge 2.5% or 2.6% + 10¢ in person [2][3], and a Clover account sold by your bank can carry different rates and terms. A Clover bill has three parts. There is a card rate on every sale, a monthly software fee, and hardware, which you either buy up front or pay for in a 36-month subscription. Clover sets all three by business type and plan, which is why a salon and a restaurant see different prices for what looks like the same system [2][4].
- Card rate. Clover describes it as a percent plus a flat fee per charge, with a higher typed-in rate for sales where the card is not present [1]. Most plans list 2.3% + 10¢ in person. Typed-in sales are 3.5% + 10¢ on every plan we read [2][3][4].
- Software. On purchased hardware, software runs $29.95 to $129.85 a month depending on type and plan [3][4]. A subscription bundles software with the hardware payment.
- Hardware. A subscription has no money down and includes a full warranty with an Equipment Protection Program, which Clover says is not available in New York or Oregon [1]. Bought hardware comes with a one-year limited warranty [1].
Your first subscription bill comes 30 to 60 days after you sign up, with any partial month pro-rated [1].
What Clover costs a month at $10,000, $30,000 and $75,000
Take a salon or spa on Clover's personal services pricing, with every sale in person and a $50 average ticket. That is 200 sales a month at $10,000, 600 at $30,000 and 1,500 at $75,000. Each figure is sales times the percent, plus 10¢ a sale, plus the monthly hardware or software charge [2].
| Plan and payment | $10,000 a month | $30,000 a month | $75,000 a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic on subscription, 2.6% + 10¢ + $16 | $296.00 (2.96%) | $856.00 (2.85%) | $2,116.00 (2.82%) |
| Standard bought for $849, 2.3% + 10¢ + $84.95 | $334.95 (3.35%) | $834.95 (2.78%) | $1,959.95 (2.61%) |
| Standard on subscription, 2.3% + 10¢ + $130 | $380.00 (3.80%) | $880.00 (2.93%) | $2,005.00 (2.67%) |
| Advanced on subscription, 2.3% + 10¢ + $180 | $430.00 (4.30%) | $930.00 (3.10%) | $2,055.00 (2.74%) |
The Basic plan is cheapest at $10,000 and still close at $30,000. Clover's lower 2.3% rate only beats Basic's 2.6% once the 0.3-point saving covers the extra software or subscription charge. Against Basic on subscription, Standard bought outright breaks even at about $23,000 a month in card sales, and Standard on subscription at about $38,000.
Subscribe or buy: the 36-month math
| Plan | Subscription total | Buy up front + software | Buying saves |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $576 ($16 × 36) [2] | $349 [2] | $227 |
| Standard | $4,680 ($130 × 36) [2] | $3,907.20 ($849 + $84.95 × 36) [2] | $772.80 |
| Advanced | $6,480 ($180 × 36) [2] | $4,957.20 ($1,899 + $84.95 × 36) [2] | $1,522.80 |
Buying costs less over three years on every plan, if you have the cash and accept the shorter warranty. The subscription's case is no money down and the fuller warranty [1].
Three subscription terms to know before you sign
Clover's FAQ says subscriptions are non-cancelable and ineligible for refunds, though they can be paid off at any time or broken for a buyout or upgrade [1].
At the end of the term you buy or return the equipment. If you do neither, the subscription continues at the same monthly charge, and you must tell Clover at least 30 days before the term ends [1].
Clover devices bought or leased elsewhere still only work with Clover processing [1].
Bank-sold Clover: why your rate may differ
Clover is sold by banks such as Citi, PNC and Wells Fargo, and by retailers including Restaurant Depot and Sam's Club [1]. Clover's FAQ puts the number of other financial institutions selling it at more than 1,000 in one answer and more than 3,000 in another [1]. The prices on clover.com are Clover's direct prices only [5].
A bank or agent can set its own rate, add a monthly fee, set a different term and charge an early termination fee. Some accounts use interchange-plus or tiered pricing instead of the flat 2.3% + 10¢. None of that is wrong in itself, but you should know which you have. Ask the seller for these in writing:
- Your in-person, typed-in and online rates, and whether they are flat, tiered or interchange-plus.
- Every monthly fee: software, statement, PCI, gateway, minimums.
- The contract term, the renewal rule and the early termination fee.
- Whether your hardware is bought, on a Clover subscription, or on a separate lease, and what it costs to end it.
If you are in New Jersey and your Clover account adds a credit card surcharge, read the state's rules on our NJ surcharge law page first.
When an interchange-plus account usually costs less than Clover
For an interchange-plus estimate, we used Visa's April 2026 interchange as a stand-in for every card: 40% of sales on regulated debit at 0.05% + 21¢ plus a 1¢ fraud add-on, 30% on a basic credit card at 1.51% + 10¢, and 30% on Visa Infinite at 2.30% + 10¢ [7]. We added Helcim's published markup, 0.40% + 8¢ under $50,000 a month and 0.35% + 7¢ above it [6]. Network fees are extra on interchange-plus and are not in these numbers.
| Monthly card sales | Clover Standard, bought | Interchange-plus example | Gap before network fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10,000 | $334.95 | $201.90 | $133.05 |
| $30,000 | $834.95 | $605.70 | $229.25 |
| $75,000 | $1,959.95 | $1,461.75 | $498.20 |
Two things eat into that gap. Network fees come first. Then hardware: because Clover devices only run on Clover processing [1], moving to another processor usually means new equipment, plus paying off any subscription months left. Divide those costs by the monthly gap. If the answer is under a year, a quote is worth getting. If you are mid-subscription, the payoff may make staying cheaper for now.
Clover is a strong fit for owners who value its hardware and app market and whose volume is modest. BatchOut is our own processing service; if we show it next to Clover, we label it as ours.