Payment processor
Clover fees in 2026: what you actually pay
Updated · Checked against primary sources
The short answer
On Clover.com, Clover charges 2.3% + 10 cents for tapped, swiped or inserted cards on its restaurant bundles and 3.5% + 10 cents for typed-in cards, plus a monthly software fee. Home and field service plans run 2.3% to 2.5% + 10 cents in person. Restaurant bundles start at $179 a month for 36 months, and Rapid Deposit costs 1.75%.
US restaurants, retailers and service businesses that buy or lease Clover POS hardware from Clover directly or through a bank such as Citi, PNC or Wells Fargo.
Clover rates
| Payment type | Published rate |
|---|---|
| In person (tap, dip, swipe) | 2.3% + 10¢ |
| Online or invoice link | Not published |
| Keyed in | 3.5% + 10¢ |
| Instant payout | Rapid Deposit: 1.75% fee |
What Clover costs on your volume
Fee calculator
On Clover: $929 a month, $11,147 a year (2.32% effective on cards).
| Same volume on | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| PayPal (incl. PayPal Point of Sale) | $924 | $11,088 |
| Clover | $929 | $11,147 |
| Square | $1,053 | $12,640 |
| Moneris | $1,069 | $12,827 |
| Stripe | $1,084 | $13,013 |
Uses each provider's published headline card rate and ACH terms only. Monthly software, hardware and per-feature fees are listed separately below and are not included.
Monthly and other fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Full-service restaurant Starter | $179/month for 36 months, or $1,799 + $89.95/month |
| Full-service restaurant Standard | $239/month for 36 months, or $2,548 + $109.90/month |
| Full-service restaurant Advanced | $354/month for 36 months, or $4,447 + $129.85/month |
| Home and field services Starter (no hardware) | $0 + $29.95/month |
| Home and field services Standard (Go reader) | $199 + $29.95/month |
| Home and field services Advanced (Flex) | $125/month for 36 months, or $749 + $84.95/month |
Clover fee traps to check
- Clover's FAQ says subscriptions are non-cancelable and ineligible for refunds, so closing or switching processors does not end the hardware payments.
- If you do nothing at the end of a subscription term, it extends at the same monthly charge; you must give 30 days' notice to return or buy the equipment.
- Contract terms and termination fees depend on who sold you Clover (Clover Direct, Citi, PNC, Wells Fargo or more than 3,000 other institutions), so two Clover merchants can have very different exit costs.
- Clover devices cannot be used with other payment processors, even if you bought or leased them elsewhere.
- Typed-in cards cost 3.5% + 10 cents, 1.2 points more than tapped cards on the restaurant bundles, and Rapid Deposit adds 1.75%.
- The $450 statement-credit promotion requires a 3-year contract and at least $10,000 in card transactions within the first four billing cycles.
How to lower your Clover fees
- Compare buying against subscribing: the restaurant Starter bundle costs $6,444 over 36 months on subscription versus $5,037.20 bought outright ($1,799 + $89.95 x 36), a $1,406.80 difference.
- Before signing, get the processing term, early termination fee and renewal terms in writing from the specific provider selling you Clover.
- Tap or dip cards instead of typing them in, and skip Rapid Deposit unless you truly need same-day cash.
- Surcharge credit cards only where legal: Visa requires 30 days' notice to your acquirer, caps the surcharge at the lower of your merchant discount rate or 3%, bans it on debit and prepaid cards, and as of Feb 15, 2024 lists Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Oklahoma and Puerto Rico as prohibiting it.
Can you pass the fee to customers?
Unclear. Clover's pricing pages do not describe a surcharge feature. Some merchants' Clover-hosted online ordering pages display a line such as "3% surcharge on credit card transactions", so it exists for some accounts; confirm with whoever provides your Clover account.
Contract and cancellation
Hardware subscriptions are non-cancelable and ineligible for refunds, though they can be paid off, upgraded or bought out. At the end of the term the subscription extends month to month at the same charge unless you notify Clover at least 30 days before. Processing terms and termination fees vary by provider, and the current $450 hardware promotion requires a 3-year contract.
Clover vs other payment processor options
| Provider | In person | Online | ACH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clover | 2.3% + 10¢ | Not published | Not published |
| Square | 2.6% + 15¢ | 3.3% + 30¢ | 1%, capped at $10 |
| Stripe | 2.7% + 5¢ | 2.9% + 30¢ | 0.8%, capped at $5 |
| Helcim | Interchange + 0.4% + 8¢ | Interchange + 0.5% + 25¢ | 0.5% + $0.25, capped at $6 |
| PayPal (incl. PayPal Point of Sale) | 2.29% + 9¢ | 2.99% + 49¢ | 1%, capped at $10 |
| Moneris | 2.65% + 10¢ | 2.85% + 30¢ | Not published |
Compare fees
- Payment processorSquare fees2.6% + 15¢ headline rate
- Payment processorStripe fees2.7% + 5¢ headline rate
- Payment processorHelcim feesInterchange + 0.4% + 8¢ (interchange-plus)
- Payment processorPayPal (incl. PayPal Point of Sale) fees2.29% + 9¢ headline rate
- Payment processorMoneris fees2.65% + 10¢ headline rate
Frequently asked questions
- How much does Clover charge per transaction?
- On Clover.com's full-service restaurant bundles it is 2.3% + 10 cents for tapped, swiped or inserted cards and 3.5% + 10 cents for typed-in cards. Rates depend on business type and plan, and banks that resell Clover may price differently.
- Can I cancel my Clover subscription?
- Clover says subscriptions are non-cancelable and not refundable, but you can pay them off at any time or break them through a buyout or upgrade. At the end of the term you must choose to buy or return the equipment, or it keeps billing month to month.
- Can I use my Clover device with a different processor?
- No. Clover's FAQ says Clover POS devices can be bought or leased from other entities but cannot be used with other payment processors.
- Why is my Clover contract different from what Clover.com shows?
- Clover is sold by Clover Direct and by more than 3,000 financial institution partners, and Clover says contract terms and termination fees vary by provider. The prices on Clover.com are only available on Clover.com.
Where Pavado comes in
How Pavado finds the money your business is leaking
Want Clover's charges checked against your own agreement? Pavado reviews statement and contract exports, then returns a written list of potential overpayments and questions for your provider. No account logins needed.
Send us the statements, contracts and bills you already have. We read the lines nobody reads and come back with a written list of what you are overpaying, what is about to renew and what you are owed.
- Fees you are overpaying. Processor, bank and platform charges checked line by line against what you agreed to.
- Contracts before they renew. Every renewal date and notice window we can see, so you can leave or renegotiate in time.
- Bills worth disputing. Insurance audit bills and lead charges with a dispute or credit window still open.
- Money you are owed. Unpaid invoices and holdback sorted by age and by the deadline that protects them.
- 1.Tell us what you pay for and send exports, not logins.
- 2.A person replies within one business day with what we need.
- 3.You get a written list: each item, what it looks to be worth and who acts on it.
The first conversation and a scoped proposal are free, and we will tell you early if we are not the right fit.
Go deeper
- GuideBest Payment Processing for Contractors: 8 ComparedCompare 8 contractor payment processors on large-invoice fees, ACH caps and workflow. Check the full cost before switching, or request a free fee review.
- GuideShould I Accept Credit Cards as a Contractor?At a 10% net margin, a 3% card fee eats roughly 30% of the profit on the job. Here is the math, the rules in Canada and the US, and when to say no.
- GuideMerchant Processor Holding Funds? What to DoWhy processors like Toast freeze deposits or set reserves, what the contract lets them do, how MATCH works, and how to escape a POS or card-machine lease.
- GuideHow to Collect a Contractor Deposit: 5 RulesMake the deposit due 3 to 5 business days before the start date, size it to your upfront spend, and check state caps: California's is $1,000, not $10,000.
Sources
- Clover: POS system pricing and FAQ
- Clover: Full-service restaurant pricing
- Clover: Home and field services pricing
- Example Clover-hosted ordering page showing a merchant surcharge line
- Visa: U.S. Merchant Surcharge Q and A (version Feb 15, 2024)
Cite this page
Pavado, “Clover Fees 2026: Rates and Hidden Costs”, https://www.pavadotech.com/fees/clover, updated 2026-09-24.