Square vs. Clover: Which Is Best for Your Business?

All auto repair shops need a quality point of sale system to keep their business firing on all cylinders.

14:07 25 November 2020

Among the POS systems available in the marketplace, Clover and Square are the most popular manufacturers. Here are some key factors to consider about these two industry leaders before you choose a POS system for auto repair shop.

 

Hardware

 

Square has four POS hardware options to fit a variety of merchants:

 

• Square Card Readers are small pieces of hardware that attach to mobile devices to accept payments.
  
  
• Square Stand for Contactless and Chip is a countertop system that uses an iPad to take payments. Square’s POS app isn’t included with this system so vendors need to download it before they can process payments.
  
  
• Square Terminal is a standalone mobile system that accepts electronic payments and print receipts.
  
  
• Square Register is another countertop system that takes all forms of electronic payment. It features a customer-facing display and includes the Square POS app.
  
  

The Clover system also has four POS choices:

• Clover Go is a small apparatus that connects to a mobile device to process payments.
  
  
• Clover Flex offers all the capabilities Clover Go but adds the ability to print receipts, accept signatures and scan barcodes.
  
  
• Clover Mini provides all Clover Flex options in countertop form.
  
  
• Clover Station, another countertop system, accepts all forms of payment including cash, making a discount merchant account possible for vendors. This system also provides access to all of Clover’s business management tools, including CRM and inventory management.
  
  

Software

 

Square’s basic software provides vendors with the ability to take payments and manage reporting functions. It also includes CRM, inventory and employee-tracking tools. Other functionalities, including marketing, payroll and customer loyalty tools, are add-on services for which vendors must pay an additional fee.

 

Clover offers three software systems that range in capability from accepting credit cards to taking cloud-based payments to managing CRM and inventory. The most robust system, Register, allows vendors to build mailing lists, create a customer loyalty program and provide coupons to customers. Each plan includes the ability to generate and administer gift cards.

 

Payment Processing

 

Square only offers its own services for payment processing. Doing so makes it easy for start-ups take their business from zero to 60 quickly. Since Square’s basic platform is free, the company recoups its costs through processing fees. As a result, Square charges more for its own processing services than Clover.

 

Clover provides third-party processors in addition to its own processing services. This flexibility allows customers to choose a processor that best meets their needs. No matter how the vendor structures its processing fees, Clover has the infrastructure and capabilities to handle it. Fees vary based on the processor you choose.

 

In a Nutshell 

 

Square’s system is straightforward. The company’s no-frills approach means that customers won’t pay for features they don’t plan to use. However, if vendors need additional capabilities, they must pay for them as an add-on.

 

Clover’s system offers more features and greater flexibility right out of the gate. While these increased capabilities come at a price, savvy business owners can mitigate the higher price tag and come out ahead by making calculated choices based on their specific business needs.

 

Which POS system for auto repair shop is best for you? That all depends on your specific business needs. Be sure to thoroughly research both systems before committing.