Clover vs. Shopify POS

Both the Clover POS interface and the back-office are intuitive and easy to use. The register dashboard follows a relatively typical design, with a homepage menu with tabs for the register, orders, tables, refunds, etc. Product options can then be selected from a range of “block” options (or by using the barcode scanner).

The back office dashboard is designed in a similar way, with a left-hand menu providing access to dedicated areas for reporting, inventory management, customer details, employee permissions, and so on.

All in all, we found that Clover was a nicely-designed and straightforward platform. It’s also possible to carry out many advanced functions directly on the POS stations.

“Clover has been an excellent option for taking payments in my stores.”

“I love how easy it is to use clover for grab and go, sit down service, or retail services.”

“Clover is so easy to set up.”

Both the register and back-office dashboards are simple and easy-to-use. The register interface, which is accessed via an app (compatible with Android and iOS mobile devices and tablets), follows a typical block format, with a checkout area and customizable grid menu for including discounts, popular add-on-items, recommended products, and so on.

Admin tasks, such as adding products and setting staff permissions, are done through the browser-based back-office. Like the register dashboard, the backend interface follows a standard layout and is very easy to navigate.

"My overall experience with the POS software has been extremely positive."

"Shopify POS is our main POS system for a large retail space. Easy to use and train all staff."

"Easy to set up and define products for sale at a physical store."

Clover has everything you would expect in a point-of-sale system, along with a number of additional benefits that you find with competitors. Clover is also suitable for a range of business types, including retailers, takeaways, and restaurants. Main features include inventory management, barcode scanning, payment processing, employee management, analytics, customer profiles, and a large library of integrations. For businesses that are eager to build an integrated, automated tech stack, Clover is an option that’s well worth considering because of its large app library, it’s just important to remember to account for costs from third-party providers.

Five main hardware packages are available: “Go”, “Mini”, “Flex”, “Station”, and “Station Pro”. “Go” is a slimmed-down package which is made up of a card reader and a mobile app which is compatible with Android and iOS. “Mini”, which costs $749, is the lowest-level full POS system and has extra functionality including a full-feature interface and barcode scanning. The “Station Pro” package is the premium package and includes a printer, customer terminal, and cash register.

Shopify POS has an extensive set of features. Small and medium retailers will find everything they need and more. All the essentials, including product management, integrations with third-party tools, payment processing, iPad and Android compatibility, barcode scanning, and analytics are included. Shopify also has some interesting additional functionality, such as “buy online, pick up in store” and “email carts” (to allow customers to browse in store and buy online) that aren’t offered by competitors.

The one downside is that some of the advanced features, which many retailers will nonetheless consider essential, are only available on the top-tier plan. These include staff permissions, minor stock adjustments (to account for damaged items, for example), and most automation features.

When it comes to integrations, Clover really shines. It has one of the most extensive app libraries of any solution that we’ve reviewed. Users have access to an array of third-party connectors in categories such as accounting, customer management, ecommerce, payroll, and more. There are also many niche apps that can be leveraged to help with tasks like fundraising, hiring, and time-management.

Despite the variety of apps on offer, however, there are a few downsides. The big one is that Clover doesn’t integrate with any third-party payment processors. If you opt to use Clover, you will have to use their in-house solution. This is likely part of the reason that Clover can offer such a low monthly subscription for its software. Also keep in mind that using apps from external providers will carry extra costs.

Direct integrations for ecommerce include Shopify, BigCommerce, Magento, and Ecwid. It’s also possible to connect with most well-known ecommerce platforms that aren’t directly supported through intermediary integrations like Kosmos. On the accounting front, both Quickbooks and Xero are supported.

If you’re eager to build an integrated, fully-synced tach stack, Clover is definitely a solution worth considering. Just remember to allow for additional costs from third-party providers.

Shopify offers literally thousands of ecommerce integrations. Around fifty or so are designed exclusively for Shopify POS (the others integrate with the ecommerce platform directly).

Shopify Payments, which is the built-in payments processor for Shopify POS, is compatible with over one hundred third-party payment solutions, including Paypal, Skrill, Worldpay, and many others. The only downside, as already mentioned, is that Shopify charges an extra percentage for each sale when you opt for an alternative to its native processor.

The majority of integrations built exclusively for the POS system are related to either customer loyalty (Smile, Rewardify, Swell, etc.), marketing, or payroll and staff management.

Keep in mind that Shopify’s native ecommerce tools sync with the POS system very closely, so you can access a range of apps, in categories such as accounting, inventory management, order fulfilment, analytics, customer support, third-party marketplaces, and more, through the central Shopify dashboard. The tight coupling of both systems means that you essentially have access to the entire Shopify integrations library through your POS.

One final point to keep in mind is that most integrations are with third-party apps and tools, so you will have to pay extra to use them.

Judging value for money is a little tricky when it comes to Clover. Rather than provide tiered packages for its software based on sales or the number of registers, Clover offers a flat-rate subscription which costs $9.95 per month. Users then have the option to purchase one of a selection of branded hardware packages. All payments are processed with Clover’s in-house solution at 3.5% + 10 cents per keyed-in transaction. This drops to 2.7% + 10 cents if you decide to use a Clover device.

Numerous hardware options are available, across a variety of price-points, from a simple card reader that syncs with a mobile phone to a comprehensive cash register, printer, and user dashboard.

We think that Shopify is hands-down one of the best solutions on the market when it comes to price. Smaller retailers will struggle to find a more inexpensive alternative with the same third-party compatibility, support package, and number of features.

Shopify POS is offered as part of its ecommerce packages, and three options are available - Basic Shopify at $29/month, Shopify at $79/month, and Advanced Shopify at $299/month. The advanced package allows for fifteen user accounts. An enterprise plan, called Shopify Plus, is also available and is offered on a custom pricing model.

Retailers also have the option to upgrade to the Shopify POS Pro plan, which will cost an extra $89/month per store. This allows for unlimited numbers of staff and registers.

Card processing fees also vary depending on the plan size. They start at 1.7% for in-person sales on the “Basic” package and go down to 1.5% on the Advanced one.

The only downside, and the reason we didn’t give Shopify a full 10/10 for “value for money” is because an extra 1% per sale (2% on the basic plan) is charged when using a third-party payment processor.

Clover provides 24/7 support via phone and email. Users can access country-specific numbers for helplines from their device or back-office dashboards. User reviews of Clover’s customer service are generally very good, although some issues with slow response times were cited. Help with installation and onboarding training is available through third-party provider CompuCom.

Overall, the help and support package provided by Shopify is very excellent. Users have access to 24/7 customer service via email, phone, and live chat. Extensive documentation, particularly in regards to onboarding, is provided. Notably, Shopify has taken the time to develop “migration” tools to enable retailers to transfer product and customer information from previous platforms.

Shopify also has one of the largest active communities on the web, to which you can pose questions that might not be appropriate for the customer service team.

On the negative side, Shopify doesn’t offer any one-on-one onboarding training for new customers. That said, due to the platform’s popularity, it’s easy to find independent Shopify experts if you need help getting set up.

We were very impressed with Clover. It operates a unique pricing model, with a low-priced monthly subscription for software but the requirement to purchase a branded Clover hardware package to gain full access to all features. Users also have to process payments with Clover’s in-house solution.

Small and medium-sized restaurants, takeaways, and retailers will find a lot to like from the intuitive, streamlined solution. In many cases, it will be the most cost-effective option available. The large app library is also one of the best we’ve come across, and will appeal to businesses that want to build an integrated tech stack.

If you’re thinking about giving Clover a test-run, you can take advantage of a free one-month trial.

Shopify is one of the web’s leading ecommerce solutions. And it’s easy to see why. It offers an extensive feature-set at an extremely competitive price-point.

Retailers should understand a few key points, however, when it comes to Shopify’s proprietary point-of-sale-system, Shopify POS.

First, it is not available as a standalone solution. If you already have an ecommerce store and are looking for a POS system that will integrate with it, you will need to opt for an alternative. Second, you will have to use Shopify’s in-house payment processor, Shopify Payments, if you don’t want to pay extra fees on top of those charged by the provider.

If you are looking for a complete POS and ecommerce solution, however, then Shopify POS is 100% worth considering. You can take advantage of a free trial, free hardware returns, and an excellent support package when getting set up.