Clover vs. Shopkeep

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.”

Shopkeep is extremely easy to use, and inexperienced retailers in particular will have no trouble managing their inventory and processing orders.

The register screen, which is designed to run on an iPad (although you can buy a stationary register from Clover which is compatible with Shopkeep) follows a standard format, with block item listings, a button for saving sales for later, and “cash” or “credit” options. Further functionality is available from a side menu. The back-office dashboard is also very intuitive. A left-hand sidebar displays tabs to dedicated areas for analytics, inventory (items), marketing tools, staff permissions, and settings. The home-page also provides a “birds-eye” view of your business and shows important metrics like sales and transactions.

The one downside on the usability front is that dedicated onboarding and one-on-one support isn’t available on all plans, although you may be able to add this to your package when you speak to Shopkeep (all subscriptions are on a custom basis). That said, user reviews tend to state that setting up was straightforward, despite the lack of tailored customer service.

"I know this sounds crazy but I really don't have any negatives with this system."

"It was fairly simple to set up and use and fairly easy to train people on the system."

"This software was very easy to set up, update and use. "

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.

Shopkeep offers more or less everything you would expect to find in a point-of-sale system. Features include inventory management, payment processing, barcode scanning, hardware packages, support for gift cards and loyalty programs, and discount options.

Both the browser-based back-office and iPad register dashboards are intuitive and easy-to-use, and set-up is generally very straightforward. This point has been confirmed by numerous user reviews online.

What’s more, Shopkeep offers in-depth analytics - though larger retailers may be looking for more advanced functionality - along with user permissions. There is no cap on the number of items or users that can be added to the system. Retailers can also take advantage of a “pocket” mobile app for keeping on top of sales.

Shopkeep is primarily an iPad system, so you will need to keep this in mind when thinking about your hardware set-up. That said, you can purchase a register kit from Clover, thus removing the need for an iPad, but this will incur additional costs.

The one big downside when it comes to features is the limited integrations library. Only three are provided - Quickbooks, Mailchimp, and BigCommerce. If you’re looking to build a fully-integrated tech stack, then you will have to look elsewhere.

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.

There isn’t a great deal to discuss when it comes to integrations. Shopkeep offers far fewer connectors than competing platforms. If you’re looking for a point-of-sale system that syncs seamlessly with your existing tech stack, then you will have to look elsewhere. For brick-and-mortar retailers (and restaurateurs) that operate mostly out of a single or multiple stores, this is unlikely to be a problem. If, however, you have a large online presence and rely on several apps, you won’t find the functionality you need.

Furthermore, no intermediary apps are supported, so you won’t be able to connect up your stack by using third-party tools like Zapier.

The one exception to this is if you run your store on BigCommerce, and are happy to use this platform as your primary hub for integrations. Still, some manual data input may be required.

In terms of the integrations on offer, Shopkeep syncs with Quickbooks, MailChimp, and BigCommerce. Shopkeep stipulates that users can build their own “ecommerce store”, but you will have to purchase a separate BigCommerce package in order to take advantage of this feature.

If you are looking for a slimmed-down solution, however, and only need access to accounting and mailing list functionality along with your own store, then Shopkeep provides a straightforward, high-quality solution.

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.

Shopkeep works on a custom pricing model and you will need to get in touch with the company to discuss your needs. From our own research, we found that plans begin at around $49/month, with additional costs for extra registers. Remember that this is a solution tailored to smaller businesses.

Shopkeep has an in-house payment processing solution which charges 2.5% per transaction and an additional ten-cent processing fee. This isn’t bad by any means, but we would have liked to have seen greater support for third-party services. A free terminal is included in all plans.

Shopkeep also offers an iPad-compatible hardware kit. Like the POS plans, pricing is unique to each customer.

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.

Shopkeep offers a streamlined but high-quality support package. Customer service is available 24/7, 365 days a year, via email. Extensive documentation and training materials are also offered to help users make the most of the platform.

While dedicated onboarding support isn’t advertised, it may be possible to purchase this when discussing your plan. No community support is provided.

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.

Overall, we were very impressed with Shopkeep. It’s a compact, well-designed, and cost-effective platform that’s aimed squarely at the small business market. Dedicated solutions for restaurants, food trucks, bars, and coffee shops, along with an option for retailers, make it an attractive solution to companies in these sectors.

The options to create an ecommerce store and sync up with Quickbooks and MailChimp are also added bonuses.

The one downside was the limited number of integrations. If you’re not looking for an extensive integrations library, then Shopkeep is definitely worth considering. If, on the other hand, you want a solution that will sync with your existing tech stack, along with providing the ability to use third-party payment processors, then you should consider alternatives.