Clover vs Shopify POS

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Our analysts compared Clover vs Shopify POS based on data from our 400+ point analysis of POS Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Clover Software Tool

Product Basics

Clover is an all-in-one point of sale system that helps users manage staff and clients, monitor inventory, create and view reports and track revenue streams. Users can personalize workflows by integrating multiple modules and third-party developers. Its dashboard simplifies real-time monitoring of sales, refunds and customer spending from any device.-

It connects to the cloud, allowing users to access sales, reimbursements, deposits and reports regardless of location. It also offers hardware like Clover Mini, flex, go device and a station with a cash drawer and receipt printer.

Pros
  • Reliable hardware & design
  • User-friendly interface
  • Strong customer support
  • Variety of apps & integrations
  • Competitive pricing for low volumes
Cons
  • Higher fees for high volume
  • Limited reporting & inventory
  • Costly hardware upgrades
  • Contracts for some plans
  • Not ideal for complex needs
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Shopify POS simplifies in-store and online sales management for various business types. Its strength lies in its intuitiveness and seamless integration with the Shopify e-commerce platform, making it ideal for entrepreneurs and small to medium-sized businesses already using Shopify. Key benefits include streamlined inventory tracking, omnichannel customer management, and robust reporting for data-driven insights. Popular features include a user-friendly interface, mobile app for managing sales on the go, and built-in payment processing. Compared to similar systems, Shopify POS emphasizes ease of use and affordability, while some users find its feature set less comprehensive for complex retail needs. Pricing starts at $29 per month, with transaction fees applying to processed payments.

Pros:
  • Easy to use
  • Omnichannel sales
  • Mobile app
  • Good reporting
  • Affordable
Cons:
  • Limited features
  • Transaction fees
  • Not for complex needs
  • Integrations costly
  • Customer support inconsistent
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$0.10/Transaction, 2.3% Flat Rate
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Tailored to your specific needs
$29 Monthly
Get a free price quote
Tailored to your specific needs
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Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
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Linux
Android
Chromebook
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Streamlined operations: Simplify daily tasks like checkout, inventory management, and employee management, freeing up time and resources for other aspects of your business.
  • Enhanced customer experience: Offer your customers faster checkout times, convenient payment options, and loyalty programs to build stronger relationships and boost repeat business.
  • Data-driven insights: Gain access to comprehensive sales reports, inventory tracking, and customer analytics to make informed decisions about your business, optimize operations, and identify growth opportunities.
  • Scalability and flexibility: Adapt to your evolving business needs with a variety of hardware options, app integrations, and customizable features, ensuring your POS system grows alongside your business.
  • Reliable support: Access dedicated customer support via phone, email, and online resources to get help quickly and resolve any issues that may arise.
  • Security and peace of mind: Benefit from industry-leading security features to protect your customer data and financial information, giving you peace of mind and building trust with your customers.
  • Improved employee efficiency: Empower your employees with easy-to-use tools for managing orders, tracking tasks, and accessing customer information, leading to increased productivity and better customer service.
  • Mobile accessibility: Manage your business on the go with Clover's mobile app, allowing you to take payments, track sales, and monitor inventory from anywhere.
  • Integration with existing tools: Connect Clover with your existing accounting software, marketing platform, and other business tools to create a seamless workflow and eliminate data silos.
  • Payment flexibility: Accept a wide range of payment methods, including credit cards, debit cards, contactless payments, and gift cards, to cater to your customers' preferences and boost sales.
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  • Seamless omnichannel experience: Bridge the gap between your online store and physical location. Manage inventory, track sales, and engage customers across channels for a unified shopping experience.
  • Effortless inventory management: Real-time stock updates across all channels eliminate overselling and ensure accurate fulfillment. Say goodbye to manual spreadsheets and hello to streamlined inventory control.
  • Data-driven insights for smarter decisions: Gain valuable insights into sales trends, customer behavior, and product performance. Make informed decisions about inventory, pricing, and marketing based on real-time data.
  • Simplified customer management: Create customer profiles, track purchase history, and personalize interactions. Build lasting relationships and encourage repeat business with a focus on customer satisfaction.
  • Mobile agility, anywhere, anytime: Manage your business on the go with the mobile POS app. Process sales, track inventory, and access crucial data – all from your smartphone or tablet.
  • Secure and reliable payments: Accept a variety of payment methods securely with built-in payment processing. Reduce fraud risk and streamline transactions for a smooth checkout experience.
  • Scalability for your growing business: Start small and easily scale your POS system as your business grows. Choose from flexible pricing plans and add-ons to fit your evolving needs.
  • Intuitive and user-friendly interface: Even tech novices can navigate the POS with ease. The clean, organized design and helpful tutorials make it easy to train staff and get up and running quickly.
  • Boost operational efficiency: Reduce manual tasks, streamline workflows, and save valuable time. Automate key processes like inventory management and customer data collection for a more efficient operation.
  • Focus on what matters most: Free yourself from tedious tasks and focus on growing your business. The POS takes care of the behind-the-scenes work, allowing you to dedicate your energy to customer service, marketing, and product development.
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  • Intuitive interface: Easy-to-use touchscreen interface for quick navigation and efficient transactions.
  • Payment processing: Accepts major credit cards, debit cards, contactless payments, gift cards, and more.
  • Inventory management: Track stock levels, set alerts, and generate purchase orders to optimize inventory control.
  • Employee management: Track employee hours, assign permissions, and manage payroll with ease.
  • Sales reporting: Generate detailed sales reports to track revenue, analyze trends, and make informed business decisions.
  • Customer management: Store customer information, track purchase history, and create loyalty programs to foster customer relationships.
  • App marketplace: Access a wide range of third-party apps to extend Clover's functionality and cater to specific business needs.
  • Hardware options: Choose from various terminals, card readers, and printers to create a custom POS setup that suits your business.
  • Mobile app: Manage your business on the go with Clover's mobile app for iOS and Android devices.
  • Cloud-based: Access data and manage your POS system from anywhere with an internet connection.
  • Security: Protects sensitive customer data with industry-leading security measures.
  • Customer support: Offers 24/7 customer support via phone, email, and online resources.
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  • Online Inventory: Sell products online from a scalable, fully-featured eCommerce website. Generate purchase orders, categorize products, adjust stocks, transfer inventory, accept returns, process exchanges and access updated information across stores instantly. 
  • Reporting: Use daily reports based on in-store and online business data on a single dashboard. Gain actionable insights into total orders, customer buying patterns, staff performance, inventory sales, returns, taxes, payments and more to make strategic decisions. 
  • Payments: Track credit and debit card payments, accept multiple payment types for a single transaction, sell gift cards, create custom payment options and integrate with third-party payment providers. 
  • Customizations: Responsive and customizable templates are available for the website with varied layouts, colors, fonts, content and more. 
  • Smooth Checkouts: Provide rebates, BOGO discounts, gift card redemption and other offers at the time of checkout using the smart grid that adapts to actions in the cart and avoids manual calculations. Add taxes, create discount codes, set prices and more for a quick checkout experience. 
  • Staff Management: Track staff performance, assign unique PINs, add new employees, attribute commissions, define job functions, send approvals and grant control permission with on-the-go labor management tools. 
  • Marketing: Boost customer retention and improve sales with robust marketing strategies. Use innovative collections to automatically sort products, start Google Ads campaigns, send customer-specific emails, offer exclusive promotions, optimize campaigns and more. 
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Product Ranking

#3

among all
POS Software

#27

among all
POS Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

73
87
67
100
98
87
60
80
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Integration and Extensibility
Customer and Loyalty Management
Reporting and Insights
Types of POS
Compliance and Security
Integration and Extensibility
Reporting and Insights
Inventory Management
Sales and Marketing Management

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Clover
Shopify POS
+ Add Product + Add Product
Compliance And Security Customer And Loyalty Management Employee Management Inventory Management Items And Service Management Payment Transactions And Cash Management POS Hardware Reporting And Insights Sales And Marketing Management Store Management Types Of POS 67 98 60 59 74 67 81 94 53 44 85 100 87 80 88 80 87 74 100 88 75 87 0 25 50 75 100
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56%
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44%
89%
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12%
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33%
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67%
56%
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44%
75%
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88%
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12%

Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

100%
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0%
100%
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User Sentiment Summary

Great User Sentiment 376 reviews
Great User Sentiment 328 reviews
81%
of users recommend this product

Clover has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 81% when considering 376 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

89%
of users recommend this product

Shopify POS has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 89% when considering 328 user reviews from 2 recognized software review sites.

4.6 (28)
n/a
3.9 (45)
4.4 (241)
4.0 (294)
4.6 (87)
4.4 (9)
n/a

Awards

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SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Shopify POS and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Compliance and Security.

Compliance and Security Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Ease of use: Praised for its intuitive interface and touchscreen operation, enabling quick learning and adoption for new employees, saving training time and boosting efficiency.
App customization: Users love the vast app marketplace offering industry-specific integrations and features, like appointment booking for salons or online ordering for restaurants, tailoring Clover to unique business needs.
Data-driven insights: Detailed sales reports and inventory tracking are seen as game-changers, providing valuable data to optimize operations, identify marketing opportunities, and make informed business decisions.
Reliable hardware: Users appreciate the quality and durability of Clover hardware, minimizing downtime and disruptions during peak hours, with features like offline payments ensuring service even without internet.
Scalability and flexibility: Clover's ability to adapt to growing businesses is a plus, with various hardware options and plan upgrades facilitating smooth transitions as transaction volume and business needs increase.
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Simplified Inventory Management: Shopify POS automatically tracks inventory levels, reducing manual updates and preventing overselling. Users reported a 40% decrease in time spent on inventory reconciliation thanks to this feature.
Seamless Payment Processing: Accept a wide range of payment methods, including credit cards, debit cards, and popular digital wallets, for faster checkouts. This flexibility helps reduce abandoned carts and boosts customer satisfaction.
Mobile POS Flexibility: Manage your store from anywhere with the mobile app, ideal for pop-up shops or on-the-go sales. This allows for greater business agility and caters to diverse sales environments.
Valuable Sales Insights: Generate detailed reports on sales, product performance, and staff activity to make data-driven decisions. Users highlighted the ability to track individual staff performance as particularly helpful for sales training and staff motivation.
Easy Customer Management: Create customer profiles, track purchase history, and offer targeted promotions for improved customer loyalty. This personalization fosters stronger customer relationships and repeat business.
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Higher monthly fees for high volume: While competitive for low-volume businesses, Clover's transaction fees and higher-tier plan costs can become significant for businesses processing large volumes, making other options like Stripe potentially more cost-effective.
Limited reporting customization: Users with complex reporting needs may find Clover's report customization options insufficient, lacking the depth and flexibility offered by dedicated business intelligence tools or high-end POS systems.
Potential hardware lock-in: Some features require specific Clover hardware, making switching to other POS systems or even upgrading within Clover potentially expensive as existing hardware may not be compatible.
Occasional app limitations: While the app marketplace is vast, certain industry-specific features or integrations may be missing, requiring workarounds or alternative solutions if Clover doesn't fully address a specific business need.
Steeper learning curve for complex features: While basic operations are user-friendly, advanced features like inventory management or employee roles can require more training and familiarization, potentially slowing down adoption for some users.
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Limited Free Tier Options: Access to basic POS features requires at least the Basic Shopify plan, which may not be budget-friendly for small businesses with low transaction volume.
Transaction Fees for Non-Shopify Payments: Using third-party payment processors alongside Shopify POS incurs additional transaction fees, potentially outweighing the benefits for low-volume merchants.
Learning Curve for Advanced Features: While basic functionality is user-friendly, unlocking advanced features like gift cards or discounts can require extensive setup and troubleshooting, especially for non-technical users.
Limited Customization Options: While themes offer some customization, heavily branded businesses may find the Shopify interface lacks flexibility for achieving a truly unique storefront aesthetic.
Integration Challenges with Specific Industries: While Shopify integrates with many apps, businesses with specific needs like restaurants or salons may experience limitations or require additional paid integrations.
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Clover shines for its user-friendly interface and extensive app marketplace, winning praise for its ease of use and flexibility. "It took my new employee barely a day to get comfortable with the system," one restaurant owner shared. Users rave about the ability to customize Clover with industry-specific apps, like a salon owner who added online booking, saying it "streamlined appointments and boosted customer satisfaction." However, Clover's appeal may wane as businesses scale. Some users feel constrained by the reporting capabilities, wishing for the deeper customization offered by competitors like Shopify POS. "Clover reports were too basic for analyzing my inventory trends," noted one retailer. Additionally, transaction fees for high-volume businesses can become a sticking point compared to more cost-effective options like Stripe. Finally, some users caution about potential hardware lock-in, where switching to different POS systems or even upgrading within Clover can be expensive due to incompatible hardware. This can be a deal-breaker for businesses unsure about their long-term needs. Overall, Clover excels for smaller businesses or those prioritizing ease of use and app integrations. However, its limitations in reporting, fee structure, and hardware flexibility become more apparent as businesses grow, pushing them towards more powerful and scalable POS solutions. Ultimately, the choice boils down to prioritizing user-friendliness and flexibility in the early stages versus advanced features and scalability as a business matures.

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Shopify POS emerges from user reviews as a user-friendly and reliable option for basic POS needs. Its tight integration with the Shopify ecommerce platform syncs inventory and customer data seamlessly, saving time and streamlining operations. Users particularly appreciate the mobile app flexibility for pop-up shops and on-the-go sales, a feature lacking in some competitors like Square. However, Shopify POS's limited free tier and transaction fees for non-Shopify payments might deter smaller businesses. While praised for its ease of use, Shopify POS can feel restrictive for advanced features like gift cards and discounts, requiring more technical know-how compared to Square's intuitive setup. Additionally, while offering themes, Shopify's customization options might not satisfy businesses seeking a truly unique storefront aesthetic, especially when compared to Wix's design freedom. Overall, Shopify POS shines for its user-friendliness, ecommerce integration, and mobile flexibility. However, its pricing structure and learning curve for advanced features might push smaller businesses or those with specific industry needs towards competitors like Square or Wix. Ultimately, the choice depends on individual priorities and business size.

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Screenshots

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