Clover
Clover is an all-in-one point of sale system that integrates payment processing, business management software, and specialized hardware to help small businesses track sales and manage daily operations.
Toast POS
Toast is an all-in-one restaurant management platform that integrates point of sale, operations, and digital ordering to help you streamline service and increase your bottom line.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Clover | Toast POS |
|---|---|---|
| Website | clover.com | pos.toasttab.com |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Freemium |
| Starting Price | $14.95/month | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✘ No free trial | ✘ No free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2010 | 2011 |
| Headquarters | Sunnyvale, USA | Boston, USA |
Overview
Clover
Clover provides a unified platform that combines sleek hardware with powerful software to run your entire business. You can accept every type of payment—including credit, debit, and contactless mobile wallets—while simultaneously tracking your inventory and managing your staff schedules. Whether you run a quick-service restaurant, a retail boutique, or a professional service business, you can customize the system with specialized apps to fit your specific workflow.
The platform centralizes your data so you can monitor sales performance from any device, even when you are away from your storefront. You can also launch customer loyalty programs and send digital receipts to build better relationships with your patrons. It simplifies the complexities of merchant services by bundling hardware, software, and payment processing into a single, cohesive ecosystem designed to grow alongside your business.
Toast POS
Toast is a dedicated restaurant management system built specifically for the food service industry. You can manage your entire front-of-house and back-of-house operations from a single platform, whether you run a small cafe, a busy full-service restaurant, or a multi-location enterprise. It combines durable hardware with cloud-based software to handle everything from tableside ordering to complex menu management.
You can take control of your business with integrated tools for online ordering, delivery, and contactless payments. The platform also helps you manage your team with built-in payroll and scheduling features, while providing real-time analytics to track your daily sales and labor costs. It is designed to keep your kitchen running smoothly even when the internet goes down with its reliable offline mode.
Overview
Clover Features
- Payment Processing Accept credit cards, debit cards, and mobile payments like Apple Pay and Google Pay with built-in security and encryption.
- Inventory Management Track your stock levels in real-time and receive automated alerts when it is time to reorder your best-selling items.
- Employee Management Manage your staff schedules, track individual sales performance, and set custom permissions for your team members directly from the console.
- Customer Engagement Build your own loyalty programs and collect customer feedback through digital receipts to keep people coming back to your business.
- Reporting and Analytics Access detailed sales reports and trends from your dashboard to see which products are performing best at any time.
- Clover App Market Expand your system's capabilities by connecting with hundreds of third-party apps for accounting, marketing, and specialized industry needs.
Toast POS Features
- Tableside Ordering. Fire orders directly to the kitchen from the table with handheld devices to speed up service and improve order accuracy.
- Menu Management. Update your menu across all devices and online channels instantly from any location to keep your offerings current.
- Online Ordering. Accept orders directly through your own website and skip the high commission fees of third-party delivery apps.
- Kitchen Display System. Connect your front-of-house with the kitchen using digital screens that track prep times and organize tickets efficiently.
- Restaurant Analytics. Access detailed reports on your top-selling items and labor costs from your phone to make data-driven decisions.
- Inventory Tracking. Monitor your ingredient levels in real-time and identify waste to protect your margins and simplify your ordering process.
Pricing Comparison
Clover Pricing
- Basic payment processing
- Inventory management
- Employee shifts and roles
- Virtual terminal access
- Standard reporting
- Everything in Starter, plus:
- Advanced inventory tracking
- Item variants and modifiers
- Customer loyalty programs
- Enhanced sales analytics
- Weight scale support
Toast POS Pricing
- Cloud-based POS software
- Payment processing
- Real-time reporting
- Standard support
- Menu management
- Everything in Starter, plus:
- Advanced reporting
- Multi-location management
- 24/7 customer support
- Customized hardware options
- Employee management tools
Pros & Cons
Clover
Pros
- Sleek and professional hardware design
- Extensive app market for customization
- Easy to set up and use
- All-in-one solution for payments and software
- Reliable offline processing capabilities
Cons
- Hardware is proprietary to Clover
- Long-term contracts can be difficult to exit
- Customer support response times vary
- Additional apps can increase monthly costs
Toast POS
Pros
- Industry-specific features designed specifically for restaurant workflows
- Reliable offline mode keeps you taking orders during outages
- User-friendly interface reduces training time for new staff
- Handheld tablets significantly increase table turnover rates
Cons
- Requires use of Toast's proprietary payment processing
- Hardware costs can be high for large installations
- Long-term contracts may be required for certain tiers