Clover Station POS
Clover Station POS system launched back in 2013 and quickly became one of the most popular all-in-one POS systems on the market. It comes with hardware, software, and a payment processing system built into a single unit.
But with so many POS brand alternatives available, should you choose Clover Station? Or would it be better to opt for a different provider?
We'll explain the benefits and limitations of Clover Station POS.
Continue reading to see how they stack up against to the competition and to decide whether or not Clover Station POS is the best choice for you!
Pricing
So, how much is the Clover Station Solo or Clover Station Duo?
The original Clover Station Solo starts out at $1,349 and comes with a standard printer. If you want to add an NFC Printer and customer display, it'll cost $1,399 altogether. Lastly, you can add on the Clover Flex for an additional $350.
The Clover Flex hardware is great for restaurants that don't want their employees to be tied down to the terminal on the counter or for non-counter-service restaurants altogether.
On the other hand, if you opt for the Clover Station Duo, you'll end up paying $1,649.
The Clover software costs $39.95 per month, while the payment processing fee is 2.3% + $0.10 for every credit card transaction. This is for the basic Register Plan, which is great for businesses of any type. However, if you're purchasing a software plan for a restaurant, you'll have to get the Full-Service Restaurant Plan, which is $69.95 per month.
You'll also have the option of using a third-party credit card processing company, instead of using Clover's payment processing. Clover is one of the POS systems that allows that freedom.
Of course, there will be add-ons if you need more Clover hardware than what Clover offers with the Clover Station Solo or Clover Station Duo, such as an extra cash drawer, receipt printer, kitchen printer, etc.
If you want more in-depth information on pricing for hardware, software, and payments processing, make sure to click the button below and fill out our survey. We'll then provide you with free quotes from numerous POS providers so you can get the system you need with the best software features and hardware pieces for the best price.
Features and Benefits
Hardware
The first thing you notice when you check out the Clover Station is the sleek and sturdy hardware system. The components function in different ways, giving you access to a number of helpful tools, such as a barcode scanner, a camera, a fingerprint login sensor, a built-in credit card reader, and, of course, the touchscreen display terminal.
To become a customer-facing display, the screen swivels from vertical to horizontal, allowing customers to leave tips and signatures after their transactions. One of the neat things about the Clover Station hardware is that the receipt printer can also be used as an NFC reader, allowing your establishment to accept contactless payments.
Let's take a closer look at two of the main offerings of the Clover Station lineup.
Clover Station Duo
The Clover Station Duo is the newest iteration of the Clover Station released in 2020.
The Clover Station has one major component that separates it from its little cousin (the Clover Station Solo), which is its customer-facing terminal.
The customer-facing terminal has built-in payment processing hardware, meaning you don't have to swivel the screen so customers can enter tips and provide their signatures.
Here are some of the important device specs to note for the Clover Station Duo:
Clover Station Solo
The Clover Station Solo is the original version of the Clover Station. Many still purchase this Clover hardware over the Clover Station Duo as it is cheaper and just as effective. The only major difference between the Clover Station Solo and Clover Station Duo is that you have to flip the screen on the Solo.
It is also worth noting that the included printer on the Clover Station Solo is a bit slower than that on the Clover Station Duo. If you are a high-volume establishment that banks on having the fastest system possible, it may be worth spending the extra bit of money for the Clover Station Duo.
Here are some of the important device specs to note for the Clover Station Solo:
Now, let's dive in and check out some of the important features found in the Clover Station Solo and Clover Station Duo.
Dining Features
One of the main reasons that restaurant owners are drawn to Clover Station is because of its restaurant-specific features. The Clover Dining App is an ultra-intuitive system that comes on both the Clover Station Solo and Clover Station Duo, allowing you to keep your establishment organized, whether you work in quick-service restaurants, full-service restaurants, or fast-casual.
The Clover Dining floorplan is great for adding, deleting, or renaming various sections of your restaurant, adding tables, resizing tables, and putting orders that aren't going out to tables in one place, such as a bar area or a to-go shelf.
While you won't find super advanced features directly on the Dining App, you can download third-party apps to substitute anything you need.
Customer Engagement
The customer engagement features on the Clover Station Solo and Clover Station Duo are simple yet effective. You can create a built-in rewards program to retain existing customers o create run custom promotions. The software features plan you choose will ultimately dictate how in-depth these features are, though we find that most businesses tend to do okay with the customer tools found in the Register Plan.
Employee Management
The employee management tools in the Clover Station Solo and Clover Station Duo are great. You can customize permissions on different terminals and set roles for each employee. With the addition of the fingerprint login on the Clover Station, the ability to clock in and out is much easier than having to type in codes or pins.
There are several third-party apps that you can use if you need more employee management features, such as commissions, tip pooling, an employee time clock, payroll, and much more.
Reporting and Analytics
One of the reasons people often update from the Clover Mini to get a Clover Station Duo or Clover Station Solo is that the Clover Station makes use of the company's reporting app.
With this unique reporting app, you can get information on tax reports, discounts, item sales, employees, and much more.
While you can choose to print these reports out to keep physical copies, you can also integrate your system with Quickbooks Online for cloud-based storage.
Complaints and Limitations
Unreliable Customer Support
Because Clover sells the Clover Station Solo and Duo hardware through multiple merchant services providers, the level of customer support that you get truly depends on where you buy it. Some companies have worse customer support than others.
The lack of reliable customer support can be a major drawback if you end up dealing with payment processing problems or hardware issues down the line.
Basic Software Features
While the Clover Station might be a more advanced POS system than some of the other point of sale products in the Clover lineup, the features are surprisingly basic for the amount of money that you have to spend. Yes, the hardware for both the Clover Station Solo and Duo look really nice, though there are other POS systems that have more advanced restaurant-specific features without having to download third-party apps.
Competing Alternatives
Revel
Revel is another intuitive POS system that is great for smaller restaurants, as the company provides mobile POS systems that work on iPads.
You'll find many of the same features you'd find on a Clover device, though the technical support is far more reliable than Clover's.
Revel also has much better API availability for integrating other pieces of software.
One drawback is that Revel's inventory management isn't as strong as the Clover system's.
Revel POS System Reviews is where you can learn more about this brand's specific features and pricing.
Businesses that are on a budget or are looking for an ultra-simplified POS system for managing employees, inventory, and other restaurant operations, might consider looking into Lightspeed.
Because of the lack of complex features, we recommend it more for smaller establishments.
Like Revel, Lightspeed also has a top-notch customer support system.
Lightspeed Retail POS Software Reviews is where you'll find industry insights.
Final Verdict
There is no doubt that both the Clover Station Solo and Clover Station Duo are popular choices for merchant services.
Both of these POS systems are modern, attractive, and functional. Many employees even find them fun to use, which is a huge plus!
With great features, decent value, and solid payment processing, there's not a lot to dislike about this system.
If you're still unsure whether or not getting a Clover Station is the right move for your business, we recommend it if you need a plug-and-play system that is easy to set up and use, and also if you're looking for an intuitive and attractive POS that can provide just above your basic selling needs.
On the other hand, if you don't want to be tied down to a merchant, or if you need more advanced restaurant-specific needs, we would recommend going with something other than the Clover Station.
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Tyler Connaghan
Contributing Author
