Discover the true price of Clover EPOS systems and how this compares to AirPOS.
As a small Irish retailer, finding the ideal EPOS system for your business can be challenging.
Navigating your way through confusing tech jargon, stealth charges, questionable promises, and an eye-watering range of systems is undoubtedly the less, ahem, fun part of running a business.
So, how can an Irish retailer know which EPOS system will cater for their unique needs?
Well, firstly, it’s a good idea to learn about each EPOS company, what they offer, how much they charge, and why they’re a suitable match for you.
Today, we’re comparing AirPOS with one of the most popular EPOS systems in Ireland, Clover.
Who is Clover, and who is Clover’s target market?
Founded in the US in 2012, Clover is a cloud-based POS platform.
It is the largest POS platform in America and has processed hundreds of billions of annualised card transactions globally.
Locally, it is the dominant EPOS system in Ireland.
Clover’s primary target market is small to mid-size businesses in the retail and hospitality industry.
Clover doesn’t sell its packages directly, you need to reach out to partners AIB, Lloyds, or First Data (Fiserv), which means you will be tied into their merchant services for payment processing.
AirPOS Pro and Clover Features Comparison
Let’s take a look at AirPOS and Clover retail package features to see how suitable they are for retailers.
*Note that costs for Clover are estimates and can change depending on the size of your business.
Clover EPOS features
Adaptable and well-designed software and hardware, Clover performs well in its two main tasks: taking and processing payments.
As a cloud-based system, retailers can use it from anywhere.
And as you grow, Clover can grow too, with the handy option of adding additional devices and apps, adding further to its appeal.
Retailers enjoy fast and seamless pairing with accessories such as a printer and displays, as well as a lockable cash drawer.
AirPOS Pro features
AirPOS Pro helps retailers take their business to the next level, with intuitive tools that help you build loyalty and, ultimately, make more sales.
Retailers utilising AirPOS Pro will strengthen relationships with customers online and in-store by building enticing loyalty schemes that reward them every time they shop with you.
AirPOS Pro users can also create specific customer accounts, allowing you to understand each customer with in-depth data, and flexible payments for your customers.
Make money while you sleep with AirPOS Pro’s comprehensive Shopify integration, available 24/7 and allowing your business to be completely multichannel.
Enjoying data-driven insights and free support, retailers can maximise their sales.
Pricing: Clover v AirPOS Pro
With simple, transparent pricing, AirPOS Pro on an annual subscription offers free hardware to get your business up and running in no time, costing only €552.
In contrast, Clover’s pricing is somewhat mysterious and you can’t buy it directly, it’s sold via resellers. Clover’s Mini POS hardware costs €629.56 while the Station Duo hardware costs an eyebrow-raising €1386.00 annually on lease.
Those costs are incurred before you pay your software subscription. Total costs can get as high as €2508 for the year if you were to take a Clover plan comparable to AirPOS Pro.
Pricing Comparison Table
In the following table, we take a look at the yearly cost of an AirPOS Pro subscription and Clovers Station Duo.
Pricing and Features Comparison (yearly cost)
Let’s take a look at the cost breakdown as of July 2021 (Clover pricing may vary).
Software Pricing
Clover
The two main software products for retailers using Clover are Register Lite and Register.
Pricing ranges from €8.36 a month for Register Lite and €33.58 per month for Register. For 99% of retailers, you’ll need a Register plan to get any benefits. On top of that, integrations and apps cost anything from €0-30 each per month.
AirPOS Pro
AirPOS Pro costs €46 per month, or if you choose an annual subscription, it costs €552 per year. No additional fees for add-ons or integrations.
Hardware pricing
Clover
Depending on the size of your business, Clover’s hardware ranges in price from €500 for a basic kit right up to €1,386 for the Station Duo kit.
If you’re a retail store, you’ll need the Clover Station Duo at €1,386 annually.
AirPOS Pro
In contrast, AirPOS Pro costs €552 annually (or €576 with a barcode scanner) and includes twelve months of software.
Payment Processing
Clover
With a tagline of, ‘Accept payments faster. Easier. Smarter’ Clover accepts payments via a wide range of options.
Payment options include credit cards, debit cards, gift cards and contactless payments.
That means retailers can accept payments anywhere, for example, in-store, on the go, on the phone and of course, online.
When getting set up with one of Clovers resellers, you’ll be tied into a contract with them, so you won’t be able to move if you don’t like their pricing. Fees can be anything from 0.2-3.5% + 20-40 cents per transaction, depending on your business turnover.
That doesn’t include the merchant fees which are in excess of €60 per month.
For smaller businesses, you should expect to be on the higher end of that scale.
AirPOS Pro
AirPOS, like Clover, can be integrated with all the leading payment providers.
These include WorldPay, Sum Up, and Zettle by PayPal, with rates starting from 0.5-1.75%, competitive for small retailers.
Even better, with payment providers like Sum Up or Zettle, there are no fixed contracts, so just like us, you can cancel anytime, at no risk to your business.
7 reasons why retailers choose AirPOS over Clover
Cost isn’t the only reason why retailers choose AirPOS over clover. Check out the following 7 reasons why our retailers love using us, and how we are a good fit for your retail business.
1. AirPOS is retail-focused.
Unlike other POS providers, retail is in our DNA.
Every part of our software and hardware was designed with small retailers in mind.
As a result, you’ll be using software that fits effortlessly into your company and allows you to focus on other priorities.
In contrast, Clover is a little more confusing with its target audience; a mismatch of hospitality and retail.
As a result, Clover focuses less on the things that benefit retailers, whereas AirPOS has a laser-like focus on retail.
2. World-class features with no hidden costs.
At AirPOS, we like to keep things simple.
And transparent too.
So, while Clover offers a large number of features, unfortunately, these all come at a price that won’t be long adding to your considerable monthly outgoings.
But with AirPOS, all of our features and integrations come at no extra fee; they’re included in your subscription.
Features include:
- Business reports
- Payment integrations
- Accounting integrations
- Inventory management
- Integrated ecommerce
- Customer accounts and loyalty points
- Local customer support
So, what does that mean for you?
Well, it means substantial monthly savings when compared to Clover.
And those features allow you to build out your system with multiple payment providers, accounting software and ecommerce platforms.
Best of all, it’s at no extra cost.
3. Simple, Transparent Pricing.
There’s a massive gulf between AirPOS and Clover when it comes to pricing, with AirPOS costing considerably less.
The AirPOS Retail Bundle will cost you only €552, covering your first-year software subscription to AirPOS Pro and our free retail hardware bundle.
And you’ll be glad to know, that’s everything.
There are no add-ons or additional costs.
Yes, you’ve read that right; the one-off annual fee includes free support, customer accounts, loyalty programs, and integrations.
So, how does that compare with Clover’s pricing?
Well, as you can see from the price comparison table above, you’ll expect to pay around €36 per month for software and up to €1400 annually for hardware, not including merchant payments and fees that you’re locked into.
Would you like integrations with that?
Add on up to €30 per month for integrations with Clover.
4. Transparency.
Underpinning absolutely everything we do at AirPOS is our belief in transparency and simplicity.
We like to keep things straightforward, and for you, that means no stealth charges or other surprises that can skew a budget.
You won’t have to visit tech forums or contact sales to find our pricing; it’s displayed on our website.
PS: If you can find a pricing page on Clover, let us know!
5. Unrivalled, free customer support. 96% of our customers would recommend us!
Support; it’s the kind of thing you don’t necessarily value.
That is until you need it most.
For the times when you’re ready to make a sale and the tech gets buggy, or when you need a quick answer to a quick question, you’ll not solve it too quickly with Clover.
That’s because, although Clover offers the same free package of support as AirPOS, consistent online reports point to Clover’s slow uptime and poor customer service.
However, with AirPOS, you’ll quickly connect with our team of experts who will be able to troubleshoot any issues immediately and let you get back to selling.
6. Free non-proprietary hardware.
Question: How many people like being locked into a company’s ecosystem?
Answer: Zero.
You see, when retailers choose Clover, they like the variety of hardware bundles.
But being tied into Clover’s system?
Well, they don’t like that as much.
And what about Clover’s higher prices?
Again, not too many retailers like that either.
Contrast that with AirPOS.
We offer a free hardware deal specifically to help small retailers like you get up and running (or help with switching existing systems) with minimum fuss and minimum fees.
That means it won’t break the bank to get our complete EPOS system.
And best of all?
Our hardware is non-proprietary, meaning if you decide to move on with AirPOS, your hardware can be used with another solution.
7. No Fixed Contracts
Our business is built on trust, that’s why we don’t have fixed contracts. If you don’t like what we offer, you’re free to leave at any time. That being said, our customers stay with us on average for over 5 years.
In contrast, Clover and its reseller partners will lock you into a fixed-term contract, and if you want to leave, don’t expect it to be cheap, you pay the full amount for the rest of your contract.
If you want to work with a business that cares about its customers, then look no further, AirPOS is here to help.
Conclusion
Having said all of this, there’s only really one question to ask yourself when comparing EPOS providers and what we/they offer;
“Is this package designed for a business like mine?”
As we’ve discussed today, Clover targets hospitality and retail.
You could say it’s a jack of all trades.
However, with AirPOS, retail is in our DNA.
So you’ll benefit from years of R&D from a company focused on making your life a little easier. Our software was literally built by retailers who’ve run businesses like yours.
And because of our focus on small retailers, you’ll find that we’re priced accordingly; no ridiculously high monthly fees, long fixed-term contracts or add-ons.
Try out AirPOS
Fancy a demo first? Book in for your free remote demo with a member of our team.
They will be able to walk you through the system, tailor it to your business and answer any questions you may have not only about AirPOS but EPOS in general.
