# Square vs Clover: Which Is Actually Cheaper?

URL: https://www.paydude.io/resources/tools/square-vs-clover-fees
Type: Free interactive calculator
Summary: Square publishes 2.9% + 30¢; Clover publishes 3.5% + 10¢. Which costs less depends on your average transaction — see where the answer flips.

Two point-of-sale platforms with opposite rate structures — Clover has the far lower fixed fee and the far higher percentage, which produces an unusually low crossover.

## Summary

Square publishes 2.9% + 30¢. Clover publishes 3.5% + 10¢. The answer flips at a $33.33 average transaction. Compare at your own average transaction — the headline rate alone does not decide it.

## Published rates

**Standard published rates for domestic online cards, September 2026**

|  | Square | Clover |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Card rate | 2.9% | 3.5% |
| Fixed fee | 30¢ | 10¢ |
| Monthly fee | $0 | $0 |
| Pricing model | Flat rate | Flat rate, online |

## Which one is cheaper

Clover's 10¢ fixed fee is a third of Square's 30¢, but its 3.5% online rate is well above Square's 2.9%. Below a $33.33 ticket Clover is cheaper; above it Square is.

> **A genuinely low crossover:** Most rate cards cross somewhere between $50 and $80. This pair crosses at $33.33, which means a café with a $12 average sale and a retailer with a $90 sale should choose differently — on the same two rate cards.

## What actually decides it

Ticket size, and channel. Both are point-of-sale platforms, so also compare their card-present rates rather than the online figures used here, and weigh the hardware and software subscriptions each charges separately.

## For reference

The calculator above also shows Paydude, which publishes 2.6% + 25¢ improving with volume. It is there as a third data point rather than as the answer to a question about Square and Clover — for every provider side by side see the [full processor fee table](https://www.paydude.io/resources/payment-processor-fee-comparison).

**Compare every provider at once** Published rates for 18 processors, with the effective rate at three ticket sizes. — [See the table](https://www.paydude.io/resources/payment-processor-fee-comparison)

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Square cheaper than Clover?

Below a $33.33 average transaction, yes — Clover's 10¢ fixed fee beats Square's 30¢ by enough to cover its higher percentage. Above $33.33, Square is cheaper. The rates here are the online figures; both price card-present transactions differently.

### At what transaction size does the answer change?

At $33.33. Below that Clover's much lower fixed fee wins; above it Square's lower percentage does.

### What is the difference between Square and Clover?

Both are point-of-sale platforms with payments attached. Clover is hardware-led with a wide app marketplace; Square is stronger on self-serve setup and online integration. Their rate structures are close to opposite, which is why ticket size decides.

### Where do these rates come from?

Both are publicly published standard rates for domestic card payments as of September 2026. Neither is a negotiated or promotional rate, and either provider may quote you something different from its list price.