“When ‘3x Higher SaaS’ Doesn’t Mean 3x Higher Total Cost”
“A 3‑terminal QSR example at $50,000/month shows Clover and Square can price out very similarly once processing fees are included.”
The sticker price
Clover QSR (3 terminals): ≈ $130/month in software
Square Restaurants Plus (3 terminals): $49/month in software
“At first glance, Clover looks roughly 3x more expensive on software alone.”
Add the transaction economics
Assumptions:
Both priced at 2.6%
Square fee: 15¢ per transaction
Clover fee: 5¢ per transaction
$50,000/month, $40 average ticket → ~1,250 transactions
“In this modeled scenario, Square’s higher per‑transaction fee adds about $125/month, largely offsetting its lower subscription price.”
The Takeaway
“Clover’s software looks 3x higher, but once processing is included, the total monthly cost is very similar.”
“At this volume, our example shows Clover ending about 20% lower per month than Square, despite the higher SaaS.”
“The winner depends on your mix of:
Monthly volume
Average ticket
Negotiated processing terms
Not just the SaaS line item.”
Square strengths
Simple, transparent, tiered published pricing
Lower entry SaaS price, no per device fees
Strong all‑in‑one ecosystem
Clover strengths
Competitive interchange‑plus style processing can offset higher SaaS
Feature set tailored to restaurants is included (coursing, seat management, etc.)
Online Orders do not trigger higher transaction fees
Strong all‑in‑one ecosystem