Summary:  Clover Essentials includes is a great starter POS that includes station duo support, modifiers, barcode scanning, basic gift card, and rewards.  Basic employee timeclock management (Homebase).  Runs on Clover devices only (except the GO App - Android or iOS).  Hundreds of optional features in the app marketplace.



Clover Essentials POS

Target Vertical:  Quick Service, Retail, Services

Feature Level -  Medium weight, entry-level


Vertical fit & concept sweet spot

  • Clover Essentials – An entry level medium weight POS suitable for a host of retail businesses, quick‑service and food trucks that don't need online ordering or delivery integration.  Lacks items costs, per-unit pricing, and advanced employee management, but supports the entire Clover hardware ecosystem.


  • Light Weight POS - Enhanced Payment Terminal
    Basic, fast, mostly single‑station or simple workflows.

  • Medium Weight POS – Storefront POS
    Full POS for typical single or small multi‑location operators, with solid workflows and reporting.

  • Heavy Weight POS – Workflow‑Driven / Enterprise
    Deep, configurable workflows, multi‑location governance, and advanced inventory/controls.


Ideal scale (locations)Independent locations looking for a great starter POS that can be upgraded to any of the three Growth plan feature sets at any time.



Detailed Features:


1.  Payment Options

  • Core card & contactless payments:  Yes

  • EBT / alternative tenders:  Yes

  • Dual pricing (from cash price):  No, (Yes App $)

  • Cash Discounting (compliant):  Yes (Yes App $)

  • Surcharge support:  Yes (Clover only)

  • Tax rules & fee options:  No

  • QR code self order by table:  No  

  • Bluetooth tap to open tab:  No

  • Incremental authorizations:  No

  • Cash nickel rounding:  No, (Yes App $)

  • Virtual terminal, payments, Auth's, invoicing (portal):  Yes

  • Recurring Payments & Pay Links (portal):  Yes

  • Line item Estimates & Invoicing (portal):  Yes


2.  Ordering & Service Workflow

  • Order types:  No

  • Open checks / basic tabs:  Yes

  • Table maps & sections:  No

  • Seat level ordering & coursing:  No

  • Kitchen printing & basic KDS:  No (Yes Apps - Cash Discount Pro & ExpoKDS

  • Advanced kitchen routing rules:  No

  • Online ordering (first party):  No

  • Third party delivery integrations:  No

  • Drive through workflow:  No

  • Guest Access Turnstiles:  No

  • Caller ID / Phone Orders:  No

  • Lay-Away:  No (Yes App $)

  • eCommerce BOPIS:  No

  • eCommerce Ship:  No


3.  Items & Inventory

  • Fixed priced items:  Yes

  • Maximum Fixed Price Quantity:  99

  • Variable priced items:  Yes

  • Fractional item quantities:  No  

  • Maximum Fractional item Quantity:  9999

  • Guest Ticketing:  No

  • Categories & basic modifiers:  Yes

  • Sub categories / nested menus:  Yes

  • Sub modifiers:  No

  • Basic item level inventory & reports:  Yes

  • Countdown / on hand display:  Yes

  • Low stock alerts:  No

  • Bundling, BOGO, Combo Discounts:  No (Yes, App $)

  • Ingredient level inventory:  No  (Yes, App $)

  • Recipes & modifier costs, usage, variance:  No  (Yes, App $)

  • Advanced inventory (counts/po/receiving):  No  (Yes, App $)


4.  Customers, Loyalty & Online

  • Customer profiles:  Yes

  • Customer order history:  Yes

  • Searchable Customer History:  No

  • Card vault on file:  No (Yes portal)

  • House Accounts:  No  (Yes, App $)

  • Basic loyalty / rewards:  Yes

  • Advanced / multi location loyalty:  No (Yes, App $)

  • Basic gift cards:  Yes (plus 2.5% load fee)

  • Advanced / multi unit gift cards:  No (Yes, App $)

  • Basic online ordering:  No

  • Enhanced / multi unit online ordering:  No (Yes, App $ - Plento)

  • Ecommerce web store:  No

  • Ecommerce order sync (Shopify/Woo/etc.):  No


5.  Employees, Reporting & Ecosystem

  • Timeclock:  Yes

  • Advanced employee management:  No

  • Core sales reports:  Yes

  • Core inventory reports:  Yes

  • Multi location reporting:  No (SSO on Portal however)

  • Accounting integration (e.g., QBO):  Yes

  • App marketplace / integrations:  Yes


6.  Hardware & Devices

  • Runs on vendor branded terminals:  Yes

  • Runs on third party hardware:  No (some printers)

  • Integrated payment device:  Yes

  • Semi integrated payment device:  No

  • Customer facing display:  Yes (Station Duo)

  • Kitchen printers:  No (Yes Cash Discount Pro App $)

  • KDS screens:  No (Yes ExpoKDS App $)

  • Self service kiosk:  No

  • Barcode scanner support:  Yes

  • Weight embedded barcode support:  No (Growth SaaS only)

  • Scale integration:  No (Growth SaaS only)

  • Mobile order/pay devices:  Yes




Resources:



POS Integration List / Marketplace: