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Clover vs Heartland

The same template for both, with sources and verification dates.

  • Not enough data to score

    Clover

    Clover's card processing (Fiserv), required with Clover POS: 2.3% + 10¢ in person and 3.5% + 10¢ typed in on clover.com. Its other processing fees (monthly, annual, PCI) depend on your account and aren't published, contract terms vary by who sells you Clover, and its devices only work with Clover's processing.

    PricingContract & ETF

  • RTC SCORE

    5.1

    #10 of 16 with enough data

    Heartland

    Heartland's card processing (Global Payments), sold with or without its Genius and Heartland Restaurant POS: an advertised starting rate for in-person sales (your rate is quoted), a 36-month agreement with a $295 early termination fee per location in its posted terms, next-day deposits, and surcharge and cash discount programs. Its monthly, PCI, statement and batch fees aren't published.

    PricingContract & ETF

Key differences

Key differences
Data pointCloverHeartland
Published pricing (points out of 100)4020
Equipment lease you can't cancelYesNo
Works with these restaurant POSClover, OthersOthers
Support channelsPhonePhone, Chat, Email or form

Side by side

Clover vs Heartland: side-by-side comparison
FeatureCloverRTC Score: Not enough dataHeartlandRTC Score: 5.1 out of 10
Type of processor and pricing
Type of processorProcessor or its sales partners (acquirer, ISO)Source: Clover (opens in a new tab)Fiserv's POS and processing, sold directly and through more than 3,000 banks and resellers.Processor or its sales partners (acquirer, ISO)Source: Heartland (Global Payments) (opens in a new tab)Global Payments' processor for small and mid-size businesses, which also sells its own POS (Genius, Heartland Restaurant). Heartland is moving to the Global Payments brand.
Pricing modelFlat rateSource: Clover (opens in a new tab)One in-person and one typed-in rate per plan on clover.com; banks and resellers that sell Clover set their own pricing.Flat rateSource: Heartland (Global Payments) (opens in a new tab)Payments+ is advertised at a flat rate starting at 2.6% + 10¢ in person; Heartland also offers interchange-plus pricing by quote.
Published pricing (points out of 100)40(Best value)Source: Clover (opens in a new tab)In-person rate 25 and typed-in rate 15 published on clover.com. Monthly processing fees, the early termination fee and other fees vary by account or provider and aren't published: 0.20Source: Heartland (Global Payments) (opens in a new tab)Same rubric for every vendor: in-person rate 0 (only a "starting at" price, 2.6% + 10¢, which counts as not published, as a range does for every vendor); online or keyed rate 0 (not published); markup or monthly fee 0 (the monthly Service and Regulatory Mandate fee has no published amount); early termination fee 20 ($295 per location in its posted terms); other fees 0 (PCI, statement, annual, batch and chargeback fees aren't published).
Card rates
In-person rate2.3%Source: Clover (opens in a new tab)Rate on Clover's full-service and quick-service restaurant bundles bought on clover.com. Banks and resellers set their own.Quote onlySource: Heartland (opens in a new tab)Heartland advertises Payments+ "starting at" 2.6% + 10¢ in person. A starting price isn't your rate, so we count it as quote only: the same rule for every vendor, a published floor or range counts as not published.
In-person fee per transaction10¢Source: Clover (opens in a new tab)Quote onlySource: Heartland (Global Payments) (opens in a new tab)Heartland advertises Payments+ "starting at" 2.6% + 10¢ in person. A starting price isn't your rate, so we count it as quote only: the same rule for every vendor, a published floor or range counts as not published.
Online rate3.5%Source: Clover (opens in a new tab)Clover's typed-in rate also covers online and phone orders, where the card isn't present.Not publishedSource: Heartland (Global Payments) (opens in a new tab)Heartland publishes only its starting in-person rate; online and keyed rates are quoted, and its terms say card-not-present sales pay the adjusted rates of your fee schedule.
Online fee per transaction10¢Source: Clover (opens in a new tab)Not publishedSource: Heartland (Global Payments) (opens in a new tab)Heartland publishes only its starting in-person rate; online and keyed rates are quoted, and its terms say card-not-present sales pay the adjusted rates of your fee schedule.
Keyed-in rate3.5%Source: Clover (opens in a new tab)Not publishedSource: Heartland (Global Payments) (opens in a new tab)Heartland publishes only its starting in-person rate; online and keyed rates are quoted, and its terms say card-not-present sales pay the adjusted rates of your fee schedule.
Keyed-in fee per transaction10¢Source: Clover (opens in a new tab)Not publishedSource: Heartland (Global Payments) (opens in a new tab)Heartland publishes only its starting in-person rate; online and keyed rates are quoted, and its terms say card-not-present sales pay the adjusted rates of your fee schedule.
American Express pricingSame rate as other cardsSource: Clover (opens in a new tab)On clover.com, American Express and rewards cards pay the same rate as other cards; banks and resellers that sell Clover can set other pricing.Same rate as other cardsSource: Heartland (Global Payments) (opens in a new tab)On flat-rate pricing Heartland says the rate is the same across all transaction types; it accepts American Express. On interchange-plus pricing American Express is passed through at its cost.
American Express rateN/ASource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Doesn't apply: on clover.com, American Express costs the same as other cards.N/ASource: Heartland (Global Payments) (opens in a new tab)American Express pays the same flat rate.
Rates by monthly volumeNo tiers by volume on clover.com: one in-person and one typed-in rate for the restaurant plans. Banks and resellers that sell Clover can quote other rates.Source: Clover (opens in a new tab)Not publishedSource: Heartland (Global Payments) (opens in a new tab)Heartland publishes no rates by volume; its terms say your rates depend on the volume and average ticket in your application.
Monthly and other fees
Monthly account or plan feeNot publishedSource: Clover Help Center (opens in a new tab)Clover's statements can include monthly maintenance and platform access fees whose amounts depend on your account. The software plan is apart (Restaurant Growth, $89.95 a month with the Station Solo bundle), and we compare it in our restaurant POS section.Not publishedSource: Heartland (Global Payments) (opens in a new tab)Heartland charges a monthly Service and Regulatory Mandate fee (24/7 support, PCI validation through Sysnet, breach coverage up to $100,000 and its online portal) but doesn't publish the amount.
Annual fee per accountNot publishedSource: Clover Help Center (opens in a new tab)Clover lists this fee among those its statements can include, but the amount depends on your account and isn't published.Not publishedSource: Heartland (Global Payments) (opens in a new tab)Heartland doesn't publish this fee on its pricing pages, FAQ or posted terms; it is set in your fee schedule. A Heartland application that a city government made public in January 2025 (a municipal golf course, revised November 2024) listed a $99 annual fee for that merchant. Heartland sets fees merchant by merchant, so we don't show it as Heartland's fee.
Annual fees per device or locationNot publishedSource: Clover Help Center (opens in a new tab)Clover's list of statement fees has annual maintenance and compliance fees per account; it doesn't publish amounts or say whether any is per device.Not publishedSource: Heartland Payment Systems (opens in a new tab)The posted terms list a Service & Regulatory Mandate Fee without an amount or a per-device basis; no yearly fee per device is published.
PCI compliance fee (yearly)Not publishedSource: Clover Help Center (opens in a new tab)Clover lists this fee among those its statements can include, but the amount depends on your account and isn't published. Another Clover help article describes a monthly PCI fee.Not publishedSource: Heartland (Global Payments) (opens in a new tab)Heartland says PCI validation through Sysnet is part of its monthly Service and Regulatory Mandate fee, whose amount isn't published.
PCI non-compliance fee (monthly)Not publishedSource: Clover Help Center (opens in a new tab)Clover lists this fee among those its statements can include, but the amount depends on your account and isn't published.Not publishedSource: Heartland (Global Payments) (opens in a new tab)Heartland doesn't publish this fee on its pricing pages, FAQ or posted terms; it is set in your fee schedule. A Heartland application that a city government made public in January 2025 (a municipal golf course, revised November 2024) listed a $125 monthly PCI non-compliance fee for that merchant. Heartland sets fees merchant by merchant, so we don't show it as Heartland's fee.
Statement feeNot publishedSource: Clover Help Center (opens in a new tab)Clover lists a fee for each paper statement mailed, without the amount; it doesn't say whether electronic statements cost anything.Not publishedSource: Heartland (Global Payments) (opens in a new tab)Heartland doesn't publish this fee on its pricing pages, FAQ or posted terms; it is set in your fee schedule.
Monthly minimumNot publishedSource: Clover Help Center (opens in a new tab)Clover lists this fee among those its statements can include, but the amount depends on your account and isn't published.Not publishedSource: Heartland (Global Payments) (opens in a new tab)Heartland doesn't publish this fee on its pricing pages, FAQ or posted terms; it is set in your fee schedule.
Fee per batchNot publishedSource: Clover Help Center (opens in a new tab)Clover lists batch fees among the fees on its processing statement, without the amount.Not publishedSource: Heartland (Global Payments) (opens in a new tab)Heartland doesn't publish this fee on its pricing pages, FAQ or posted terms; it is set in your fee schedule.
Chargeback feeNot publishedSource: Clover Help Center (opens in a new tab)Clover lists chargeback, dispute resolution and reversal fees, and a fee for each disputed debit card transaction, without the amounts.Not publishedSource: Heartland Payment Systems (opens in a new tab)Per the posted terms, the first three chargebacks in each 12-month period carry no chargeback fee; after that, the fee in force applies, and its amount isn't published. A Heartland application that a city government made public in January 2025 (a municipal golf course, revised November 2024) listed a $25 chargeback fee for that merchant. Heartland sets fees merchant by merchant, so we don't show it as Heartland's fee.
Other feesStart-up fees that can apply: application, debit set-up, menu load and wireless activation. Account fees: monthly and annual maintenance, platform access, TransArmor tokenization and reprogramming. Rapid Deposit: 1.75% of the amount. Except Rapid Deposit, Clover doesn't publish the amounts.Source: Clover Help Center (opens in a new tab)Per Heartland's posted terms and FAQ: a fee to settle your discount monthly instead of daily, a debit fee and a debit network set-up fee (amounts in your fee schedule), voice authorizations at $0.65 each, $25 to change your bank account details and $25 for each returned ACH item, sales tax, and third-party telecom and gateway costs. Card-not-present sales and sales deposited late pay the adjusted rates of your fee schedule. Unused equipment returned within 60 days carries a $30 restocking fee, and ending the equipment agreement early costs $100. Instant Deposit is priced by quote.Source: Heartland Payment Systems (opens in a new tab)Heartland's publicly posted processing terms are the March 2016 revision; your agreement may differ.
Equipment
How you get the equipmentYou buy it, LeaseSource: Clover (opens in a new tab)You buy the devices (with installments at no interest on clover.com) or take a 36-month hardware subscription that can't be canceled.You buy it, Monthly rental you can end, Use compatible equipment you haveSource: Heartland Payment Systems (opens in a new tab)You can buy from Heartland, rent from Heartland for as long as you pay the rent, or use your own compatible equipment. Ending the rental before the processing term ends costs $100.
Price of a countertop terminal$1,799 one-timeSource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Station Solo full-service bundle with receipt printer and cash drawer, bought outright; the software plan is apart.Quote onlySource: Heartland Payment Systems (opens in a new tab)Heartland publishes no purchase or rental price for its terminals or stations.
Equipment lease you can't cancelYesSource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Only if you choose a hardware subscription; buying outright avoids it. You can pay a subscription off at any time.No(Best value)Source: Heartland Payment Systems (opens in a new tab)Heartland rents its equipment month by month rather than leasing it under a fixed term: if you stop processing with Heartland before the end of the term, the equipment agreement cancellation fee is $100, and the rent runs until Heartland receives the equipment. Leases from other companies are outside these terms.
Equipment lease term36 monthsSource: Clover (opens in a new tab)N/ASource: Heartland Payment Systems (opens in a new tab)No lease term: Heartland's own equipment is bought or rented month by month.
Equipment at $0 upfront: what it commits you toA hardware subscription gets you the devices with no money down for 36 months; it can't be canceled, and at the end you buy or return them, or it continues month to month at the same charge unless you tell Clover 30 days before. The $450 statement credit for new merchants on clover.com requires a 3-year contract.Source: Clover (opens in a new tab)Not publishedSource: Heartland (Global Payments) (opens in a new tab)Heartland publishes no equipment at $0 upfront for its processing. The current Genius offer is a credit on processing fees, not equipment (see promotions).
Equipment only works with this processorYesSource: Clover (opens in a new tab)YesSource: Heartland Payment Systems (opens in a new tab)The software Heartland licenses on the equipment it sells or rents can only be used with Heartland's services (Equipment Agreement II(b)). The terms don't say whether hardware you buy can be reprogrammed for another processor, and you can also bring your own equipment. Heartland's posted terms are the March 2016 revision; an Equipment Agreement revised in June 2024, which a city government made public, has the same clause.
Getting your money
Standard deposit speedTwo business daysSource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Clover says deposits typically take 1 to 3 days depending on your bank, and many businesses get them the next business day; its Rapid Deposit page also calls 1 to 3 days the standard. We count the middle of that range (two business days). Rapid Deposit gets funds to you within minutes for 1.75%.Next business daySource: Heartland (Global Payments) (opens in a new tab)Heartland also advertises same-day and instant deposits as options (Instant Deposit, up to $10,000 per request, priced by quote).
Instant payout fee1.75%Source: Clover (opens in a new tab)Rapid Deposit, within minutes of a card sale.Not publishedSource: Heartland (Global Payments) (opens in a new tab)Instant Deposit is offered but its price isn't published ("Get pricing").
Holds and reservesUnconfirmedSource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Clover doesn't publish the merchant agreement it signs with restaurants, so the rules for holds and reserves aren't public.Heartland may set up a non-interest-bearing reserve at any time, in an amount it sets and can change based on your processing history and risk; funding can be immediate in case of fraud, default or suspected loss, otherwise you're notified within three business days. When the agreement ends, a reserve may be held for six months or longer, and Heartland may delay or refuse deposits it considers irregular.Source: Heartland Payment Systems (opens in a new tab)Heartland's publicly posted processing terms are the March 2016 revision; your agreement may differ.
Contract and exit
Contract term36 monthsSource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Clover's hardware promotion requires a 3-year contract. Terms vary by bank or reseller; a CardConnect agreement filed in court in 2021 also set three years.36 monthsSource: Heartland Payment Systems (opens in a new tab)Heartland's publicly posted processing terms are the March 2016 revision; your agreement may differ. In a documented 2021 case, Heartland's own reply also mentions a 36-month agreement; other merchants in the same lawsuit mention 24 months.
Automatic renewalQuote onlySource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Clover says contract terms and termination fees vary by who sells you Clover (Clover directly, a bank or a reseller), and it doesn't publish its agreement.12 monthsSource: Heartland Payment Systems (opens in a new tab)Heartland's publicly posted processing terms are the March 2016 revision; your agreement may differ. A Heartland application revised in November 2024, made public by a city government, confirms the 36-month term but doesn't mention renewal, and says the current terms are behind the InfoCentral login.
Notice to avoid renewalQuote onlySource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Clover says contract terms and termination fees vary by who sells you Clover (Clover directly, a bank or a reseller), and it doesn't publish its agreement.60 daysSource: Heartland Payment Systems (opens in a new tab)Heartland's publicly posted processing terms are the March 2016 revision; your agreement may differ. A Heartland application revised in November 2024, made public by a city government, confirms the 36-month term but doesn't mention renewal, and says the current terms are behind the InfoCentral login.
Notice to cancelQuote onlySource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Clover says contract terms and termination fees vary by who sells you Clover (Clover directly, a bank or a reseller), and it doesn't publish its agreement.60 daysSource: Heartland Payment Systems (opens in a new tab)To end the agreement at the end of a term without renewing, give 60 days' written notice. Ending it before the term is over triggers the early termination fee. Heartland's publicly posted processing terms are the March 2016 revision; your agreement may differ. A Heartland application revised in November 2024, made public by a city government, confirms the 36-month term but doesn't mention renewal, and says the current terms are behind the InfoCentral login.
Early termination feeQuote onlySource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Clover says contract terms and termination fees vary by who sells you Clover (Clover directly, a bank or a reseller), and it doesn't publish its agreement.$295 per location if you end the agreement before the term is over, charged at Heartland's discretion in one ACH debit (§11.4). A separate $100 applies if you rent equipment and end the equipment agreement early.Source: Heartland Payment Systems (opens in a new tab)Heartland's publicly posted processing terms are the March 2016 revision; your agreement may differ. The fee is per location: with several locations, it applies to each one, and our cost of leaving uses one location.
How the early termination fee is calculatedQuote onlySource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Clover says contract terms and termination fees vary by who sells you Clover (Clover directly, a bank or a reseller), and it doesn't publish its agreement.A fixed amountSource: Heartland Payment Systems (opens in a new tab)Heartland's publicly posted processing terms are the March 2016 revision; your agreement may differ. A Heartland application revised in November 2024, which a city government made public, also sets a 36-month term and says a maximum $295 per location early closure fee may apply. It is charged per location, so a group with several locations pays it for each one; our cost of leaving uses one location. During the term, the posted terms make Heartland your exclusive card processor for every location (§1.1). Genius customers who take Global Payments' current processing credit owe an early termination fee equal to that credit if they leave in the first year. In 33 Taps v. Heartland (D.N.J.), a 2021 lawsuit over fees where Heartland's reply also cited the 36-month term and the $295 fee, the court dismissed the complaint without prejudice in May 2025, with no finding on the facts; the plaintiffs appealed.
Liquidated damages clauseQuote onlySource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Clover says contract terms and termination fees vary by who sells you Clover (Clover directly, a bank or a reseller), and it doesn't publish its agreement.NoSource: Heartland Payment Systems (opens in a new tab)A fixed fee per location (§11.4), not liquidated damages.
Price increases during the contractQuote onlySource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Clover says contract terms and termination fees vary by who sells you Clover (Clover directly, a bank or a reseller), and it doesn't publish its agreement.With noticeSource: Heartland Payment Systems (opens in a new tab)At least 15 days' written notice; the posted terms offer no way out without the early termination fee when fees go up. Card network and third-party increases are passed on with 15 days' notice, and your rates can change without notice if your volume or average ticket differs from your application. The same 2024 application says fees under its "Heartland Simple" option are fixed for six months and can change after that under the terms.
Right to raise pricesQuote onlySource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Clover says contract terms and termination fees vary by who sells you Clover (Clover directly, a bank or a reseller), and it doesn't publish its agreement.Heartland may amend its fee schedule with at least 15 days' written notice, pass on card network and third-party cost increases with 15 days' notice, and change your discount and transaction fees without notice if your volume or average ticket differs from your application (§6.2, §6.3, §6.5).Source: Heartland Payment Systems (opens in a new tab)
Personal guarantee by the signerNot publishedSource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Clover doesn't publish its merchant agreement.YesSource: Heartland Payment Systems (opens in a new tab)Whoever signs the application as guarantor answers personally for everything the business owes Heartland, and the guarantee survives a sale of the business (§15.2).
Dual pricing and surcharges
Dual pricing or surcharge programYesSource: Clover (Fiserv) (opens in a new tab)Clover documents credit card surcharging (credit cards only; Clover sets the rate, which it says is 3.00% for most US merchants, and it is not offered where state law restricts it) and a cash discount program in its help center. With the program, card processing costs your restaurant $0 in our estimate and your customers pay the difference. Clover doesn't say whether its cash discount or surcharge covers tips. Card network rules and state laws apply, and some states limit or ban surcharges.YesSource: Heartland (Global Payments) (opens in a new tab)Heartland's surcharge program charges your customers 3% on credit cards (debit, gift and prepaid cards are excluded), and its FAQ says it also has a cash discount program, without publishing its percentage or terms. With a cash discount, card processing costs your restaurant $0 in our estimate and what your customers pay is shown apart. Heartland lists Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and Oklahoma among the states that prohibit surcharging. Card network rules and state laws apply, and some states limit or ban surcharges.
Cards the program coversEvery card, debit and credit (dual pricing or cash discount)Source: Clover Help Center (opens in a new tab)Clover offers a cash discount, where every card pays the listed price, and a credit card surcharge, which never applies to debit. When a vendor publishes both, we use the program that covers every card, the same for every vendor.Every card, debit and credit (dual pricing or cash discount)Source: Heartland (Global Payments) (opens in a new tab)Heartland offers a surcharge (3%, credit cards only) and says it also offers a cash discount, which covers every card. When a vendor offers both, we use the program that covers every card, the same for every vendor. Heartland doesn't publish the cash discount percentage or its terms, so what your customers pay with it shows as not published; the 3% surcharge is shown as the alternative and isn't added to our estimate.
Monthly fee for the programUnconfirmed()Source: Clover Help Center (opens in a new tab)Clover's help articles on cash discount and surcharging don't mention a fee for the program.Not publishedSource: Heartland (Global Payments) (opens in a new tab)Heartland doesn't publish whether its surcharge or cash discount programs carry a monthly fee.
Your POS and your business
Works with these restaurant POSClover, OthersSource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Processing built into Clover POS, and other POS systems too: Clover's semi-integration lets another POS take payments on a Clover device (see "Requires the vendor's own POS"). Same rule for every vendor: "others" when the vendor documents its processing on another POS.OthersSource: Global Payments (opens in a new tab)Its own POS (Genius, Heartland Restaurant) and other systems through integrations; it names none of the POS systems on our list.
Requires the vendor's own POSNoSource: Clover (Fiserv) developer docs (opens in a new tab)Clover's processing comes with Clover POS, and other POS software can use it too: Clover's semi-integration lets another POS take payments on a Clover device, with Clover's processing. Same rule for every vendor: "no" when the vendor documents a way to use its processing with another POS.NoSource: Global Payments (opens in a new tab)Heartland processes cards for its own POS and for other systems.
Monthly volume it's built forUnconfirmedSource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Clover publishes no minimum volume; its account minimum fee depends on your account.UnconfirmedSource: Heartland (Global Payments) (opens in a new tab)Heartland states no minimum or target volume on its pricing pages or in its posted terms.
Accepts high-risk businessesUnconfirmedSource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Clover doesn't publish which business types it accepts.UnconfirmedSource: Heartland (Global Payments) (opens in a new tab)Heartland doesn't say on its site or in its posted terms whether it accepts high-risk businesses.
Routes debit to the lowest-cost networkNot publishedSource: Clover Help Center (opens in a new tab)Clover doesn't publish how it routes debit cards.UnconfirmedSource: Heartland (Global Payments) (opens in a new tab)Heartland doesn't publish how it routes debit transactions.
Support
24/7 support for merchantsYesSource: Clover (opens in a new tab)YesSource: Heartland (Global Payments) (opens in a new tab)Customer service is 24/7; hardware technical support runs from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern.
Support channelsPhoneSource: Clover Help Center (opens in a new tab)Phone, plus the help options inside the dashboard and on the devices; Clover doesn't list chat or email.Phone, Chat, Email or formSource: Global Payments (opens in a new tab)Heartland's support page also lists a live chat widget and product support at 800-285-0005.

Contracts compared

Contracts and early termination fees, same template for every vendor. Data as of Oct 6, 2026
ProductInitial termAuto-renewalEarly termination feePrice increases during the termTrial
CloverSource: Clover (opens in a new tab)36 monthsSource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Clover's hardware promotion requires a 3-year contract. Terms vary by bank or reseller; a CardConnect agreement filed in court in 2021 also set three years.Quote onlyQuote onlyQuote onlyNo data
HeartlandSource: Heartland Payment Systems (opens in a new tab)36 monthsRenews for 12 months60 days' notice to cancel renewal$295 per location if you end the agreement before the term is over, charged at Heartland's discretion in one ACH debit (§11.4). A separate $100 applies if you rent equipment and end the equipment agreement early.How it's calculated: Flat $295Heartland may amend its fee schedule with at least 15 days' written notice, pass on card network and third-party cost increases with 15 days' notice, and change your discount and transaction fees without notice if your volume or average ticket differs from your application (§6.2, §6.3, §6.5).No data

This is general information about published contracts, not legal advice: read your own contract and check with a lawyer before you sign.

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