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- Clover. RTC Score: 4.9 out of 10. #6 of 13 with enough data. Software from: $89.95/mo.
- Toast. RTC Score: 3.4 out of 10. #13 of 13 with enough data. Software from: $69/mo.
- The lines without a name are the other 11 with enough data: 8.8, 6.0, 5.8, 5.7, 5.3, 4.7, 4.5, 4.5, 4.1, 3.8, 3.7.
- Methodology v0.5.0.
RTC SCORE
4.9
#6 of 13 with enough data
Clover
- Longest equipment warranty (tied). Among 17 POS systems with a published warranty on the main terminal.
Fiserv's POS, sold directly and through banks and resellers. The Restaurant Growth software plan starts at $89.95 a month plus a hardware bundle, the hardware only works with Clover processing, and the contract and early termination fee depend on who boards you.
RTC SCORE
3.4
#13 of 13 with enough data
Toast
All-in-one restaurant POS that runs card payments through Toast. The Point of Sale plan costs $69 a month; the Starter Kit has no monthly software fee but higher pay-as-you-go card rates. The term is set in your order form.
Key differences
| Data point | Clover | Toast |
|---|---|---|
| Software from | $89.95/mo | $69/mo |
| In-person card rate | 2.3% | 2.49% |
| In-person fee per transaction | 10¢ | 15¢ |
| Online fee per transaction | 10¢ | 15¢ |
| Keyed-in fee per transaction | 10¢ | 15¢ |
- Best value: Software from (Toast); In-person card rate (Clover); In-person fee per transaction (Clover); Online fee per transaction (Clover); Keyed-in fee per transaction (Clover).
- Values per NerdWallet: In-person card rate (Toast); In-person fee per transaction (Toast); Online fee per transaction (Toast); Keyed-in fee per transaction (Toast).
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Score by criterion
- RTC ScoreClover: 4.9 · Toast: 3.4
- Cost to get started (reference restaurant)Weight 25%Clover: 2.8 · Toast: 5.5
- Switching or signing bonus you qualify for (reference restaurant)Weight 25%Clover: 0.9 · Toast: 0.0
- 36-month total cost (reference restaurant)Weight 20%Clover: 7.1 · Toast: No data
- Own online orderingWeight 11%Clover: 10.0 · Toast: 5.0
- Hardware warranty includedWeight 8%Clover: 10.0 · Toast: 5.5
- Support 24/7 (as the vendor publishes it)Weight 5%Clover: 10.0 · Toast: 10.0
- Initial termWeight 2%Clover: 3.0 · Toast: No data
- Early termination feeWeight 2%Clover: No data · Toast: 5.0
- Exclusive processing commitmentWeight 1%Clover: 0.0 · Toast: 0.0
- Trial or money-back periodWeight 1%Clover: 0.0 · Toast: 0.0
- Length of automatic renewalsWeight 1%Clover: No data · Toast: 7.0
- Notice to avoid renewalWeight 0%Clover: No data · Toast: 10.0
- Data completenessClover: 98% · Toast: 79%
No data: lowers data completeness, never counts as zero. Methodology v0.5.0.
Side by side
| Feature | CloverRTC Score: 4.9 out of 10 | ToastRTC Score: 3.4 out of 10 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | ||
| Software from | $89.95/moSource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Restaurant Growth software plan with the Starter bundle. The monthly fee grows with the devices in the bundle ($109.90 or $129.85). Hardware is extra. | $69/mo(Best value)Source: Toast (opens in a new tab)Point of Sale plan, the one whose card rates we list. The Starter Kit has no monthly software fee but uses pay-as-you-go card rates (3.09% to 3.69% + 15¢, per NerdWallet), and leaving it early costs $150 for each month left. |
| Software billed per | Location()Source: Clover (opens in a new tab)One Restaurant Growth plan per business, priced by bundle: $89.95 with one Station Solo, $109.90 when a Flex is added and $129.85 with a Station Duo too, so each extra device adds $19.95 a month on Clover.com. | Location()Source: Toast (opens in a new tab)The $69 plan covers one location with its first terminal; each additional device adds a monthly subscription whose price Toast doesn't publish. |
| Kitchen display (KDS) fee | $25/mo per deviceSource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Plus the screen: $799 (14 inch) or $899 (24 inch). | Being re-verified()(due for a re-check)Source: Merchant Maverick (opens in a new tab)As reported by Merchant Maverick; Toast doesn't publish it. The same guide lists the kitchen display screen hardware at $674 plus $35 a month. |
| Payment processing | ||
| Who processes your cards | Must use the vendor's processingSource: Clover (opens in a new tab)You can choose among banks and resellers in the Fiserv network, each with its own pricing and terms. | Must use the vendor's processing()Source: NerdWallet (opens in a new tab)Card payments on Toast run through Toast Payments. |
| Pricing model for card fees | Flat rateSource: Clover (opens in a new tab) | Flat rateSource: Toast (opens in a new tab) |
| In-person card rate | 2.3%(Best value)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. | 2.49%()(due for a re-check)Source: NerdWallet (opens in a new tab)Rate with hardware paid up front, as reported by NerdWallet; Toast does not publish its rates on its own site. Pay-as-you-go (Starter Kit) is 3.09% to 3.69% + 15¢. |
| In-person fee per transaction | 10¢(Best value)Source: Clover (opens in a new tab) | 15¢()(due for a re-check)Source: NerdWallet (opens in a new tab) |
| Online card rate | 3.5%Source: Clover (opens in a new tab)Clover's pricing FAQ says online sales pay the typed-in rate, which on the restaurant bundles is 3.5% + 10¢. NerdWallet (May 2026) also reports 3.5% + 10¢ for online or keyed-in payments. | 3.5%()(due for a re-check)Source: NerdWallet (opens in a new tab) |
| Online fee per transaction | 10¢(Best value)()Source: Clover (opens in a new tab)Online sales pay the typed-in rate (Clover pricing FAQ). | 15¢()(due for a re-check)Source: NerdWallet (opens in a new tab) |
| Keyed-in card rate | 3.5%Source: Clover (opens in a new tab) | 3.5%()(due for a re-check)Source: NerdWallet (opens in a new tab)NerdWallet reports one card-not-present rate for keyed and online payments. |
| Keyed-in fee per transaction | 10¢(Best value)Source: Clover (opens in a new tab) | 15¢()(due for a re-check)Source: NerdWallet (opens in a new tab) |
| Annual fees per device | Not publishedSee my price for Clover (opens the provider's site in a new tab)()(due for a re-check)Source: CourtListener (C.D. Cal. 8:21-cv-02130) (opens in a new tab)Clover.com publishes no annual fee. A CardConnect application for Clover filed in court in 2021 has lines for an annual membership fee, a PCI annual fee and a regulatory product fee, per account and with the amounts set in each application; other providers may differ. | Being re-verified()(due for a re-check)Source: Effingham County, GA (public meeting records) (opens in a new tab)A Toast order form made public by a county government lists card rates and a $15 chargeback fee but no annual, PCI or regulatory fee per device, and the Merchant Agreement and its processing terms publish none either. Toast does charge a monthly subscription for each device after the first (amount not published). |
| Dual pricing or surcharge program | YesSource: 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. Card network rules and state laws apply, and some states limit or ban surcharges. | YesSource: Toast (opens in a new tab)Toast publishes two programs: Toast Dual Pricing (card price and a cash price 4% lower by default; for now only for eligible new US customers) and Credit Card Surcharging (credit cards only, up to 3%, not in CT, ME or MA). With the program, card processing costs your restaurant $0 in our estimate and your customers pay the difference. Toast itself says surcharging offsets your costs by adding revenue, not by lowering your fees. Card network rules and state laws apply, and some states limit or ban surcharges. |
| Cards the program covers | Every 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: Toast Central (opens in a new tab)Toast also offers credit card surcharging, which only covers credit cards. When a vendor publishes both, we use the program that covers every card, the same for every vendor. Toast says you still pay your contract rate on every card sale; the card price your customers pay offsets it. Toast Dual Pricing is for eligible new US customers. |
| Other fees in the contract | Kitchen display software: $25 per screen a month. Rapid Deposit (funds within minutes): 1.75% of the amount, optional. Hardware subscriptions can't be canceled or refunded. A CardConnect application for Clover filed in court in 2021 also has lines for an application fee, statement fee, minimum processing fee, chargeback and retrieval fees, PCI annual and non-compliance fees, an annual membership fee and wireless fees, with the amounts set in each application.()Source: Clover (opens in a new tab) | Installation: about $1,000 per day on site or $800 per day remote, per NerdWallet. Modules such as online ordering and payroll are billed separately.()(due for a re-check)Source: NerdWallet (opens in a new tab) |
| Hardware | ||
| Hardware | Buy or leaseSource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Buy the bundle up front or pay for it monthly over 36 months. Clover's pricing FAQ says hardware subscriptions are non-cancelable and not refundable, though you can pay them off or upgrade. | You buy it()Source: NerdWallet (opens in a new tab)Bought up front or financed; with the Starter Kit the hardware kit has no upfront cost in exchange for higher card rates. |
| Hardware works with another processor | NoSource: Clover (opens in a new tab) | No()Source: NerdWallet (opens in a new tab)As reported by NerdWallet (Aug 2026) and Merchant Maverick (2025): using Toast requires Toast Payments, and Toast software runs only on Toast's own Android hardware, so the equipment doesn't move with you to another processor. |
| Hardware warranty included | Lifetime, while your agreement is activeSource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Only with a Clover hardware subscription, for as long as the subscription runs: 36 months for Station Solo, then month to month at the same charge unless you buy or return the equipment, and Clover says the coverage lasts the life of the subscription contract. That is the same rule we apply to every vendor whose coverage lasts while you keep the agreement that carries it. The subscription costs more than buying the hardware (see the conditions). Hardware bought outright has a one-year warranty against manufacturer defects. | 2 yearsSource: Toast (opens in a new tab)Two years on the countertop terminal (Toast Flex) and other hardware that is not handheld; one year on handhelds such as the Toast Go 3. It covers only hardware bought directly from Toast, and the Merchant Agreement incorporates it (§9.3). |
| Warranty conditions | Bought outright, Clover hardware has a one-year limited warranty against manufacturer defects. With a hardware subscription (36 months for Station Solo, non-cancelable and non-refundable, though you can pay it off or upgrade), Clover's Equipment Protection Program covers defects and accidental damage, and theft and loss, for the life of the subscription contract. Clover publishes no terms for that program (deductibles, replacement limits, exclusions) and says to contact it; it is not offered in New York or Oregon, where an extended warranty applies instead. If you don't tell Clover 30 days before the end whether you will buy or return the equipment, the subscription continues month to month at the same charge. For Station Solo on the Restaurant Growth plan, the subscription costs $179 a month for 36 months ($6,444) against $1,799 up front plus $89.95 a month ($5,037.20): $1,406.80 more, with this protection and the financing included. For bought hardware, Clover Care is a paid add-on: 3 years from shipment, up to 3 replacements, cracked screens, dust and liquid damage included (only manufacturer defects in New York), and no theft, loss or fire. Clover.com publishes no price for it. These are Clover.com terms; banks and resellers that sell Clover may set different ones.Source: Clover (opens in a new tab) | Defects only. Toast chooses the fix: help by phone, a new or refurbished replacement, or a credit. The warranty terms say Toast makes reasonable efforts to ship an advance replacement by next-day air, but its replacement help article says standard shipping takes 3 to 5 business days and 1-to-2-day shipping may cost extra. You return the old unit within 30 days or pay the replacement price plus shipping, and a replacement is covered for the rest of the original period or 30 days, whichever is longer. Not covered: abuse, negligence, accidents, misuse, loss, theft, abnormal wear, improper transport, acts of God and unauthorized service; cracked screens, drops and liquid damage are billed at the full replacement price, and units outside the warranty are repaired or replaced at Toast's standard rates. Card readers built into handhelds have 1 year and other readers 2 years, although the same help article also says 1 year for readers in general. Toast publishes no paid extended warranty or accidental-damage plan. Software support continues for 3 years after the hardware warranty ends (Product Lifetime Policy); that covers software, not hardware. Hardware bought directly from Toast in the US can be returned within 90 days of shipment if it is in its original condition with all packaging and accessories: Toast credits the purchase price and pays the return shipping.Source: Toast (opens in a new tab) |
| Price to replace the main terminal | $1,799 one-timeSource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Includes the cash drawer and receipt printer: Clover sells Station Solo only with them. Bought outright on Clover.com; the hardware price is the same with any software plan. Clover says these prices are only for Clover.com, so a bank or reseller may charge differently. | Being re-verified()(due for a re-check)Source: Merchant Maverick (opens in a new tab)As reported by Merchant Maverick: the Toast Flex countertop terminal with the Toast Tap card reader, without printer or cash drawer; the $50 a month is the device's software subscription. Toast doesn't publish this price itself: it bills damaged or out-of-warranty units at the full replacement price, and its online shop shows no prices without logging in. Other reviewers report $799 or more for the terminal. |
| Contract and exit | ||
| Initial term | 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 onlySource: Toast (opens in a new tab)Set in your order form (Merchant Agreement §8.1). NerdWallet reports terms of two to three years, and Toast order forms made public by local governments show 36 months (2023) and 24 months (2025). |
| Automatic renewal | Being re-verified()(due for a re-check)Source: CourtListener (C.D. Cal. 8:21-cv-02130) (opens in a new tab)One-year extensions in a CardConnect agreement filed in court in 2021; other providers may differ. | 12 monthsSource: Toast (opens in a new tab)A renewal is under the then-current Merchant Agreement, and earlier promotions no longer apply (§8.1). |
| Notice to avoid renewal | Unconfirmed()(due for a re-check)Source: CourtListener (C.D. Cal. 8:21-cv-02130) (opens in a new tab)In the CardConnect agreement filed in court in 2021, the application says it extends for one year at a time, while its terms say that after the initial term it continues until either side ends it with written notice (§30.2); neither sets a number of days. Clover.com publishes no agreement. | 30 daysSource: Toast (opens in a new tab) |
| How the early termination fee is calculated | Quote onlySource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Clover says the early termination fee varies by provider, and current offers show how far apart they are: Wells Fargo says no early termination fees or long-term contracts apply to its card processing for Clover, a bank's offer on Clover's partner site says early termination fees apply, and Clover's own hardware promotion requires a 3-year contract. In a CardConnect agreement filed in court in 2021 the fee was a fixed amount written in the application. Clover publishes no agreement with the formula. | Software or subscription fees left in the termSource: Toast (opens in a new tab)On subscription plans. On a pay-as-you-go plan such as the Starter Kit it is $150 for each month left in the term (§8.4). |
| Early termination fee | Quote onlySource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Clover says contract terms and termination fees vary by provider (Clover direct, banks or resellers). In a CardConnect agreement filed in court in 2021 the fee was a fixed amount written in the merchant application. | On subscription plans, the software subscription fees left in the term; on a pay-as-you-go plan such as the Starter Kit, $150 for each month left. Plus any processing fee tied to software financing (Merchant Agreement §8.4).Source: Toast (opens in a new tab)The example in dollars uses the Point of Sale plan. If Toast raises card rates or the core POS fee, you can terminate without this fee (§6.2). |
| Exclusive processing commitment | YesSource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Clover devices only work with Fiserv's processing, and Clover's partner site says using Clover requires a merchant processing agreement with First Data Merchant Services (Fiserv). You can choose among banks and resellers in Fiserv's network, but not another processor, for as long as you use the equipment. A CardConnect agreement filed in court in 2021 also required its processing for the whole term. | Yes()Source: NerdWallet (opens in a new tab) |
| Right to raise prices during the term | Being re-verified()(due for a re-check)Source: CourtListener (C.D. Cal. 8:21-cv-02130) (opens in a new tab) | Software fees stay the same during the initial term. Toast may change card rates and other non-software fees at any time with 30 days' written notice, and any fee at or during a renewal. If it raises card rates or the core POS fee, you can terminate without the early termination fee (Merchant Agreement §6.2).Source: Toast (opens in a new tab) |
| Trial or money-back period | None publishedSource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Clover's 90-day trial (March 5 to December 31, 2026) covers the Essentials and Services Growth plans, for selected business types. Every restaurant package uses the Restaurant Growth plan, which it doesn't cover, so no trial is published for the restaurant POS. | None published()Source: Toast (opens in a new tab)We checked Toast's pricing page and Merchant Agreement: no trial or refund window for the POS is published. |
| Trial conditions | No trial is published for the restaurant plans. Hardware subscriptions can't be canceled or refunded, and returns and termination fees depend on the provider that sells you Clover.Source: Clover (opens in a new tab) | No trial is published. Fees can't be canceled or refunded (Merchant Agreement §6.1). Leaving early costs the subscription fees left in the term, or $150 a month on pay-as-you-go.()Source: Toast (opens in a new tab) |
| Trial period | N/ASource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Clover publishes no trial for its restaurant plans. | N/A()Source: Toast (opens in a new tab)Toast publishes no trial period. |
| Charges during the trial | N/ASource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Clover publishes no trial for its restaurant plans. | N/A()Source: Toast (opens in a new tab)Toast publishes no trial period. |
| Personal guarantee by the signer | Not published()(due for a re-check)Source: CourtListener (C.D. Cal. 8:21-cv-02130) (opens in a new tab)Clover.com publishes no merchant agreement. A CardConnect application for Clover filed in court in 2021 has a Personal Guarantee line for each owner and its terms refer to the guarantor who signed the application, but they don't say a guarantee is always required; it depends on the provider and your application. | No()Source: Toast (opens in a new tab)Neither the Merchant Agreement, its payment processing terms nor a public Toast order form (2025) contains a personal guarantee. Each owner of 25% or more authorizes Toast to pull personal credit reports. |
| Online ordering and delivery | ||
| Own online ordering | Included in the base planSource: Clover (opens in a new tab) | Paid add-onSource: Toast (opens in a new tab)Toast's pricing table marks Digital Storefront Essentials (Toast Online Ordering) as an add-on on the Starter Kit and the Point of Sale plan; its price is by quote. |
| No per-order commission on own online ordering | YesSource: Clover (opens in a new tab) | YesSource: Toast (opens in a new tab) |
| Delivery app integrations | DoorDash, Uber EatsSource: DoorDash Merchant Help (opens in a new tab)DoorDash documents its Clover integration, and Clover's blog (2023) describes its Uber Eats integration, with orders going straight into the Clover POS. We found no direct Grubhub integration published by Clover; Grubhub orders reach Clover only through third-party apps in the Clover App Market. | DoorDash, Uber Eats, GrubhubSource: Toast (opens in a new tab) |
| Features | ||
| Kitchen display system (KDS) | Paid add-onSource: Clover (opens in a new tab) | Paid add-onSource: Toast Central (help center) (opens in a new tab)Toast's help center says the account must be subscribed to the Kitchen Display Screen Software product, and each KDS screen has its own subscription, added through your Toast sales rep. |
| Loyalty program | Included in the base planSource: Clover App Market (opens in a new tab)Rewards is included in the Restaurant Growth plan, with a pay-per-action fee of $0.01 listed in the App Market. Clover's Customer Engagement Plus plan, with more campaigns, is a separate paid plan. | Paid add-on()Source: Toast (opens in a new tab)Toast's pricing table marks Marketing Essentials (Toast Loyalty, email marketing and gift cards) as an add-on on every plan; its price is by quote. Merchant Maverick reports Toast Loyalty at $50 a month. |
| Support | ||
| Support 24/7 | YesSource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Banks and resellers that sell Clover may run their own support; your direct support number is on your statement. | YesSource: Toast (opens in a new tab) |
Contracts compared
| Product | Initial term | Auto-renewal | Early termination fee | Exclusive processing commitment | Price increases during the term | Trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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. | Being re-verified()(due for a re-check)Source: CourtListener (C.D. Cal. 8:21-cv-02130) (opens in a new tab)One-year extensions in a CardConnect agreement filed in court in 2021; other providers may differ. | Quote only | Yes, for the whole term | Being re-verified()(due for a re-check)Source: CourtListener (C.D. Cal. 8:21-cv-02130) (opens in a new tab) | N/ASource: Clover (opens in a new tab)Clover publishes no trial for its restaurant plans. |
| ToastSource: Toast (opens in a new tab) | Quote only | Renews for 12 months30 days' notice to cancel renewal | On subscription plans, the software subscription fees left in the term; on a pay-as-you-go plan such as the Starter Kit, $150 for each month left. Plus any processing fee tied to software financing (Merchant Agreement §8.4).How it's calculated: 100% of the fees left in the term | Yes, for the whole term()Source: NerdWallet (opens in a new tab) | Software fees stay the same during the initial term. Toast may change card rates and other non-software fees at any time with 30 days' written notice, and any fee at or during a renewal. If it raises card rates or the core POS fee, you can terminate without the early termination fee (Merchant Agreement §6.2). | N/A |
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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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