The decision of which Point of Sale (POS) system to adopt is a critical one for any retailer, impacting everything from daily operations to long-term profitability. For single-store businesses, Square often presents itself as the most accessible entry point due to its genuinely free software tier, transparent and consistent processing rates, and a no-commitment signup process. However, as a business grows and its needs evolve, particularly with the advent of online sales or high transaction volumes, the landscape shifts dramatically. Shopify emerges as a stronger contender when e-commerce becomes a priority, while Clover offers the potential for negotiated processing rates, a significant advantage for high-volume merchants.
The inherent complexity in comparing these three leading POS providers stems from their fundamentally different product origins. Square and Clover both began as payment processing companies that subsequently developed their own POS software. Conversely, Shopify originated as an e-commerce platform and later integrated in-store POS capabilities. Adding another layer of distinction, Clover is exclusively distributed through a network of certified resellers, unlike Square and Shopify, which offer direct sales. This intermediary model for Clover introduces significant variables in pricing, support, and contract terms that are not present with the other two.
Furthermore, the timing of a decision can significantly influence its perceived value. Square, for instance, undertook a significant restructuring of its service plans in October 2025, retiring approximately 18 vertical-specific plans in favor of three unified offerings. This change means that many comparison articles available today may describe an outdated Square product lineup. Clover’s pricing structure, being dependent on individual resellers, adds another layer of variability, making direct comparisons challenging without obtaining specific quotes.
This comprehensive analysis delves into the software fees, processing costs, hardware commitments, and exit risks associated with Square, Shopify, and Clover. The aim is to equip retailers with the knowledge to select the system that best aligns with their specific business needs, rather than being swayed solely by advertised monthly prices. The critical differences that distinguish Clover, Square, and Shopify often lie not in their feature lists, but within the contractual agreements and the underlying business models. Each of these platforms secures victories in at least one of the key comparison areas.
Key Takeaways
- Square: Offers unparalleled transparency and predictability in pricing, making it ideal for businesses prioritizing ease of entry and no-term commitments. Its free tier is a significant draw for new businesses.
- Shopify: Dominates the e-commerce integration space, providing a seamless omnichannel experience. It’s the superior choice for businesses with a significant online sales component or plans to expand online.
- Clover: Presents the best option for high-volume retailers seeking to negotiate processing rates. Its reseller model, while introducing complexity, can lead to significant cost savings for businesses that qualify for interchange-plus pricing.
Clover vs. Square vs. Shopify: The Short Version
To provide a concise overview before diving into detailed analysis, understanding the structural differences is paramount. If Shopify is not a primary consideration, a more focused comparison between Clover and Square can be found in dedicated head-to-head analyses.
| Feature | Square | Shopify | Clover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best For | In-person-first stores seeking no contract. | Stores that also sell online. | High-volume stores wanting a negotiated rate. |
| Software Cost | Free ($0), Plus ($49/location), Premium ($149/location) | E-commerce plan ($39-$399/month) + POS Pro ($89/location) | ~$0-$105/month (varies by tier and reseller) |
| In-Person Rate | 2.6% + 15c (Free), 2.5% + 15c (Plus), 2.4% + 15c (Premium) | 2.4%-2.6% + 10c (varies by plan) | Set by reseller; not published. |
| Online Rate | 3.3% + 30c (Free), 2.9% + 30c (Plus/Premium) | Varies by plan under Shopify Payments | Set by reseller (flat, tiered, or interchange-plus). |
| Third-Party Fee | None (Square is the processor) | 0.2%-2% (waived on Shopify Payments) | Not applicable (processing through reseller). |
| Hardware Range | Free reader to $899 Register | $49 reader to $349 POS Terminal, plus Tap to Pay | ~$49 to $1,899 (Station Duo) |
| Contract | Month-to-month | Month-to-month | Varies by reseller; often 36-48 month lease. |
| Sold By | Direct | Direct | 60+ certified reseller partners. |
| Multi-Location | Premium tier unlocks cross-location features. | POS Pro required for cross-location features. | No volume discount; each location has its own agreement. |
| Offline Payments | Cash/manual always; card offline not confirmed. | Cash/manual always; card offline with admin activation. | Cash/manual always; card offline depends on reseller setup. |
These Three Are Not the Same Kind of Product
A fundamental aspect that complicates direct comparisons is the differing origins and core functionalities of these platforms. Square and Clover were conceived as payment solutions with POS software layered on top. Shopify, conversely, emerged from the e-commerce domain, subsequently integrating in-store capabilities. This foundational difference influences how each platform handles omnichannel experiences and integrations.
A significant differentiator for Clover is its distribution model. It is exclusively sold through a network of over 60 certified reseller partners, predominantly Independent Sales Organizations (ISOs). These ISOs purchase Fiserv’s (Clover’s parent company) processing platform wholesale and then retail it, often with their own pricing structures and contract terms. This "middleman" approach is the root cause of many downstream differences:
- Varied Pricing: Merchants can receive vastly different quotes for the same Clover hardware and software packages, depending on the reseller.
- Contractual Risk: The long-term lease agreements often associated with Clover hardware are typically facilitated by these resellers, concentrating risk for the merchant.
- Inconsistent Support: The quality and responsiveness of customer support can vary significantly, as it is often provided by the reseller rather than directly by Fiserv.
With Square and Shopify, merchants engage directly with the company. The prices displayed on their websites are generally the prices paid, offering a level of predictability absent in the Clover ecosystem. When considering Clover, it is imperative to thoroughly vet the reseller and inquire about specific terms, including:
- What is the exact monthly software subscription fee?
- What is the processing rate and how is it structured (flat, tiered, interchange-plus)?
- What is the total cost of the hardware, including any financing or lease terms?
- What is the duration of the contract, and what are the penalties for early termination?
1. Best for Transparent, Predictable Pricing: Square
Square emerges as the undisputed leader when it comes to pricing clarity and predictability. It is the only platform among the three where a business owner can ascertain their monthly expenses without engaging in any direct negotiation or sales calls. This transparency is a direct result of Square’s simplified, unified plan structure, which was updated in October 2025. The previous system of roughly 18 vertical-specific plans has been consolidated into three core tiers:
- Free: This foundational tier offers essential features such as item creation, discount application, refund processing, and basic reporting, all at $0 per month.
- Plus: Priced at $49 per location per month, this tier enhances the Free plan with robust inventory management, vendor management capabilities, and Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) reporting.
- Premium: At $149 per location per month, the Premium tier unlocks advanced functionalities including cross-location returns, transfer orders, and 24/7 priority support.
In stark contrast, Shopify’s pricing model is layered. It requires an e-commerce plan, which ranges from $39 to $399 per month (or $29 to $299 on annual billing), in addition to its POS Pro software, which costs $89 per location per month (approximately $79 with annual billing). Shopify Plus merchants receive 20 POS Pro locations included before per-location fees apply, offering scalability for larger enterprises.
Clover’s software costs present a wider and less defined spectrum, generally ranging from $0 to $105 per month, with restaurant-specific tiers often being higher. This variability is a direct consequence of its reseller-based distribution. Even Clover’s own pricing pages often lack precise figures, necessitating direct quotes from resellers, which can differ by substantial amounts for identical plans.
For a single retail store, the monthly software cost landscape can be summarized as follows:
- Square Free: $0
- Shopify Basic E-commerce + POS Lite: ~$39 + free POS (limited features)
- Shopify Basic E-commerce + POS Pro: ~$39 + $89 = ~$128
- Clover: ~$0 – $105 (highly variable)
Furthermore, Clover lacks any multi-location volume discount. Each additional store requires its own distinct hardware, software subscription, and processing agreement, which can significantly increase costs for businesses with multiple physical locations. This lack of integrated multi-location benefits makes it less attractive for expanding businesses compared to the tiered offerings of Square and Shopify.
Square’s appeal lies in its straightforward pricing, making it an excellent choice for retailers who value simplicity and want to avoid the complexities of negotiation. However, for businesses already heavily invested in online sales and requiring a unified product catalog, Shopify’s higher software costs may be justified by its superior e-commerce integration. Clover’s primary advantage here is the potential for negotiation, but this requires a willingness to engage in detailed discussions with resellers.
2. Best for Processing Rates: Shopify, Narrowly
Processing rates are a critical component of operational costs, and even small percentage differences can accumulate into significant sums for businesses with high transaction volumes. Here, Shopify often holds a slight edge, particularly when utilizing its proprietary payment processing service, Shopify Payments.
Shopify Payments typically charges between 2.4% and 2.6% plus a flat fee of $0.10 per in-person transaction, depending on the chosen plan. Square’s rates are more segmented: its Free plan incurs 2.6% + $0.15, the Plus plan is 2.5% + $0.15, and the Premium plan is 2.4% + $0.15. It’s important to note that Square adjusted its rates in early 2025, moving from $0.10 to $0.15 for the fixed fee for many merchants. This historical shift explains why older comparison articles may show conflicting numbers for Square’s rates; both figures are true for different cohorts of merchants.
Square’s other rates include:
- Online Payments: 3.3% + $0.30 on the Free plan, and 2.9% + $0.30 on Plus and Premium plans.
- Card Present (Swiped/Chip): As detailed above.
- Tap to Pay on iPhone/Android: 2.6% + $0.15.
- QR Codes: 2.6% + $0.15.
Shopify’s competitive processing rates are contingent on using Shopify Payments. If a merchant opts for a third-party processor, Shopify imposes an additional surcharge: 2% on the Basic e-commerce plan, 1% on Grow, 0.6% on Advanced, and 0.2% on Plus. This surcharge is entirely waived when using Shopify Payments.
Clover’s processing rates are entirely dictated by the reseller and can be structured as flat-rate, tiered, or interchange-plus. This lack of standardization makes direct comparison difficult without obtaining specific quotes.
For a business primarily processing in-person transactions and utilizing Shopify Payments, the $0.10 fixed fee often presents a more favorable scenario compared to Square’s $0.15 fixed fee, even when the percentage rates are similar. This small difference per transaction can translate into substantial savings for high-volume businesses.
3. Best for Hardware: Square
When it comes to hardware options, Square offers the most extensive range at predictable price points. Furthermore, both Square and Shopify have embraced the trend of "Tap to Pay" on mobile devices, significantly reducing the initial hardware investment for many businesses.
Square’s hardware offerings span from a free basic magnetic stripe reader to the advanced $899 Square Register. This comprehensive selection caters to businesses at all stages of growth and with varying operational needs.
Shopify’s hardware lineup includes the $49 reader and the $349 POS Terminal, alongside its Tap to Pay functionality. It is important to note that Shopify discontinued new US sales of its POS Go device on August 28, 2024. Existing POS Go units will remain supported in mobile selling mode until May 26, 2027, contrary to some older claims suggesting a September 2026 end-of-life.
Tap to Pay is a particularly compelling feature for small businesses. Available on both Square and Shopify platforms, it allows merchants to accept contactless payments directly on an unmodified iPhone or Android device at the standard in-person processing rate, eliminating the need for a separate card reader. As of this analysis, a comparable "Tap to Pay" offering directly from Clover was not confirmed. This capability significantly lowers the barrier to entry for businesses looking for a simple, cost-effective way to accept payments.
Clover’s hardware solutions are generally more purpose-built and robust, ranging from around $49 for basic devices to $1,649 – $1,899 for the high-end Station Duo. While these devices are often designed for high-traffic environments, their acquisition is frequently tied to longer-term contracts and leases, as discussed later.
For retailers prioritizing a clear hardware price and the flexibility to start with minimal investment, Square’s offerings are highly attractive. Those already embedded in the Shopify ecosystem and seeking a streamlined countertop setup might find the Shopify POS Terminal to be the cleanest solution. Clover’s hardware, while often robust, comes with the caveat of longer-term commitments.
4. Best for Staying Free to Leave: Anyone But Clover
The ability to switch POS systems or payment processors without incurring prohibitive costs or penalties is a critical consideration, and this is where Clover presents a significant drawback. Clover devices are provisioned to Fiserv’s network and are inherently locked to that processor. This means that if a merchant decides to switch to a different payment processor, they will be required to purchase entirely new hardware.
The financial implications of this hardware lock-in can be substantial. For example, purchasing a Clover Station Duo outright at approximately $1,899, coupled with monthly software fees, can result in total costs around $4,957 over a 36-month period. If this same equipment is financed over 36 months at approximately $180 per month, the total cost escalates to around $6,480, a difference of roughly $1,500 for the same hardware. Lease agreements can further inflate these costs, with a $1,799 Station Duo on a 36-month lease potentially exceeding $7,200 in total payments.
Merchant reports frequently highlight instances of still owing on hardware after attempting to switch processors, experiencing rate creep beyond agreed-upon terms, and the fundamental limitation that "every machine needs to be programmed to one sole processor." Complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) have also documented instances of billing continuing even after cancellation requests.
Square and Shopify, in contrast, operate on a month-to-month basis with no termination penalties. This provides merchants with exceptional flexibility and eliminates the financial risk associated with long-term hardware commitments. While Clover’s reseller model does offer the potential for negotiated rates, this upside is counterbalanced by the significant exit risks. It is crucial for any business considering Clover to thoroughly understand what they own, what they lease, and the residual value of their hardware should they decide to change processors. If the answer to the latter is "nothing," it is a strong indicator to explore other options.
5. Best for Inventory Across Locations: Shopify
For businesses operating multiple physical locations, managing inventory efficiently and cohesively is paramount. Shopify excels in this arena due to its integrated and cost-effective multi-location inventory management tools.
Shopify POS Pro is the gateway to essential inventory features, including real-time inventory counts, purchase order management, low-stock alerts, and the ability to process returns or exchanges at any location, not just the original point of sale. The system’s sophisticated transfer management allows for tracking stock movements between stores, with clear statuses for in-transit, ready-to-ship, and received inventory. Crucially, receiving stores can accept partial shipments without disrupting inventory counts, a feature vital for managing complex supply chains.
Comparing the costs for multi-location inventory management:
- Square: While Square Plus offers inventory and vendor management, advanced cross-location features are reserved for the Premium tier ($149/location/month). For three stores, this could amount to approximately $447 per month.
- Shopify: With Shopify POS Pro ($89/location/month, approximately $79 with annual billing), businesses can achieve comprehensive multi-location inventory management at a more competitive price point. For three stores, this would be around $267 per month, plus the cost of a foundational e-commerce plan.
- Clover: Clover includes basic inventory features, but advanced multi-location capabilities typically require purchasing paid apps from the Clover App Market. There is no volume discount, meaning each location incurs its own subscription and hardware costs, further increasing the overall expense for multi-store operations.
Clover’s decentralized, per-location independence can be advantageous for franchises where each site operates as a distinct profit center. However, for businesses where efficient stock movement and unified inventory visibility across multiple stores are key operational priorities, Shopify presents a more integrated and cost-effective solution.
6. Best for Selling Online Too: Shopify
The lines between physical and digital retail have blurred significantly, making a seamless omnichannel experience a necessity for many businesses. Shopify is unequivocally the leader in this regard. Its POS system is an integral extension of its robust e-commerce platform, creating a unified ecosystem where a single product catalog, customer record, and inventory count serve both online and in-store channels. This integration facilitates native support for features like "buy online, pick up in store" (BOPIS) and cross-channel returns, streamlining operations and enhancing customer convenience.
In contrast, Square and Clover, having originated as in-person POS systems, require more manual effort to synchronize online and offline sales channels. This often involves maintaining separate systems and dedicating resources to reconciliation, a process that can be more time-consuming and prone to error than many businesses admit during the sales demonstration phase.
While Shopify’s marketing materials highlight impressive statistics on integration and efficiency, it’s crucial to approach such claims with a degree of discernment, as they are often presented by entities with vested interests in promoting the platform. However, the fundamental architecture of Shopify, built from the ground up for e-commerce, provides an inherent advantage for businesses prioritizing an integrated online and offline sales strategy.
For any retailer currently engaged in online sales or with plans to do so within the next two years, Shopify is the most logical and integrated choice. While Square offers a free online store, it may suffice for basic click-and-collect functionalities but lacks the depth of integration found in Shopify. Clover can manage online sales, but it was not designed to be the central hub of an omnichannel strategy.
7. Best for Support and Day-to-Day Reliability: Square
Evaluating customer support and day-to-day reliability often relies on aggregate user feedback and independent review platforms. On Capterra, a prominent software review site, Square for Retail holds a strong rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars, based on 495 reviews. Shopify POS garners a respectable 4.6 out of 5 stars from 247 reviews. Clover, however, lags behind with a score of 3.8 out of 5 stars from a larger sample size of 580 reviews.
While Shopify POS’s score is slightly lower than Square’s, it’s important to consider the broader context. Many Shopify merchants primarily utilize the e-commerce platform and may have less direct interaction with the POS system. The overall Shopify platform itself enjoys a more substantial endorsement, with a 4.5-star rating from 6,712 reviews.
Common user complaints across these platforms highlight specific pain points:
- Clover: Frequent issues with billing discrepancies, slow or unresponsive support from resellers, and hardware malfunctions are commonly cited.
- Shopify: While generally positive, some users report occasional glitches with POS updates and challenges with specific integrations.
- Square: Complaints often revolve around account holds or terminations, particularly for businesses experiencing rapid growth or unusual transaction patterns, and occasional delays in customer support response times during peak periods.
The structural reason for Clover’s variable support quality is its reseller model. Merchants are essentially reliant on the service provided by the individual reseller who sold them the system, rather than receiving direct support from Fiserv. While a strong reseller can offer excellent service, a less competent one can leave merchants feeling unsupported.
Offline functionality is another consideration. Shopify POS allows for cash and manual payments offline, with card payments requiring admin activation. While functional, users describe the experience as less than seamless. Neither Square nor Shopify publishes specific transaction or dollar caps for offline card acceptance.
Despite minor criticisms, Square’s larger volume of retail-specific reviews and higher satisfaction score on that particular listing position it as the safer bet for consistent day-to-day reliability.
8. Best for High-Volume Stores Outgrowing Flat Rates: Clover
For businesses experiencing significant transaction volumes, the potential to move beyond standard flat-rate processing fees to a more cost-effective interchange-plus model becomes a critical factor. Clover stands out as the platform most amenable to this transition, primarily due to its reseller network’s capacity to negotiate such pricing structures.
Flat-rate pricing, common with Square and Shopify (when using Shopify Payments), charges a single blended percentage for all card types. Interchange-plus pricing, on the other hand, passes through the card network’s actual wholesale rate (interchange) plus a fixed markup from the processor. This model can lead to substantial savings for merchants whose transaction mix includes a high proportion of debit cards, as these typically have lower interchange rates than credit cards, especially those offering rewards.
Industry analyses suggest that the break-even point, where interchange-plus pricing begins to offer significant savings over flat rates, typically falls between $25,000 and $30,000 in monthly card volume. At $50,000 in monthly volume with an even split between in-person and online sales, Square’s flat rate might incur approximately $1,475 in monthly fees, a figure that a well-negotiated interchange-plus deal through a Clover reseller could potentially undercut.
The entities capable of offering interchange-plus pricing are:
- Clover: Through its authorized resellers, who can negotiate rates with underlying processors.
- Shopify: While Shopify Payments is largely flat-rate, Shopify Plus merchants can negotiate custom terms.
- Square: Its Square Pro tier, designed for businesses processing over $250,000 annually, offers hardware discounts and a dedicated account manager, suggesting a potential for more customized pricing, though not explicitly interchange-plus in the same way as Clover.
The inherent risk with Clover is that the same reseller relationship that unlocks potentially lower interchange-plus rates is also the one that might introduce long-term hardware leases and the possibility of rate creep. This duality means the upside and the risk are intrinsically linked. For genuinely large-volume merchants, both Square and Shopify offer avenues for customized solutions and dedicated support that can rival the benefits of a negotiated Clover rate.
For businesses processing upwards of $25,000 to $30,000 per month, particularly with a high proportion of debit card transactions, Clover’s potential for negotiated interchange-plus rates makes it a compelling option. However, for those below this threshold, the simplicity and predictability of published flat rates from Square or Shopify often outweigh the potential savings of a negotiated structure.
What It Costs to Leave
The often-overlooked aspect of choosing a POS system is the financial and logistical implication of eventually switching providers. This is where the long-term costs and flexibility of each platform become critically apparent.
| Feature | Square | Shopify | Clover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contract Term | Month-to-month | Month-to-month | Varies; often 36-48 month lease. |
| Termination Fee | None | None | Remaining lease balance plus possible $295-$595 fee. |
| Hardware Portability | Owned outright; holds some resale value. | Readers are inexpensive; hardware works with the platform you leave. | Provisioned to Fiserv; worthless to another processor. |
| Data Export | Catalog/customers (CSV); sales history is difficult. | Catalog/customers (CSV); e-commerce migration is complex. | Catalog/customers (CSV); export before cancelling. |
While product catalogs and customer records can generally be exported as CSV files across all three platforms, meaning customer lists are portable, historical sales data is a more complex issue. This data rarely transfers into a new system in a perfectly usable format, underscoring the importance of a robust data export strategy before any migration.
The order of operations for a system change is crucial:
- Export all data: Prioritize exporting product catalogs, customer lists, and historical sales data from your current system.
- Set up new system: Configure your chosen new POS system with your exported data.
- Transition: Plan a cutover date to minimize disruption. This might involve running both systems in parallel for a brief period or performing a phased transition.
- Cancel old service: Once the transition is complete and validated, formally cancel your subscription and any associated contracts with the previous provider.
Crucially, before committing to any agreement, especially with Clover, retailers must clarify what hardware they truly own, what is leased, and its residual value if they switch processors. For Clover, the answer to the hardware’s resale value to another processor is typically zero, a significant factor in the overall cost of ownership.
How I Compared These Three
This comparison was compiled based on publicly available pricing and plan terms in US dollars, as sourced from each vendor’s official websites, along with their respective help documentation. Information regarding Fiserv’s reseller directory and independent merchant reviews from Capterra were also utilized. Payment industry analyses comparing flat-rate versus interchange-plus pricing models provided further context.
It is important to acknowledge certain limitations. Clover’s pricing structure, being dependent on resellers and not consistently published in a machine-readable format, necessitated triangulating figures across independent resellers and reviewer reports. This range itself serves as an indicator of the variability inherent in Clover’s pricing. Review platforms like G2 and Trustpilot were not accessible for this specific comparison, making Capterra the sole independent review source. Exact transaction or dollar caps for offline card acceptance are not publicly disclosed by Square or Shopify and are therefore not included.
All pricing and feature information is current as of September 2026. A significant portion of online comparisons for these platforms originates from agencies that resell these services. The conclusions drawn in this article are based solely on the documented pricing and feature evidence, independent of any vendor’s partner program.
For the single-store retailer prioritizing immediate payment acceptance with no contract and no monthly fee, Square remains the most straightforward solution. Its free tier, published and consistent rates, and no-commitment signup process set it apart.
The optimal path forward from Square depends on business evolution:
- For growth into e-commerce: Transitioning to Shopify offers seamless integration.
- For high-volume processing: Exploring Clover or Square’s Pro tier may yield better processing economics.
- For multi-location expansion: Evaluating Shopify’s advanced inventory and Square’s Premium tier is advisable.
With Clover, the contract terms often carry more weight than the initial price. A thorough assessment of monthly card volume is essential, as this single metric will significantly influence the total cost of ownership and the potential benefits of negotiated processing rates.
Clover vs. Square vs. Shopify FAQs
Which is Cheapest for a Single Retail Store?
For a single retail store, Square is generally the cheapest option to start, offering a $0 per month free plan with in-person processing at 2.6% + $0.15. Shopify requires an e-commerce plan starting at $39 per month, plus an additional $89 per month for POS Pro for full functionality. Clover’s costs are reseller-dependent, but even its lower-tier paid plans typically start around $15 per month before hardware expenses.
Why Do I Get Different Clover Prices from Different Sellers?
Fiserv distributes Clover through a network of over 60 certified reseller partners. Each reseller establishes its own pricing, markup, contract terms, and processing models on top of the underlying Fiserv hardware and platform. This decentralized approach leads to significant price variations, with quotes for the same Clover Flex device potentially differing by $150 or more.
Can I Keep My Clover Hardware If I Switch Processors?
No, Clover hardware is provisioned to Fiserv’s network and cannot be reprogrammed for use with another payment processor. Switching processors necessitates purchasing entirely new hardware. If the original Clover device was leased, lease payments will typically continue regardless of the processor change.
Do I Need a Card Reader to Start?
Not with Square or Shopify. Both platforms support accepting contactless payments directly on an unmodified iPhone or Android device at their standard in-person processing rates, eliminating the need for a separate card reader. Clover has not confirmed a comparable phone-only Tap to Pay option.
What Does Shopify Charge If I Do Not Use Shopify Payments?
If you choose not to use Shopify Payments and opt for a third-party gateway, Shopify imposes a surcharge on top of your gateway’s fees. This surcharge is 2% on the Basic e-commerce plan, 1% on Grow, 0.6% on Advanced, and 0.2% on Plus. This surcharge is waived entirely when you utilize Shopify Payments.
When Is It Worth Negotiating an Interchange-Plus Rate?
Negotiating an interchange-plus rate generally becomes worthwhile when a business processes approximately $25,000 to $30,000 or more in card volume per month, especially if a significant portion of transactions are debit cards. Below this threshold, the simplicity and competitive nature of flat-rate pricing often prevail. Above it, a well-negotiated interchange-plus account, often facilitated by a Clover reseller, can yield substantial cost savings.
