TouchSuite offers Clover and Epos Now point-of-sale options as part of a broader payment-processing relationship, making it a useful option for small businesses that want POS hardware bundled with specialized merchant-account underwriting, including high-risk verticals, rather than a self-serve flat-rate setup. Neither system is a universal winner. Clover suits businesses that want an established hardware platform with broad app integrations; Epos Now is strong for retail and hospitality operators who need multi-site or integration flexibility; Square suits low-volume sellers who want instant setup; Toast is designed specifically for restaurants. The right choice depends on your transaction volume, business type, payment complexity, and how much you value ongoing support.
A POS system has two distinct parts: the hardware and software that run your checkout, and the payment-processing contract that moves money from your customer's card to your bank account. These are often bundled together, but they are not the same thing, and confusing them is where most small-business buyers end up locked into something they didn't expect.
Hardware covers the terminal, screen, receipt printer, cash drawer, and card reader. Software covers inventory, reporting, employee management, and app integrations. Payment processing covers interchange fees, processing rates, reserves, chargebacks, and underwriting, the behind-the-scenes relationship with a bank that actually lets you accept cards.
When comparing systems, look at all three layers. A POS that costs nothing upfront can come with a proprietary payment processor you cannot leave without losing your hardware investment. Conversely, a system with strong hardware and software may be available through more than one provider, each with different rates and contract terms.
Clover is a cloud-based POS that covers retail, restaurants, e-commerce, and service businesses. Its hardware line ranges from a compact card reader to a full countertop station with a customer-facing display, and its software supports inventory management, employee tracking, reporting, and a marketplace of third-party apps and accessories.
The important thing to understand about Clover is that its hardware, software plans, processing fees, subscription terms, and any termination fees all vary depending on the service provider you use, Clover states this directly on its pricing page. Clover is sold through banks, ISOs (independent sales organizations), and directly by Clover itself, and each channel may offer different rates and contract structures.
This means Clover is a platform, not a single product with a single price. Before you sign anything, confirm the monthly software fee, the processing rate structure (flat-rate, interchange-plus, or tiered), the hardware purchase or lease terms, and whether there are early-termination fees. Two merchants running identical Clover hardware can pay very different effective rates depending on who they got it from.
Clover is a reasonable choice for businesses that want a mature, widely supported hardware platform with broad app integrations and staff-facing features. It is less suited for businesses that want to keep hardware and processing fully independent.
Epos Now markets POS hardware, software, integrated payments, and app integrations specifically toward retail and hospitality businesses, including multi-site operators. Its software emphasizes inventory across locations, staff scheduling, and integration with accounting and e-commerce tools.
For a small business with more than one location, or one that expects to add locations, Epos Now's architecture is worth considering. It is also a sensible option for hospitality operators who need table management and kitchen workflows without paying for a full restaurant-only platform.
Like Clover, the payment-processing component can be configured through different providers depending on how you acquire the system. Confirm whether integrated payments are required, what the processing rates look like, and what the software subscription costs.
Square is the most accessible entry point for a small business that wants to start accepting cards quickly. Its free software tier, flat-rate processing, and no monthly fees make it straightforward for low-volume sellers, service businesses, and pop-up or seasonal operations. Square directs higher-volume sellers to ask about custom processing pricing.
The tradeoff is that Square is a closed, self-contained platform. Processing happens through Square's own payment infrastructure, and merchants in certain business categories, including many that are considered elevated-risk, may find that Square declines or later terminates their account without the specialized underwriting review that a dedicated high-risk processor would offer. Square is also a self-serve platform; if you need hands-on support, a dedicated account manager, or help disputing a chargeback, your options are more limited than with a full-service ISO.
Square is a strong fit for straightforward retail, food pop-ups, and service businesses that are early-stage or low-volume. It is a weaker fit for businesses with high ticket sizes, elevated chargeback exposure, or verticals that fall outside standard card-network risk appetites.
Toast is designed around restaurant operations. Its platform covers front-of-house, back-of-house, online ordering, and kitchen display systems with restaurant-specific reporting. If you run a full-service, quick-service, or multi-concept restaurant group, Toast addresses workflows that generic retail POS systems don't handle well.
The significant caveat: Toast requires you to use Toast's own payment processing. You cannot bring an outside processor. For some restaurants that's fine; for others, especially those that have negotiated rates with a preferred processor, or those in categories Toast does not serve, it is a real constraint.
Toast is the right choice for restaurant operators who want a single integrated stack and are comfortable with the processing relationship that comes with it. It is not the right tool for retail, e-commerce, or service businesses.
Every card transaction flows through an acquiring bank, and the party that manages that relationship for you is typically either a direct processor or an ISO. ISOs like TouchSuite work with acquiring banks to underwrite merchant accounts, set rate structures, and provide ongoing support for chargebacks, fraud, and account issues.
This distinction matters when you're evaluating a POS system because some systems (Toast, Square) bundle processing in a way you cannot separate. Others (Clover, Epos Now) can be acquired through different channels, each with its own processing arrangement. If you want flexibility over your processing relationship, for example, because your business category requires specialized underwriting, or because you want to negotiate rates as your volume grows, choosing a POS that can be deployed through an ISO gives you more options.
Regulations around surcharging, cash discounts, and dual pricing vary by state and card network rules. Any merchant considering these pricing structures should confirm current requirements with their processor and, where appropriate, legal counsel before implementing them.
Business situation | Stronger fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
Low-volume retail or pop-up, straightforward category | Square | Fast setup, no monthly fee, flat-rate pricing |
Full-service or quick-service restaurant | Toast | Restaurant-specific workflows; must accept Toast processing |
Established retail with inventory complexity | Clover or Epos Now | Mature hardware, app integrations, inventory management |
Multi-site hospitality or retail | Epos Now | Built for multi-location management |
High-risk or non-standard merchant category | Clover or Epos Now via a specialized ISO | Self-serve processors often decline these categories |
Business needing ERP, accounting, or e-commerce integration | Clover or Epos Now via provider with those integrations | Flexibility in processing relationship matters |
No system wins every scenario. The factors that matter most are your business category, transaction volume, integration requirements, and how much active support you need.
TouchSuite offers Clover and Epos Now as POS options and GRUBBRR self-order kiosks for businesses that need self-service ordering. TouchSuite does not manufacture these systems; it provides them as part of a merchant-account relationship where underwriting, support, and payment services are handled by TouchSuite's team.
TouchSuite is registered as an ISO with Wells Fargo Bank, Citizens Bank, Esquire Bank, and FFB Bank, which means its merchant accounts are backed by established acquiring relationships rather than a purely software-defined payment stack.
The practical difference from a self-serve processor: TouchSuite underwrites both traditional and high-risk merchants, including verticals like CBD and hemp, nutraceuticals, firearms and ammunition, telemedicine, vape and e-cigarettes, vitamins and supplements, and credit repair, categories that flat-rate processors routinely decline. If your business is in one of these categories and you also need a physical POS, combining specialized underwriting with a Clover or Epos Now deployment through TouchSuite is worth evaluating.
TouchSuite also supports e-commerce payment integrations for platforms including WooCommerce, Shopify, BigCommerce, and Magento, and accounting platform integrations for QuickBooks, FreshBooks, and Xero, useful if your POS data needs to flow cleanly into your books. For businesses running Odoo or Zoho ERP, TouchSuite describes dedicated ERP payment workflows that include Level 2 and Level 3 data, ACH, virtual-card, and reconciliation capabilities.
TouchSuite also offers fraud screening and chargeback management through NoFraud, including analyst review of ambiguous orders and optional purchaser authentication, a practical addition for any merchant with meaningful chargeback exposure.
TouchSuite is not the right fit for every merchant. A low-volume business in a standard retail category that wants instant self-serve setup will likely find Square faster and simpler. But if your business needs specialized underwriting, a hands-on account relationship, or POS hardware integrated with a broader payment, fraud, and accounting stack, it is worth having a direct conversation with a TouchSuite specialist to understand what a merchant account would look like for your specific situation.
If you've read this far and your business falls into a category that a self-serve processor won't comfortably underwrite, or you want a POS deployment backed by a dedicated payment team, speak with a TouchSuite payment specialist or start a merchant-account application to get a picture of what fits your volume, vertical, and integration needs.
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