Clover vs Outbites • 2025 Comparison

Clover vs Outbites POS-First vs Online-First

Clover is a powerful POS system with online ordering tacked on. Outbites is built for online-first restaurants from day one.

Clover Online Ordering
2.3% + 10¢
+ $14.95/mo per location
+ Hardware costs
Outbites
$1/order
$0 monthly • $0 hardware
Works on any device

The Quick Answer

You Need Clover If:

  • You need a physical POS terminal for in-person orders
  • You run a brick-and-mortar restaurant
  • You need inventory management for in-store sales
  • You want an all-in-one POS + online ordering

You Need Outbites If:

  • You're online-only (food truck, catering, delivery-only)
  • You don't want to buy expensive hardware
  • You need a custom website + QR ordering
  • You want predictable per-order pricing

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

Feature Clover Outbites
Hardware Required Yes ($599-$1,899) No (Browser-based)
Monthly Software Fee $14.95-$90/mo $0
Online Order Fee 2.3% + 10¢ $1 flat
In-Person Payment Fee 2.3% + 10¢ N/A
Custom Website Limited templates ✓ Full control
QR Code Ordering ✓ Basic ✓ Advanced
SMS Marketing ✗ Third-party only ✓ Built-in
Loyalty Program ✓ ($50/mo extra) ✓ Included
Inventory Management ✓ Advanced Basic
Employee Management ✓ Advanced Basic
Table Management ✓ Full POS
Setup Time 1-2 weeks 10 minutes
Contract Varies by processor Month-to-month

Real Cost Examples

Example: Food Truck (100 online orders/mo, $40 avg)

Clover Monthly Cost:
  • Hardware: $1,299 (one-time)
  • Software: $14.95/mo
  • Online fees: $102 (2.3% + 10¢ × 100)
  • Total: $116.95/mo
  • + $1,299 upfront hardware
Outbites Monthly Cost:
  • Hardware: $0
  • Software: $0
  • Online fees: $100 ($1 × 100)
  • Total: $100/mo
  • $0 upfront
Savings with Outbites
$16.95/month + $1,299 upfront saved

Example: Ghost Kitchen (250 orders/mo, $35 avg)

Clover Monthly Cost:
  • Software: $14.95/mo
  • Online fees: $226.25
  • Total: $241.20/mo
Outbites Monthly Cost:
  • Software: $0
  • Online fees: $250
  • Total: $250/mo
Verdict
~Break Even (Clover slightly cheaper)
But Outbites includes SMS marketing + loyalty (worth $50/mo)

The Verdict

Clover Wins For:

  • Brick-and-mortar restaurants needing in-person POS
  • High-volume businesses (300+ orders/month)
  • Full-service restaurants with table management needs
  • Complex inventory tracking and employee scheduling

Outbites Wins For:

  • Food trucks with no physical storefront
  • Catering & meal prep businesses
  • Pop-ups and virtual kitchens
  • Low to medium volume (under 200 orders/month)
  • Zero upfront investment needed

Don't Need a Full POS?

If you're online-first, Outbites gives you everything you need without the hardware costs.

No hardware required • Setup in 10 minutes • Cancel anytime