Collecting with Confidence: Cheddar Up vs. Clover

Choosing the right payment platform is more than just a practical decision – it’s about finding a solution that fits your organization like a glove. If you’re debating Cheddar Up vs. Clover, you’ve landed at the right spot! Whether you’re part of a lively community group, an active PTA, or a bustling small business, this comprehensive exploration of both platforms will shine a light on their unique features, helping you find the perfect match for your needs.

Who Are They Designed For?

Cheddar Up:

Tailor-made for PTAs, clubs, non-profits, and community groups, Cheddar Up streamlines collecting for anything – be it membership fees, class donations, or events. It combines payments and information so you can seamlessly collect what you need online and in-person.

Clover:

Geared towards small to medium-sized businesses with brick-and-mortar presences, Clover’s focus is point of sale systems and hardware although they also offer online payment solutions.

Ease of Use

Cheddar Up:

Simplicity is our strong suit! As a volunteer, you want to spend as little time as possible setting up your online payments so it better be fast and easy. With Cheddar Up, you can set up an online collection page in minutes, and share a single link or QR code. It’s easy for your community as well. Paying doesn’t require an account – no roadblocks, just smooth sailing. And, when it comes time for a new treasurer to take over, we make that super simple too!

Clover:

Clover’s suite of products is designed to help businesses manage their POS transactions efficiently, with a range of customizable hardware and software solutions. It can include a whole system that requires hardware and software set up. They have business consultants that can help you build your new Clover system.

Collections vs. Sales Focus

Cheddar Up:

We specialize in hassle-free collections. Schools and other non-profits don’t just collect money. Whether you’re collecting payments, sign ups, forms, or waivers, Cheddar Up can do it all. Track and manage payments and information for fundraisers, memberships, and more without breaking a sweat.

Clover:

Clover is all about supporting business sales, with tools to help manage inventory, employees, and customer relationships.

Community-Centric vs. Business-Oriented

Cheddar Up:

At the heart of Cheddar Up is the drive to support community interactions. Our platform serves as a one-stop shop for groups. Our Group Page is built to give communities a single place for all their active collections, such as membership, class donations, and spirit wear. Additionally, all accounting and reporting can be done at the account level or the collection level. Treasurers can see exactly how much individual events or sales made, as well as to identify your biggest donors across all your collections. When it’s time to withdraw, it’s completely up to you how much you withdraw to your bank account and when.

Clover:

Clover’s array of tools caters to businesses, providing end-to-end solutions for all aspects of commercial operations. However, businesses only have one “storefront”. Groups and organizations have many – from individual fundraisers to classroom parties and coaches gifts. To accommodate, you’ll need to build and maintain multiple storefronts, and seeing the whole picture across them all can prove difficult.

Pricing

Cheddar Up:

With groups and nonprofits, every penny matters. Cheddar Up can be used completely free by any group. By default, organizers pass our already-low transaction fees onto the payers. However, it can also be customized to give payers the option to pay or you can cover the fees. Our pricing structure is straight-forward and simple with no hidden fees, no surprises!

Clover:

Clover has different pricing tiers and hardware costs depending on the specific type and size of the business. You’ll pay a monthly software fee plus processing rates per transaction. There is no standard pricing. Termination fees and contracts are to be expected. Additionally, if you cancel, you’ll need to pay off the remaining subscription dues on your contract. The transaction fee is a percentage plus flat fee and is different based on your business volume and depending on whether you key-in a card number or not.

Security Measures

Cheddar Up:

We prioritize your security and that of your community. Cheddar Up is securely integrated with Stripe – we never see or store financial information. Your transactions are safe with Stripe, a PCI-compliant platform processing billions of dollars annually.

Clover:

Clover processes payments directly and also maintains high security standards, with encrypted transactions and compliance with industry regulations.

Support and Training

Cheddar Up:

We pride ourselves on building a platform that’s simple to set up and easy to use, but if you need a hand, we’ve got you covered. Our Support team includes PTA presidents, team parents, HOA treasurers and non-profit board members who know how to help. Additionally, our resource library is filled with tutorials and tips to ensure a smooth experience.

Square:

Clover offers dedicated support and training resources for businesses to maximize their use of the platform.