Square’s online ordering is the cheapest start: no monthly fee on Square Free, just card fees, if you already use Square. ChowNow charges a monthly plan plus card processing and setup. Owner.com charges a monthly plan, plus a 5% per-order fee on Flex, and adds a fee for guests. “Commission-free” rarely means free.
Quick answer
- Square Free: US$0/month, online card fee 3.3% + 30¢ (US pricing, November 2026).
- ChowNow: from US$229/month billed annually or US$249 monthly, plus 2.95% + $0.29 per transaction and a US$119–499 setup fee.
- Owner.com: Flex US$249/month + 5% restaurant fee per order, or Flat US$499/month; guests pay a 5% order support fee on both.
- All three are US-focused, and availability is limited outside those markets. Square, for example, does not process payments in Thailand.
- Compare on your real monthly online sales and order count.
How this comparison was made: it is based on each company’s public pricing pages and documentation, checked in November 2026, and on what matters in the restaurants I work with. It is not a paid placement and not a hands-on lab test. This site may earn referral fees from some software companies in future; any such link will be labelled. Michael Clarke is a trained chef and runs Markedine, a restaurant marketing company in Bangkok. There are no affiliate links in this article.
What does “commission-free” online ordering actually mean?
It means the ordering company does not take a percentage commission on each order the way delivery marketplaces do. It does not mean there are no fees. You still pay some mix of a monthly subscription, card processing, setup, per-order fees, delivery costs and sometimes a fee passed to the guest. The only fair comparison is the total cost per month at your volume.
How do Owner.com, ChowNow and Square Online compare?
| Owner.com | ChowNow | Square Online (Square for Restaurants) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | Flex US$249; Flat US$499 | Launch US$229 (annual) / US$249 (monthly); Grow US$319 / US$349; Elevate US$409 / US$449 | US$0 (Free); US$49 (Plus); US$149 (Premium) per location |
| Per-order or processing fee to restaurant | Flex: 5% restaurant fee per order; Flat: none listed | 2.95% + $0.29 per transaction | Online card fee 3.3% + 30¢ (Free) or 2.9% + 30¢ (Plus, Premium) |
| Fee charged to the guest | 5% order support fee on both plans | Not listed on the pricing page | Not listed on the pricing page |
| Setup | Setup and migration included | US$119–499 setup fee | Self-serve |
| Website included | Yes, plus branded app | Yes, SEO-optimised website and branded app | Website builder; custom domain needs a paid plan |
| Contract | Month to month, no long-term contract | Monthly or annual billing | No subscription on Free; paid plans can be cancelled |
| Best for | US restaurants that want a done-for-you website, app and marketing | US restaurants wanting ordering plus marketing with fixed plans | Restaurants already on Square POS |
All figures are from the official pricing pages linked at the end, US pricing as of November 2026. Owner.com also lists Canadian dollar pricing. ChowNow lists extra fees for a US$99 annual Apple developer fee for branded apps, US$250–420 for a printer and US$7.98 per Flex Delivery order.
Which is cheapest at your volume?
Here is arithmetic on the published fees for an example month of US$10,000 in online orders across 250 orders (average order US$40):
| Option | Monthly | Per-order and card fees | Total to the restaurant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square Free | US$0 | 3.3% × 10,000 + 0.30 × 250 = US$405 | US$405 |
| ChowNow Launch, monthly billing | US$249 | 2.95% × 10,000 + 0.29 × 250 = US$367.50 | US$616.50 (plus setup) |
| Owner.com Flex | US$249 | 5% × 10,000 = US$500 | US$749 (card processing not listed on the pricing page) |
| Owner.com Flat | US$499 | None listed | US$499 (card processing not listed on the pricing page) |
This is not a quote. It leaves out delivery costs, hardware, Owner’s guest-paid 5% fee, and anything a vendor charges that is not on its pricing page. Owner says Flat is “best for restaurants at $5k+/mo in online sales,” which matches the arithmetic: at higher volumes a flat fee beats a percentage. Ask each company for a written all-in quote.
Who should choose Square Online?
If you already run Square POS, start here. Square’s restaurant pricing page lists a branded online ordering page, pickup and local delivery, Order with Google and a commission-free online ordering profile, even on the Free plan. Orders sync with your POS. The trade-off is that you build and market it yourself, and a custom domain needs a paid plan.
Who should choose ChowNow?
ChowNow suits restaurants that want ordering plus marketing in fixed plans: an SEO-optimised website, branded app, a commission-free marketplace, email marketing and loyalty. It lists more than 30 POS integrations, so you can keep your POS. Budget for the setup fee and per-transaction processing on top of the plan. Pricing is on ChowNow’s plans page.
Who should choose Owner.com?
Owner.com is the most done-for-you of the three: an AI-built website, online ordering, a branded app, loyalty, automated email and SMS, and setup handled by a specialist. Its pricing page says there are no long-term contracts. Read the fee structure carefully: Flex adds a 5% restaurant fee per order, and on both plans guests pay a 5% order support fee. Some owners are fine with that; some do not want to add a fee to the guest’s bill.
What if I am outside the US?
These three are built for the US market. Square’s developer documentation does not list Thailand for payment processing, and Owner.com and ChowNow price in US (and, for Owner, Canadian) dollars. If you are outside their countries, use a direct-ordering option that works with local payments. In Thailand, the practical routes are a simple ordering page from a Thai POS provider, LINE Official Account orders, or taking orders by phone and LINE with PromptPay payment. Then use the delivery apps in your market for discovery and move repeat guests to your direct channel. For GrabFood and LINE MAN in Thailand, see GrabFood vs LINE MAN.
How do you get guests to order direct instead of through apps?
- Put your direct ordering link on your Google Business Profile, Instagram bio, email or SMS list, and, in markets such as Thailand, your LINE Official Account.
- Add a small card to every delivery-app bag with your direct link or QR code, and keep the wording honest.
- Keep direct-menu prices no higher than in the apps.
- Use your own guest list: a thank-you message, a loyalty stamp, a birthday offer.
- Track direct orders as a share of all online orders each month.
Popmenu is another option worth a look in the US; its pricing page lists ordering as an add-on and a flat US$1.00 fee per online order that can be passed to the guest or absorbed.
Frequently asked questions
Is commission-free online ordering really free?
No. Commission-free means no marketplace-style percentage commission. You still pay subscriptions, card processing, setup or per-order fees, depending on the provider.
How much does ChowNow cost?
ChowNow lists plans from US$229 a month billed annually or US$249 monthly, plus a setup fee of US$119 to US$499 and 2.95% plus $0.29 per transaction, as of November 2026.
How much does Owner.com cost?
Owner.com lists Flex at US$249 a month plus a 5% restaurant fee per order, or Flat at US$499 a month with no restaurant fees. Guests pay a 5% order support fee on both plans, as of November 2026.
Does Square have free online ordering for restaurants?
Square Free includes a branded online ordering page with no monthly fee in the US. You pay online card fees of 3.3% plus 30 cents per order, as of November 2026.
Can restaurants outside the US use these platforms?
They are built for the US market, and Square does not process payments in Thailand. If you are outside their countries, use a local POS ordering page or the messaging and payment tools your guests already use. In Thailand, that is usually a Thai POS ordering page, a LINE Official Account, or phone orders with PromptPay.
Sources
- Owner.com pricing
- ChowNow plans and pricing
- Square for Restaurants pricing
- Square international availability
- Popmenu pricing
