ChowNow built its name on commission-free online ordering for independent restaurants. In 2026 it sells three plans with a monthly subscription, plus a set of one-time and per-order fees that many owners miss until the first invoice. This guide lays out ChowNow's published pricing, adds up a realistic monthly bill, and shows when a flat-fee alternative makes more sense.
Every ChowNow number below comes from ChowNow's own pricing page (get.chownow.com/pricing, as of Oct 2026). ChowNow notes: "Plan pricing shown is the current starting monthly rate. Additional fees may apply."
| Plan | Billed annually | Billed monthly | ChowNow's description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch | from $229/mo | from $249/mo | "The foundation for direct restaurant growth." |
| Grow | from $319/mo | from $349/mo | "Every channel, every customer, all under your control." (Most popular) |
| Elevate | from $409/mo | from $449/mo | "Your brand, built to scale on your terms." |
Source: ChowNow pricing, as of Oct 2026.
What's in every plan: a direct online ordering tool, an SEO-optimized website, a commission-free marketplace, a discovery network ("Google, Apple, Yelp, +6 More"), catering and QR code ordering. The branded mobile app and centralized menu management across direct and third-party channels are not in Launch. Marketing contacts scale with the plan: 500 on Launch, 2,000 on Grow, 5,000 on Elevate.
This is the part to read carefully. ChowNow lists these "Additional Fees" under every plan:
Source: ChowNow pricing, as of Oct 2026.
The per-transaction fee is the big one. It applies to every order, so your real monthly cost rises with your volume.
Using only ChowNow's published numbers and simple arithmetic:
At 40 orders a day, the transaction fees roughly double while the plan price stays the same. This is an estimate from published rates, not a ChowNow quote. Run your own volume in our cost calculator.
A fair note: every platform has card processing somewhere. When you compare ChowNow with anything else, compare the total (plan + processing + per-order fees + add-ons), not just the plan price.
ChowNow makes sense if:
It's worth looking elsewhere if:
| ChowNow | Owner.com | AIOrders | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $229–$409 annual / $249–$449 monthly | Flexible $249/mo + 5% restaurant fee per order; Flat Rate $499/mo | flat-monthly plan with 0% order fees |
| Per-order fees on the pricing page | 2.95% + $0.29 per transaction | Flexible: 5% restaurant fee; guests pay a 5% order support fee on both plans | 0% order fees on the flat-monthly plan |
| Setup | $119–$499 | Not listed on the pricing page | Not listed on the pricing page |
| Reviews + SEO + win-back marketing | Marketing suite varies by plan | Included features vary by plan | Included in the flat plan |
| Delivery-app orders in one place | Third-party order aggregation listed | Not covered here | Order Hub (DoorDash, UberEats, SkipTheDishes, Grubhub) |
Sources: ChowNow pricing, Owner pricing, AIOrders homepage, AIOrders pricing, Order Hub, all as of Oct 2026.
For a side-by-side with more detail, see AIOrders vs ChowNow and the ChowNow alternative page. If you're also considering Owner, read our Owner.com alternative page.
Get the answers in writing, then compare the full yearly cost, not just the first month.
About AIOrders: a commission-free online ordering and restaurant marketing platform based in Vancouver, BC, serving restaurants in Canada and the USA. Pricing: a flat-monthly plan with 0% order fees, or a lower-cost entry plan with a per-order fee.
ChowNow lists Launch from $229/mo, Grow from $319/mo and Elevate from $409/mo billed annually, or $249, $349 and $449 billed monthly (as of Oct 2026).
ChowNow's pricing page lists 2.95% + $0.29 per transaction as an additional fee on every plan, plus $7.98 per order for Flex Delivery orders.
Yes. ChowNow lists a $119 – $499 setup fee, a $99 annual Apple developer fee for branded mobile apps and $250–$420 for a printer.
ChowNow doesn't take a delivery-app-style commission, but it charges a per-transaction fee of 2.95% + $0.29, which grows with your order volume.
Compare total monthly cost at your volume. AIOrders' pricing includes a flat-monthly plan with 0% order fees; the plan also includes reviews, local SEO and repeat-customer marketing, plus Order Hub for delivery-app orders.