Square Online is the easiest way for many small restaurants to start taking orders online: there is a $0 plan and it plugs straight into Square POS. As order volume grows, though, owners start asking whether per-transaction fees and do-it-yourself marketing are still the best deal. Here is an honest comparison of Square Online and AIOrders, using Square's own 2026 pricing.
Square is a general commerce platform used by retailers, salons and restaurants alike. Its restaurant pricing page includes item and menu management, pickup and local delivery and a branded online ordering page on the free plan (Square restaurant pricing, as of Oct 2026). That is a lot for $0.
Where owners start looking elsewhere:
Example: $15,000/month in online card orders on Square Free in the US costs about $495 in percentage fees (3.3%) plus 30¢ per order. At 500 orders that is another $150, roughly $645/month total, before any add-ons. Your mix will differ, so run your own numbers.
| Feature | AIOrders | Square Online |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | Flat-monthly plan with 0% order fees; entry plan adds a per-order fee (see pricing) | US: $0 / $49 / $149 per location; Canada: $0 or from $35/mo |
| Per-order fees | No commission on the flat-monthly plan; Uber Direct delivery billed per delivery | US online 3.3% + 30¢ (Free) or 2.9% + 30¢; Canada online 2.8% + 30¢ |
| Commission | 0% on direct orders | No commission; processing fees per transaction |
| QR ordering | Yes, Smart QR table ordering | QR code ordering listed (plan availability varies) |
| Website | AI website builder included | Square Online website builder |
| SEO | AI SEO and Google listings included | SEO tools in website builder |
| Review automation | Voice of Guest, included | Not listed |
| Loyalty | Included | Square Loyalty (listed as its own product) |
| AI phone | Optional add-on | Not listed |
| Contract | Cancel anytime; money-back guarantee, see pricing | Upgrade, downgrade or cancel plans (per Square FAQ) |
| Canada / USA | Vancouver-based; serves restaurants in Canada and the USA | Both |
| POS | Not a POS; Order Hub syncs to Square, Clover, Toast | Yes, Square POS |
"Not listed" means we could not find it on the competitor's public pricing page when we checked. It may still exist as an add-on, so ask their sales team.
AIOrders offers a flat-monthly plan with 0% order fees instead of a percentage of each order; its entry plan adds a per-order fee (see pricing). The company is based in Vancouver, BC (aiorders.io, as of Oct 2026).
Square is better for brand-new restaurants, food trucks, pop-ups and cafés that want to start for $0/month and only pay when they sell. It is also the natural choice if you already use Square POS and hardware, or if you sell retail goods next to food, because everything lives in one dashboard. Square's breadth (payroll, banking, invoices, kiosks) is something AIOrders does not try to match.
AIOrders makes more sense once you have steady order volume and want more of those orders to come direct, more 5-star reviews, and regulars who come back without you manually sending campaigns.
Import your menu with the free Menu Import tool (PDF, photos, your website or a delivery-app link; nothing is published until you review it), check modifiers and prices, then point your website and Google "Order Online" links to the new page. Run Square Online and AIOrders side by side for a few weeks; move regulars over with a bag insert or QR code that rewards ordering direct. The migration checklist has the full steps.
One Canadian AIOrders client, Vancouver Pizza Heaven in Vancouver, BC, had been paying 30% commission on delivery-app orders. After switching to direct ordering, AIOrders reports +$91K in extra sales without paid ads, 40% more repeat orders and a rating jump from 4.1 to 4.8 stars (case study, as of Oct 2026).
See what you would keep. Run your order volume through the AIOrders calculator, then book a demo or see pricing.
No. Square charges payment processing per transaction instead. In the US that is 3.3% + 30¢ online on Square Free and 2.9% + 30¢ on Plus and Premium (Square, as of Oct 2026).
Square's restaurant pricing page lists QR code ordering, which lets customers place contactless orders (Square, as of Oct 2026). Check which plan includes it for your location. AIOrders includes Smart QR table ordering (AIOrders, as of Oct 2026).
Yes. AIOrders' Order Hub says orders sync into your existing POS, including Square (Order Hub, as of Oct 2026).
Square Canada lists a $0 plan plus transaction rates, Plus from $35/mo, and 2.8% + 30¢ for card-not-present online payments (Square Canada, as of Oct 2026).
AIOrders offers a flat-monthly plan with 0% order fees, one subscription instead of a percentage of each order; its entry plan adds a per-order fee (see pricing). The AI Calling Receptionist is an optional add-on.