ChowNow pricing in 2026: Launch, Grow and Elevate, plus every fee on top
Updated October 20, 2026
ChowNow's plans start at $229 a month (Launch, billed annually) and go up to $449 a month (Elevate, billed monthly), according to its pricing page, read October 20, 2026. On top of the plan you pay a one-off setup fee of $119 to $499 and 2.95% + $0.29 on every transaction. If you use the branded app, there is also Apple's $99 yearly developer fee. A printer costs $250 to $420, and Flex Delivery is $7.98 an order. For a restaurant with 600 online orders a month at $30, year one on Launch costs about $11,426 to $11,806.
In short
- Three plans: Launch $229/$249, Grow $319/$349, Elevate $409/$449 a month (annual/monthly billing, "Starting At").
- Launch leaves out QR code ordering, automated SMS, on-demand email and SMS campaigns, third-party order aggregation and central menu management. Those start on Grow.
- Grow vs Elevate: on the published comparison, the only difference is email contacts and SMS credits (2,000 vs 5,000). That's $90 a month more for 3,000 extra of each.
- Card rate 2.95% + $0.29 is almost the same as Stripe's 2.9% + 30¢ list rate. They cost the same on a $20 order.
- Branded iOS and Android apps are in every plan. ChowNow says the only separate cost is Apple's $99 a year.
What does ChowNow cost in 2026?
Prices from get.chownow.com/pricing, read October 20, 2026. The page shows "Starting At" prices with an Annually/Monthly toggle; the lower figure is annual billing.
| Plan | Billed annually | Billed monthly | Saved per year on annual | What's included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Launch | $229/month | $249/month | $240 | Online ordering, SEO website, branded mobile app, commission-free marketplace, Discovery Network (Google, Apple, Yelp and more), catering, loyalty, email marketing to 500 contacts, 500 printed flyers, fraud and chargeback protection, 20+ POS integrations, delivery management, reporting, 24/7 support |
| Grow | $319/month | $349/month | $360 | Launch, plus QR code ordering, automated SMS marketing, on-demand email and SMS campaigns, CSV upload for in-store diners, third-party order aggregation, central menu management; 2,000 contacts and 2,000 SMS credits |
| Elevate | $409/month | $449/month | $480 | Grow, with 5,000 contacts and 5,000 SMS credits |
ChowNow has changed its plans this year. An archived copy of the pricing page from April 7, 2026 shows an entry plan called Pro at $199 a month on an annual term. Check the live page before you sign.
What fees come on top of the plan?
| Fee | What ChowNow publishes (read October 20, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Setup | $119 to $499, one-off |
| Card processing | 2.95% + $0.29 per transaction, charged by ChowNow, with "100% Fraud & Chargeback Protection" |
| Commission | None on orders from your website, branded app and marketplace. ChowNow says discovery-channel orders are commission-free "with Profit Protector enabled", a setting that raises your menu prices on Order Better Network orders to offset that network's fees |
| Branded app | Included on every plan; "$99 annual Apple developer fee", paid to Apple |
| Hardware | $250 to $420 for a printer |
| Delivery | Flex Delivery (Uber Direct or DoorDash Drive couriers) at $7.98 an order. ChowNow suggests splitting it: $3.99 from you and $3.99 from the diner. Up to 10 miles where Uber is available |
| Fees diners can pay | ChowNow's terms allow a "Marketplace Diner Fee" on Marketplace orders and a variable "Support Local Fee" on orders through its Order Better Network and Marketplace. Amounts are not published |
| Contract and cancellation | Annual or monthly billing. The refund policy says there are "no refunds" on service or product fees, but you can cancel anytime and are billed to the end of the monthly cycle. Return the hardware in working order within 30 days of shipment and the service is cancelled with no fees |
Is ChowNow's 2.95% + $0.29 more than Stripe?
Barely. ChowNow's rate has a higher percentage but a lower fixed fee than Stripe's US list rate of 2.9% + 30¢. The two cost the same on a $20 order. Above $20 ChowNow costs slightly more; below $20, slightly less.
| Order size | ChowNow (2.95% + $0.29) | Stripe list rate (2.9% + 30¢) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10 | $0.585 | $0.590 | ChowNow half a cent less |
| $20 | $0.880 | $0.880 | Same |
| $30 | $1.175 | $1.170 | ChowNow half a cent more |
| $60 | $2.060 | $2.040 | ChowNow 2 cents more |
Per order. At 600 orders of $30 the gap is $3 a month. So with ChowNow, the plan, setup and extras are what make the price. The card fee is about what you would pay on your own Stripe account. ChowNow does cover fraud and chargebacks without limits; on your own Stripe account, disputes are yours to handle.
Worked example: 600 online orders a month at $30
One US restaurant, 600 online orders a month, $30 average order, all paid by card online: $18,000 a month in card volume. Annual billing, a branded app, no printer, no Flex Delivery.
| Cost | ChowNow Launch | ChowNow Grow | Menuthere Branded App |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan, per month | $229 | $319 | $99 |
| Card fees, per month | 2.95% × $18,000 = $531, plus 600 × $0.29 = $174, so $705 | $705 | $702 on your own Stripe account (2.9% × $18,000 = $522, plus 600 × 30¢ = $180) |
| Monthly running cost | $934 | $1,024 | $801 |
| Plan, year one | $2,748 | $3,828 | $990 billed yearly |
| Card fees, year one | $8,460 | $8,460 | $8,424 |
| Setup fee | $119 to $499 | $119 to $499 | $0 |
| Apple developer fee | $99 | $99 | Not included in this total |
| Year one | $11,426 to $11,806 | $12,506 to $12,886 | $9,414 |
On monthly billing, Launch's year one is $11,666 to $12,046. Add $250 to $420 if you need ChowNow's printer.
If you also deliver: 100 Flex Delivery orders a month cost $798. On ChowNow's suggested 50/50 split, $399 of that is yours and $399 is paid by diners.
Where the difference really comes from: card fees are nearly identical across all three columns. The gap is the plan price and the setup fee. ChowNow's price also buys things Menuthere doesn't have: automated SMS and email marketing, third-party order aggregation and POS integrations.
When is ChowNow worth the price?
- You want it done for you. ChowNow's advisors set up your ordering and marketing, and its team builds the website and branded app.
- You run DoorDash, Uber Eats and Grubhub too. Grow and Elevate pull those orders and menus into one place. Menuthere does not combine delivery-app orders.
- You want orders in your POS. ChowNow lists 20+ POS integrations, including Toast, Square and Clover. Menuthere has no Toast, Square or Clover integration in the US.
- You rely on SMS and email marketing. Grow includes 2,000 SMS credits a month. Menuthere has no SMS and no email marketing campaigns.
- Chargebacks worry you. ChowNow covers fraud and chargebacks "without any limits".
It is a weaker fit if you need QR ordering on the cheapest plan (Launch has none), or if a $229 floor plus up to $499 setup is a lot next to your online sales.
How does Menuthere's pricing compare?
Menuthere has 0% commission and no per-order fee on every plan, no setup fee and no contract. Card payments go through your own Stripe account.
- Free $0: 50 orders a month, ordering website, QR codes and QR table ordering.
- Lite $17/month: unlimited orders, your own domain, online payments, coupons, pre-orders, table booking, menu in several languages.
- Pro $39/month: WhatsApp order updates from your own number, a loyalty card, reviews, and your own riders with an iOS and Android rider app and a live map for customers. You assign each order by hand. In the US, Meta does not deliver WhatsApp marketing messages to +1 numbers, so WhatsApp sends order updates (utility messages, about $0.0034 each, billed by Meta with no markup) but not promotions; use email for offers. See WhatsApp ordering in the USA.
- Branded App $99/month: Pro plus your own Android and iOS customer app.
Yearly billing costs 10 months' price. Full plans on pricing. For features side by side, see Menuthere vs ChowNow, or browse ChowNow alternatives. Other fee breakdowns: Owner.com pricing, Menufy pricing, UpMenu pricing.
No setup fee, no commission. try Lite or Pro free for 7 days (card needed). Questions?
Frequently asked questions
How much does ChowNow cost per month?
ChowNow's pricing page lists three plans: Launch at $229 a month billed annually or $249 billed monthly, Grow at $319 or $349, and Elevate at $409 or $449. On top of the plan there is a one-off setup fee of $119 to $499 and 2.95% plus $0.29 per transaction.
Does ChowNow charge a setup fee?
Yes. ChowNow lists a one-off setup fee of $119 to $499. It also lists $250 to $420 for a printer and a $99 annual Apple developer fee for branded mobile apps.
What is ChowNow's transaction fee?
ChowNow charges 2.95% plus $0.29 per transaction, and covers fraud and chargebacks. That is close to Stripe's US list rate of 2.9% plus 30 cents: the two cost the same on a $20 order, and ChowNow costs half a cent more on a $30 order.
Does ChowNow charge commission?
Not on orders from your own website, branded app or ChowNow's marketplace. ChowNow says discovery-channel orders are commission-free with Profit Protector enabled, which raises menu prices on those orders to offset network fees. Its terms also allow fees charged to diners on Marketplace and Order Better Network orders.
What is the difference between ChowNow Grow and Elevate?
On ChowNow's published plan comparison, Grow and Elevate include the same features. Grow has 2,000 email contacts and 2,000 SMS credits, and Elevate has 5,000 of each, for $90 a month more. Launch leaves out QR ordering, automated SMS and third-party order aggregation.
How much does ChowNow Flex Delivery cost?
Flex Delivery costs $7.98 per order and sends Uber Direct or DoorDash Drive couriers, up to 10 miles where Uber is available. ChowNow suggests splitting it, $3.99 paid by you and $3.99 by the diner.
Sources (8)
- ChowNow pricing: https://get.chownow.com/pricing/ (read 20 Oct 2026, curl). Launch $229/$249, Grow $319/$349, Elevate $409/$449 "Starting At" with "Annually / Monthly" toggle. Plan matrix (aria-labels): QR Code Ordering, Automated SMS Marketing, On-Demand Email & SMS Campaigns, CSV Upload, Third-Party Order Aggregation and Centralized Menu Management "not included with Launch"; email 500 / 2,000 / 5,000 contacts; SMS 2,000 / 5,000 credits. "Additional Fees: $119 – $499 setup fee; 2.95% + $0.29 per transaction; $99 annual Apple developer fee for Branded Mobile Apps; $250-$420 for printer; $7.98/order for Flex Delivery orders." FAQ: commission-free "with Profit Protector enabled"; fraud and chargeback protection "without any limits"; calculator "based on an average 22% commission rate".
- ChowNow Flex Delivery: https://get.chownow.com/products/flex-delivery/ (read 20 Oct 2026): "we recommend $3.99 for you and $3.99 for your diner"; "up to 10 miles*", "*10-mile maximum delivery radius for locations that have Uber as an eligible Flex Delivery provider".
- ChowNow Branded Mobile Apps: https://get.chownow.com/products/branded-mobile-apps/ (read 20 Oct 2026): "included in every ChowNow plan at no additional platform cost. The only separate fee is the $99 annual Apple Developer fee".
- ChowNow Profit Protector: https://get.chownow.com/restaurant-support/what-s-profit-protector/ (read 20 Oct 2026): adjusts menu pricing "to effectively offset the cost of Order Better Network fees".
- ChowNow Refund Policy: https://get.chownow.com/legal/refund/ (read 20 Oct 2026): "no refunds on ChowNow's service or product fees, however, you may cancel your ChowNow service at any time"; returned within 30 days of shipment "your service will be cancelled automatically and you will not be charged any fees".
- ChowNow Terms of Service: https://get.chownow.com/legal/terms-of-service/ (read 20 Oct 2026): "Marketplace Diner Fee"; "Support Local Fee, which is a variable fee that we may charge for every order placed through Core"; Core includes the Order Better Network and Marketplace.
- Stripe US pricing, archived copy: https://web.archive.org/web/20261007160914/https://stripe.com/pricing (archived 7 Oct 2026; "2.9% + 30¢ per successful transaction for domestic cards"). The live stripe.com geo-redirects to the India page from our office (checked 20 Oct 2026).
- Meta, marketing message limits for +1 numbers: https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/templates/marketing-templates/per-user-limits (accessed 20 Oct 2026). US utility rate about US$0.0034 from Meta's rate card effective 1 Oct 2026.