What is the cheapest way to build a restaurant app?
By the Menuthere editorial team · Updated
The cheapest real app is a done-for-you white-label service billed monthly, not a custom agency build. With Menuthere's Branded App at $99 a month your own app ships on Google Play and the App Store under your name, with 0% commission. You pay the stores directly on top: Apple $99 a year and Google Play $25 once. A custom agency build costs several thousand dollars up front, so it is the most expensive route by far.
- Cheapest of all: no app yet. A free ordering website and QR codes work in any phone browser, so start there and add an app later.
- Cheapest real app: a white-label service. Menuthere's Branded App is $99/month, first month upfront, live within 30 days of payment or a full refund.
- Other white-label routes cost more monthly: Owner.com includes a branded app from $249/month, ChowNow puts it on its $349/month Grow plan and up.
- A custom agency build is the most expensive: several thousand dollars up front plus ongoing maintenance.
- Whatever the route, store accounts are paid to the stores, not your app provider: Apple $99/year, Google Play $25 once.
The low-cost route to your own app
Menuthere builds and publishes your app on Google Play and the App Store under your own name and icon, with push notifications and 0% commission, all for a flat monthly fee. There is no agency build cost, and it is live within 30 days of payment or you get the whole amount back.
What are the three ways to get a restaurant app?
There are three routes, and they differ most in the up-front cost. The cheapest is to skip the app for now and take orders from a free website and QR codes. Next is a done-for-you white-label service, where a platform builds, publishes and maintains your app for a flat monthly fee. The most expensive is a custom agency build, which means several thousand dollars up front plus a bill to keep it updated.
| Route | Up-front cost | Ongoing cost |
|---|---|---|
| No app yet: free website + QR | None | Free ordering, or $17/mo for Lite features |
| White-label service (Menuthere Branded App) | First month ($99) at signup | $99/month, updates included |
| White-label via Owner.com / ChowNow | Setup varies | From $249/mo (Owner.com) or $349/mo (ChowNow Grow) |
| Custom agency build | Several thousand dollars | Monthly maintenance + updates |
For a full cost breakdown of each line, see the restaurant app cost page. Store-account fees apply to every route and are paid to Apple and Google, not to your app provider.
Which white-label restaurant app builder is cheapest?
A white-label builder publishes an app under your brand without you writing any code. On monthly price, Menuthere's Branded App is $99 a month with everything in its Pro plan behind it. Owner.com includes a branded app from $249 a month, and ChowNow puts its branded app on the $349-a-month Grow plan and above. Craver is a branded-app specialist, often tied to Square, but does not quote a fixed price on its own page.
- Menuthere Branded App: $99/month, your app on both stores, 0% commission, everything in Pro behind it. See Branded App and the white-label app lists.
- Owner.com: a branded app included from $249/month. Compare on Menuthere vs Owner.
- ChowNow: branded app on the $349/month Grow plan and up. Compare on Menuthere vs ChowNow.
- Craver: a branded-app specialist, often bundled with Square; price not published on its own page. Compare on Menuthere vs Craver.
Do you even need an app to start?
Most restaurants should not pay for an app first. A free Menuthere ordering website and QR codes let customers order from any phone browser, with no download and 0% commission. An app is worth the monthly fee once you have regulars who would keep your icon on their phone and want push notifications to reach them directly. You can add the app later without losing your menu or orders, so starting without one is the cheapest first step.
What do Apple and Google charge for the app?
These fees go to the app stores, not to your app provider, and apply whichever route you choose. The Apple Developer Program is $99 a year. Google Play charges a one-time $25 registration fee. Because food orders are physical goods, neither store takes a cut of your sales, so your customers pay you directly. Budget these two store fees on top of whatever you pay for the app itself.
- Apple Developer Program: $99 a year, in local currency where available.
- Google Play Console: a one-time $25 registration fee.
- No store cut on food orders: Apple and Google bar their in-app billing for physical goods and food delivery, so they take 0% of your order value.
Who this is a good fit for
- Owners who want a real app on both stores but cannot justify a four-figure custom build.
- Established cafés, dessert shops and small chains with repeat customers who would keep an icon on their phone.
- Brands that want to look like the big delivery apps while paying 0% commission on orders.
Who this is not for
- A brand-new or very small place with few repeat customers: start with a free ordering website and QR codes, which cost nothing.
- Owners who need a one-off, highly custom app with features no platform offers, who should budget for an agency build.
- Anyone expecting the stores to waive their own fees: Apple's $99/year and Google's $25 are paid to Apple and Google.
Common follow-up questions
Can I build a restaurant app for free?
Not a real app on both stores. But you can take orders for free with a Menuthere ordering website and QR codes that work in any phone browser, with no download. A real app is the paid step you add once you have loyal customers.
Is a white-label app cheaper than hiring an agency?
Yes, by far. A white-label service like Menuthere's Branded App is $99 a month with no up-front build cost, while a custom agency build runs into several thousand dollars up front plus maintenance. The white-label route folds building and upkeep into one monthly fee.
What is the cheapest white-label restaurant app builder?
On published monthly price, Menuthere's Branded App at $99/month is the lowest of the named options: Owner.com includes a branded app from $249/month and ChowNow from $349/month. Figures from each provider's own pricing page, read 25 October 2026.
Does the monthly fee include app updates?
With Menuthere, yes. The $99-a-month Branded App fee covers building, publishing and keeping your app updated, plus everything in the Pro plan behind it, so you do not pay separately for maintenance.
Read next
Sources (4)
- Apple Developer Program — fees and enrolment, Apple, read 25 October 2026
- Google Play Console registration fee, Google Play, read 25 October 2026
- Owner.com pricing, Owner.com, read 25 October 2026
- ChowNow pricing, ChowNow, read 25 October 2026