Square Free - $0/mo per location
3.3% + 30¢ online processing, website builder with SEO tools, pickup, local delivery, and shipping. This is Square's $0 monthly entry plan for a restaurant starting direct ordering.
Square online ordering - updated 2026-08-21
Square online ordering cost, fees, and restaurant fit
Square offers a low-cost ordering profile tied to its restaurant plans. Orderitto offers a flat-fee branded web channel, with a mobile app, loyalty, and marketing on Pro. Compare the plan math and the exact workflow your restaurant needs before choosing.
One-minute answer
- Square online ordering is priced per location: Free ($0/mo, 3.3% + 30¢), Plus ($49/mo, 2.9% + 30¢), Premium ($149/mo), and custom Pro.
- There is no separate per-order platform commission - you pay card processing, plus delivery fees when Square's delivery partners fulfill an order.
- Square lets you customize an ordering profile with a logo, brand color, Cashtag, QR code, and pickup or delivery settings.
- Orderitto Starter lists web ordering at $149/month; Pro lists a mobile app, loyalty, promo codes, automated marketing, and Clover integration at $249/month.
- Bring your current POS and ordering workflow to the demo so Orderitto can confirm compatibility and onboarding before you switch anything.
Why direct ordering matters
The case for a commission-free channel
Square online ordering exists to give restaurants a commission-free alternative to the marketplaces. The cited figures below show why that matters to your margin.
15-30%
DoorDash's marketplace delivery commission ranges from 15% on Basic to 30% on Premier; pickup is listed separately at 6%.
Source: DoorDash Merchant Pricing (public site) · 202615-30%
Uber Eats charges restaurants 15-30% commission per delivery order depending on plan tier (Basic, Plus, Premium).
Source: Uber Eats Merchant Pricing · 20263-5%
The average independent restaurant runs on a 3-5% net profit margin. Giving 25-30% of online order revenue to a third-party app erases the margin entirely on those orders.
Source: National Restaurant Association Operations Report · 202460%
60% of consumers say they order delivery or takeout at least once a week, and digital channels now account for the majority of off-premise restaurant transactions.
Source: National Restaurant Association State of the Restaurant Industry Report · 202531%
Starbucks reported that mobile order and pay accounted for 31% of US company-operated transactions in Q4 2024 — a benchmark for direct-app loyalty economics in the coffee category.
Source: Starbucks Q4 2024 Earnings Release · 20242.9% + $0.30
Stripe's standard online card processing fee is 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction — the platform-agnostic baseline cost of accepting card payments online.
Source: Stripe Pricing · 2026Pricing
What Square online ordering actually costs
Square publishes everything on one page with no custom quote except the enterprise Pro tier. Card processing is built into each tier.
Square Plus - $49/mo per location
2.9% + 30¢ online and $49 per month for each location. The processing rate is 0.4 percentage points below Free; compare the plan features and processing-only break-even math below before paying the monthly fee.
Square Premium - $149/mo per location
2.9% + 30¢ online, $149 per month for each location, and 24/7 phone support.
Square Pro - custom
Custom pricing for eligible restaurants processing more than $250,000 per year, with Square directing qualified restaurants to contact sales for the exact rate and package.
Volume math
When Square Plus becomes cheaper than Square Free
The monthly fee is only half the decision. Square Free charges 3.3% + 30 cents online; Plus charges 2.9% + 30 cents and costs $49 per location. Because the per-transaction charge is the same, the break-even calculation is driven by the 0.4 percentage-point difference.
$5,000/month in online card volume
Plus saves about $20 in percentage-based processing but adds a $49 subscription. Free remains about $29 cheaper before any value from Plus-only features.
About $12,250/month is the fee break-even
A 0.4% processing-rate reduction on $12,250 equals $49. Above this point, Plus can offset its monthly fee on processing alone; below it, Free is usually cheaper.
$25,000/month in online card volume
The lower percentage saves about $100. After the $49 subscription, Plus is roughly $51 ahead before considering customization, reporting, or support features.
When price is no longer the real issue
If the restaurant needs Orderitto Pro's mobile app, loyalty, marketing, or listed Clover integration, compare the full operating workflow and expected repeat-order behavior rather than only a few basis points of processing.
Honest comparison
Square online ordering vs Orderitto
Square has the lowest entry price and a customizable ordering profile. Orderitto separates web ordering on Starter from its Pro mobile-app, loyalty, marketing, and Clover features. Confirm account-specific POS and onboarding details before treating either column as a launch commitment.
| Feature | Orderitto | Square Online Ordering |
|---|---|---|
Entry price | $149/mo + $799 setup | $0/mo (Free tier) |
Per-order platform commission | 0% | 0% |
Online card processing | Typically 2.9% + 30¢ (Stripe) | 2.9-3.3% + 30¢ |
Branded native iOS + Android app Confirm app publishing and account-specific Square options before deciding | Included on Pro | Customizable ordering profile |
Ordering lives under your brand Both provide restaurant branding through different channel structures | Web + Pro mobile app | Logo + brand-color profile |
Works with Clover POS | Included on Pro | Not applicable |
Works with Square POS | Confirm workflow in demo | |
Marketplace distribution These are different distribution models; confirm the workflow tied to your account | Pro lists Uber Eats integration | Cash App + eligible Google links |
Loyalty + automated marketing | Included on Pro | Available on paid plans |
Setup approach | Confirm onboarding in demo | Self-serve profile setup |
When each one wins
Match the tool to your stage
Stay on Square online ordering when
You already run Square, want the $0 Free or $49 Plus entry point, and a customizable Square ordering profile covers the ordering experience you need.
Add or move to Orderitto when
You want a flat-fee branded web channel, or the Pro plan's mobile app, loyalty, promo codes, automated marketing, and listed Clover integration match a concrete restaurant workflow.
Brand is the real dividing line
Square provides a customizable profile within its ordering system. Orderitto positions its web channel and Pro mobile app around the restaurant brand. Compare how each path handles the customer journey you actually intend to promote.
Confirm the integration before changing links
Bring the current POS, menu source, payment flow, printers or kitchen routing, location count, and required launch date to the demo. Keep the working Square path live until Orderitto confirms and proves the replacement or alongside workflow.
Demo fit
What to bring to an Orderitto comparison demo
A booked call is not yet a qualified demo. The useful outcome is an attended conversation with a restaurant decision-maker, a concrete ordering workflow, and a fit Orderitto can actually support.
Current plan and volume
Bring the Square plan, monthly online card volume, average ticket, and location count. Those inputs make the Free-versus-Plus break-even math and the Orderitto subscription comparison specific to the restaurant.
Live ordering workflow
Show where the menu lives, how orders reach the kitchen, which payment processor is used, and whether pickup, delivery, QR ordering, loyalty, or a mobile app is required.
Decision owner and timing
Include the owner, operator, or authorized decision-maker and the real launch window. A test booking, no-show, or call without authority is not a qualified opportunity.
One concrete outcome
Name the result to validate, such as lower ordering-channel cost, a restaurant-branded mobile experience, a Clover workflow, or stronger repeat-order marketing. Orderitto should confirm whether it can support that result before a proposal is made.
Keep comparing before you choose
Frequently asked questions
How much does Square online ordering cost?
Square publishes four restaurant plan levels per location: Free at $0/month with 3.3% + 30¢ online processing, Plus at $49/month with 2.9% + 30¢, Premium at $149/month with 2.9% + 30¢ and 24/7 support, and custom Pro pricing for eligible restaurants processing more than $250,000 per year.
Is Square online ordering good for restaurants?
It can be a strong fit for restaurants already using Square, especially when low entry cost and a self-serve launch matter most. Square lets a restaurant customize its ordering profile with a logo, brand color, Cashtag, pickup or delivery options, QR codes, and eligible Google ordering links. Compare the exact workflow you need rather than treating one plan as the best fit for every restaurant.
Does Square charge commission on online orders?
No. Orders placed directly through your Square online ordering profile carry no separate marketplace-style commission - you pay card processing (2.9-3.3% + 30¢ depending on tier). Square does charge a Delivery Service Provider fee for on-demand local delivery, which is set by the delivery partner and can be passed to the customer or absorbed by the restaurant.
What branded mobile experience does Square online ordering provide?
Square provides a customizable ordering profile that can carry your logo, brand color, Cashtag, QR code, and pickup or delivery settings. Orderitto's Pro plan lists a mobile app alongside loyalty, promo codes, and automated marketing. Confirm app publishing, POS behavior, menu synchronization, and onboarding for your restaurant during the demo before choosing either workflow.
When should a restaurant compare Orderitto with Square?
Compare them when the restaurant is weighing Square's low-cost ordering profile against Orderitto's flat-fee branded web channel or Pro mobile-app, loyalty, and marketing features. Bring the current Square plan, monthly online card volume, location count, and required POS workflow so the comparison is based on real operating needs rather than a generic winner.
When should I move beyond Square online ordering?
Re-evaluate when the restaurant needs a mobile app, loyalty, automated marketing, a listed Clover integration, or another workflow its current Square profile does not cover. Use actual order volume, repeat-order behavior, location count, and implementation requirements to decide; Square Free or Plus may still be the better operating fit.
Compare Orderitto with your real Square setup
Bring your plan, order volume, locations, and required POS workflow. Orderitto can then confirm fit, onboarding, and the right plan without asking you to replace a working ordering path first.
Sources checked
- Square Restaurant PricingChecked 2026-08-21 for current restaurant plan prices, online processing rates, and custom Pro eligibility.
- Square Support: Online Ordering ProfileChecked 2026-08-21 for profile branding, Cashtag, QR code, pickup or delivery settings, and eligible Google ordering links.
- Square Online OrderingChecked 2026-08-21 for direct-order commission positioning, Cash App ordering-profile distribution, and delivery-service-provider fee disclosures.
- Orderitto PricingChecked 2026-08-21 for Starter, Pro, and Founders pricing; mobile-app tier; loyalty; marketing; and listed Clover integration.