Square Free - $0/mo per location
3.3% + 30¢ online processing, website builder with SEO tools, pickup, local delivery, and shipping. The strongest free option for a restaurant just starting direct ordering.
Square online ordering - updated 2026-05-24
Square online ordering: pricing, fit, and the branded alternative
Square online ordering is one of the best low-cost ways to start taking direct orders - transparent pricing, fast setup, no per-order commission. The trade-off is brand: your ordering lives under Square's profile, not yours. Here is the full pricing picture and when to move beyond it.
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.
- The limit is brand ownership: your ordering page lives under Square's profile, with no native app under your own restaurant name.
- Orderitto is the branded alternative - native iOS and Android app, flat fees, customer-data ownership - and it works with Square or Clover POS.
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.
13-30%
DoorDash's marketplace take rate from restaurants ranges from 13% on basic plans to 30% on Premier plans, before promotional add-ons.
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, expanded site customization, advanced item settings, QR code ordering, and subscriptions. Usually the sweet spot once online volume grows past a few thousand dollars a month.
Square Premium - $149/mo per location
2.9% + 30¢ online plus real-time shipping rates, advanced reporting, and 24/7 phone support.
Square Pro - custom
For restaurants over roughly $250K/year, with hardware discounts, onboarding support, and account management.
Honest comparison
Square online ordering vs Orderitto
Square wins on price and speed at low volume and has real Cash App marketplace distribution. Orderitto wins on brand ownership and a native app you control. “Partial” means supported with limits.
| Feature | Orderitto | Square Online Ordering |
|---|---|---|
Entry price | $149/mo + $799 setup | $0/mo (Free tier) |
Per-order platform commission | 0% | 0% |
Online card processing | 2.9% + 30¢ (Stripe) | 2.9-3.3% + 30¢ |
Branded native iOS + Android app Square uses a Square-branded profile; Orderitto publishes an app under your restaurant name | ||
Ordering lives under your brand | Partial | |
Works with Clover POS | ||
Works with Square POS | ||
Marketplace distribution Square/Cash App surface is real discovery Orderitto does not provide | Partial | |
Loyalty + automated marketing | Partial | |
Setup speed | 10-14 days | Minutes |
When each one wins
Match the tool to your stage
Stay on Square online ordering when
You run Square POS, you are early or lower-volume online, you want the cheapest credible option and a launch in minutes, and you do not yet need a branded app.
Add or move to Orderitto when
You want repeat customers ordering from an app under your own name, you want loyalty and marketing on a customer list you own, or you run Clover instead of Square.
Brand is the real dividing line
A Square ordering profile is Square's storefront with your menu in it. A branded platform is your storefront. As repeat orders grow, owning that relationship is what compounds.
You do not have to rip anything out
Orderitto integrates with Square POS, so adding a branded channel does not mean leaving Square - it means upgrading the ordering experience on top of it.
Keep comparing before you choose
Frequently asked questions
How much does Square online ordering cost?
Square publishes four tiers per location: Free at $0/month (3.3% + 30¢ online processing), Plus at $49/month (2.9% + 30¢), Premium at $149/month (2.9% + 30¢ plus 24/7 phone support), and Pro custom pricing for restaurants over about $250K/year. Square does not charge a separate per-order platform commission on orders placed through your ordering profile.
Is Square online ordering good for restaurants?
Yes, especially for newer or lower-volume restaurants on Square POS. It launches in minutes, has transparent flat pricing, and syncs natively with Square. The main limits for growing restaurants are brand control and customer ownership: your ordering page lives under Square's profile and there is no native iOS or Android app published under your own restaurant name.
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.
Does Square online ordering include a branded app?
No. Square surfaces your menu through a Square-branded ordering profile and the Square/Cash App marketplace. There is no separate native iOS or Android app published under your restaurant's own name. A dedicated platform like Orderitto publishes a branded native app on the App Store and Google Play as part of the Pro plan.
What is the best alternative to Square online ordering?
If you are happy on Square POS and doing modest online volume, Square online ordering is hard to beat on price. If you want a branded native app, customer-data ownership, and flat-fee economics - and you may run Clover instead of Square - Orderitto is the strongest alternative. It integrates with both Square and Clover, so you keep your POS and add a branded ordering channel under your own name.
When should I move beyond Square online ordering?
Two triggers: brand and volume. When you want repeat customers ordering from an app under your own name (not a Square profile), and when your online volume is high enough that a branded experience with loyalty and marketing pays for itself, it is time to add or move to a dedicated branded platform. Below that, Square Free or Plus is the efficient choice.
Outgrowing a Square ordering profile?
See a branded ordering app and website under your own name, built on top of the Square or Clover POS you already run.
Sources checked
- Square Online OrderingChecked for tier pricing, processing rates, and no-platform-commission positioning.
- Square vs Toast (Square)Checked for Square's own restaurant positioning.
- Orderitto PricingChecked for flat-fee plans, Square/Clover integration, and branded-app positioning.