Cafe ordering
Crate vs ChowNow
A lower starting price for your own cafe app.
Crate starts at $80/month for a branded iOS and Android app connected to your Square menu. ChowNow Launch starts at $249 on monthly billing and includes a broader ordering service. For a cafe focused on pickup and regular customers, Crate offers a lower starting subscription without a Crate per-order fee.
Written by Crate. Reviewed September 19, 2026. Based on our product and the providers' published information, not a hands-on test of their services.
Why choose Crate
Choose Crate for branded iOS pickup ordering, built-in rewards and the Square menu you already maintain, without buying a marketplace service.
When ChowNow may fit better
Choose ChowNow when its marketplace, discovery network and broader restaurant marketing are central to how you plan to acquire customers.
Compare the details.
Compare the workflows, limits and costs that matter to your business.
What both offer: Both offer branded ordering and a Square connection. Crate offers a lower starting subscription and no platform order fee.
| Topic | Crate | ChowNow |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly subscription | Cafe ordering: $80/month. Branded iOS and Android app included. | Launch starts at $249/month, or $229/month on an annual term. App and marketing features vary by plan. Source |
| Platform fees at checkout | No Crate per-order fee or revenue share. Processing is separate. | A 7.5% diner fee applies on ChowNow's marketplace app and eat.chownow.com, not all direct ordering channels. Source |
Prices are in USD, checked September 19, 2026. Advertised subscription prices are not all-in quotes. Confirm processing, delivery, setup, app-store and customer-facing charges with each provider. Crate pricing and plan details.
The difference on your monthly bill.
Crate Cafe ordering is $169/month below ChowNow Launch on monthly billing, comparing subscriptions only. ChowNow's branded app availability depends on the plan; it also lists setup, processing and other applicable charges. Its commission-free offer is qualified by Profit Protector, which can adjust menu prices to offset network fees.
Check it against your business.
- Which discovery channels will list your cafe?
- Which app, website and marketing features are in the quoted plan?
- How will Profit Protector affect your menu prices?
- What do you and the guest pay on each ordering channel?
Included with Crate
An app that feels like your business.
- Designed around your brand.
- Your colors, typography, photography and menu shape the app. We tailor the design to your business, so customers recognize your cafe from the first screen.
- Loyalty included, in the app and at the counter.
- Crate has its own loyalty program, included from $80/month. No separate Square Loyalty subscription needed. With stamp rewards, customers earn on qualifying app and Square counter purchases. At the counter, staff add the customer's rewards code or phone number to the order.
- Pickup and shipping, in one app.
- Let customers order drinks for pickup and have beans, merchandise and other eligible goods shipped, all from your app. Shipping is available for enabled products and US addresses.
Want help getting set up?
Book a demo
See Cafe ordering on your menu.
We’ll walk through the live demo and rebuild it with your cafe’s menu and brand on the call.
Sources and approach
This comparison is published by Crate. Buyer-fit recommendations are our assessment. We link to official product and pricing pages so you can check the details. An unverified capability is not treated as an unavailable one. Product names identify the services being compared; no affiliation or endorsement is implied.