Cafe ordering comparison
The Orda alternative for cafes: Crate
One flat price for up to five locations, with no fee on each order.
By the Crate teamUpdated
The short answer
- Pick Crate if you want your cafe's own app at one flat price as you add orders and locations.
- Crate is $80/month for up to five locations, with its own rewards included and no Crate per-order fee.
- Orda charges per location, lists a $0.25 commission fee on Starter, and its terms let it add more fees.
Why pick Crate
- No fee on each order. Orda's pricing page lists a $0.25 commission fee on Starter, even though its home page says commission-free. Crate charges nothing per order. Source 1 Source 2
- One price for five locations. $80/month covers up to five locations. Orda bills $59 or $129 for every location, so three locations on Starter are $177 before order fees. Source
- Fees that stay where they are. Orda's terms say it may add per-transaction or percent fees of up to 30% at its discretion, change pricing at any time, and charge 1 cent per text or push message. Crate's plan is a flat monthly price. Source
- Rewards you own. Crate stamps or points are in the plan, so you do not need a Square Loyalty subscription. Orda rewards run through Square Loyalty. Source
- Push offers included. Send offers from your dashboard to customers who opted in, with no Crate charge per message.
Where Orda may still fit: if you want self-ordering kiosks, a branded wallet pass or DoorDash delivery from the same vendor as your app.
What it costs as orders grow
| Orders a month | Crate | Orda |
|---|---|---|
| About 300 orders a month | $80/month | Starter: $59 plus $75 in commission fees, $134, plus the one-time $124 setup fee. |
| About 1,000 orders a month | $80/month | Starter: $59 plus $250 in commission fees, $309. Pro: $129 per location; the page does not say whether the $0.25 fee also applies. |
| Three locations, 500 orders each | $80/month | Starter: $177 plus $375 in commission fees, $552. Pro: $387 before any order fees. |
Crate and Orda, side by side
| Topic | Crate | Orda |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly subscription | Cafe app: $80/month for up to five locations. | Starter: $59, Pro: $129 per location/month. Annual billing saves 20% ($49 on Starter, per its coffee shop page). Source 1 Source 2 |
| Per-order fee | No Crate per-order fee; payment processing is separate. | Starter lists a $0.25 commission fee. The home page says commission-free. Source 1 Source 2 |
| Fee terms | One flat monthly price. | Terms allow added per-transaction or percent fees of up to 30% at Orda's discretion, pricing changes at any time, and no refunds. Source |
| Text and push messages | Push offers to opted-in customers, no Crate charge per message. | 1 cent per custom text message or push notification. Push is listed on Pro. Source 1 Source 2 |
| Rewards and gift cards | Crate stamps or points included. Real Square gift cards, once we switch them on, with no Crate fee. | Square Loyalty and e-gift cards. Source |
| In-store kiosks | No self-ordering kiosk. | Self-ordering kiosks on Pro. Source |
| POS | Square today. Clover is coming soon. | Square. Source |
What your cafe gets with Crate
An app designed around your brand, rewards included with no separate Square Loyalty subscription, and pickup plus shipping of beans and merchandise to US addresses.
Weighing more than two options? See Per Diem alternatives for Square cafes, with Orda and prices side by side.
Questions
- How much does Orda cost?
- Orda lists Starter at $59 and Pro at $129 per location per month, with 20% off on annual billing, plus a one-time $124 Apple and Google setup fee. Starter lists a $0.25 commission fee. Crate is $80/month for up to five locations with no per-order fee.
- Does Orda charge a commission?
- Its pricing page lists a $0.25 commission fee on Starter, while its home page says commission-free. Its terms also allow added per-transaction or percent fees of up to 30% at Orda's discretion. Crate has no per-order fee; payment processing is separate.
- Is Crate cheaper than Orda?
- For most cafes, yes. At 500 orders a month, one location on Orda Starter is about $184 plus the $124 setup fee. Three locations are about $552. Crate is $80/month flat, and that covers up to five locations.
Sources
Published by Crate from Orda's published information, not a hands-on test. No affiliation or endorsement is implied.
- Orda pricing
- Orda home page and FAQ
- Orda terms and conditions
- Orda mobile ordering app for coffee shops
Other comparisons
See Crate with your menu
Your own iOS and Android app with rewards, from your Square or Clover menu, for $80/month.