How much does a restaurant ordering app cost in 2026?

By the Nomback team, who build ordering apps for independent restaurants · Updated October 18, 2026 · Sources

A branded ordering app for an independent restaurant costs about $98 to $499 a month in 2026 from the companies that publish prices, plus Apple's developer fee of $99 a year and Google Play's one-time $25. UpMenu with its app add-on is $98 a month, Nomback is $99 a month with $399 setup, ChowNow starts at $229 to $249 with $119 to $499 setup, and Owner.com is $249 plus a 5% per-order fee or $499 flat. Per-order fees change the real price more than the monthly price does: at $10,500 a month in online orders, Owner.com's Flexible plan comes to about $774 a month, while flat-fee apps stay flat. Card processing of roughly 3% applies to all of them.

What does a restaurant app cost per month?

From each company's own pricing page, checked October 2026. "Platform cost" leaves out card processing because every option pays it.

App	Monthly	Setup	Per-order fee
UpMenu + app module	$98 and up	Not listed	None within plan limits
Nomback	$99	$399	None
ChowNow	$229 to $249 and up	$119 to $499	2.95% + $0.29 transaction fee
Owner.com Flexible	$249	Not listed	5%, plus 5% to the guest
Owner.com Flat Rate	$499	Not listed	None, plus 5% to the guest

What are the hidden costs of a restaurant app?

Three show up on almost every app. Apple charges $99 a year for the developer account the app is published under (Apple), Google charges a one-time $25 to register for Google Play, and card payments cost about 2.9% + 30 cents each through Stripe (Stripe). Check for a fee added to the customer's total too. Owner.com adds a 5% order support fee to guests on both plans (Owner.com), which makes ordering direct less attractive than the delivery app.

How much does it cost to build a custom restaurant app?

A one-off custom app from a developer is priced as a project, then needs hosting, ordering, payments and updates every time Apple or Google change something. For a single restaurant, a subscription app is usually cheaper over the first few years because those ongoing costs are included. Ask any developer quote what happens after launch.

Is a restaurant app worth it compared to DoorDash?

Usually, once regulars use it. At a 25% commission and a $35 average order, DoorDash takes $8.75 per order (DoorDash pricing). After card fees, a $99 a month app pays for itself after about 13 direct orders a month. The app doesn't replace DoorDash for new customers; it stops the commission on people who already know the restaurant.

Does the restaurant own the app?

It depends on whose developer account the app is published under. If it's in the restaurant's own Apple and Google accounts, the listing stays with the restaurant if it switches providers. Nomback publishes under the restaurant's own accounts. Ask any provider this before signing.

Monthly cost at $10,500 in online orders

300 orders a month at $35. Platform cost only, card processing left out because every option pays it. ChowNow's 2.95% + $0.29 transaction fee is about what card processing alone costs, so it is shown separately.

Option	Restaurant pays per month
Nomback	$99
ChowNow Launch	$229 to $249 + $396.75 transaction fees
Owner.com Flat Rate	$499
Owner.com Flexible	$774 ($249 + 5%)
DoorDash Plus, same orders	$2,625 (25%)

All published prices side by side: online ordering systems compared. Every Nomback fee: pricing.

See it with your restaurant's name on it. Type the name into the 10 second demo and it turns into your own app. When you're ready, start your app.

Sources

Prices and fees were checked on October 18, 2026. They change, so check the source before you decide.