ChowNow
ChowNow is an online ordering and marketing platform that helps independent restaurants build their own branded digital storefronts to take commission-free orders directly from their customers.
Square Online
Square Online is a comprehensive e-commerce platform that allows you to build a professional website, sell products across multiple channels, and manage your entire business from a single dashboard.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | ChowNow | Square Online |
|---|---|---|
| Website | chownow.com | squareups.com |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting Price | Free | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✘ No free trial | ✘ No free trial |
| Free Plan | ✓ Has free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2011 | 2009 |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles, USA | San Francisco, USA |
Overview
ChowNow
ChowNow provides you with the tools to take control of your restaurant's digital presence and eliminate high third-party delivery fees. You can launch your own branded ordering system across your website, social media profiles, and a custom-built mobile app. This allows you to keep 100% of your profits on every order while capturing valuable customer data that third-party apps usually keep for themselves.
The platform focuses on sustainable growth by providing you with automated marketing tools and a dedicated success manager to help increase your order volume. Whether you run a single local eatery or a growing regional chain, you can manage your entire digital menu and track sales performance through a centralized dashboard. It integrates directly with your existing POS system to keep your kitchen operations running smoothly without manual data entry.
Square Online
Square Online is a flexible e-commerce solution designed to help you transition from offline sales to a full-featured digital storefront. Whether you run a retail shop, a professional services business, or a busy restaurant, you can build a mobile-optimized website without writing a single line of code. The platform automatically syncs your inventory, orders, and customer data with your Square Point of Sale system, ensuring your physical and digital operations stay perfectly aligned.
You can manage your entire business through a unified dashboard that handles everything from SEO and social media selling to local delivery and in-store pickup. The software scales with your growth, offering a free entry point for new entrepreneurs and advanced features for high-volume sellers. It simplifies the complexities of online commerce by providing built-in payment processing, shipping tools, and automated marketing features in one cohesive package.
Overview
ChowNow Features
- Commission-Free Ordering Keep every dollar you earn from your online orders instead of paying 15-30% in fees to third-party delivery platforms.
- Branded Mobile Apps Launch your own custom-branded iOS and Android apps so your customers can order directly from their home screens.
- OrderBetter Network Get discovered by new diners through a network of high-traffic sites like Google, Yelp, and TripAdvisor with integrated ordering.
- Automated Marketing Send automated email campaigns and push notifications to your customers to drive repeat business and increase order frequency.
- POS Integrations Sync your online orders directly with your existing point-of-sale system to eliminate manual entry and reduce kitchen errors.
- Customer Data Ownership Access your own customer database including email addresses and order history to power your personalized marketing efforts.
Square Online Features
- Visual Site Builder. Create a professional, mobile-responsive website quickly using customizable templates and an intuitive drag-and-drop interface.
- Inventory Syncing. Keep your stock levels accurate across your online store and physical locations with automatic real-time synchronization.
- Omnichannel Selling. Expand your reach by selling products directly through Instagram, Facebook, and Google from your central dashboard.
- Flexible Fulfillment. Offer your customers convenient options like curbside pickup, local delivery, and automated shipping label generation.
- Integrated Payments. Accept all major credit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay immediately with built-in secure payment processing.
- Restaurant Tools. Manage digital menus, set up QR code ordering, and coordinate kitchen workflows specifically for food service.
Pricing Comparison
ChowNow Pricing
- Commission-free ordering
- Ordering on your website
- Google Search & Maps ordering
- Digital menu management
- Standard payment processing
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Custom-branded mobile app
- Automated email marketing
- Dedicated Success Manager
- Loyalty program tools
- Advanced data reporting
Square Online Pricing
- SEO tools
- Social media selling
- Pickup and local delivery
- Sync with Square POS
- Unlimited products
- SSL security included
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Custom domain connection
- Expanded site customization
- Customer accounts
- Personalized product recommendations
- Advanced reporting tools
Pros & Cons
ChowNow
Pros
- Eliminates expensive per-order commissions entirely
- Provides full ownership of customer contact data
- Responsive customer support and dedicated success managers
- Easy-to-use interface for updating menus quickly
Cons
- Initial setup fees can be high
- Requires your own staff for local delivery
- Limited customization options for the mobile app
Square Online
Pros
- Seamless integration with existing Square POS hardware
- Extremely easy setup for non-technical business owners
- No monthly fee option is great for startups
- Excellent mobile-responsive designs out of the box
Cons
- Limited design flexibility compared to dedicated builders
- Transaction fees apply to every sale made
- Advanced features require moving to higher tiers