ChowNow charges no commission but bills a subscription — published 2026 plans run about $249–$449 per month (less on annual billing) plus a one-time setup fee, with card processing around 2.95% + $0.29 — and it brings no marketplace demand: you supply all the traffic. JetFood charges a flat 5% per order with $0 monthly fee, and its marketplace and app bring local customers to you.
Side by side
| ChowNow | JetFood | |
|---|---|---|
| Platform cost | $249–$449/month subscription | 5% flat per order, $0/month |
| Setup fee | One-time setup fee (published: about $119–$499) | $0 |
| Brings you new customers | No — direct ordering only, you drive the traffic | Yes — JetFood marketplace + app demand |
| Branded website / app | Yes (app on higher plans) | Yes — branded ordering site with SEO, included |
| Customer data | Yours | Yours |
| Delivery | Via flex/dispatch partners, per-order fee | Your drivers, or JetFood’s fleet for a flat per-order fee |
| Break-even math | Fixed cost regardless of volume | Cost scales with orders — slow month costs you almost nothing |
| Contract | Monthly or annual plans | Month-to-month, no termination penalty |
When ChowNow makes sense
You already have strong direct demand (big social following, destination restaurant) and do enough monthly volume that a fixed subscription beats 5% of sales — roughly $5,000–$9,000+ of monthly online orders, depending on plan.
When JetFood makes sense
You want the platform to bring customers, not just process them. At 5% with no fixed fee, a slow month costs you almost nothing — and you still keep the customer data, so the direct-relationship benefit ChowNow sells is included.
These are not mutually exclusive: JetFood is non-exclusive and month-to-month, so many partners run both — the big apps for discovery, JetFood as the low-cost channel for locals and regulars. See JetFood’s full price list or the other platform comparisons.
Frequently asked questions
Is JetFood commission-free like ChowNow?
No — JetFood charges a flat 5% per order. But unlike a subscription product, there is no fixed monthly cost, and JetFood is a marketplace: it brings local customers to your restaurant rather than only processing orders you generate yourself.
At what volume is a subscription cheaper than 5%?
Simple math: a $349/month plan equals 5% of $6,980 in monthly online sales. Below that volume the flat 5% is cheaper; above it, a subscription can win — if you can generate all the demand yourself.
Keep more of every ChowNow order
Free to apply, $0 to start, no monthly fee, month-to-month — cancel anytime. Most applications are reviewed within one business day.
- ChowNow figures reflect publicly published plan pricing and industry analyses as of August 2026; plans and rates change — confirm current terms on ChowNow’s own merchant pages.
- JetFood figures are the current offer, confirmed in the merchant agreement (flat 5%, $0 monthly, month-to-month, no termination penalty).
- This comparison is written by JetFood. We have kept it factual and told you honestly when the other platform is the better fit.