Shopolo vs ChowNow

ChowNow alternative — direct ordering plus gift cards, loyalty, and more

ChowNow offers commission-free online ordering at $149–$199/mo, often with an annual contract. Shopolo starts at $29/mo, is month-to-month, and adds gift cards, loyalty programs, table reservations, and email campaigns on top of direct ordering.

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FeatureShopoloChowNow
Commission per order0% — flat platform fee (0.9–2.5%)0% commission — flat monthly fee ($149–$199/mo)
Monthly feeFrom $29/mo$149–$199/mo (annual contract often required)
Contract requiredNo — month-to-monthOften requires annual commitment
Digital gift cardsIncludedNot available
Loyalty programIncludedNot available
Email campaignsIncluded — customer list auto-buildsBasic marketing tools only
Table reservationsIncludedNot available
Appointment bookingIncludedNot available
QR menuIncludedAvailable
Customer dataFull access — name, email, order historyCustomer data provided to restaurant
Pickup and dine-inBoth supportedPickup and delivery focused

ChowNow pricing based on publicly available plan information. Subject to change.

Same 0% commission — very different price and feature set

ChowNow costs $149–$199/mo for ordering alone. Shopolo starts at $29/mo for everything.

ChowNow is commission-free like Shopolo, but charges a much higher flat monthly fee — $149 to $199/month — often with an annual contract. Shopolo starts at $29/month with no annual commitment, and includes gift cards, loyalty, reservations, and email campaigns that ChowNow does not offer.

ChowNow is ordering only. Shopolo is ordering plus five other features.

ChowNow focuses exclusively on online ordering. If you also want to sell gift cards, run a loyalty program, take table reservations, and send email campaigns, you need four additional tools and subscriptions. Shopolo covers all of those from one dashboard at a fraction of the combined cost.

ChowNow often requires annual contracts. Shopolo is month-to-month.

ChowNow frequently requires annual commitments for its best pricing. If your ordering volume is seasonal or you want to try before committing, a $1,800–$2,400/year contract is a significant risk. Shopolo is month-to-month on all plans — cancel any time.

When ChowNow is the right choice

ChowNow is a reasonable choice if online ordering is your sole need and you have the volume to justify the higher monthly fee. Their marketplace exposure (ChowNow app listings, Google ordering integrations) can help with discovery. If you want everything — ordering, gift cards, loyalty, reservations — in one affordable platform, Shopolo is the better fit.

Other comparisons

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