Softwr

Food & Restaurant · head to head

ChowNow vs Backbar

ChowNow logo

ChowNow

Food & Restaurant

Commission-free online ordering

From
$249/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
B

Backbar

Food & Restaurant

Bar inventory management with drink costing and purchasing tools

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: ChowNow limited website customization with only pre-built Squarespace templates available; Backbar invoice syncing with inventory requires the top Professional plan at $129 per month billed monthly, as of August 2026

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ChowNow and Backbar actually diverge.

Attributes where ChowNow and Backbar differ
AttributeChowNowBackbar
Starting price$249/monthOn request
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
Founded2010Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Food & Restaurant).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in ChowNow

  • Branded ordering
  • Website integration
  • Mobile app
  • Customer database
  • Marketing tools
  • Delivery integration
  • DoorDash Drive
  • Google

Only in Backbar

Nothing recorded that ChowNow does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

ChowNow

  • Point of Salenot Backbar
  • Order Managementnot Backbar
  • Inventory Controlnot Backbar
  • Staff Schedulingnot Backbar

Backbar

No use cases recorded yet. See the Backbar review.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

ChowNow

  • Limited website customization with only pre-built Squarespace templates available
  • No multi-language support, limiting service to non-English speaking customer bases
  • Multi-location management requires separate dashboard for each location
  • Delivery reliability issues with reported order delays and non-arrivals
  • Limited customer support responsiveness with long phone wait times

Backbar

  • Invoice syncing with inventory requires the top Professional plan at $129 per month billed monthly, as of August 2026
  • Pricing is charged per location, so multi-location bars pay the plan fee separately for each site, as of August 2026

Pricing, plan by plan

ChowNow

$249/month
  • Launch$249/month
    • Commission-free ordering
    • Website and mobile app
    • Basic POS integrations
  • Grow$349/month
    • All Launch features
    • Advanced marketing tools
    • Email and SMS campaigns
  • Elevate$449/month
    • All Grow features
    • Advanced reporting
    • Priority support

Backbar

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Backbar review.

Which should you pick?

Choose ChowNow if

  • You need branded ordering.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want website integration.
ChowNow review

Choose Backbar if

Nothing in the data separates Backbar from ChowNow on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Backbar review

Questions people ask

Is ChowNow or Backbar better?
Neither clearly leads. ChowNow starts at $249/month and Backbar at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ChowNow or Backbar?
ChowNow starts at $249/month and Backbar at On request.
Does ChowNow or Backbar run on more platforms?
ChowNow runs on Web, iOS, Android. Backbar runs on Web.
What is ChowNow best used for?
ChowNow is most often used for point of sale, order management, inventory control, staff scheduling. Of those, point of sale and order management are not what Backbar is typically brought in for.
What can ChowNow do that Backbar cannot?
ChowNow covers Branded ordering, Website integration, Mobile app, Customer database.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ChowNow: Is ChowNow truly commission-free?

Yes, ChowNow charges no commission on orders placed through your website, app, or marketplace channels. However, you pay a monthly subscription ($249-$449), payment processing fees (2.95% plus $0.29 per transaction), and optional delivery fees ($7.98 per order with Flex Delivery).

Source
ChowNow: Does ChowNow integrate with my POS system?

Yes. ChowNow integrates with over 45 POS systems including Toast, Square, Clover, and Revel. Orders are automatically synced to your POS and kitchen printers without manual entry.

Source
ChowNow: Can I use ChowNow with delivery platforms like DoorDash and Uber Eats?

ChowNow handles direct orders but also supports order aggregation from third-party delivery platforms including DoorDash, UberEats, and Grubhub through integrations.

Source
ChowNow: How much does ChowNow cost?

ChowNow plans start at $249/month (Launch), $349/month (Grow), and $449/month (Elevate) when billed monthly. Annual billing saves 8-9%. Additional fees include payment processing (2.95% plus $0.29 per transaction), setup fees ($119-$499), and optional delivery charges.

Source
ChowNow: What platforms are supported by ChowNow?

ChowNow is available on web, iOS, and Android. Restaurants get a website ordering interface and can offer a branded mobile app. Customers discover restaurants through Google Maps, Apple Maps, Yelp, and the ChowNow Marketplace.

Source
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on ChowNow

More on Backbar

Keep looking

Other head to heads