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Restaurants · head to head

ChowNow vs Swiggy

ChowNow logo

ChowNow

Restaurants

Commission-free online ordering

From
$249/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Swiggy logo

Swiggy

Restaurants

Indian food delivery marketplace with Instamart quick commerce grocery built in

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Swiggy has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: ChowNow limited website customization with only pre-built Squarespace templates available; Swiggy restaurant commission of roughly 15 to 25 percent is commonly passed through as higher in-app menu prices, so the delivered price is not simply the counter price plus a fee.
  • They diverge on capability: ChowNow covers Branded ordering, Swiggy covers Food delivery marketplace.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ChowNow and Swiggy actually diverge.

Attributes where ChowNow and Swiggy differ
AttributeChowNowSwiggy
Starting price$249/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownFree to download; delivery and platform fees per order, optional paid membership
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidiOS, Android, Web
Founded2010Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Restaurants).

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 Swiggy

  • Food delivery marketplace
  • Instamart quick commerce
  • Swiggy One membership
  • Swiggy Dineout
  • Swiggy Genie
  • Swiggy for Business

What people use each for

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

ChowNow

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

Swiggy

  • A diner in an Indian city ordering restaurant food and wanting quick grocery top-ups in the same appnot ChowNow
  • A household comparing Swiggy One against Zomato Gold based on which platform they use morenot ChowNow
  • Someone needing same-day courier pickup and drop-off for a non-food item via Swiggy Genienot ChowNow
  • A restaurant partner using Swiggy for Business to manage online order volume and menu pricingnot ChowNow

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

Swiggy

  • Restaurant commission of roughly 15 to 25 percent is commonly passed through as higher in-app menu prices, so the delivered price is not simply the counter price plus a fee.
  • Instamart's fast delivery promise depends on dense local dark-store coverage, so the speed and product range advertised in major metros do not extend evenly to smaller cities.
  • Delivery riders and Instamart pickers are engaged on a gig basis with earnings tied to order volume, a model that has drawn wage and working-condition scrutiny in India.
  • Swiggy One's value depends on using multiple Swiggy products regularly; a household that only orders food occasionally will rarely recoup the subscription cost.
  • As a newly public company since its 2024 IPO, Swiggy is under investor pressure to show profitability, and cost-cutting or fee changes driven by that pressure can land on riders, restaurants or diners with limited notice.

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

Swiggy

Free
  • Pay per orderFree
    • Delivery fee scaling with distance and demand
    • Platform fee on order total
    • Restaurant menu prices often marked up versus dine-in
  • Swiggy One$299/month
    • Delivery fee waivers across food, Instamart and Dineout orders
    • Additional discounts and offers at partner outlets
    • Also offered at a discounted annual rate

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 Swiggy if

  • You need food delivery marketplace.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want instamart quick commerce.
Swiggy review

Questions people ask

Is ChowNow or Swiggy better?
Neither clearly leads. ChowNow starts at $249/month and Swiggy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ChowNow or Swiggy?
Swiggy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $249/month for ChowNow and Free for Swiggy.
Does ChowNow or Swiggy run on more platforms?
ChowNow runs on Web, iOS, Android. Swiggy runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Swiggy for free?
Yes. Swiggy has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ChowNow starts at $249/month.
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 Swiggy is typically brought in for.
What can ChowNow do that Swiggy cannot?
ChowNow covers Branded ordering, Website integration, Mobile app, Customer database. Swiggy covers Food delivery marketplace, Instamart quick commerce, Swiggy One membership, Swiggy Dineout.

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
Swiggy: Is Instamart a separate app from Swiggy?

No, Instamart quick commerce grocery delivery is built into the main Swiggy app rather than sold as a standalone download.

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
Swiggy: What does Swiggy One include?

A paid membership bundling delivery fee waivers and discounts across food delivery, Instamart and Dineout dine-in bookings.

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
Swiggy: Is Swiggy a public company?

Yes, Swiggy Limited listed on Indian stock exchanges via an IPO in 2024.

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
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