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Restaurants · head to head

Deliveroo vs Lavu

Deliveroo logo

Deliveroo

Restaurants

UK-headquartered food delivery marketplace connecting restaurants, riders and diners

From
Free
Rated
-
Lavu logo

Lavu

Restaurants

iPad POS for restaurants and bars

From
$99/month
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Deliveroo has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Deliveroo restaurant commission of roughly 20 to 30 percent is frequently passed on as higher in-app menu prices, so the displayed total is not the restaurant menu price plus a small fee, it is a marked-up menu plus a fee.; Lavu iPad-only solution with no Android or Windows alternative
  • They diverge on capability: Deliveroo covers Restaurant marketplace, Lavu covers iPad POS.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Deliveroo and Lavu actually diverge.

Attributes where Deliveroo and Lavu differ
AttributeDeliverooLavu
Starting priceFree$99/month
Pricing modelFree to download; delivery and service fees per order, optional subscription for reduced feesUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebiPad
FoundedUnknown2010

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 Deliveroo

  • Restaurant marketplace
  • Deliveroo Plus subscription
  • Live order tracking
  • Grocery and convenience delivery
  • Group ordering
  • Deliveroo for Business

Only in Lavu

  • iPad POS
  • Split checks
  • Tab management
  • Happy hour pricing
  • Inventory tracking
  • Kitchen display
  • QuickBooks
  • Xero

What people use each for

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

Deliveroo

  • Someone ordering food for delivery who values convenience over the price premium versus collectionnot Lavu
  • A frequent orderer weighing whether a Deliveroo Plus subscription pays for itself at their order volumenot Lavu
  • A workplace using Deliveroo for Business to give staff an expensed meal allowancenot Lavu
  • A diner comparing grocery delivery speed against a supermarket own-delivery slotnot Lavu

Lavu

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

Where each one falls short

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

Deliveroo

  • Restaurant commission of roughly 20 to 30 percent is frequently passed on as higher in-app menu prices, so the displayed total is not the restaurant menu price plus a small fee, it is a marked-up menu plus a fee.
  • Riders are engaged as self-employed contractors paid per delivery, a model that has faced repeated legal and regulatory challenges in the UK and EU over minimum pay and employment status.
  • Deliveroo Plus only saves money above a certain order frequency, and casual users who subscribe rarely break even on the monthly charge.
  • Availability and reliability vary sharply by city; smaller markets have fewer restaurant partners and longer, less predictable delivery windows.
  • The company has exited some international markets entirely (including Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Taiwan and Australia in prior years), so coverage has shrunk rather than grown in several regions, and a market can disappear with limited notice.

Lavu

  • iPad-only solution with no Android or Windows alternative
  • Hardware costs are significant with devices starting at $700
  • Limited offline functionality compared to some competitors

Pricing, plan by plan

Deliveroo

Free
  • Pay per orderFree
    • Delivery fee scaling with distance and demand
    • Service charge of a few percent on order total
    • Restaurant menu prices often marked up versus in-store
  • Deliveroo Plus$3.49/month
    • Delivery fees waived on qualifying orders above a minimum basket size
    • Service charge may still apply
    • Price varies by market and is often discounted for an introductory period

Lavu

$99/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Lavu review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Deliveroo if

  • You need restaurant marketplace.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want deliveroo plus subscription.

Choose Lavu if

  • You need ipad pos.
  • You work on iPad.
  • You also want split checks.

Questions people ask

Is Deliveroo or Lavu better?
Neither clearly leads. Deliveroo starts at Free and Lavu at $99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Deliveroo or Lavu?
Deliveroo has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Deliveroo and $99/month for Lavu.
Does Deliveroo or Lavu run on more platforms?
Deliveroo runs on iOS, Android, Web. Lavu runs on iPad.
Can I use Deliveroo for free?
Yes. Deliveroo has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Lavu starts at $99/month.
What is Deliveroo best used for?
Deliveroo is most often used for someone ordering food for delivery who values convenience over the price premium versus collection, a frequent orderer weighing whether a deliveroo plus subscription pays for itself at their order volume, a workplace using deliveroo for business to give staff an expensed meal allowance, a diner comparing grocery delivery speed against a supermarket own-delivery slot. Of those, someone ordering food for delivery who values convenience over the price premium versus collection and a frequent orderer weighing whether a deliveroo plus subscription pays for itself at their order volume are not what Lavu is typically brought in for.
What can Deliveroo do that Lavu cannot?
Deliveroo covers Restaurant marketplace, Deliveroo Plus subscription, Live order tracking, Grocery and convenience delivery. Lavu covers iPad POS, Split checks, Tab management, Happy hour pricing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Deliveroo: Is Deliveroo cheaper than collecting the food yourself?

Usually not. Menu prices in the app are frequently higher than in-restaurant prices to offset the commission Deliveroo charges, on top of the delivery and service fees.

Lavu: What devices does Lavu support?

Lavu is iPad-based and works with iPad Pro, Air, and Mini models. It is compatible with peripherals from Ingenico, Magtek, and supports various receipt printers, cash drawers, and barcode scanners.

Source
Deliveroo: What does Deliveroo Plus actually save?

It waives the delivery fee on qualifying orders above a minimum basket value for a flat monthly or annual charge; the service charge can still apply.

Lavu: Does Lavu offer financing for hardware?

Yes. Lavu offers 0% no-interest financing on hardware for 3-year contracts, and supports both 1-year and 3-year contract terms.

Source
Deliveroo: Are Deliveroo riders employees?

No, they are engaged as self-employed contractors paid per delivery, a classification that has been challenged in UK and EU courts and regulators.

Lavu: What is Lavu's pricing range?

Lavu monthly POS software costs range from $99 to $279 per month, with hardware starting at $700 and up to $1,500 for full systems.

Source
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