Software · head to head
Grubhub vs Apicbase
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Grubhub commission fees of 15-30% significantly reduce restaurant profit margins; Apicbase the Growth plan starts from 5 outlets, so a single site or a pair of restaurants is below the entry point
- They diverge on capability: Grubhub covers Delivery network, Apicbase covers Centralized recipes.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Grubhub and Apicbase actually diverge.
Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Grubhub
- Delivery network
- Order management
- Customer reach
- Marketing tools
- Analytics
- Loyalty programs
- Toast
- Square
Only in Apicbase
- Centralized recipes
- Inventory management
- Procurement
- Food cost analytics
- Menu engineering
- HACCP
- POS systems
- Accounting software
Both cover
- Web support
- Ios support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Grubhub
- Point of Salenot Apicbase
- Order Managementnot Apicbase
- Inventory Controlnot Apicbase
- Staff Schedulingnot Apicbase
Apicbase
- Recipe and menu engineering with costed ingredientsnot Grubhub
- Food cost and margin tracking across outletsnot Grubhub
- Inventory and stock counts for multi-site restaurant groupsnot Grubhub
- Purchasing and supplier price managementnot Grubhub
- Allergen and nutrition data on menusnot Grubhub
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Grubhub
- Commission fees of 15-30% significantly reduce restaurant profit margins
- Limited geographic coverage compared to competitors like DoorDash
- Driver availability issues in some areas leading to canceled orders
- Limited independent restaurant partnerships compared to competitors
- Average delivery time of 40 minutes is slower than Uber Eats (33 minutes) and DoorDash (38 minutes)
Apicbase
- The Growth plan starts from 5 outlets, so a single site or a pair of restaurants is below the entry point
- Priced per location, with the per-location fee falling only as outlet count rises
- Monthly billing carries a 15 percent surcharge over annual
- No prices are published for any tier
Pricing, plan by plan
Grubhub
$15/order- Basic$15/percent
- Marketplace listing
- Order management
- Standard$20/percent
- Delivery
- Marketing
- Premium$25/percent
- Priority placement
- Promotions
Apicbase
$200/month- Standard$200/month
- Recipe management
- Inventory
- EnterpriseFree
- Custom pricing
- Full features
Which should you pick?
Choose Grubhub if
- You need delivery network.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want order management.
Choose Apicbase if
- You need centralized recipes.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want inventory management.
Questions people ask
- Is Grubhub or Apicbase better?
- Neither clearly leads. Grubhub starts at $15/order and Apicbase at $200/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Grubhub or Apicbase?
- Grubhub starts at $15/order and Apicbase at $200/month.
- Does Grubhub or Apicbase run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- What is Grubhub best used for?
- Grubhub 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 Apicbase is typically brought in for.
- What can Grubhub do that Apicbase cannot?
- Grubhub covers Delivery network, Order management, Customer reach, Marketing tools. Apicbase covers Centralized recipes, Inventory management, Procurement, Food cost analytics. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Grubhub: How much does Grubhub charge restaurants?
Grubhub charges restaurants a marketing commission of 5%, 15%, or 20% depending on the Marketplace plan, plus a processing fee of $0.30 plus 3.05% per order.
SourceGrubhub: What does Grubhub cost customers?
Grubhub charges customers a $2.25 order processing fee plus $0.99 for delivery. A subscription offers $6.95 or $19.95/month for unlimited free delivery on eligible orders.
SourceGrubhub: Does Grubhub offer promotional tools for restaurants?
Yes, Grubhub offers Sponsored Listings (3-10% premium on commissions) and Boost Programs (10-20% additional cost per order) to increase restaurant visibility.
SourceGrubhub: Is Grubhub available in all cities?
No, Grubhub delivery service is not available in all cities, and the platform is less convenient in small cities with limited driver availability.
Source