Food & Restaurant · head to head
Grubhub vs Postmates
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Grubhub commission fees of 15-30% significantly reduce restaurant profit margins; Postmates driver supply varies by location after consolidation with Uber Eats
- They diverge on capability: Grubhub covers Delivery network, Postmates covers On-demand delivery.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Grubhub and Postmates actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price ($15/order), pricing model (transaction), free tier (No), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), 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 Grubhub
- Delivery network
- Customer reach
- Marketing tools
- Loyalty programs
- Toast
- Square
- Olo
- Omnivore
Only in Postmates
- On-demand delivery
- Customer access
- Menu management
- Uber Eats
- POS systems
Both cover
- Order management
- Analytics
- 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 Sale
- Order Management
- Inventory Control
- Staff Scheduling
Postmates
- Point of Sale
- Order Management
- Inventory Control
- Staff Scheduling
Both are used for point of sale, order management, inventory control, staff scheduling, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
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)
Postmates
- Driver supply varies by location after consolidation with Uber Eats
- Customer support is now handled through Uber's system rather than dedicated Postmates support
- Limited delivery areas in less densely populated regions
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
Postmates
$15/order- Standard$20/percent
- Delivery
- Order management
Which should you pick?
Choose Grubhub if
- You need delivery network.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want customer reach.
Choose Postmates if
- You need on-demand delivery.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want customer access.
Questions people ask
- Is Grubhub or Postmates better?
- Neither clearly leads. Grubhub starts at $15/order and Postmates at $15/order, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Grubhub or Postmates?
- Grubhub starts at $15/order and Postmates at $15/order.
- Does Grubhub or Postmates 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.
- What can Grubhub do that Postmates cannot?
- Grubhub covers Delivery network, Customer reach, Marketing tools, Loyalty programs. Postmates covers On-demand delivery, Customer access, Menu management, Uber Eats. Both handle Order management, Analytics, Web support, Ios 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.
SourcePostmates: Is Postmates still operating after Uber's acquisition?
Yes, Postmates continues operating. Uber completed the acquisition in December 2020 and kept Postmates as a separate consumer-facing brand. Orders placed on Postmates are fulfilled by Uber Eats drivers tagged with Postmates order identifiers.
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.
SourcePostmates: How are Postmates orders delivered after the Uber acquisition?
Postmates orders are now delivered by Uber Eats drivers, but the Postmates app remains separate. Deliveries are tagged as Postmates OrderID within the unified driver network.
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.
SourcePostmates: Can I still use the Postmates app?
Yes, the Postmates app continues to be available on the App Store and Google Play. You can place orders through the Postmates app, though the driver network now operates through Uber Eats infrastructure.
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.
SourcePostmates: Did Postmates driver operations change?
Yes, Uber shut down the Postmates Fleet app for drivers. Postmates couriers were notified the Fleet app would go offline, consolidating driver operations into the Uber driver app. Postmates orders are now fulfilled by Uber Eats drivers.
Source