Software · head to head
Square for Restaurants vs DoorDash
Square for Restaurants
Software
Restaurant POS system that works for you
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Square for Restaurants has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Square for Restaurants the Square KDS and Square Kiosk apps are not available on the free plan; DoorDash commission rates reach 30% on Premier plan, limiting restaurant profitability
- They diverge on capability: Square for Restaurants covers Table management, DoorDash covers Delivery logistics.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Square for Restaurants and DoorDash actually diverge.
| Attribute | Square for Restaurants | DoorDash |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $15/order |
| Pricing model | subscription | transaction |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Founded | 2018 | 2013 |
Identical on both: 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 Square for Restaurants
- Table management
- Menu customization
- Split checks
- Offline mode
- Real-time reporting
- Kitchen display
- Caviar
- DoorDash
Only in DoorDash
- Delivery logistics
- Order management
- Customer reach
- Marketing tools
- Analytics
- Menu management
- Toast
- Square
Both cover
- Web support
- Ios support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Square for Restaurants
- Point of Sale
- Order Management
- Inventory Control
- Staff Scheduling
DoorDash
- 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.
Square for Restaurants
- The Square KDS and Square Kiosk apps are not available on the free plan
- KDS and Kiosk are billed per device per month on top of the plan, so cost scales with terminals rather than locations
- Restaurants processing over $250,000 a year are moved to custom pricing rather than the published rates
DoorDash
- Commission rates reach 30% on Premier plan, limiting restaurant profitability
- Algorithm-driven order routing can disadvantage restaurants without premium plans
- Limited control over delivery logistics and delivery time estimates
Pricing, plan by plan
Square for Restaurants
Free- FreeFree
- POS
- Menu management
- Basic reporting
- Plus$60/month
- Advanced features
- Live sales
- Seat management
- PremiumFree
- Custom pricing
- Dedicated support
DoorDash
$15/order- Basic$15/percent
- Delivery
- Pickup
- Lower visibility
- Plus$25/percent
- DashPass visibility
- Marketing
- Premier$30/percent
- Highest visibility
- Premium support
Which should you pick?
Choose Square for Restaurants if
- You need table management.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want menu customization.
Choose DoorDash if
- You need delivery logistics.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want order management.
Questions people ask
- Is Square for Restaurants or DoorDash better?
- Neither clearly leads. Square for Restaurants starts at Free and DoorDash at $15/order, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Square for Restaurants or DoorDash?
- Square for Restaurants has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Square for Restaurants and $15/order for DoorDash.
- Does Square for Restaurants or DoorDash run on more platforms?
- Square for Restaurants runs on Web, Ios, Android. DoorDash runs on Web, iOS, Android.
- Can I use Square for Restaurants for free?
- Yes. Square for Restaurants has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. DoorDash starts at $15/order.
- What is Square for Restaurants best used for?
- Square for Restaurants is most often used for point of sale, order management, inventory control, staff scheduling.
- What can Square for Restaurants do that DoorDash cannot?
- Square for Restaurants covers Table management, Menu customization, Split checks, Offline mode. DoorDash covers Delivery logistics, Order management, Customer reach, Marketing tools. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
DoorDash: What commission rates does DoorDash charge restaurants?
DoorDash offers three plans with commission rates: Basic at 15%, Plus for DashPass customers, and Premier at 30%. Pickup orders carry 6% commission across all plans.
SourceDoorDash: Does DoorDash charge activation fees?
No, DoorDash offers $0 activation fees for all restaurants joining their delivery platform.
SourceDoorDash: What is DashPass?
DashPass is DoorDash's customer subscription service that provides discounted delivery fees, reduced service fees, and exclusive deals for subscribers.
Source