Direct ordering platform pricing comes in three shapes: a monthly or annual subscription, a flat fee per order, or a percentage of each order, and most products combine two of them. Owners comparing direct ordering platforms usually like the core idea, which is taking orders without aggregator commission, and want it delivered in a particular way: inside WhatsApp on their own number, with a flat per-order cost, or with dine-in and multi-outlet features that a website-first product does not centre on. This guide covers seven kinds of direct ordering platform, what each one is, how it charges and who it fits, so you can match the tool to the way your customers actually order.
Other vendors' pricing is described by model, not by amount, because the amounts change; check each vendor's pricing page before you decide. Tezzu's prices are given because they are ours.
What website-first direct ordering platforms do well, and why owners still look further
The best-known direct ordering platforms in India position themselves as commission-free. The restaurant gets a branded ordering website, built-in loyalty, ownership of customer data and, in some cases, a listing in the vendor's own consumer app. For a dine-in restaurant in a metro with a brand customers already know, that package makes sense. Their pricing has typically used a subscription together with a small per-order or percentage charge; check the pricing page of any platform you shortlist for the current structure.
The reasons owners look further are specific rather than complaints about quality. First, these platforms are website-first. WhatsApp is used to share the ordering link and send updates, which works, but a growing number of owners want the order to happen inside the chat, with a bot presenting the menu on the restaurant's own number, because that is where their customers already are. Second, a percentage charge on orders means the cost grows with order value, which matters for restaurants with a high average bill. Third, cloud kitchens, tiffin services and home bakers do not need a consumer discovery app or loyalty tiers and would rather pay for ordering alone.
The Tezzu vs direct ordering platforms side-by-side goes through the two approaches feature by feature. This post looks across the market.
What to check before you switch
Whichever platform you pick, these are the questions that decide whether the move pays off:
- Where does the customer order: inside WhatsApp on your number, on a web page, or in the vendor's app?
- Do you keep your own WhatsApp number, and can you export your customer list if you leave?
- Is the charge per order flat, a percentage of order value, or tied to payments processed?
- Are delivery zones with distance-based charges, pickup slots and scheduled orders included, or add-ons?
- Does it cover dine-in with table numbers and KOT printing, if you have tables?
- Can you send WhatsApp campaigns to your own customers from the same dashboard?
- How long does setup take, and can you run real orders on a free trial before paying?
The economics of leaving aggregator commission behind are the same whichever tool you choose; the commission-free online ordering explainer covers what you save and what you take on in delivery and marketing.
Seven kinds of direct ordering platform, and how each one charges
1. Tezzu
Tezzu is WhatsApp-first. Customers order inside a chat on your own WhatsApp number, where a bot shows the menu, takes the cart and confirms the address, or on a free store page at tezzu.in/store/your-name that can sit on your custom domain. No app download. Orders land in a live dashboard and a staff app with alerts and spoken announcements. It includes UPI and card payments through Razorpay or your own Razorpay account, cash on delivery, delivery zones with distance charges and per-zone free-delivery thresholds, pickup points, scheduled orders, dine-in with QR tables and KOT and thermal printing, GST bills, bundles and combos, menu scheduling, coupons, WhatsApp campaigns with a prepaid wallet, reviews after delivery, staff roles, and multiple outlets on one number with nearest-outlet routing.
Pricing is ₹999, ₹1,999 or ₹3,999 a month, ₹100 a month less on yearly billing, plus a flat ₹10 per order, no commission, unlimited orders, 7-day free trial. Setup is about 30 minutes. It suits restaurants, cloud kitchens, tiffin services, cafes and home bakers that want ordering where customers already chat. It does not include a consumer discovery app or a full POS with inventory.
2. Website-first direct ordering platforms
These are the platforms described in the first section: a branded ordering website, loyalty built in, customer data you own and sometimes a consumer app for discovery. Pricing is a subscription and/or a per-order or percentage charge; check the pricing page. They suit metro dine-in restaurants and small chains with a brand customers already search for, where a loyalty programme and a consumer app add real value.
3. WhatsApp store builders
WhatsApp store builders sell an all-in-one stack: QR dine-in ordering, an online store link, POS billing, payments, loyalty and delivery tie-ups. Their pricing has combined subscriptions with charges linked to payments processed; check the pricing page. They suit restaurants that want billing, dine-in and online orders from one vendor. The WhatsApp store platform alternatives comparison looks at this category from the other direction.
4. Branded website and app platforms
These are the closest in shape to the website-first platforms above: a branded restaurant website and app with online ordering, plus POS, CRM and marketing modules. They are website-first, with WhatsApp as a notification channel, and are sold on an annual subscription; check the pricing page. They suit established restaurants and small chains that want a branded app and are fine with a longer setup and contract.
5. International online ordering platforms
Several international platforms offer a free basic online ordering widget and menu, with paid add-ons for online payments, a website, a branded app and table reservations. They are website-first and global, with no WhatsApp ordering flow and no India-specific payment or delivery logic out of the box. They suit a restaurant that wants to test online ordering at zero software cost and is comfortable with card-centric payments and a generic feature set.
6. POS online ordering add-ons
POS-first systems treat online ordering and WhatsApp marketing as add-on modules to the billing software. Pricing is an annual per-outlet subscription with modules priced separately; check the pricing page. They suit restaurants whose main need is billing and inventory and who want a direct ordering page tied into the same system. The ordering page is a link rather than an in-chat flow.
7. WhatsApp chat tools
WhatsApp Business API platforms offer a shared inbox, campaigns, chatbot flows and commerce through the WhatsApp catalog and cart. Pricing is subscription tiers plus Meta's conversation charges. They are included because some owners leaving a website-first product want pure WhatsApp; the caveat is that delivery zones, kitchen alerts, slots and per-order payment collection are yours to build or integrate.
Side-by-side comparison
| Platform type | Where the customer orders | Pricing model | Dine-in and KOT | Delivery zones by distance | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website-first direct ordering platforms | Branded website, link shared on WhatsApp, sometimes a consumer app | Subscription and/or per-order charge; check pricing page | Via partners and integrations | Yes | Metro dine-in restaurants and chains |
| Tezzu | Inside WhatsApp on your number, plus free store page | Subscription from ₹999/month plus flat ₹10 per order | Yes, QR tables, served status, KOT printing | Yes, with per-zone free-delivery thresholds | Restaurants, cloud kitchens, tiffins, cafes, home bakers |
| WhatsApp store builders | Store link and QR menu | Subscription plus payment-linked charges; check pricing page | Yes, with POS | Yes | One-vendor billing plus online |
| Branded website and app platforms | Branded website and app | Annual subscription; check pricing page | Yes, with POS module | Yes | Established restaurants and chains |
| International online ordering platforms | Website widget | Free basic, paid add-ons | Reservations add-on | Basic | Zero-cost trial of web ordering |
| POS online ordering add-ons | Ordering page linked to POS | Annual per-outlet plus modules | Yes, core strength | Via module | Billing and inventory first |
| WhatsApp chat tools | WhatsApp catalog and cart | Subscription plus conversation charges | No | No, build yourself | Teams building their own WhatsApp flows |
Commission vs subscription vs flat per-order fee: where the crossover is
A percentage charge and a flat per-order charge are both commission-free in the aggregator sense, but they behave differently as your average order changes. A flat ₹10 is 5 percent of a ₹200 tiffin and 1 percent of a ₹1,000 family dinner. A percentage is the same share whatever the bill. The crossover is simple arithmetic: a flat ₹10 costs less than a 2 percent charge once the average order is above ₹500, and less than a 3 percent charge once it is above about ₹333.
| Monthly orders at ₹450 average | Flat ₹10 per order | Illustrative 2 percent of order value | Illustrative 3 percent of order value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200 orders (₹90,000) | ₹2,000 | ₹1,800 | ₹2,700 |
| 500 orders (₹2,25,000) | ₹5,000 | ₹4,500 | ₹6,750 |
| 1,000 orders (₹4,50,000) | ₹10,000 | ₹9,000 | ₹13,500 |
The percentages above are illustrations to show the shape of the two models, not any vendor's published rate. Add each vendor's subscription on top, and remember that aggregator commission on the same ₹2,25,000 at the commonly reported 18 to 30 percent would be ₹40,000 to ₹67,500, which is the number both models are replacing. The Tezzu pricing explainer shows what the ₹10 includes.
What this looks like on Tezzu
Moving from a website-first platform to Tezzu keeps the two things you already have: your customers and your WhatsApp number. The number connects to the WhatsApp Business API through Meta's embedded signup in a few minutes, and you keep it. You rebuild the menu in the dashboard with categories, variants, add-ons and bundles, set delivery zones with distance-based charges and a free-delivery threshold per zone, add pickup points with collection times, and switch on Razorpay or connect your own Razorpay account for zero platform fee on payments.
Then the ordering link you were sharing from your old platform becomes a message: a customer says hi to your number, the bot shows the menu, takes the order, checks the address against your zones and collects payment or marks cash on delivery. The same menu is live on your store page and on a custom domain if you have one. Orders arrive in the live dashboard and on the staff app with a spoken announcement, dine-in runs through QR tables with a served status and KOT printing, and campaigns to your exported customer list go out from the same dashboard with a prepaid wallet. Setup is about 30 minutes and the 7-day trial lets you take real orders before paying. The migration guide covers moving the menu and customer list without a gap.
Move your direct orders into WhatsApp
Connect your own number, rebuild your menu and take real orders in the 7-day free trial. Flat ₹10 per order, no commission, no percentage of your bill.
Start your free 7-day trialFrequently asked questions
Is a subscription plus per-order platform really commission-free?
A direct ordering platform does not charge aggregator-style commission of 18 to 30 percent. Most have used a subscription together with a small per-order or percentage charge, which is a different model from an aggregator's but is still a cost per order. Check the pricing page for the current structure and work out what it means at your order volume and average bill before comparing it to a flat-fee platform.
What is the difference between a website-first and a WhatsApp-first ordering platform?
A website-first platform gives you a branded ordering page and uses WhatsApp to share the link and send updates; the order itself happens on the web page. A WhatsApp-first platform runs the menu, cart and confirmation inside the chat on your own number, with a store page as a second entry point. The second removes a step for customers who already have you saved and are used to messaging, which is most Indian food customers.
Can I use a website-first ordering platform and a WhatsApp ordering platform together?
Technically yes, but you would be paying two subscriptions and running two menus and two order queues, which creates errors at peak time. Most owners who try it consolidate within a few months. If the feature you want to keep is loyalty, note that WhatsApp-first platforms handle repeat orders through coupons that auto-apply, campaigns and order history rather than a points programme, which for most small restaurants does the same job.
Which direct ordering platform is best for a cloud kitchen?
A cloud kitchen has no tables and no walk-in brand to lean on, so the consumer app and loyalty tiers matter less than cheap, fast ordering and delivery logic. A WhatsApp-first platform with delivery zones, pickup points, scheduled orders and a flat per-order fee covers the needs without paying for a POS. The best WhatsApp ordering software roundup compares the options by business type.