DirectOrders vs Owner.com: Full Comparison

An honest look at how DirectOrders stacks up against Owner.com for restaurant owners.

Jan 12, 2026·8 min read

Feature

Others

DirectOrders

Zero Commission

Same-day Pay

AI Ordering

Save $8,800+/mo

Why We're Writing This

Restaurant owners ask us constantly: "How do you compare to Owner.com?" Instead of giving a sales pitch, we're laying out the facts.

Owner.com is a legitimate platform. They've helped restaurants reduce third-party dependency. According to Crunchbase, they've raised over $40M in funding and serve thousands of restaurants. But there are real differences worth understanding.

As reported by Restaurant Business Online, the direct ordering space has become increasingly competitive, which means more options for restaurant owners.

Pricing Comparison

Owner.com

Starter: Typically $399/month
Professional: Custom pricing (typically $500-800/month)
Revenue share on certain features
Setup fees on some plans

DirectOrders

Pro: $249/month (founding rate, normally $449)
Pro + Voice: $349/month (founding rate, normally $799)
Enterprise: Custom
No revenue share on any plan
No setup fees ever
Month-to-month available

Verdict: DirectOrders is more affordable at every tier, with no hidden revenue share.

Feature Comparison

Feature	DirectOrders	Owner.com
Zero customer fees	Yes	No (5% surcharge)
Commission-free ordering	Yes	Yes
Branded website	Yes	Yes
AI phone ordering	Yes (500 min included on Pro+Voice)	Limited
ChatGPT/AI search integration	Yes	No
Google Business integration	Yes	Yes
Instagram DM ordering	Yes	No
Same-day payouts	Yes (free)	No
Customer data export	Free, anytime	Check their terms

Verdict: DirectOrders offers more channels, more AI features, and zero customer fees. Your customers pay your menu price - no surprises at checkout.

Support Comparison

Owner.com

Email support on Starter
Phone support on Professional
Dedicated account manager on Enterprise

DirectOrders

Email, chat, and phone support on all plans
Founders personally respond to support tickets
No tiered support - everyone gets the same level

Verdict: DirectOrders provides more accessible support without requiring upgrades.

Contract Terms

Owner.com

Annual contracts standard
Early termination fees apply
30-day notice required

DirectOrders

Month-to-month available on all plans
No early termination fees
Cancel anytime, keep your data

Verdict: DirectOrders offers more flexibility with no lock-in.

Why Restaurants Choose DirectOrders

DirectOrders is better for restaurants that want:

Zero customer fees - your customers pay your menu price, not 5% extra
15+ ordering channels - Voice AI, Instagram DM, WhatsApp, ChatGPT, Google Business, and more
AI-powered discovery - be found on ChatGPT, Perplexity, and AI search engines
Month-to-month flexibility - no annual lock-in, cancel anytime
Same-day payouts - your money, when you need it, included free
Restaurants of all sizes - single locations to multi-unit chains

The Bottom Line

The question isn't whether DirectOrders is more affordable (it is). The question is whether you want to charge your customers an extra 5% fee on every order, or keep your prices clean and your customers happy.

DirectOrders gives you more channels, more AI features, zero customer fees, and same-day payouts. See for yourself.

Book a DirectOrders demo

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. DirectOrders charges zero fees to your customers - Owner.com adds a 5% surcharge on every order that your customers pay. We offer 15+ ordering channels including Voice AI, Instagram DM, WhatsApp, and ChatGPT integration. Our branded websites are built for conversion with AI-optimized discovery. Same-day payouts are included free. And we work with restaurants of all sizes, from single locations to multi-unit chains.