DoorDash Pricing 2026: Real Costs & Hidden Fees
DoorDash charges restaurants a commission on every Marketplace order — 15% (Basic), 25% (Plus), or 30% (Premier) of the subtotal for delivery, 6% for pickup, with no monthly fee, no activation fee, and no contract; a $30 order costs $4.50–$9.00 in commission depending on plan. DoorDash's commission-free Online Ordering exists, but it's bundled with the commission-based Marketplace and still carries a payment processing fee. AI Business Sites takes a different route: a $1,497 one-time setup plus $497/month for a custom website with native online ordering, payments via Stripe, and an AI back office — no per-order commission on your own channel.
Bottom line: DoorDash wins on reach and zero fixed cost — you pay only when orders arrive, and its marketplace is a genuine customer-acquisition channel. AI Business Sites wins on margin and ownership: a flat $497/month with 0% per-order commission on your own ordering channel, but it doesn't put you in front of DoorDash's app audience. They solve different problems, so the right pick depends on whether you need discovery or direct-order margin.
TL;DR
- •DoorDash Marketplace delivery commission is 15% on Basic, 25% on Plus, and 30% on Premier; pickup is 6% on every plan.
- •There are no monthly, activation, software, or cancellation fees — you pay commission only when orders come in.
- •On a $30 order, commission runs $4.50 (Basic), $7.50 (Plus), or $9.00 (Premier); pickup costs $1.80.
- •Online Ordering (commission-free direct orders) is included in all plans but carries a payment processing fee, and it's sold only bundled with the commission-based Marketplace.
- •DoorDash Drive On-Demand charges a flat per-delivery fee — $9.75 base within 5 miles via the Drive API, plus $0.75/mile beyond, or $6.99–$10.99 per order as reported on the US product page.
- •Optional extras include a DoorDash Tablet at $6/week after the trial, plus Promotions and Sponsored Listings.
- •AI Business Sites charges a $1,497 one-time setup plus $497/month with native online ordering and Stripe payments — no per-order commission on your own website.
| Dimension | DoorDash | AI Business Sites |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Commission per order: 15%/25%/30% delivery, 6% pickup; no monthly or activation fees | $1,497 one-time setup + $497/month flat; optional add-ons from $149/mo |
| Per-order cost | $4.50–$9.00 commission on a $30 delivery order; $1.80 pickup; Drive On-Demand $9.75 base per delivery | No commission on direct orders through your own site; standard Stripe card processing applieswinner |
| Customer reach | 60%+ US market share, 500,000+ partner restaurants, 37% of consumers discover restaurants via delivery appswinner | Discovery via included SEO engine: 14+ content pieces/month, rank tracking, AI-citation monitoring |
| Delivery fulfillment | Dashers handle delivery, with 24/7 support and insurance included in the commissionwinner | No delivery fleet — ordering and payments are native, fulfillment is yours |
| Online ordering | Online Ordering is commission-free but carries a processing fee, and is only available bundled with the commission-based Marketplace | Native store, restaurant menus, bookings, tickets, and gift cards with Stripe, built into your custom websitewinner |
| Customer data & ownership | Marketplace customers belong to DoorDash — you get the order, not the relationship | You own code, content, lead data, and domain; full export on exitwinner |
| Setup & timeline | Sign up, free professional menu photoshoot, manage orders via tablet ($6/week) or POS integration | $500 deposit, 7-day build, 85+ pages live at launch, client approves before the $997 balance is due |
| Contract & exit | No contract, change or cancel plans any time in the Merchant Portal (changes take up to 5 business days) | Month-to-month, cancel with 30 days' notice, leave with complete code and database export |
DoorDash
merchants.doordash.com ↗DoorDash is the largest food-delivery marketplace in the US, with over 60% market share and more than 500,000 partner restaurants. For merchants, its core product is the Marketplace: your store is listed in the DoorDash app, customers order delivery or pickup, and Dashers handle fulfillment. Merchants choose from three commission plans — Basic (15% delivery), Plus (25%), and Premier (30%) — with pickup at 6% across all plans and no monthly, activation, or cancellation fees. Every plan includes access to Online Ordering, DoorDash's commission-free direct-ordering channel, though those orders carry a payment processing fee. Higher tiers add wider delivery range, lower customer delivery fees for non-DashPass orders, DashPass access (members order twice as often and spend 2.5× more), and on Premier a complimentary Sponsored Listing plus an order guarantee of at least 20 orders per month or a commission refund. DoorDash also sells Drive On-Demand (flat-fee delivery for your own channels) and optional extras like a $6/week tablet. The platform functions as a customer-acquisition channel: 37% of consumers discover restaurants through delivery apps, and over 55% of first-time orders on DoorDash in 2025 came from browsing rather than searching.
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $15/mo | 15% delivery commission, 6% pickup, 0% intro rate for 7 days, online ordering included, free menu photoshoot |
| Plus | $25/mo | 25% delivery commission, 6% pickup, 30-day free trial, wider range, DashPass access, lower customer delivery fee |
| Premier | $30/mo | 30% delivery commission, 6% pickup, widest range, $200 photoshoot credit, complimentary Sponsored Listing, 20-order monthly guarantee |
| DoorDash Tablet (optional) | $6/mo | $6 per week after trial; avoidable via eligible POS integration, email, or fax |
| Drive On-Demand (per delivery) | $9.75/mo | $9.75 base within 5 miles via Drive API, +$0.75/mile up to 15 miles; $2.75 discount if customer tips 100% through the app |
Pros
- +No contract, no monthly fee, no activation or cancellation fees — you pay only when orders come in
- +Massive built-in audience: 60%+ US market share, 500,000+ partner restaurants, 37% of consumers discover restaurants through delivery apps
- +Full fulfillment handled: Dasher logistics, 24/7 customer support, insurance, and credit card processing are covered by the commission
- +Pickup orders are only 6% on every plan, a low-cost way to capture app traffic
- +Free professional menu photoshoot on every plan; Premier includes a complimentary Sponsored Listing and a 20-order monthly guarantee
- +0% intro commission window (7 days on Basic, 30 days on Plus/Premier) to test the channel
Cons
- −Delivery commission of 15–30% per order is the real cost — on Premier a $30 order costs $9 before food, labor, and packaging
- −Commission applies to repeat customers you've already earned; every DoorDash order is DoorDash's customer first, with no phone number or direct re-marketing path
- −The commission-free Online Ordering suite is only available bundled with the commission-charging Marketplace, and those orders still carry a payment processing fee
- −Optional extras add up: $6/week for the tablet after the trial, plus paid Promotions and Sponsored Listings
- −Drive On-Demand per-delivery fees ($9.75 base within 5 miles, +$0.75/mile beyond) mean even 'own your channel' fulfillment carries per-order costs
- −Post-intro rate cards and customer-side fees (service fee, long-distance fee) can be opaque and affect checkout completion
Best for: Restaurants that want incremental orders and new-customer discovery without any fixed cost or delivery infrastructure — especially those treating DoorDash as an advertising and acquisition channel rather than their main margin channel.. Avoid if: You're margin-constrained on delivery orders, want to own customer data and bring repeat orders back to your own channel commission-free, or need a full web presence (SEO, CRM, bookings) rather than a marketplace listing..
AI Business Sites
aibusinesssites.com ↗AI Business Sites, built by AIQ Labs, is a done-for-you AI business operating system: a custom-built website plus an AI back office — chatbot, voice agent, CRM, content engine, automations, and reports — set up, trained, and run on the owner's behalf. The site goes live in 7 days with 85+ pages at launch, including 25–30 hand-crafted core pages and 60 AI-generated SEO pages, each with schema markup. The $497/month managed subscription covers hosting, maintenance, 14+ new keyword-targeted content pieces per month, the included SEO Growth Engine (rank tracking, AI-citation monitoring across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Mode, and Gemini, weekly growth reports), 24/7 chat and voice on the website, a field-service Jobs & Estimates module, and native online selling — store, restaurant menus, bookings, tickets, and gift cards with Stripe payments. Four optional add-ons extend it: Lead Generation ($149/mo), Outreach ($229/mo), Social Content ($299/mo), and an AI Receptionist that answers real phone calls 24/7 ($199/mo). Clients own everything — code, content, data, and domain — and can leave with a full code export on month-to-month terms with 30 days' notice.
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Setup (one-time) | $1497/mo | $500 deposit to confirm the build slot; $997 due at launch. Includes 85+ pages, Google setup, CRM, chat and voice, live in 7 days |
| Managed monthly | $497/mo | Hosting, 14+ content pieces/month, SEO Growth Engine, chat + voice agents, CRM, Jobs & Estimates, online selling with Stripe, 3 user seats |
| Add-on: Lead Generation | $149/mo | AI B2B lead discovery with business-intelligence summaries |
| Add-on: Outreach | $229/mo | Self-optimizing AI cold email and form-filling outbound |
| Add-on: Social Content | $299/mo | Daily posts for 12 platforms with AI images/videos |
| Add-on: AI Receptionist | $199/mo | Dedicated phone number answered 24/7, appointment booking, call transcripts in the CRM |
Pros
- +No per-order commission on your own channel — direct orders go through your site with Stripe, not a percentage cut
- +One flat price: $1,497 setup + $497/month, with SEO, hosting, content, CRM, and ordering all included rather than sold as separate SaaS subscriptions
- +Done-for-you: the team builds, runs, monitors, and improves the system; live in 7 days
- +You own everything — code, content, lead data, and domain — and can cancel with 30 days' notice, leaving with a full export
- +Included SEO Growth Engine publishes 14+ keyword-targeted pieces monthly and tracks AI-citation share across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Mode
- +24/7 chat and voice agents capture leads from the website, and the AI Receptionist add-on answers real phone calls
Cons
- −Fixed monthly cost of $497 regardless of order volume — unlike DoorDash's pay-only-when-orders-arrive model
- −No marketplace audience: discovery depends on SEO and your own marketing, not placement in a delivery app millions already browse
- −No delivery fleet — fulfillment of delivery orders is the restaurant's responsibility
- −$1,497 upfront setup is a real barrier compared with zero-cost marketplace signup
- −Not built for businesses that want the cheapest possible website or a DIY stack they run themselves
Best for: Local service businesses and restaurants that want a custom web presence with commission-free direct ordering, consistent SEO content, and an AI back office — fully managed, with full ownership of the channel and customer data.. Avoid if: You want zero fixed monthly cost, need immediate access to a large delivery-app audience, or prefer to assemble and run your own tooling..
Pricing compared: commission vs flat fee
DoorDash's merchant pricing is entirely per-order: 15% delivery commission on Basic, 25% on Plus, and 30% on Premier, with pickup at 6% across all plans and no monthly, activation, software, or cancellation fees. On a $30 order that's $4.50 (Basic), $7.50 (Plus), or $9.00 (Premier) — and on Premier, DoorDash takes almost a third of the subtotal before food cost, packaging, or labor are counted. Optional extras add a $6/week tablet rental after the trial, plus paid Promotions and Sponsored Listings. Drive On-Demand fulfillment for your own channels is priced per delivery: $9.75 base within 5 miles via the Drive API, plus $0.75 per mile beyond, with a $2.75 discount if the customer tips through the app. AI Business Sites flips the model: $1,497 one-time setup ($500 deposit, $997 at launch) and $497/month covering hosting, 14+ content pieces monthly, the SEO Growth Engine, chat and voice agents, CRM, Jobs & Estimates, and native online selling with Stripe. There is no per-order commission on your own channel — direct orders cost only standard card processing. The trade-off is fixed cost versus variable cost: DoorDash charges nothing in a slow month but takes 15–30% of every delivery order forever, while AI Business Sites costs the same $497 whether the site takes 10 orders or 1,000.
The hidden-fee picture: what DoorDash's 'no fees' pitch leaves out
DoorDash's headline — no contract, no fixed cost — is accurate for merchant-side fixed fees, but the real costs sit elsewhere. First, the commission itself: 15–30% of the subtotal on every Marketplace delivery order, including orders from repeat customers you already earned. Second, the commission-free Online Ordering channel is gated: it's included only as part of a Marketplace plan, and those orders still carry a payment processing fee. Third, fulfillment outside the Marketplace isn't free either — Drive On-Demand charges a flat per-delivery fee ($9.75 base within 5 miles, $0.75 per mile beyond, per the developer pricing page; $6.99–$10.99 per order as reported on the US product page). Fourth, hardware and marketing extras: the DoorDash Tablet runs $6/week after the trial, and Promotions and Sponsored Listings are paid add-ons. On the customer side, delivery fees, service fees (which now vary with distance and order size), long-distance fees over 10 miles, and small-order fees shape checkout completion even though they don't reduce your payout. None of this is hidden in the fine print — DoorDash publishes it — but the effective cost of a delivery order is materially higher than the 'no fees' framing suggests, which is why running your own numbers per plan matters before committing.
Reach vs margin: which channel should carry which orders
DoorDash's strongest argument is discovery: it holds over 60% US market share, partners with 500,000+ restaurants, and 37% of consumers discover restaurants through delivery apps — over 55% of first-time orders on DoorDash in 2025 came from browsing rather than searching. DashPass members on Plus and Premier order twice as often and spend 2.5× more than non-members. That reach is real customer acquisition, and DoorDash itself frames the commission as paying for advertising. The weakness is what happens next: every DoorDash order is DoorDash's customer first, so the second order from that customer pays commission again. AI Business Sites attacks the other half of the equation — retention and margin. Its native ordering, menus, bookings, and Stripe payments live on a website the client owns outright, with an SEO engine publishing 14+ keyword-targeted pieces monthly and tracking visibility across Google, Bing, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Mode. The practical answer for most restaurants is a hybrid: use DoorDash (ideally Basic at 15% or Plus at 25%) as a paid discovery channel, and route repeat and direct orders to your own commission-free channel — which is exactly the gap AI Business Sites fills with its included native ordering.
Which should you choose?
If you Want incremental delivery orders with zero fixed cost and no delivery infrastructure — choose DoorDash — You pay commission only when orders arrive, Dashers handle fulfillment, and the Marketplace puts you in front of an app audience that drives 37% of consumer restaurant discovery.
If you Are margin-constrained and losing too much per delivery order — choose AI Business Sites — Direct orders through your own site carry no per-order commission — just standard Stripe processing — and the flat $497/month replaces the 15–30% cut.
If you Want to keep repeat customers and their data — choose AI Business Sites — You own the code, content, lead data, and domain, so a customer's second order happens on your channel, not back on DoorDash.
If you Need maximum new-customer discovery fast — choose DoorDash — Plus and Premier unlock DashPass members who order twice as often and spend 2.5× more, plus wider delivery range and, on Premier, a complimentary Sponsored Listing.
If you Need a full web presence — SEO content, CRM, bookings, and phone answering — not just a marketplace listing — choose AI Business Sites — The $497/month includes 14+ SEO pieces monthly, the SEO Growth Engine, CRM, 24/7 chat and voice agents, and an AI Receptionist add-on at $199/mo.
If you Already have your own ordering site but need delivery fulfillment — choose DoorDash — Drive On-Demand adds Dasher delivery to your own channels at a flat per-delivery fee ($9.75 base within 5 miles) with no signup or subscription.
Frequently asked questions
What commission does DoorDash charge restaurants in 2026?
DoorDash charges 15% of the order subtotal on the Basic plan, 25% on Plus, and 30% on Premier for Marketplace delivery orders. Pickup orders carry a 6% commission on all three plans. Commission is charged on the subtotal before tax and tip, and there are no monthly, activation, software, or cancellation fees — you pay only when orders come in. Optional extras include a DoorDash Tablet at $6/week after the trial and paid Promotions or Sponsored Listings.
Does DoorDash have any hidden fees for merchants?
There are no hidden fixed fees — no signup, subscription, or termination charges. The costs that surprise merchants are structural: the 15–30% delivery commission applies to every Marketplace order including repeats, the commission-free Online Ordering channel is only available bundled with a Marketplace plan and still carries a payment processing fee, Drive On-Demand fulfillment costs a flat fee per delivery ($9.75 base within 5 miles via the API), and the tablet rental runs $6/week after the trial. Customer-side delivery, service, and long-distance fees don't reduce your payout but do affect checkout completion.
Is DoorDash's Online Ordering really commission-free?
Yes — orders placed through Online Ordering by DoorDash carry 0% commission on all three plans, but they do carry a payment processing fee. The important catch is availability: Online Ordering is part of the Commerce Platform and is sold only bundled with the commission-based Marketplace, so you can't get the commission-free direct-ordering channel without also joining a plan that charges 15–30% on delivery orders.
How much does DoorDash take on a $30 order?
On a $30 subtotal, commission is $4.50 on Basic (15%), $7.50 on Plus (25%), $9.00 on Premier (30%), and $1.80 on a pickup order (6% on every plan). On Premier, that $9 comes out before food cost, packaging, labor, and any card processing — which is why DoorDash itself suggests running the numbers for your own menu margins, and why many restaurants set different prices for delivery orders.
How does AI Business Sites' pricing compare to DoorDash's?
AI Business Sites charges a $1,497 one-time setup (starting with a $500 deposit, $997 due at launch) plus a flat $497/month — no per-order commission. The monthly includes hosting, 14+ SEO content pieces, the SEO Growth Engine, 24/7 chat and voice agents, CRM, the Jobs & Estimates module, and native online ordering with Stripe payments. Four add-ons are optional: Lead Generation $149/mo, Outreach $229/mo, Social Content $299/mo, and AI Receptionist $199/mo. Unlike DoorDash's variable commission, the cost is fixed regardless of order volume, and you own the entire channel.
Can I use both DoorDash and my own ordering channel?
Yes, and it's the approach many operators land on: DoorDash works as a discovery and acquisition channel — 37% of consumers find restaurants through delivery apps — while repeat and direct orders flow through your own commission-free channel. DoorDash supports the hybrid directly via Online Ordering and Drive On-Demand, though both carry per-order costs (a processing fee and a flat delivery fee respectively). AI Business Sites builds the owned side of that hybrid: a custom website with native ordering, menus, bookings, and Stripe payments that you own outright.
Sources
- 1.DoorDash Merchant Fees & Pricing — used for: pricing, features
- 2.DoorDash Commission Rates & Pricing (US) — used for: pricing
- 3.Commission and Fees on DoorDash, Explained — used for: pricing, features
- 4.DoorDash Drive Pricing & Payment — used for: pricing
- 5.How Much Does DoorDash Charge Restaurants? 2026 Fees Explained — used for: pricing, reviews
- 6.How Much Does DoorDash Actually Charge Restaurants in 2026? — used for: pricing, reviews
- 7.Online Food Delivery Market Growth: 2026 Data & Trends — used for: features
- 8.DoorDash is Updating Fees to Better Match Delivery Effort — used for: pricing
- 9.AI Business Sites — pricing and offer details — used for: pricing, features
Pricing verified as of 2026. Always check the vendor's site.
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