Guides & How-To
How to Tell If a Restaurant Software Platform Is Really Free
To tell whether a restaurant platform really costs nothing, check four things: what the price page says you will pay as you grow, what the terms say about fees and changes, what a real test payment costs you, and how easily you can leave with your menu and data. A platform that is honest about its business model will answer all four plainly; vagueness on any of them is the warning sign.
Step 1 — read the price page for growth, not for today
- Find the limit on the no-cost tier: orders, scans, menu items, staff, locations, languages.
- Note what the next tier costs and what pushes you onto it.
- List the features you need on day one and check each is included, not an add-on.
Step 2 — read the terms
- Is there a fee per order or per payment, and on which payments: online only, or cash too?
- Who sets the card processing fee, and is it higher on the no-cost tier?
- Can the vendor show ads or its branding on your menu and site?
- How much notice does the vendor give before changing its fees?
Step 3 — run a test order
Place a small real order with online payment, then look at the payout: the amount the guest paid, the processor's fee, any platform fee, and what reached your account. A clear breakdown here tells you more than any marketing page.
Step 4 — test the exit
- Export your menu and your guest data, and open the file to see what is actually in it.
- Ask what happens to your printed QR codes and your menu link if you leave.
- Check whether the product has an announced end date.
Warning signs
- A card is required to sign up for something described as costing nothing.
- The fee model is explained only after you sign up.
- Features you rely on are labelled "for a limited time".
- No way to export your own menu.
The business models behind no-cost software: what no-cost restaurant software really means.
Thmenu against these checks
Thmenu is our product, so run the checks on it too. Every feature is open to every restaurant: no paid tier, no monthly fee, and no card asked for at sign-up. Thmenu's revenue is a 1% platform fee on payments guests make to you online through Thmenu; the processor's fee is separate, and cash or your own card terminal carry no Thmenu fee. Hardware and the processor's fees are not covered. There are no ads, but your menu and site show "Powered by Thmenu", and that line cannot be hidden. From the panel you can download your restaurant's data as one JSON file — the items inside each order, photos, allergen tags and theme settings are not in that file yet.
See how Thmenu works.
Sources
- Thmenu — Free Forever (accessed 28 October 2026)