SpotOn Order is a commission-free online ordering tool built into SpotOn's restaurant POS, and the commission-free claim is genuine. What the headline doesn't mention is a per-employee monthly charge and a flat minimum that applies regardless of how many employees are on staff, both of which change the real math significantly once a restaurant has more than a handful of people on the schedule.
What SpotOn Actually Offers
SpotOn Order integrates directly with SpotOn's POS, routing online orders to the kitchen the same way an in-person order would, with no separate commission charged on the order itself.
- Counter-service plan at $99/mo, Full-service at $135/mo
- An additional $3 per employee per month on both paid plans
- A $75 a month minimum charge regardless of employee count
- Card processing at 1.99% plus 25 cents for most cards
- Hardware terminals priced separately, from roughly $200 to $1,350
What SpotOn Actually Costs
The commission-free claim on online orders is accurate, but a restaurant with more than a handful of employees will see that per-employee charge push the real monthly total well past the base software price alone.
Hardware costs also sit outside the recurring monthly figure entirely, so a restaurant replacing terminals as part of a SpotOn switch needs to budget for that separately, on top of whatever the ongoing software and per-employee charges add up to.
| Cost Line | Rate or Price |
|---|---|
| Counter-service software | $99/mo |
| Full-service software | $135/mo |
| Per-employee charge | $3/employee/mo |
| Monthly minimum | $75/mo |
| Card processing | 1.99% + 25 cents per transaction |
A Worked Example
A full-service restaurant with 15 employees on SpotOn's Full-service plan pays $135 a month in base software, plus $45 a month in per-employee charges (15 x $3), for a total of $180 a month before any hardware or processing fees. A smaller counter-service operation with 5 employees pays $99 plus $15, or $114 a month, still above the $75 minimum on its own.
AUANI's Free tier, by contrast, costs the same $0 a month regardless of whether a restaurant has 3 employees or 30, since nothing on any AUANI tier scales with headcount.
That difference compounds over a year of normal staff turnover, since a restaurant that grows its headcount on SpotOn sees its software bill rise automatically with every new hire, while an AUANI account's monthly cost stays exactly where it started regardless of how the staff roster changes.
What AUANI Offers Instead
AUANI starts at $0 a month with no setup fee, no per-employee charge, and no monthly minimum. The Free tier carries a 10% marketplace fee and includes pickup, dine-in, real courier delivery, loyalty, and POS sync.
The Monthly plan is $300 a month flat, regardless of staff size, drops the marketplace fee to 5%, and adds a fully hosted website with a 0% direct ordering widget.
Side by Side
| Feature | SpotOn | AUANI |
|---|---|---|
| Commission on online orders | None | 10% Free, 5% Monthly, 3% at 2+ locations |
| Base software cost | $99 to $135/mo | $0/mo Free, $300/mo Monthly |
| Per-employee charge | $3/employee/mo | None |
| Monthly minimum regardless of size | $75/mo | None on Free tier |
| Requires new POS hardware | Yes, typically | No, syncs with existing POS |
An Honest Case for Choosing SpotOn Anyway
A restaurant already replacing its POS hardware and wanting online ordering built into the same system, without per-order commission, has a real reason to consider SpotOn, particularly with a smaller staff where the per-employee charge stays modest.
Best For
SpotOn suits a smaller-staffed restaurant ready for new POS hardware and comfortable with a flat monthly minimum. AUANI suits a restaurant that wants to test online ordering for free, with no minimum and no per-employee charge, regardless of staff size.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does SpotOn charge a commission on online orders?
No, SpotOn Order is commission-free on the order itself, though standard payment processing still applies.
Is there a minimum monthly charge on SpotOn?
Yes, a $75 a month minimum applies to both paid plans regardless of employee count.
Does AUANI charge a per-employee fee like SpotOn does?
No, AUANI does not charge based on staff size on any tier, so a larger staff never increases the monthly software cost.
Does AUANI require new POS hardware like SpotOn does?
No, AUANI syncs with an existing POS rather than requiring a hardware replacement.
How much would a 15-employee restaurant pay on SpotOn's Full-service plan?
$135 in base software plus $45 in per-employee charges, for $180 a month total before hardware or processing fees, compared to $0 on AUANI's Free tier.
Where can I compare every platform in this series at once?
The master fee comparison table and the Restaurant & Bar online ordering guide both cover this.
For the full picture against every platform in this series, see the master fee comparison table. For the full picture beyond fees, see the Restaurant & Bar online ordering guide.