The cost of a QR menu is not just the subscription on the price tag: subscription, order commission, setup, QR printing and stands, hardware if you need it, and exit costs together make up the total cost. For a fair comparison you need to add these items up over a two-year window; this article shows how to do the calculation step by step.
If you are looking for the current list prices of the services: the official price, billing unit and VAT status of 18 services are in one table on the QR menu prices comparison page. This article covers what to add on top of those numbers, that is, the real cost.
Why is the QR menu cost higher than the sticker price?
Putting two services' annual prices side by side is easy but misleading. One may be quoted excluding VAT and the other including it; one is billed monthly and the other yearly; one only shows a menu while the other also takes orders. On top of that come items that never appear on the price tag. Calculating the total cost means bringing these differences to the same footing.
Cost items: what should you count?
1. Subscription
This is the main item; it can be monthly, yearly or module-based. Multiply the monthly price by 12 and compare it with the annual one. Ask in writing whether a first-year promotional price also applies in the second year; in a two-year calculation a renewal increase can change the total noticeably.
2. Order commission
A system that only shows a menu has no commission. If you take orders through QR, some models cut a percentage from every order. A low subscription combined with a per-order percentage looks cheap at first glance, but can become the most expensive model as order volume grows. You will see this in numbers in the example calculation below.
3. Setup and menu entry
Entering your menu into the system, photo shoots or design are paid services at some providers and included in the package at others. Ask the price of "we will enter your menu for you" up front.
4. QR printing, stands and replacement
You need one QR code per table, on a stand or a sticker. Multiply the number of tables by the unit cost; also include worn-out and lost pieces with a replacement allowance (the example below assumes 40 percent; this rate is an assumption, so adjust it to the wear in your own venue). An important detail: if the printed QR codes point to the service's own domain, all of them go to waste when you switch services. The risk is smaller with a system that works through your own domain or offers a link that does not change.
5. Hardware
If you only show a menu, the customer's own phone is enough and the hardware cost is zero. If you take orders and send them to the kitchen, you may need a tablet, a kitchen screen or a thermal printer. Put this item in your setup budget rather than in the service price, and spread hardware bought once over two years.
6. Custom domain
Having your menu open on your own domain (for example menu.yourvenue.com) is valuable both for branding and for portability. At some services it is free, at others tied to a higher plan or charged extra. Do not forget the yearly domain renewal fee either.
7. Multiple languages and branches
If you serve tourists, multiple languages matter; if you have several branches, per-branch fees gain weight. Multiply your two-year growth plan (new branch, new language) by the price; "per branch" or "per language" pricing quietly raises the total as you grow.
8. Integrations and limits
Connections to POS, cashier or accounting systems may be sold as separate modules. If there is a quota on products, categories, images or monthly scans, you may have to move to a higher plan when your menu grows. Find out what the limit is and what happens when you exceed it.
9. Exit cost
This is the least talked-about item. If you cannot export your data and your printed codes are tied to the service, leaving costs you new prints and the effort of re-entering the menu from scratch. The first questions in the guide on how to choose a QR menu app are there precisely to measure this.
How is the two-year total cost calculated? A step-by-step example
All the numbers below are hypothetical; none is any service's real price, they only show the logic of the calculation. Put in the numbers for your own venue and the quotes you receive.
Assumptions: a restaurant with 25 tables, a QR stand unit cost of 150 TL, 40 percent of the stands replaced over two years, an average QR check of 400 TL, 20 QR orders per day, a 30-day month.
- Printing and stands: 25 × 150 = 3,750 TL initial setup; replacement 10 pieces × 150 = 1,500 TL. Total 5,250 TL. This item is the same in all three scenarios.
- Scenario A, annual subscription: assume 10,000 TL per year. Two years = 20,000 TL. No commission. Total: 20,000 + 5,250 = 25,250 TL.
- Scenario B, monthly subscription: assume 1,200 TL per month and a 2,000 TL setup fee. 24 × 1,200 = 28,800 TL. Total: 28,800 + 2,000 + 5,250 = 36,050 TL.
- Scenario C, low subscription plus commission: 300 TL per month and 2 percent per order. Subscription 24 × 300 = 7,200 TL. Commission: 20 orders per day × 400 TL × 2 percent = 160 TL; 4,800 TL per month; 115,200 TL over 24 months. Total: 7,200 + 115,200 + 5,250 = 127,650 TL.
| Scenario | Subscription and setup | Commission | Printing and stands | Two-year total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A: annual | 20,000 TL | 0 | 5,250 TL | 25,250 TL |
| B: monthly | 30,800 TL | 0 | 5,250 TL | 36,050 TL |
| C: commission-based | 7,200 TL | 115,200 TL | 5,250 TL | 127,650 TL |
Scenario C, which has the lowest sticker price, is roughly five times more expensive in total. By the same logic, if your order volume is very low, a commission-based model can genuinely come out cheap; what matters is multiplying it by your own order count and seeing the result. Formula: total cost = (subscription × duration) + setup + (commission rate × monthly QR revenue × duration) + printing and stands + hardware + domain.
Comparison with a printed menu
The other half of the calculation is comparing against the expense the QR menu replaces. Hypothetical example: 40 printed menus × 120 TL = 4,800 TL; if they are reprinted twice a year as prices or products change, that is four prints in two years, or 19,200 TL. With this assumption the net cost of Scenario A is 25,250 − 19,200 = 6,050 TL. The real saving varies widely with your number of menus, how often they change and your price-update habits. For a detailed comparison see the QR menu vs printed menu comparison. For the legal framework, the guide on whether a QR menu is mandatory, which covers the rules on price lists and QR, will help.
The real cost of a free QR menu
A free plan does not mean you will pay nothing; the cost shows up elsewhere:
- Quota: a limit on products, categories, images or scans. When the menu grows, moving to a paid plan becomes necessary.
- Missing features: a custom domain, multiple languages, analytics or order taking are often in the paid tier.
- Branding and ads: the service's logo or an ad slot may appear on your menu.
- Continuity risk: if a free service with an unclear revenue model shuts down, your prints and menu data go with it.
- Effort: constantly fixing the menu by hand with limited tools means paying the price in hours.
A time-limited trial and an unlimited free plan are different things; find out what happens when the trial ends. Trying a menu without paying anything makes sense, but weigh the five items above before choosing it as the permanent solution.
Questions to ask before signing
- Is the price excluding or including VAT? Is the billing unit monthly or yearly?
- What will the second-year price be? Is there a written cap on increases?
- If I take orders, is there a commission? If so, what is the rate and the base it is calculated on?
- Are setup, menu entry and photo services paid?
- Are there limits on products, categories, images, tables, branches and languages? What happens if I exceed them?
- Which plan includes the custom domain? Who pays the renewal fee?
- Can I export my data? If I leave, will my QR codes keep working?
- What are the cancellation and refund terms? Is there a refund?
How to read cost at Genu
At Genu, no commission is taken on QR orders; the trial lasts 30 days and does not ask for a credit card. You can try your menu with your own data and you do not run into limits on the number of products, tables or orders. For the current plan prices and scope see the pricing page; for those switching from another system there is the Switch Bonus campaign.
Evaluate Genu within the same framework: ask the eight questions above for every candidate, including us, and fill in the two-year table. To see individual services' prices, take another look at the page that gathers the current official prices of 18 services in one table.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a QR menu cost?
There is no single number; solutions that only show a menu, that also take orders, and that are tied to a POS system are priced differently. The right approach is to add commission, setup, printing, hardware and exit cost to the subscription and calculate the two-year total. For current list prices, see the table on the comparison page.
Is a monthly or yearly QR menu fee more advantageous?
Monthly payment gives a low entry threshold and flexibility; yearly payment usually comes out cheaper in total. Multiply the monthly amount by 12, compare it with the annual one and ask about the renewal price.
Is digital menu cost only the software fee?
No. QR printing and stands, a tablet or printer if needed, a domain, setup services and branch or language add-ons come on top of the software fee. If you only show a menu, the hardware cost is usually zero.
When does a commission-based QR menu make sense?
Only if your QR order volume is very low. As the number of orders grows, commission can become far more expensive than a fixed subscription; multiply it by your own order count as in the example above.
Is it safe to use a free QR menu?
It is fine for trying things out if you accept the quota, missing features and continuity risk. For a permanent solution, make sure you can export your data and that your printed codes can work independently of the service.
Is a QR menu cheaper than a printed menu?
Generally yes if you update your menu often and use many printed copies; but the saving varies by venue. Compare the two-year total with your own printing cost.