A $299 licence is a real advantage over a $299-per-month platform. It is not the whole cost of launching. The software is the cheapest part of the first month; the integrations, app stores, support and order operations are where budgets drift.
None of these costs are secret. They are simply spread across different vendors, so nobody puts them on one page. Here is the list to price before you commit.
| Cost line | Typical range | When it hits |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting / VPS | $10–$60 per month | Before launch |
| Domain + SSL | $10–$30 per year | Before launch |
| Payment gateway | 1.5–3.5% + fixed fee per transaction | Every order |
| SMS / OTP | $0.005–$0.05 per message | Every login and order update |
| Maps / routing | Free tier, then usage-based | When rider volume grows |
| Google Play account | $25 one-time | App publishing |
| Apple Developer account | $99 per year | iOS publishing |
| Installation / branding | $0–$2,000+ | Before launch |
| Support renewal | Vendor-specific | After the included window |
| Refunds / chargebacks | 1–3% of order value | From month one |
| Rider cash float | 1–3 days of COD volume | From month one |
| Marketing | 10–30% of early revenue | Launch and growth |
Ranges are planning estimates, not quotes. Fees vary by country, provider, volume and contract. Check current pricing with each vendor.
The vendor add-ons people miss
Source-code products often sell apps, websites, modules and installation separately. The entry licence may include the core, while the restaurant app, rider app, vendor website or a specific payment module is an add-on. Ask for the itemised package before comparing prices.
Also ask what the included support covers. “30 days of bug fixes” is not the same as “30 days of installation help, custom changes and app-store support”. Confirm the boundary in writing.
Transaction costs scale with orders
A one-time licence does not remove payment fees. At 1,000 orders a month and a $25 average basket, a 2.5% gateway fee is $625 a month, or $7,500 a year. That is larger than the licence. If you add a wallet, a buy-now-pay-later provider or a local gateway, each has its own fee and settlement cycle.
Model the payment mix, not just the headline rate. Cash on delivery has no gateway fee but carries float, reconciliation and fraud risk. The cheapest gateway is not always the cheapest operation.
App-store and device costs
Google Play charges a one-time developer fee; Apple charges an annual fee. You may also need a Mac or a cloud build service for iOS, plus signing certificates and a test device. If the vendor publishes the apps for you, that is a service to price.
Plan for review delays. A rejected build can push launch by a week, and a rushed resubmission can push it by two. The cost is not the fee; it is the idle rider and marketing spend while the app is unavailable.
Operations costs that arrive after launch
Refunds, failed deliveries, rider no-shows and restaurant cancellations are normal. Budget 1–3% of order value for refunds and goodwill in the first months. Budget a cash float if you accept cash on delivery. Budget support staff during meal peaks, even if it is one person on WhatsApp.
These are not software costs, but they are launch costs. A buyer who budgets only the licence and hosting will run out of working capital before the platform finds product-market fit.
How to build the budget
- Price the licence and every app/module you need.
- Add installation, branding and app publishing.
- Model payment, SMS and map costs at your expected order volume.
- Add three months of hosting and support.
- Add a refund and COD float reserve.
- Add launch marketing as a separate line.
See the three-year TCO model, the country startup costs, or the $299 licence.
If you are rebranding for a client, the white-label guide lists the handover and licence costs.