DoorDash vs Grubhub Commission Rates Compared

DoorDash and Grubhub represent two fundamentally different approaches to delivery platform pricing. DoorDash bundles its fees into neat plan tiers — Basic, Plus, and Premier — where a single percentage covers most services. Grubhub, on the other hand, separates its fees into distinct components: a marketplace commission, a delivery commission, and optional marketing premiums. This structural difference makes a direct comparison harder than it appears, and many restaurants end up paying more than expected on one or both platforms because they don’t fully understand how the fees stack up.

With DoorDash commanding roughly two-thirds of the US delivery market and Grubhub holding a smaller but significant share, most restaurants operating on delivery platforms need to understand the economics of both. If you want to check whether DoorDash is charging you the correct rate on every order, our DoorDash reconciliation guide provides the complete per-order verification workflow. This guide breaks down every major cost component, shows real calculations on identical orders, and helps you determine which platform structure works better for your restaurant’s situation.

Side-by-Side Commission Comparison

The following table compares the key commission-related factors between DoorDash and Grubhub. Because Grubhub uses a split fee model, the “total commission” column reflects the combined marketplace and delivery fees for a standard arrangement.

Commission Structure Differences

The most important distinction between DoorDash and Grubhub is not the percentage — it’s how fees are structured and presented.

DoorDash: Bundled Plan Tiers

DoorDash packages its commission, delivery logistics, and baseline marketing into a single percentage tied to a plan tier. The Basic plan at 15% includes limited delivery radius and no DashPass eligibility. The Plus plan at 25% expands reach and includes DashPass. The Premier plan at 30% provides maximum visibility, the largest delivery radius, and full marketing access.

This bundled model is simpler to understand but less flexible. A restaurant cannot pay for delivery logistics without also paying for the associated marketing tier, and vice versa. The plan you choose determines your entire cost structure. For a deeper explanation of how DoorDash’s tier system works, see our guide on how delivery platform commissions work.

Grubhub: Marketplace + Delivery Split

Grubhub separates its fees into two main components. The marketplace commission (typically 10%–15%) covers the platform’s role as an order aggregator: app presence, customer payments, and customer support. The delivery commission (an additional 10%–15%) covers delivery logistics when Grubhub dispatches the driver. Restaurants handling their own delivery pay only the marketplace portion.

On top of these base fees, Grubhub offers a marketing premium system. Restaurants can opt into higher visibility tiers by paying an additional percentage — effectively increasing their total commission in exchange for better search placement, featured collection inclusion, and promotional participation. This marketing premium can add 5% or more to the total commission, pushing the effective rate above 30% for restaurants that aggressively pursue visibility.

This split model offers more control but also more complexity. Restaurants can optimize each component independently, but tracking the total effective cost requires adding up multiple line items on each payout statement. For tips on how to track all of these, see our guide on hidden delivery fees restaurants miss.

Which Platform Costs More?

The answer depends on how aggressively each restaurant pursues visibility and marketing on each platform.

At the base level, a restaurant on DoorDash Plus (25%) pays a comparable total rate to a Grubhub restaurant paying 12% marketplace + 12% delivery (24% total). However, the DoorDash Plus plan includes DashPass eligibility and standard marketing features, while the Grubhub restaurant at 24% has minimal marketing visibility and may need to add a marketing premium to compete for customer attention.

When marketing premiums are factored in, Grubhub’s total cost can exceed DoorDash’s Premier tier. A restaurant paying 12% marketplace + 12% delivery + 8% marketing premium on Grubhub is at 32% effective rate — higher than DoorDash’s 30% Premier plan.

However, Grubhub’s market share is significantly smaller than DoorDash’s. A restaurant may process 500 orders per month on DoorDash but only 150 on Grubhub, meaning the total dollar cost on DoorDash is much higher even if the per-order rate is lower. Platform economics must be evaluated in terms of total monthly cost, not just per-order percentage.

Real Cost Comparison: $35 Order

In this example, the Grubhub order costs $1.13 more than the DoorDash order due to the marketing premium and slightly higher payment processing fee. Without the marketing premium, Grubhub’s deductions would be $9.36, making it cheaper than DoorDash. The marketing premium is optional — but skipping it reduces visibility significantly on Grubhub’s platform.

Hidden Cost Differences

Beyond the published commission rates, DoorDash and Grubhub handle several costs differently. These differences are often invisible until you audit your statements closely.

Promotional cost allocation. DoorDash frequently runs platform-wide promotions where the company absorbs most or all of the discount cost. Grubhub more often structures promotions as cost-sharing arrangements where the restaurant funds a percentage of the discount. This means a “$5 off” promotion on Grubhub may cost the restaurant $2.50–$5.00 per order, while the same promotion on DoorDash might cost nothing.

Refund policies. Both platforms deduct refund costs from restaurant payouts, but the criteria for when the restaurant bears the cost versus the platform varies. DoorDash is somewhat more transparent about refund responsibility, with clearer categories for when errors are attributed to the restaurant versus the driver versus the platform. Grubhub’s refund deductions can be less clearly documented on statements.

Technology and tablet fees. DoorDash charges a monthly tablet fee of $6–$10. Grubhub has historically charged similar tablet fees, though the exact amount varies by market and contract terms. Both platforms have moved toward app-based order management that reduces hardware costs.

Cancellation charges. When an order is cancelled after preparation begins, the financial impact differs. DoorDash generally compensates restaurants for a portion of the food cost on qualifying cancellations. Grubhub’s cancellation policies are less standardized, and the compensation amount may vary based on the cancellation reason and timing.

When to Choose Each Platform

The decision between DoorDash and Grubhub should be driven by your restaurant’s market, operational model, and financial priorities.

Choose DoorDash when:

• Your primary goal is maximizing order volume — DoorDash’s ~67% market share typically translates to significantly more orders.
• You prefer a predictable, bundled fee structure without multiple components to track.
• DashPass subscriber density is high in your market, driving repeat orders from active customers.
• You want access to DoorDash’s larger driver network for faster, more reliable deliveries.

Choose Grubhub when:

• You want more granular control over which services you pay for — marketplace access, delivery logistics, and marketing can each be managed independently.
• You handle your own delivery and want to pay only the marketplace commission (10%–15%).
• Your restaurant is in a market where Grubhub has strong local presence, particularly in urban Northeast markets where the platform historically performs well.
• You prefer to manage marketing spend as a variable cost rather than a fixed plan tier.

Use both platforms when:

• You want to capture demand from customers loyal to each platform — some diners exclusively use Grubhub while others use only DoorDash.
• You can operationally manage orders from multiple sources without quality degradation.
• Your margins support the commission costs on both platforms and the incremental volume is profitable.

Regardless of which platform you choose, verifying that your actual charges match your agreements is critical. For DoorDash, our comprehensive reconciliation guide shows you how to match every payout to your POS and bank data. For a broader multi-platform approach, see our guide on how to audit delivery platform fees.