Third-Party Services & Costs
Go4Food has no monthly fee of its own. These are the outside services it uses, what is free and what you pay for as you grow.
Prices change
This page describes how each service charges. Always check the provider's current pricing page before you launch. Links are in each row.
At a glance#
| Service | Required? | Free to start? | How you pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firebase (Blaze plan) | Yes | Yes, a free amount every month | Per use: database reads and writes, storage, function runs, SMS codes |
| Google Maps Platform | No (the OSM Map option uses free OpenStreetMap) | Yes, a free amount per API each month | Per request after the free amount |
| Payment gateways | No (cash on delivery and wallet work without one) | No set-up fee for most | A fee per online payment, charged by the gateway |
| Email (SMTP) | Recommended | Most providers have a free tier | Per email or per plan after the free tier |
| Apple Developer Program | For iPhone apps | No | 99 USD per year |
| Google Play Console | For Android apps | No | 25 USD one-time |
| Domain and web hosting | For the websites | Firebase Hosting has a free tier | Domain per year, hosting per plan |
| AI provider (optional) | No | Depends on the provider | Per use, only if you turn on AI Setting in the admin panel |
Firebase: what drives the bill#
Go4Food runs on one Firebase project on the Blaze (pay-as-you-go) plan. Blaze still includes Firebase's free usage every month, so a new business often pays little or nothing at the start. See the Firebase pricing page for the current free amounts.
| Part | Grows with |
|---|---|
| Firestore database | Customers opening the app and browsing restaurants, menus, order status updates, live driver locations |
| Cloud Storage (pictures) | Restaurant, food and banner pictures loaded by the apps and websites, uploaded documents |
| Cloud Functions | Orders: driver assignment, payment calls, order checks, push notifications and emails run as functions |
| Authentication | Email, Google and Apple sign-in are free. Each phone (SMS) code is charged; the price depends on the country. |
| Cloud Messaging (push) | Free |
| Hosting | Visitors to the admin panel, restaurant panel, customer website and landing page |
Keep costs low
- Set a budget alert in Firebase consoleUsage and billing. Google emails you before costs grow.
- Phone sign-in is usually the biggest item. Customers can also sign in with email, Google or Apple, which cost nothing.
- Upload pictures at a sensible size (about 800 px wide) so the apps download less.
- Use the OSM Map option in Map Settings while you test, if you do not need Google Maps yet.
Google Maps (optional)#
In the admin panel, Map Settings lets you choose Google Map or OSM Map (OpenStreetMap). With Google Map you create a key in Google Cloud and enter it in Google Map Key, and you add the key to the mobile apps when you build them (Google Maps key). Google gives a free number of requests per API every month; maps, address search, geocoding and routes are counted. See the Google Maps Platform pricing page.
Payment gateways#
Go4Food does not take any share of your sales. Each gateway charges its own fee per successful payment. Included gateways:
Open an account with the gateways you want, then switch them on in Commission, fees & payments. Each gateway has a sandbox (test) mode, so you can try payments before you go live. The secret keys are used only by the Cloud Functions, never by the apps.
Email (SMTP)#
Go4Food sends its emails (for example from the editable Email Templates) through any SMTP service you choose: your web host's mailbox, Gmail with an app password, or a sending service. Many have a free tier for low volumes. You enter the details in SMTP Settings and press Send Test Mail. See Notifications & email.
App store accounts#
- Google Play Console: one-time registration (25 USD). You publish the customer, restaurant and driver apps as three separate apps under the same account.
- Apple Developer Program: yearly membership (99 USD). Needed for push notifications on iPhone, Sign in with Apple, TestFlight and the App Store.
Domain and hosting#
The admin panel, restaurant panel, customer website and landing page are static websites. You can host them on Firebase Hosting (free tier to start) or on any web host that serves files over HTTPS. A domain is paid per year at any domain registrar. See Deploy the websites.
AI (optional)#
The admin panel has an AI Setting page where you can enter an API key, choose the model and set a token limit. The restaurant app then shows a Generate button that writes menu item names and descriptions for owners. It is off unless you set it to Active; the provider bills you for what is used.
You can launch in steps
Many owners start with the Android apps and the websites, and add the iPhone apps later. The backend and admin panel are the same either way.