GrownBy vs. Barn2Door
Compare GrownBy and Barn2Door. GrownBy has no setup fee, starts at $0/month, offers free SNAP Online, and is farmer-owned. Barn2Door is $119 plus $399 setup.
Updated October 2026
The short answer: GrownBy is less expensive than Barn2Door for most farms, especially in the first year. GrownBy has no setup fee, starts at $0/month, and lets customers cover its 2% co-op fee. Barn2Door starts at $119/month billed annually plus a one-time $399–$599 setup fee. Both are built for farms and both handle CSA subscriptions and sell-by-weight products. GrownBy is owned by the farmers who use it. Barn2Door is a venture-backed company.
At a glance
Feature | GrownBy | Barn2Door |
|---|---|---|
Ownership | Farmer-owned cooperative (farmer-sellers own 90%) | Venture-backed private company |
Starting price | $0/month | $119/month billed annually (Entrepreneur) |
Setup fee | None | $399 (Entrepreneur), $499 (Business), $599 (Scale) |
CSA subscriptions | $50/month ($540/year) | Included from Entrepreneur |
Customizable CSA boxes | $85/month ($918/year) | Not listed as a feature |
Card processing | 2.75% + $0.20 with Fortis ($6/month) or 2.9% + $0.30 with Stripe | 2.9% + $0.30, fixed on every plan |
Platform fee on sales | 2% co-op fee, which customers can cover | None |
SNAP Online | Yes, free (first farm platform approved by the USDA) | Not listed on Barn2Door's pricing page |
In-person sales | GrownBy Register app with SNAP/EBT, no co-op fee | Barn2Door POS, $59 device (reimbursed after $1,000 in sales) |
Website | Online store with shareable links; the GrownBy app and map help shoppers find you | Free custom website included |
Shopper marketplace | Yes | Not listed |
Member discount and ownership | 10% off paid plans, voting, and equity | Not applicable |
What it actually costs in year one
Here's the full first-year cost for a CSA farm with $50 average orders on GrownBy CSA and Barn2Door Entrepreneur. Every total below includes the plan fee, the setup fee, card processing, and any platform fee, so you can compare what actually leaves your bank account.
Annual online sales | GrownBy, customers cover the co-op fee | GrownBy, 60% of customers cover it | GrownBy, farm pays it all | Barn2Door Entrepreneur, year one |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Plan and setup fees (included in every total) | $540 CSA plan + $72 Fortis, no setup fee | $540 CSA plan + $72 Fortis, no setup fee | $540 CSA plan + $72 Fortis, no setup fee | $1,428 plan + $399 setup fee |
$25,000 | $1,400 | $1,600 | $1,900 | $2,702 |
$50,000 | $2,187 | $2,587 | $3,187 | $3,577 |
$100,000 | $3,762 | $4,562 | $5,762 | $5,327 |
$150,000 | $5,337 | $6,537 | $8,337 | $7,077 |
In 2024, 60% of GrownBy customers chose to cover 100% of fees. At that rate, GrownBy stays less expensive than Barn2Door up to about $180,000 in annual online sales, even after Barn2Door's first-year setup fee is behind you. If your customers cover the co-op fee, GrownBy is less expensive at every sales level. Selling without a CSA? The GrownBy Free plan has no monthly fee at all.
Assumptions: $50 average order, all payments by card, regular (non-member) GrownBy pricing with Fortis payments (including the $6/month Fortis fee), Barn2Door Entrepreneur billed annually, and published card rates for each platform as of October 2026.
Where GrownBy stands out
No setup fee and a $0 plan. Start selling without paying hundreds of dollars before your first order.
You own it. GrownBy is run by Farm Generations Cooperative. Farmers control the board, and member-owners build equity that pays out as cash dividends once the co-op is profitable.
Free SNAP Online. Reach SNAP shoppers online, including for CSA shares, at no cost to your farm.
Customizable CSA boxes. Members state preferences or pick their share, and GrownBy matches them to your harvest with individual packing sheets and labels.
Customers can cover fees. Farms can offer the co-op fee as an optional or required contribution at checkout.
A built-in audience. Shoppers use one GrownBy account to buy from any farm, and they find new farms through the app and its map.
Where Barn2Door may fit better
You want a done-for-you website. Barn2Door includes a custom farm website and domain transfer.
You want hands-on coaching. Higher Barn2Door tiers include one-on-one onboarding and account managers, and Barn2Door's setup fee pays for that support.
Delivery-as-a-service. Barn2Door's Scale plan includes a delivery service partnership.
Frequently asked questions
Does GrownBy have a setup fee?
No. GrownBy has no setup fee on any plan. Barn2Door charges a one-time setup fee of $399–$599.
Is GrownBy cheaper than Barn2Door?
For most farms, yes. A CSA farm selling $50,000 a year online spends about $2,200–$3,200 on GrownBy compared with about $3,600 in year one on Barn2Door Entrepreneur.
Can I sell meat by weight on GrownBy?
Yes. GrownBy supports variable weights, order editing, butcher fees, and hanging-weight adjustments for quarter, half, and whole animals.
Can I switch from Barn2Door to GrownBy?
Yes. Book a demo and our team will help you move your products and customers.
Barn2Door pricing is from barn2door.com as of October 1, 2026. Prices change, so check their site before you decide. See something out of date? Let us know.