The Salad vs its rivals

Side-by-side comparison against The Salad's closest competitors: identity, store metrics, ratings & sentiment, and strategic intel.

The Salad
This App
Koji Express
Contender
Core Identity
DeveloperiThinkersUber Technologies, Inc.Koji Express Japanese Grill Inc.Caviar, Inc.ChowNowRed LobsterBerhane Asbu AsmelashCameron McconnellChristopher RomaniFlorencia Martigani
CategoryFood & DrinkFood & DrinkFood & DrinkFood & DrinkFood & DrinkFood & DrinkFood & DrinkFood & DrinkFood & DrinkFood & Drink
PlatformiOS, AndroidiOSiOS, AndroidiOS, AndroidAndroid, iOSiOS, AndroidiOS, AndroidiOSiOSiOS
Store Metrics
Rating0.0 / 54.8 / 54.9 / 54.8 / 54.7 / 54.9 / 55.0 / 55.0 / 55.0 / 51.0 / 5
Ratings Count010,546,72732170,84825,163123,8051111
PriceFreeFreeFreeFreeFreeFreeFreeFree$0.99Free
Release DateJan 16, 2023Mar 1, 2016Mar 3, 2025Dec 4, 2014Jun 13, 2017Jul 11, 2016Mar 5, 2026Mar 26, 2026Jan 2, 2026Nov 29, 2023
Last UpdatedOct 3, 2025Jul 13, 2026Dec 4, 2025Jul 13, 2026Mar 24, 2026Mar 12, 2026Mar 6, 2026May 4, 2026Jan 2, 2026Nov 29, 2023
Sentiment & Reviews
Sentiment---positivepositivenegative----
Score---85/10085/10035/100----
Praises---
  • Exclusive restaurant selection
  • Fair commission structure
  • High quality food and consistent service standards at specific restaurant locations
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Complaints---
  • High delivery fees
  • Inconsistent delivery tracking
  • Broken authentication flows prevent users from accessing accounts and earned loyalty points
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Requests-----
  • Direct in-app payment integration to eliminate reliance on physical credit cards
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Strategic Intel
Strengths
  • Direct-to-consumer channel bypasses marketplace commission fees
  • Focused, niche-market branding resonates with local Kyiv customers
  • Global driver network sustains delivery velocity across hundreds of cities
  • Multi-category marketplace integrates grocery and pharmacy, increasing wallet share per user
  • Granular meal customization enables specific dietary preferences
  • Direct-to-consumer channel avoids third-party marketplace commission fees
  • Curated restaurant partnerships function as a barrier to entry for mass-market aggregators
  • DashPass integration provides a recurring revenue mechanism for high-frequency users
  • Fair commission structure functions as a B2B distribution barrier into independent restaurant partnerships
  • 24/7 human support creates a trust-based retention loop
  • Physical restaurant service standards drive high-quality sentiment
  • Loyalty program provides a clear, point-based retention mechanism
  • Digital loyalty system incentivizes repeat in-shop visits
  • Direct customer relationship fosters brand intimacy
  • Offline-first architecture enables use in commercial kitchen environments
  • USDA-verified density database creates a technical switching cost
  • One-time purchase model avoids subscription-fatigue churn
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Weaknesses
  • No loyalty or rewards system to drive repeat usage
  • Lack of real-time order tracking infrastructure
  • Automated support systems trigger high-frequency refund complaints
  • Premium subscription pricing creates a barrier for price-sensitive casual users
  • 0.2★ rating gap between iOS and Android platforms
  • No website or social media presence for digital discovery
  • Delivery fees are a primary frustration theme in user reviews
  • Limited geographic availability compared to mass-market rivals
  • Inconsistent delivery tracking relative to logistics-heavy rivals
  • Limited restaurant availability compared to major aggregators
  • Authentication loops block account access
  • External website reliance creates disjointed ordering
  • Manual in-shop credit settlement creates user friction
  • Lack of mobile ordering or payment integration
  • Single-platform availability limits reach
  • Lack of cloud-sync prevents cross-device recipe management
  • Free-to-paid conversion lacks clear trial-to-purchase funnel
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Pricingfreefreemiumfreefreemiumfreefreefreepaidpaidfree
MomentumMaintenanceIntenseMaintenanceIntense-ActiveMaintenanceIntense--
Update Cadence5 versions, ~177d avg5 versions, ~6d avg2 versions, ~151d avg5 versions, ~4d avg-5 versions2 versions, ~5d avg5 versions--

Compare The Salad head-to-head

Disclosure: Independent intel to help mobile builders succeed.

AI-powered analysis with editorial review, built from publicly available sources. Marlvel.ai is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by The Salad, its developer, the app publisher, Apple, or Google Play. All trademarks, logos, and screenshots referenced remain the property of their respective owners.

Data licensed under CC-BY-NC 4.0