Compare · Home food and taking orders
SME AI Office vs Instagram
Instagram is where many Singapore home food sellers find customers and take orders by DM; SME AI Office is the free order link that goes in the bio.
Prices checked 30 September 2026
The short answer
Choose Instagram DMs on their own if you sell a few bakes a week and enjoy confirming each order in chat. Instagram is where your customers already see your photos, and it costs nothing to post or reply.
Choose SME AI Office if DMs are getting hard to track. Put one order link in your bio: customers pick a day, pay by PayNow QR, and you get tomorrow's prep list. Instagram is free and so is SME AI Office, with a small 0.5% fee only on card and automatic PayNow payments.
Side by side
| SME AI Office | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free. A small 0.5% platform fee, only on card and automatic PayNow paymentsYour own PayNow QR and cash: no fee | Free; Instagram is paid for by ads |
| Free plan | Yes, for good. No monthly fee, no card, no cap on orders | Yes, no fee to use Instagram |
| Finding customers | None brought to you. You post on Instagram and share your link | Your posts, Reels and Stories reach followers and new people |
| How an order arrives | Order page: items, choices, pickup point or delivery day, then payment | Customers send a DM; you confirm each detail in the chat |
| Payment | PayNow QR with the amount and order number; customer taps I have paid | You send your PayNow details in the chat and check each payment |
| Link in bio | One order link for your bio: smeaio.com/s/your-name | Your profile can link to a website or order page |
| Keeping track | Orders by collection day and tomorrow's prep list | Orders live in your DM threads |
Which one fits
SME AI Office fits when
- Your DMs are full and orders slip through.
- You want sold-out days to close themselves with a daily limit per item.
- You want every order in your accounting for tax time.
Instagram fits when
- Instagram is where customers find you: keep posting there either way.
- You sell a few items a week and like chatting with each customer.
- Your orders are one-off custom cakes that need a conversation first.
Free. A small 0.5% platform fee, only on card and automatic PayNow payments.
Questions
Is SME AI Office cheaper than Instagram in Singapore?
Both are free. Instagram costs nothing to use, and SME AI Office has no monthly fee and no cap on orders. Orders paid by your own PayNow QR or in cash cost nothing; card and automatic PayNow payments carry a small 0.5% platform fee.
Do I have to stop selling on Instagram to use SME AI Office?
No. Keep Instagram for your photos and your followers. Put your SME AI Office order link in your bio, and customers order and pay there instead of by DM. You can still chat with them on Instagram or tap WhatsApp from any order.
How do customers pay when they order from my Instagram link?
They pick their items and a pickup point and time or a delivery day, then scan a PayNow QR with the amount and order number already filled in, and tap I have paid. The money goes straight to your bank. You can also take cards through your own Stripe account.
What is an easier way to take home food orders than Instagram DMs in Singapore?
SME AI Office's Free plan gives you one order link for your Instagram bio, with pickup times or delivery days, a PayNow QR, a daily limit per item and seasonal pre-orders that open and close on dates. Orders land on one page, sorted by collection day, with tomorrow's prep list.
Can I move my Instagram menu to SME AI Office?
Yes. Send us your Instagram profile link or your menu with prices, and we set up your items, photos and order page for you, free. Then put the order link in your bio. WhatsApp us on +65 9613 7676 and we help you move it over.
Instagram facts are from Instagram Terms of Use, Instagram Help: add a website to your profile, checked on 30 September 2026. Prices are as shown there. Instagram is a trademark of Meta Platforms, Inc.. SME AI Office is not connected with Instagram.