In short
- Check the rule first: custom-exempt beef is sold as a share of a live animal, and packaged cuts need an inspected plant.
- Billing by weight (an estimate first, the final charge after the weights come in) is built into Barn2Door, Local Line, GrazeCart and TallyTill.
- Cut sheets and processing dates are the weak spot; only TallyTill describes both.
The rule that shapes the software
How you may sell depends on where the animal is processed. Oregon State University Extension's guide to custom-exempt processing sets out the common rules:
- Custom-exempt meat is not for sale. What you sell is a share of the live animal, and every share is sold before slaughter.
- The price is on the live animal, by live weight or per head. The buyer pays the processor directly for slaughter and cutting.
- The processor needs each owner's name before slaughter, and each buyer gives their own cutting instructions.
- Retail cuts need an inspected plant, USDA or state, before they are sold by the package or shipped.
Many ranches price shares on hanging weight, and much of the software below assumes it. The Oregon State guide reads that as outside the custom-exempt rules, and states differ, so check with your state department of agriculture before you set your price. Our guide Beef by the half and quarter walks through the steps from deposit to pickup.
What buyers take home
Buyers ask why their freezer holds less than the weight on the bill. University of Missouri Extension puts beef at about 62% of live weight on the rail and about 35% as meat taken home. University of Wisconsin Extension works one through: a 1,200 lb steer gives about 744 lb hanging and about 481 lb of cut, wrapped beef. Put the numbers on your order page and the calls stop.
The seven, side by side
| Product | Price as listed | Billing by weight | Deposits | Cut sheets | Pickup and delivery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barn2Door | $99 to $299 a month billed yearly; setup $399 to $599; cards 2.9% plus 30¢ and a merchant support fee | Yes, every plan | Sold as deposit items by farms using it | Not mentioned | Pick lists; routing on Business and up |
| Local Line | $109 to $399 a month; cards 2.5% to 2.9% plus 30¢ | Yes: authorized at the estimate, charged after the weight | Suggested in its own guide | Not mentioned | Pickup and delivery scheduling; route export |
| GrazeCart | Starter $89 a month, billed yearly; higher plans on request | Yes: authorized, then charged the actual weight | Not on its own pages | Not mentioned | Pickup schedules; delivery zones |
| TallyTill | Free plan; $15 or $35 per device a month; small fee per card sale | Yes, per pound after weigh-in | Instalments or pay in full | Buyer notes and a list for the processor | Pickup sheet showing who owes |
| Shopify | $29 to $359 a month billed yearly; cards 2.5% to 2.9% plus 30¢ | Needs an app | Through apps | Not mentioned | Not on its pricing page |
| Square Online | Free, $49 or $149 a month per location; online cards 2.9% to 3.3% plus 30¢ | Not mentioned | On paid plans | Not mentioned | Pickup and local delivery |
| MeatSuite | Free listing (New York and North Carolina) | Directory, no checkout | No | Sample cut sheets | No |
Harvie, once a common choice for farm shares, closed at the end of 2024 according to Local Line.
Notes on each
Barn2Door
A done-for-you store with coaching and selling by weight on every plan. There is a setup fee, and on top of card processing its seller FAQ lists a merchant support fee of 1% to 3% depending on annual sales.
Local Line
Retail, wholesale and shares from one inventory, with selling by weight: the card is authorized at the estimate and charged after you approve the weight. Its own guide suggests listing a share with a deposit price.
GrazeCart
Aimed at meat farms, with catch-weight selling online and at the farm store. Only the entry plan's price is published.
TallyTill
The most share-specific here: lots tied to a harvest date with portions left, cut-sheet notes from each buyer, a list for the processor and a pickup sheet showing who still owes. There is a free plan.
Shopify
A general store. Deposits and weight-based final charges need apps from its app store, which add cost and setup.
Square Online
Simple if you already use Square at the market: deposits on the paid plans, pickup and local delivery. Billing by weight is not mentioned.
MeatSuite
Not a store: a free directory run with Cornell where buyers find bulk meat from farms in New York and North Carolina and contact the farm directly.
Deposits: what ranchers ask
No university guide we found sets a deposit. In a CattleToday forum thread, ranchers described anything from $50 a quarter to a third of the price down, and most said the deposit is not refundable. Whatever you choose, write it on the order page and on the receipt.
Where Kavalo fits
The tools above are stores. The work around them is calls and texts: buyers asking what a half costs, when the next date is, whether there is room. Kavalo Front Office handles that side: your website, a customer list with a waitlist and follow-up, reminders before the cut-sheet deadline, invoices with text-to-pay and a text back to every missed call; AI Ranch Hand answers the phone. The beef list as stock, cut sheets and billing from the weights are not part of Front Office; White Glove sets those up.
Questions people ask
How much deposit should I take?
There is no standard. Ranchers commonly ask for a fixed amount per share or a percentage, usually not refundable. Say so in writing.
What is the difference between hanging weight and take-home weight?
Hanging weight is the carcass before it is cut. Take-home is the wrapped meat, often about 60% to 67% of hanging weight depending on fat, bone and cuts.
Can buyers pay me for the processing?
Under custom-exempt rules, Oregon State's guide says buyers pay the processor directly. Check your state's rules.
Do I need a USDA plant to sell online?
To sell packaged cuts, yes: a USDA-inspected plant, or a state-inspected one for sales within your state.
How do I run a waitlist for the next date?
TallyTill describes lots by harvest date. With any tool, keep the list by processing date and confirm in the order people asked.
Sources
Every price and feature above is as listed on each company's own pages, checked October 25, 2026. A feature marked "not mentioned" may still exist; ask the company.
- Oregon State University Extension, EM 9345, custom-exempt slaughter and processing
- University of Missouri Extension, MX3001, buying meat direct from the farm
- University of Wisconsin Extension, how much meat should a beef animal yield
- Barn2Door pricing
- Barn2Door seller FAQs
- Local Line pricing
- Local Line, selling meat by weight
- GrazeCart pricing
- TallyTill meat shares
- Shopify pricing
- Square Online plans
- MeatSuite
- CattleToday forum, deposits for beef
