Layout is a platform that helps local businesses launch a fully branded mobile ordering app on top of Square without changing their existing point of sale system. Instead of forcing you to replatform, retrain staff, or rebuild your menu from scratch, Layout connects directly to your Square account and mirrors the data you already use to run your business. Your products, categories, modifiers, locations, orders, and loyalty are all synced so your mobile app stays aligned with Square at all times.
Layout is designed to give businesses ownership over their customer experience. Your app lives on your customers’ phones, giving your brand permanent real estate on their home screens instead of relying on third-party marketplaces or paid SMS campaigns. Customers can place pickup orders, track order status, view loyalty progress, and stay up to date with your business through in-app announcements and push notifications.
One of Layout’s core advantages is its deep Square integration. Layout uses a secure OAuth connection to sync with your Square account, meaning you never have to provide API keys or manage complex technical settings. Once connected, Layout automatically pulls in your Square catalog and keeps it updated. Any changes you make in Square, such as adding new items, adjusting prices, updating modifiers, or reorganizing categories, will be reflected in your app. Automatic syncing runs daily, and you can also trigger manual syncs at any time from the dashboard.
Modifiers and variations are a major part of the Layout experience. If you use modifiers in Square, such as milk options, sweetness levels, or size selections, those options appear natively in the app. This allows customers to customize their orders exactly how they would at the counter, without extra setup inside Layout. Because Layout reads directly from Square, the best way to optimize your app experience is to make sure your Square catalog is clean, organized, and structured intentionally.
Layout includes two main interfaces: the customer-facing mobile app and the Layout dashboard. The mobile app is what your customers download from the App Store or Google Play. It is fully branded to your business and supports mobile ordering, order status updates, loyalty, announcements, and push notifications. The Layout dashboard is where you manage everything behind the scenes. From the dashboard, you can view analytics, manage branding, configure locations, sync Square data, send announcements, schedule push notifications, and monitor performance across your business.
Push notifications are built into Layout at no additional cost. Instead of paying per-message like traditional SMS marketing, Layout allows you to send unlimited push notifications directly to your app users. Notifications can be scheduled in advance and used for promotions, announcements, reminders, or general updates. Because these notifications are tied to your app, they reach customers who have already chosen to engage with your brand.
Layout also includes an announcements feature that acts as an in-app feed. Announcements support images, titles, body text, and call-to-action buttons, allowing you to highlight promotions, menu updates, or important information directly inside the app. Announcements remain visible to customers even after notifications are dismissed, making them a long-lasting communication channel.
For order management, Layout provides a dedicated order panel where businesses can receive and manage mobile orders in real time. Orders move through clear statuses such as started, preparing, and ready for pickup. Customers are automatically notified as their order status updates, reducing confusion and improving pickup flow. Layout supports multi-location businesses, allowing you to manage multiple stores under one account while maintaining location-specific menus and ordering behavior.
Layout also includes Layout Tap, an NFC-based feature that makes it easy for customers to download your app. Physical NFC taps can be placed around your store, and when tapped, they route customers directly to your app download page on iOS or Android. Layout tracks tap analytics so you can see how many people interacted with each tap and whether those interactions led to app downloads.
Analytics are built directly into Layout so you can clearly see the value of your subscription. The dashboard provides insight into app usage, orders, engagement, and NFC tap performance. This allows you to understand how customers are interacting with your app and where growth is coming from.
Layout currently offers a single subscription plan, Layout Pro, which includes access to the full platform and one location. Additional locations can be added for a monthly fee per location. Billing, subscription management, and cancellations are handled securely through Stripe and can be managed at any time from the billing section of the dashboard.
Layout does not store customer payment information. All payments are processed securely through Square using Apple Pay and Square’s in-app payment technology. Layout acts as a layer on top of Square, not a replacement, so your existing financial workflows remain unchanged.
If you’re just getting started, the recommended first step is to complete the setup wizard in the dashboard. This will guide you through branding your app, connecting Square, and selecting the locations and items you want to make available. Once setup is complete, your app is ready to share with customers.
Layout is built for businesses that want a direct relationship with their customers, a modern mobile experience, and a system that works with the tools they already use. You can create an account at any time at app.layoutmedia.org, and learn more about the platform at layoutmedia.org.