MenuHoster vs Tiiny Host — Purpose-Built Menu Hosting vs Generic File Hosting
Tiiny Host is one of the most popular simple file hosting services — and many restaurant owners use it to host menu PDFs. But there's a significant difference between hosting a file and hosting a menu. Here's the full comparison.
Last updated: February 2026
Tiiny Host is an excellent general-purpose file hosting service. Upload an HTML site, a ZIP archive, or a PDF, and Tiiny Host gives you a shareable link in seconds. It's popular with marketers, designers, and freelancers for sharing portfolios, prototypes, and documents. Highly rated on G2, users consistently praise its simplicity and responsive customer support. It's a great tool — for general file hosting.
MenuHoster is a completely different product. It's purpose-built specifically for restaurant menus. When you upload a PDF menu, it doesn't just host the raw file — it optimizes the pages for mobile viewing (no pinch-to-zoom), automatically generates a QR code, tracks menu-specific analytics (views, QR scans, peak times), and gives you a verified business badge. The AI import can even extract individual menu items from a photo and turn them into a structured digital menu for restaurants.
The comparison here isn't about which is the “better” product — they serve fundamentally different purposes. It's about which is the right tool for hosting a restaurant menu specifically. Whether you run a food truck, a café, a bar, or a hotel, that's where the differences become dramatic.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | MenuHoster | THTiiny Host |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan — A Critical Difference | ||
| Free Plan Duration | Foreverpermanent free plan, no expiry | 7 days only — site goes offline after 7 days |
| Free Plan Limits | 1 menu, 10,000 views/mo, 10,000 QR scans/mo | 1 site, 3MB file limit (barely fits a multi-page PDF) |
| Free Plan Includes | AI import, QR code, embed on website, basic analytics | Basic hosting with Tiiny Host branding |
| Branding on Free Plan | MenuHoster logo on QR code only | Tiiny Host branding banner on the hosted page |
| After Free Plan Expires | N/Ait doesn't expire | Site goes offline. Must upgrade to paid plan. |
| Pricing (Paid Plans) | ||
| Lowest Paid Plan | $15/mo (Pro) — 15 menus, 50K views | $9/mo (Tiny) — 1 site, 50MB |
| Comparable Mid-Tier | $15/mo (Pro) | $18/mo (Solo) — 5 sites, 50MB — "Most popular" |
| Full-Featured Plan | $29/mo (Max) — 50 menus, 100K views | $38/mo (Pro) — unlimited sites, 100MB |
| Annual Discount | Yes (save 21–26%) | Yes (save ~45% on annual) |
| 100-Day Free Trial | Yesfull Pro features | 7-day money-back guarantee only |
| Lifetime Plan | Available | Not available |
| What You're Paying For | Menu hosting + QR + analytics | Generic file hosting + custom domain |
| Menu-Specific Features | ||
| Purpose-Built for Menus | Yes — designed specifically for restaurant, café, bar menus | Generic file hosting (PDFs, HTML, ZIP — any file type) |
| QR Code Generation | Automatic for every menu — download instantly | NOT available at any price — you need a separate QR code tool |
| Custom QR Code with Logo | Yes (Pro+) | Not available — no QR features at all |
| Mobile-Optimized Menu Display | Built-in — mobile-first layout, swipeable pages, fast-loading | Raw PDF viewer — requires pinching and zooming on phones |
| AI Menu Import (PDF, Image, URL, Text) | Yes — AI extracts menu items automatically | Not available — upload files only |
| Digital Menu Builder | Build menus from scratch with AI assistance | Not available |
| Menu Sections & Categories | Organize by appetizers, mains, desserts, drinks, etc. | N/A — it just hosts the raw file |
| Menu Item Photos | Yes (Pro+) | N/A — no menu item concept |
| Verified Business Badge | Blue (Pro) / Gold (Max) | Not available |
| Analytics | ||
| Menu View Tracking | Detailed — views by time period, trends | Basic page visit counter |
| QR Scan Tracking | Separate metric — scans vs. direct link visits | No QR features = no QR tracking |
| Peak Time Analysis | See when customers view your menu most | Not available |
| Advanced Analytics (by period) | Pro+ | Basic on Solo+ plans |
| Export Analytics Data | Max plan | Not available |
| General Hosting Features | ||
| PDF Upload & Hosting | With mobile optimization + QR | Raw PDF hosting |
| HTML Website Hosting | Menu pages only | Full HTML/ZIP site hosting |
| Portfolio / Resume Hosting | Menu-focused only | Great for any file type |
| Custom Domain | Uses menuhoster.com/your-name | Paid plans — yourname.com |
| Password Protection | Not currently offered | Paid plans |
| View-Only PDF (Disable Download) | Not applicable | Available |
| Code/PDF In-Platform Editing | Not applicable | Paid plans |
| CDN / Global Fast Loading | Optimized hosting | Fast global CDN |
| SSL Certificate | Yes | Yes |
| File Size Limit | PDF optimized for web viewing | 3MB (free), 50MB (Tiny/Solo), 100MB (Pro) |
| The Mobile Menu Experience (CRITICAL) | ||
| What Customers See on Phone | Optimized mobile layout — fast-loading, swipeable pages, clean typography, menu photos | Raw PDF in browser viewer — tiny text, requires pinch-to-zoom, slow for multi-page PDFs |
| Menu Load Speed | Fast — optimized HTML pages | Varies — depends on PDF file size |
| Multi-Page Menu Navigation | Swipeable pages — tap or swipe to navigate | Scroll through raw PDF — standard PDF controls |
| Menu Update Process | Log in → edit item/price → instant live update | Download new PDF → re-upload to Tiiny Host → replace file |
| Customer App Required | Browser only | Browser only |
Pricing Comparison
MenuHoster Pricing
- 1 menu · 10K views · 10K QR scans
- AI import · QR code · Embed on website
- Mobile-optimized · Analytics · Never expires
- 15 menus · 50K views · Custom QR · Verified badge
- 100-day free trial — no credit card
- 50 menus · 100K views · Export analytics
🎉Try Pro FREE for 100 days — no credit card
Annual & lifetime plans available
Tiiny Host Pricing
- 1 site · 3MB limit · Tiiny branding
- ⚠️ Expires after 7 days
- 1 site · 50MB · Custom domain
- 5 sites · 50MB · Custom domains
- Unlimited sites · 100MB · Advanced features
No free plan — paid subscription only
Free demo available (limited)
For restaurant menu hosting specifically, MenuHoster's free plan ($0/month, forever) includes more menu-relevant features than Tiiny Host's Solo plan ($18/month) — including QR code generation, mobile-optimized display, and menu analytics that Tiiny Host doesn't offer at any price tier. Tiiny Host's free plan expires after just 7 days; MenuHoster's is permanent.
The Fundamental Difference: Menu Specialist vs. File Locker
Tiiny Host is like renting a storage locker for your menu file. It holds the PDF and gives people a link to access it. The viewing experience is a raw PDF in the browser — functional, but on a phone screen, customers need to pinch and zoom to read your menu. There's no QR code generated. There are no menu-specific analytics. Tiiny Host doesn't know or care that the file is a restaurant menu — it treats it the same as a resume, a brochure, or a prototype website.
MenuHoster is like hiring a menu specialist. It understands what a restaurant menu is. When you upload a PDF, it optimizes each page for mobile viewing — no pinch-to-zoom needed. It automatically generates a downloadable QR code via our QR code menu generator. It tracks not just page visits but QR scans specifically, shows you peak viewing times, and gives you a verified business badge. The AI can even extract individual items from a photo of your paper menu and create a structured digital menu with categories, prices, and descriptions using our online menu maker.
A fair point about Tiiny Host
The Verdict
Choose MenuHoster if…
- You specifically need to host a restaurant, café, bar, or food service menu
- You want automatic QR code generation (Tiiny Host doesn't offer this at any price)
- You want a mobile-optimized viewing experience (not raw PDF pinch-to-zoom)
- You want a free plan that lasts forever (Tiiny Host's free expires in 7 days)
- You want menu-specific analytics — views, QR scans, peak times
- You want AI-powered menu import (photo, PDF, URL → digital menu)
- You want a digital menu builder to create menus from scratch
- You want a verified business badge on your menu
Choose Tiiny Host if…
- You need to host ANY type of file online (resumes, portfolios, prototypes, brochures — not just menus)
- You need a custom domain (yourrestaurant.com) for your hosted page
- You need password-protected file sharing
- You need to host full HTML websites or ZIP archives
- A raw PDF viewer is acceptable for your menu viewing experience
- You need in-platform code or PDF editing
- You're already using Tiiny Host for other projects and want one platform
- View-only PDF with download disabled is important (e.g., preventing customers from saving your menu)
MenuHoster vs Tiiny Host — Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Tiiny Host's free plan hosts your site for 7 days, then it goes offline unless you upgrade to a paid plan. The free plan also has a 3MB file limit and shows Tiiny Host branding. MenuHoster's free plan is permanent — your menu stays online indefinitely with 10,000 monthly views and QR scans.
No. Tiiny Host is a file hosting service — it doesn't generate QR codes. You would need to use a separate QR code generator tool, create a QR code pointing to your Tiiny Host URL, and manage them separately. MenuHoster generates a QR code automatically for every menu.
Yes — significantly. Tiiny Host hosts your raw PDF file, which opens in the browser's built-in PDF viewer. On a phone, this means tiny text that requires pinching and zooming to read — not a great experience for hungry customers. MenuHoster transforms your menu into mobile-optimized pages that display cleanly on any phone screen with swipeable navigation. The difference in customer experience is substantial.
Yes, easily. Download your menu PDF from Tiiny Host, then upload it to MenuHoster. In under 2 minutes, you'll have a mobile-optimized menu page, a shareable URL, a downloadable QR code, and view analytics — all features Tiiny Host doesn't provide.
MenuHoster currently uses menuhoster.com/your-restaurant-name for menu URLs. Tiiny Host offers custom domains (yoursite.com) on paid plans. If having your own domain for menu hosting is a priority, Tiiny Host has an advantage there. However, most restaurant customers access menus via QR code or link — they don't type the URL manually, so the domain matters less than the viewing experience.
MenuHoster's free plan (permanent, 10K views, QR code included) costs $0/month. Tiiny Host's cheapest permanent plan is $9/month (Tiny) or $18/month (Solo), and neither includes QR code generation, mobile-optimized viewing, or menu analytics. For menu hosting specifically, MenuHoster is both cheaper and more capable.
MenuHoster is a digital menu for restaurants that makes it easy to upload your PDF menu and create a QR code menu generator in minutes. Whether you run a bar, food truck, or café, our online menu maker has you covered. Check our pricing plans or see how MenuHoster compares to iMenuPro and MenuHoster vs QRMenu. Learn more about MenuHoster.