- OpenTable alternatives compared
- Nine booking systems for restaurants
- Where to start for your kind of venue
- Your guest list isn't automatically a marketing list
- Network reach or direct bookings?
- Questions for every booking system
- Signs your booking setup needs a rethink
- My plain advice on moving off OpenTable
- Frequently asked questions
The best OpenTable alternatives fall into three groups: commission-free booking systems that take reservations from your own website, social profiles and Google, reservation networks that put you in front of a large diner audience, and fuller platforms that tie bookings to guest profiles and marketing. Nine systems follow, and the deciding question is whether you want reach or control.
A reservation network brings diners to your door, but it also sits between you and your guests. That's fine until you want to email your regulars, cut commission on bookings you'd have got anyway, or simply change how your tables are set up.
The nine systems below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from the company's own website, read this week. If no-shows are the real headache, my guide to cutting no-shows with online booking is worth a read first.
OpenTable alternatives compared
I checked the free plan column on each tool's own website, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the site names a free plan, a free version, a free account or an open source version. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to start for free, so check the provider's page before you sign up.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eat App | Reservation and guest software | Commission-free bookings from social and Google | Not stated |
| Hostme | Reservation and table management | Waitlists by text instead of pagers | Not stated |
| ResDiary | Restaurant booking system | UK and European venues | Not stated |
| Resy | Reservation platform | Restaurants and wineries wanting a big diner network | Not stated |
| SevenRooms | Hospitality marketing and operations | Groups that want guest data to drive marketing | Not stated |
| Tablein | Table booking system | Independent restaurants, bars and clubs | Trial only |
| Tableo | Restaurant booking system | Small restaurants wanting a quick setup | Not stated |
| TheFork Manager | Restaurant management software | European restaurants on TheFork | Not stated |
| Yelp Guest Manager | Reservation and waitlist system | US restaurants already busy on Yelp | Not stated |
Nine booking systems for restaurants
Eat App
Best for: Restaurants that want commission-free reservations from Instagram, Google and their own website, plus a guest database they control.
Hostme
Best for: Busy restaurants that want reservations and table management plus an online waitlist that texts guests when their table is ready.
ResDiary
Best for: UK and European restaurants that want bookings kept commission free across their website, social media and Google.
Resy
Best for: Wineries and restaurants that want a well-known reservation network, now joined by Tock, with plans that grow with the business.
SevenRooms
Best for: Restaurant groups that want reservations tied to guest profiles and marketing that keeps people coming back automatically.
Tablein
Best for: Independent restaurants, pubs and bars that want online reservations, automatic guest notifications and simple reports without a big rollout.
Tableo
Best for: Small restaurants that want reservations, a guest database and WhatsApp messaging set up quickly, with a plan to start on.
TheFork Manager
Best for: Restaurants across Europe that want their reservation book connected to TheFork's diner audience and multi-venue controls.
Yelp Guest Manager
Best for: US restaurants that get found on Yelp and want reservations and a waitlist listed in front of Yelp's large diner audience.
Where to start for your kind of venue
- Commission-free bookings from your own channels: Eat App, ResDiary or Tablein.
- A big diner network: Resy, TheFork Manager or Yelp Guest Manager.
- Guest profiles that drive marketing: SevenRooms.
- A quick setup for a small restaurant: Tableo.
- Waitlists by text message: Hostme.
Your guest list isn't automatically a marketing list
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) says you must not send electronic mail marketing to individuals unless they've specifically consented, or they're an existing customer who bought a similar product or service from you and were given a simple way to opt out.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
So a booking system full of email addresses isn't a mailing list by default. Whatever you choose, set up a clear marketing consent box at booking, because that's what turns one-off diners into regulars you can invite back.
Network reach or direct bookings?
A big network helps new restaurants get found and can fill quiet nights. It's strongest when diners already browse that app to decide where to eat.
Direct booking tools put your own website and social profiles first, so the relationship stays with you. Plenty of restaurants run both: a network for discovery and direct bookings for everyone who already knows them.
Questions for every booking system
- Is there a charge per cover or per booking?
- Can guests book from Google and Instagram?
- Do I own and export my guest data?
- Does it connect to my point of sale?
- Can it take deposits for large groups?
- How does it handle waitlists and walk-ins?
Signs your booking setup needs a rethink
- Regulars book through a third party. Make direct booking easier.
- No-shows are hurting. Look for deposits and reminders.
- You can't reach past guests. Fix consent at booking.
- Walk-ins pile up at the door. Add a text waitlist.
Do you make restaurant booking software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on moving off OpenTable
Export your guest list before you change anything, and check what consent you hold for each person. That list is worth more than any feature, and you'll want it in the new system on day one.
Then switch on direct booking everywhere you can: your website, Google and Instagram. Watch your bookings for a month before deciding whether you still need a network for discovery. If you're writing new menus for the relaunch, these ChatGPT prompts for restaurant menus will speed things up.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to OpenTable?
It depends on whether you want a large diner network for discovery or commission-free direct bookings from your own website, Google and social profiles.
Are there commission-free restaurant booking systems?
Yes. Several booking systems say on their own sites that bookings from your website, social media and Google are commission free.
Can I keep my guest data if I switch?
Usually, yes. Export your guest list before you switch and confirm the new system can import it.
Can I email guests who booked through my system?
Only within the rules. In the UK, the ICO says marketing emails to individuals need specific consent or must meet the soft opt-in conditions for existing customers.
Do restaurant booking systems work with Google?
Many do. Check each system's own page for Reserve with Google or similar booking buttons before you sign up.
Can I use a booking network and my own system together?
Some restaurants do, using a network for discovery and direct bookings for regulars. Check the systems can share one table plan so you don't double book.
