Best free restaurant booking software 2026

The best free restaurant booking software is Resos Free because it offers a genuine free tier with 25 bookings per month, no credit card required, and no time limit. For restaurants needing higher volume, Resos paid plans start at $24/month (promotional) with no per-cover fees.

Key takeaways

• Best free tier: Resos, 25 bookings/month free forever with full booking functionality
• Best value upgrade: Resos Basic, $24/month (promo) for unlimited bookings
• Best free trial: OpenTable, 30-day trial of full features
• Best DIY option: Google Forms, completely free but requires manual management
• Avoid: Platforms with “free” plans that charge per-cover fees

Best free restaurant booking software at a glance 2026

How we evaluated

We focused on what “free” actually means for restaurant operators:

True free vs. trial. Does the free option expire, or is it genuinely free forever?

Hidden costs. Are there per-cover fees, transaction fees, or upsells that make “free” expensive?

Usability. Is the free option functional enough to actually run reservations?

Upgrade path. When you outgrow free, what does the next tier cost?

1. Resos Free, best true free option

Resos offers the only genuine free tier among major restaurant booking platforms. No credit card required, no time limit, and enough functionality to actually manage reservations for a small operation.

Key features:

• Online reservations through your website
• Email confirmations automatically sent to guests
• Basic table management with calendar view
• Mobile-friendly booking page
• Widget to embed on your website

Pricing: Free forever for up to 25 bookings/month. No credit card required.

Pros:

• Truly free with no expiration
• No credit card needed to start
• Full booking functionality within the limit
• Clear upgrade path when needed

Cons:

• 25 booking monthly cap
• Basic features only (no advanced reporting)
• Resos branding on booking widget
• No SMS notifications

Best for: Very small restaurants (under 25 reservations/month), restaurants testing online reservations, seasonal operations or pop-ups, and new restaurants building initial presence.

2. OpenTable free trial, best for testing OpenTable

OpenTable offers a 30-day trial of their Basic plan. This lets you experience the full platform before committing, including their diner network.

Key features:

• Full reservation system during trial
• OpenTable network listing
• Table management
• Guest profiles

Pricing: Free for 30 days. After trial: $149/month + $1.50 per network cover (website covers $0.25 each or $49/month flat). See OpenTable pricing for current details (as of February 2026).

Pros:

• Full functionality during trial
• Access to OpenTable’s diner network
• Good way to evaluate the platform

Cons:

• Only 30 days, then expensive
• Per-cover fees make ongoing costs unpredictable
• Credit card required for trial

Best for: Restaurants specifically wanting to evaluate OpenTable and willing to budget for ongoing cover fees.

3. DIY solutions (Google Forms, Calendly), best budget workaround

If you need reservations at absolutely zero cost and can handle manual management, DIY tools work as stopgaps.

Google Forms and Sheets:

• Create a booking form
• Responses go to a spreadsheet
• Completely free forever
• Requires manual confirmation emails

Calendly free tier:

• One event type free
• Basic scheduling
• Not restaurant-specific
• No table management

Pricing: Free.

Pros:

• Zero cost, no limits
• You control everything
• No vendor dependency

Cons:

• Manual confirmation emails
• No table management
• No automation
• Time cost for staff

Best for: Extremely budget-conscious operations with very low volume and staff time to manage manually.

Free vs. paid feature comparison

When free is enough

Free reservation software works well in these situations:

Low volume operations. If you process fewer than 25 reservations monthly, Resos Free handles everything you need at zero cost.

Testing phase. Not sure if online reservations will work for your restaurant? Start free, gather data, decide later.

Seasonal or pop-up restaurants. Temporary operations may never need paid software. Free tiers serve the purpose without commitment.

Walk-in heavy restaurants. If 90% of your business is walk-ins and reservations are rare, free software handles the occasional booking.

When to upgrade to paid

Consider paid software when:

Volume exceeds free limits. Hitting 25 bookings consistently? Time to upgrade for unlimited reservations.

You need advanced features. Guest profile tracking, detailed reporting, SMS reminders, waitlist management, or custom branding.

Professionalism matters. For higher-end restaurants, paid software removes vendor branding and provides a polished experience.

Integration requirements. Need to connect with POS or other systems? Paid plans typically include integrations.

The true cost of “free” alternatives

Cover fees. Some platforms are “free” to sign up but charge per reservation. At $1 per cover with 200 monthly bookings, that’s $200/month, more than most paid subscriptions.

Required advertising. Some free options place ads in your booking flow or market to your customers.

Data limitations. Free tiers may restrict data export or guest information access.

Time costs. DIY solutions (spreadsheets, manual email) take staff time worth more than software subscriptions.

First year cost comparison (200 covers/month)

How to get started with free software

Step 1: Sign up for Resos Free. No credit card required. Create your account at resos.com.

Step 2: Configure basics. Add your restaurant name and address, set your hours, add your tables, and set basic booking rules.

Step 3: Add booking to your website. Copy the provided widget code and add it to your website. Most platforms make this simple.

Step 4: Test it. Make a test reservation. See how confirmations work. Make sure everything functions before going live.

Step 5: Go live. Announce online reservations to your customers. Add booking links to Google, social media, and anywhere else customers find you.

The bottom line

Free restaurant booking software is real, functional, and useful for many restaurants. If you’re processing low volumes, just starting out, or testing online reservations, there’s no reason to pay for software you don’t need.

Resos Free offers the best combination of features and usability at zero cost. Start there. If you outgrow it, that means your reservation business is growing, and upgrading is simple when you’re ready.

The goal is matching your software to your needs. Free works for many. When it doesn’t, affordable paid options exist. Just don’t overpay for enterprise features you’ll never use.

Methodology

This guide was compiled using official platform documentation, direct testing of free tiers and trials, and analysis of pricing structures. We focused on true free options versus time-limited trials and evaluated hidden costs like per-cover fees.

Pricing and features change frequently. Verify current details with each provider.

Related guides: Best restaurant booking systems 2026 | Best reservation systems for small restaurants

Sources

• OpenTable pricing
• Resos pricing