Restaurant Booking System Pricing Compared (2026)

Restaurant booking systems in 2026 cost anywhere from free to $500+/month, and the single biggest factor is the pricing model: flat-fee vs per-cover. Flat-fee, commission-free systems charge one predictable monthly price; marketplace platforms add a fee for every guest. Below is a 2026 benchmark of 11 platforms on real published pricing, followed by what it means for your venue. Every figure links to a detailed breakdown and should be confirmed with the vendor.

Restaurant booking system pricing at a glance (2026)

Platform	Pricing model	Entry price	Per-cover / commission	Free tier
Resos	Flat subscription	Free, then $24-149/mo	None	Yes (25 bookings/mo)
Tablein	Flat subscription	Free, then ~€59/mo	None	Yes (basic)
Zenchef	Flat subscription	~€69/mo	None	Trial only
Resy	Flat subscription	$249/mo	None	No
ResDiary	Quote-based (flat)	~£109/mo (reported)	None	Trial only
Tock	Subscription + %	$79/mo (reservations $199)	2-3% on prepaid	No
OpenTable	Subscription + per-cover	$149/mo	$0.25-$1.50/cover	No
TheFork	Subscription + commission	Quote-based	~€1-2/network cover	Trial only
CoverManager	Quote-based	Quote (~€49 reported)	Varies by contract	Trial only
SevenRooms	Enterprise / custom	Custom (~$500+/mo)	None	No
Quandoo	Shutting down 2026	(historical ~€29 + fees)	Per-cover	Closing

Verified June 2026 from each vendor’s published information and our per-platform pricing breakdowns. Quote-based and reported figures are indicative; confirm current rates with the vendor.

The two pricing models, and why it matters

Almost every cost difference above comes down to one choice:

Flat-fee (commission-free). You pay a fixed monthly subscription and keep every booking. Cost is predictable and does not rise with volume. Resos, Resy, Zenchef, Tablein, ResDiary, and SevenRooms work this way. The more covers you do, the better flat-fee looks.

Per-cover (marketplace). You pay a subscription plus a fee for every guest, usually higher for diners who come through the platform’s network. OpenTable, TheFork, and (until it closes) Quandoo work this way. The model can pay off only if the network brings genuinely new diners; otherwise the per-cover fee is overhead that grows as you get busier.

Tock is a special case: no per-cover fee, but a 2-3% transaction fee on prepaid and ticketed bookings on its lower plans, built for fine dining that takes deposits.

What you actually pay at 500 covers/month

The flat-vs-per-cover gap is clearest at volume. A restaurant doing 500 network-equivalent covers a month:

Platform	Monthly total	Annual
Resos (free tier to Unlimited)	$0-149	$0-1,788
Resy Basic	$249	$2,988
OpenTable Basic	~$899	~$10,788

At this volume a per-cover platform can cost 5-10x a flat-fee one for the same core reservation features. Model your own numbers with our cover fee calculator.

Which model fits your restaurant

Most independents and groups that drive their own bookings: a flat-fee, commission-free system is cheapest and most predictable. Start with the best commission-free booking systems.
Discovery-dependent venues in strong OpenTable/TheFork markets: a marketplace can be worth the per-cover fee if you can document it brings new covers.
Fine dining on tasting menus or ticketed events: Tock’s prepaid model suits you, fees and all.
Large multi-location groups needing advanced CRM: SevenRooms’ enterprise pricing may be justified.

The cheapest model, done right

Resos is flat-fee and commission-free with a permanent free tier and plans from $24/month. Predictable pricing, no per-cover fees, no contracts.

Try Resos free

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a restaurant booking system cost in 2026?

It ranges from free to $500+/month plus per-cover fees, depending on the model. Flat-fee, commission-free systems run $0-249/month (Resos free to $149, Tablein free to ~€99, Zenchef ~€69, Resy $249). Marketplace platforms add per-cover fees on top of a subscription (OpenTable $149/month plus $0.25-$1.50/cover, TheFork subscription plus ~€1-2/cover). Enterprise platforms like SevenRooms are custom-quoted, typically $500+/month.

Which restaurant booking system is cheapest?

Resos is the cheapest with a permanent free tier (up to 25 bookings/month) and paid plans from $24/month with no per-cover fees. Tablein also has a free plan. For unlimited volume with no commission, Resos tops out at $149/month, well below Resy's $249/month floor and far below marketplace platforms once their per-cover fees are counted.

Which booking systems have no per-cover fees?

Flat-fee systems charge no per-cover commission: Resos, Resy, Zenchef, Tablein, ResDiary, and SevenRooms. Marketplace platforms do charge per cover or commission: OpenTable ($0.25-$1.50/cover), TheFork (~€1-2/network cover), and Quandoo (now shutting down). Tock charges no cover fee but adds a 2-3% transaction fee on prepaid bookings on its lower plans.

Is flat-fee or per-cover pricing better for restaurants?

Flat-fee pricing is cheaper and more predictable for restaurants that drive their own bookings, because the cost does not rise with volume. Per-cover (marketplace) pricing can be worth it only if the platform's network genuinely brings new diners you would not otherwise reach. The more covers you do, the more per-cover fees favor switching to a flat fee.

Which booking platforms are shutting down or changing?

Quandoo is shutting down: new bookings end September 30, 2026 and the platform closes December 31, 2026, so restaurants on it need to migrate. Zenchef is the merged entity of Zenchef, Formitable, and Resengo. Always confirm current pricing directly with each vendor, as plans and fees change.

Detailed pricing breakdowns

Per-platform pages with plans, fees, and worked examples: OpenTable · Resy · Tock · SevenRooms · TheFork · ResDiary · Zenchef · Tablein · CoverManager · Quandoo

Sources

Each platform’s published pricing and our per-platform breakdowns (linked above), verified June 2026.
Quote-based and reported figures (ResDiary, CoverManager, SevenRooms, TheFork) are indicative; confirm current rates directly with each vendor.