Best Yelp Guest Manager alternatives for restaurants 2026

The best Yelp Guest Manager alternative for most restaurants is Resos because it offers transparent pricing, a free tier, and zero cover fees without tying your operations to a single review platform. Start free with 25 bookings/month, then scale to paid plans from $24/month with no hidden costs and no sales calls.

Key takeaways

• Best overall alternative: Resos, free tier available, no cover fees, $0-149/month with published pricing
• Best for diner discovery: OpenTable, largest reservation network, $149-499/month plus per-cover fees
• Best for upscale US dining: Resy, no cover fees, $249/month minimum, American Express integration
• Best for ticketed/fine dining: Tock, prepaid reservations, $199-699/month
• Best for analytics: Eat App, advanced CRM and POS integration, $49-229/month (annual billing)
• Best for UK/international: ResDiary, strong European and Australian presence, quote-based pricing

Best Yelp Guest Manager alternatives at a glance

Why look for Yelp Guest Manager alternatives?

Yelp Guest Manager integrates reservations directly with Yelp listings, and that integration is genuinely useful for US restaurants that depend on Yelp for customer discovery. But there are real drawbacks worth considering.

The platform lock-in problem:

• Your Reserve button disappears the moment you cancel Guest Manager
• Your reservation system is tied to a review platform that has its own priorities
• Yelp controls the customer relationship from discovery through booking
• No flexibility to use your reservation system independently

The pricing transparency problem:

• No published pricing means you can’t compare costs without sitting through a sales call
• Industry estimates suggest plans range from ~$129/month (Basic) to ~$379/month (Enterprise)
• Bundle pressure to buy Yelp advertising alongside Guest Manager
• Costs are difficult to predict and budget for

The geographic limitation:

• Yelp Guest Manager is US-focused with minimal international presence
• Restaurants outside the US get little value from Yelp integration
• Even within the US, Yelp’s influence varies significantly by market

Other concerns:

• Mixed reviews on customer support
• Limited feature depth compared to dedicated reservation platforms
• Yelp’s reputation among restaurant owners is often contentious

To be fair, if Yelp drives a large share of your new customers and the Reserve button genuinely converts browsers into diners, the integration has real value. The question is whether that value justifies the cost and trade-offs.

1. Resos: best overall alternative

Why Resos is our top pick:

Resos offers everything most restaurants need from a reservation platform without tying you to any single ecosystem. Transparent pricing, a free tier, and zero cover fees make it a straightforward replacement for Yelp Guest Manager.

Why choose Resos over Yelp Guest Manager:

• Free tier with 25 bookings/month, no credit card required
• Zero cover fees on every plan
• Published pricing with no sales calls needed
• Month-to-month billing, no annual contracts
• Platform independent, works with your website, Google, and social profiles
• Modern interface with minimal training

What you trade off: You lose the Reserve button on your Yelp listing. However, you can still link your Yelp page to your website where guests book through Resos directly. Most diners who want to book will follow that link.

Best for: Independent restaurants, casual dining, budget-conscious operators, and anyone who wants predictable costs without platform lock-in.

2. OpenTable: best for diner discovery

Why consider OpenTable:

If you’re leaving Yelp Guest Manager because you want broader discovery beyond the Yelp ecosystem, OpenTable offers the largest diner network in the restaurant industry. Their marketplace connects you with millions of active diners.

See OpenTable pricing for current rates (as of February 2026).

Why choose OpenTable over Yelp Guest Manager:

• Largest diner network drives new customer discovery
• Strong brand recognition among diners across the US and internationally
• Comprehensive feature set with robust reporting
• Not tied to a single review platform

Drawbacks:

• Per-cover fees ($0.25-$1.50) add up quickly at volume
• Monthly costs can exceed Yelp Guest Manager for busy restaurants
• You’re trading one large platform for another
• Less control over customer relationships than independent platforms

Cost example at 500 covers/month (OpenTable Basic):

• Monthly subscription: $149
• Network bookings (300 x $1.50): $450
• Website bookings (200 x $0.25): $50
• Total: $649/month or $7,788/year

Best for: Restaurants that need maximum exposure and view per-cover fees as a marketing cost for customer acquisition.

3. Resy: best for upscale US dining

Why consider Resy:

Resy positions itself as the premium reservation platform for fine dining and upscale restaurants. Acquired by American Express in 2019, it offers cardholder perks and a curated brand image that appeals to higher-end establishments.

See Resy for restaurants for details (as of February 2026).

Why choose Resy over Yelp Guest Manager:

• No per-cover fees on any plan
• Premium brand association with upscale dining
• American Express integration and cardholder benefits
• Strong presence in major US metros (NYC, LA, Chicago, Miami)
• Clean, modern interface

Drawbacks:

• $249/month minimum with no free tier or trial
• Often requires annual commitment
• Overkill and overpriced for casual dining
• Smaller diner network than OpenTable

Best for: Fine dining and upscale restaurants in major US cities that want premium brand positioning and American Express integration.

4. Tock: best for ticketed and fine dining

Why consider Tock:

Tock offers something no other platform on this list does well: prepaid and ticketed dining experiences. If your restaurant runs tasting menus, chef’s tables, or special events, Tock’s ticketing system can virtually eliminate no-shows while creating a seamless guest experience.

See Tock pricing for current rates (as of February 2026).

Why choose Tock over Yelp Guest Manager:

• Prepaid reservations reduce no-shows to near zero
• Purpose-built for tasting menus and ticketed experiences
• Strong reputation in the fine dining segment
• Special event management and pop-up support
• Not tied to a review platform ecosystem

Drawbacks:

• 2% transaction fee on the Plus plan (waived on the $699/month Pro plan)
• $199/month minimum entry point
• Overkill for standard reservations at casual restaurants
• Steep learning curve for some features

Best for: Fine dining with tasting menus, experiential dining concepts, restaurants with chronic no-show problems, and venues that host special events or pop-ups.

5. Eat App: best for analytics and data-driven operations

Eat App is not a household name among diners, but it has earned a strong reputation among operators who want deep analytics and CRM capabilities. If you’re leaving Yelp because the platform lacks feature depth, Eat App goes in the opposite direction.

See Eat App pricing for current rates (as of February 2026).

Why choose Eat App over Yelp Guest Manager:

• Advanced analytics with POS-linked guest spend data
• Comprehensive CRM with detailed guest profiles
• Revenue tracking and custom reporting dashboards (Pro plan)
• Review management and sentiment analysis (Pro plan)
• Transparent, published pricing
• Free tier available (30 covers/month)

Drawbacks:

• POS integration costs an extra $89/month on Starter and Essential plans
• Pro plan needed for the best analytics features
• Monthly billing is significantly more expensive than annual
• Can be complex to set up and learn fully

Best for: High-volume, data-driven restaurants that want to understand guest behavior, track revenue per cover, and use analytics to drive operational decisions.

6. ResDiary: best for UK and international restaurants

Why consider ResDiary:

If you’re outside the US, Yelp Guest Manager offers minimal value since Yelp’s influence is almost entirely American. ResDiary, founded in Glasgow in 2006, has strong presence across the UK, Europe, and Australia with localized support.

Why choose ResDiary over Yelp Guest Manager:

• Strong regional presence in UK, Europe, and Australia
• Established platform with nearly two decades of track record
• Comprehensive feature set with good integration options
• Local support teams who understand regional markets

Drawbacks:

• Quote-based pricing requires contacting sales
• Interface can feel dated compared to newer platforms
• Less brand recognition in North America
• Sales process can be time-consuming

Best for: UK, European, and Australian restaurants that want a well-established local platform with regional expertise and support.

How to choose the right Yelp Guest Manager alternative

Choose Resos if:

• You want transparent pricing without a sales conversation
• You need a free tier to start or test
• Platform independence matters more than ecosystem integration
• You prefer month-to-month flexibility and predictable costs

Choose OpenTable if:

• Diner discovery is your top priority
• You want the largest reservation network for maximum exposure
• You’re willing to pay per-cover fees as a customer acquisition cost
• Brand recognition among diners matters to you

Choose Resy if:

• You run an upscale restaurant in a major US city
• American Express integration appeals to your clientele
• Premium brand positioning adds value to your business
• You have budget for $249+/month reservation software

Choose Tock if:

• You offer tasting menus or ticketed dining experiences
• Prepaid reservations are important for reducing no-shows
• You run special events, pop-ups, or experiential dining
• You need a platform built for fine dining operations

Choose Eat App if:

• Deep analytics and POS-linked data are your priority
• You want comprehensive CRM with guest spend tracking
• You operate a high-volume restaurant where data drives decisions
• Review management is important to your operations

Choose ResDiary if:

• You’re based in the UK, Europe, or Australia
• You want a local platform with regional support
• Yelp has little presence in your market
• You prefer an established provider with a long track record

The bottom line

Yelp Guest Manager has genuine value for restaurants where Yelp drives significant customer discovery. The integrated Reserve button, unified review management, and direct connection to Yelp’s user base create real convenience. That is worth acknowledging.

But for most restaurants, tying your reservation system to a single review platform creates unnecessary risk and cost. You lose the ability to compare pricing, you’re locked into one ecosystem, and you pay a premium for integration that many diners don’t actually need to make a booking.

For the majority of restaurants, Resos offers the best alternative: transparent pricing you can see before talking to anyone, a free tier to test with zero risk, no cover fees, and complete platform independence. The savings over Yelp Guest Manager’s estimated pricing are significant, and you own your customer relationships directly.

For restaurants with specific needs, OpenTable delivers unmatched discovery, Resy offers premium positioning, Tock handles ticketed dining, Eat App provides deep analytics, and ResDiary serves international markets.

The key question: is the Yelp Reserve button worth the cost of platform lock-in and opaque pricing? For most restaurants, the answer is no.

Related: Yelp vs Resos | OpenTable alternatives | Resy alternatives | Eat App vs Resos

Sources

• Yelp Guest Manager
• OpenTable pricing
• Resy for restaurants
• Tock for restaurants
• Eat App pricing
• ResDiary
• Resos pricing