Comparison · Booking
OpenTable alternatives for restaurants
For most independent restaurants, an OpenTable alternative with no per-cover commission — like Goboblo — keeps more of your margin; OpenTable itself is still the pick if you want its large diner network.
Quick answer: who fits what
OpenTable is a strong enterprise reservation platform with a big diner network. The reason restaurants look for an alternative is almost always the same: per-cover fees that grow exactly when business is good. That pricing punishes a full night. We think that's backwards.
Pick by what you actually need. Want booking, loyalty, and weekday-lunch tools in one system with no commission? Goboblo fits. Want a global consumer marketplace that sends you diners? OpenTable or a booking system paired with TheFork fits better. Want the cheapest pure booking tool? easyTable is worth a look.
OpenTable alternatives compared
| What matters | Goboblo | OpenTable | TheFork | easyTable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per-cover commission | None | Yes | Yes (network covers) | None |
| No-show protection | Yes | Yes | Yes | Basic |
| Loyalty built in | Yes | No | Limited | No |
| Weekday-lunch tools | Yes | No | No | No |
| Fits small / independent | Yes | Enterprise-leaning | Mid–large | Yes |
| Diner discovery network | Menydags (SE only) | Large, global | Large (EU) | No |
Note the last row honestly: OpenTable and TheFork beat Goboblo on consumer reach. Their apps are real discovery channels. Goboblo's network, Menydags, only covers Sweden — so outside Sweden you bring your own demand through your site, social, and search.
Criterion by criterion
Pricing and commission
This is the whole reason the search exists. OpenTable and TheFork take a cut per seated cover from their network. Goboblo and easyTable don't — you pay for the software, not for your own success. On a 60-cover Friday, a per-cover fee is real money you keep instead.
No-shows
All four handle reminders. Goboblo ties reminders, easy cancellation, and deposits to one guest profile — see reducing no-shows. OpenTable's tools are solid too; easyTable's are thinner.
Booking plus retention
Here's the split that matters long term. OpenTable, TheFork, and easyTable are booking-first. Goboblo connects the booking to loyalty and lunch, so a reservation becomes a returning guest, not just a filled seat.
Table management
For the floor view itself, all are competent; Goboblo's table management is built into the same system as loyalty and the guest profile.
When Goboblo is the right call — and when it isn't
Choose Goboblo if you run an independent restaurant or a small group, you want booking, loyalty, and lunch in one place, and you'd rather not pay commission on covers you earned yourself.
Stay on OpenTable (or add TheFork) if your bookings depend on their consumer app for discovery, or you run a large, multi-site operation already standardised on it. We'd rather tell you that than pretend reach doesn't matter.
Common questions
Is there a free OpenTable alternative?
Yes — Goboblo is free to start and never charges a per-cover commission, so a small venue can take online reservations without a monthly minimum.
Why do restaurants leave OpenTable?
Usually the cost: per-cover fees add up on a busy night, and the diner network you pay for matters less if most of your bookings already come from your own site and regulars.
What does OpenTable still do better?
Reach. Its consumer app sends diners to listed restaurants — useful for discovery in big cities. If that traffic is your main channel, switching costs you reach.
Switch without the per-cover tax
Book a demo, or join the waitlist for early access.