Reservation software, compared honestly
TableHelm, the unlimited-free Eat App alternative
Eat App is the most content-visible mid-market reservation platform, with published pricing and a genuinely free tier capped at 100 covers a month. It is a fair, self-serve product. The practical limits are the cover caps on the lower tiers (unlimited covers start at $199/mo, or $159 annual) and a small diner network, with older reviews citing thin customer service.
What Eat App does well
Credibility first: these are the genuine strengths.
- A genuinely free, permanent tier (100 covers/month)
- Published, self-serve pricing with no per-cover fees
- Broad feature set: floor plan, CRM, and card holds for no-shows
When Eat App is the better pick: Small restaurants under 100 covers a month who want a free start, or mid-size venues comfortable with $159-199/mo for unlimited covers.
Eat App pricing and terms
| Monthly price | Free $0; Starter $99/mo ($69 annual); Essential $199/mo ($159 annual); Pro $389/mo ($299 annual) |
|---|---|
| Usage fees | No per-cover fees; tiers are capped instead (Free 100 covers/mo, Starter 300 covers/mo) |
| Contract | Self-serve; monthly or discounted annual billing |
| Free tier | Yes: $0 for up to 100 covers per month, permanent |
| Guest data | CRM included; export specifics not in our verified source file |
| No-show tools | Credit-card holds and deposits supported; plan-gating unverified (payments listed under Pro) |
Last verified 2026-07-03, from the sources listed on this page. Eat Appfigures are published list prices and terms; negotiated contracts differ. Always check the vendor's site for current pricing before you decide.
Sources for the Eat App facts on this page
Documented, not invented
What operators say about Eat App
Verbatim quotes from named reviews and first-hand operator threads, each linked to its source.
“Customer service was almost non existent”
“the only thing that I am not happy about is the fewer restaurants and cafes on their platform”
Side by side
How TableHelm compares
Swipe the table sideways for the full comparison.
| TableHelm | Eat App | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | Free, or $29 a month flat | Free $0; Starter $99/mo ($69 annual); Essential $199/mo ($159 annual); Pro $389/mo ($299 annual) |
| Usage fees | Never a per-cover or per-booking fee | No per-cover fees; tiers are capped instead (Free 100 covers/mo, Starter 300 covers/mo) |
| Contract | Month to month. Cancel self-serve, keep your data. | Self-serve; monthly or discounted annual billing |
| Free tier | Yes: unlimited reservations and guests, one location | Yes: $0 for up to 100 covers per month, permanent |
| Guest data | Your guest book is yours. Full CSV export, free, any time, forever. | CRM included; export specifics not in our verified source file |
| No-show protection | Card holds via your own Stripe account (Pro). You keep 100% of every no-show fee; TableHelm takes nothing. | Credit-card holds and deposits supported; plan-gating unverified (payments listed under Pro) |
| Signup | Self-serve. No demo call, no card to start. | See the vendor's site |
Eat App column: published list prices and terms, last verified 2026-07-03(sources on this page); check the vendor's site for current pricing. TableHelm column: our own published product facts.
The honest gaps
What TableHelm does not do (and Eat App might)
- No diner discovery network. Your guests book through your own website, Google profile and Instagram; TableHelm makes that link excellent but brings no marketplace demand.
- No POS integration yet.
- No built-in SMS yet: confirmations and reminders go by email, plus a manage link you can text from any phone.
- One location per account for now.
If any of those are dealbreakers today, we would rather you know now. Here is exactly what you get on both of our plans.
Questions
Eat App vs TableHelm: FAQ
Yes, up to 100 covers per month, permanently. Above that, Starter is $99/mo ($69 annual) for 300 covers and Essential $199/mo ($159 annual) for unlimited covers. Check the vendor's site for current pricing.
Weighing a move off Eat App?
Start free in minutes: unlimited reservations, your own booking page, and a guest book you can export any time. No card, no demo call.