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Navigating the maze of online restaurant booking software can feel overwhelming. With so many options, each boasting its own set of features, how do you choose the right one for your bustling eatery or cosy café?
And let’s face it, the cost factor looms large, particularly if you’re nurturing a fledgling business with an eye on budget-friendly solutions. But here’s the good news: You don’t need a big budget to streamline your reservations! In this post, we share a selection of the best FREE online reservation booking software available. Whether you’re looking for simplicity, efficiency, or a sprinkle of modern tech, we’ve got you covered.
1. Resos
Resos is a restaurant booking software that offers a free plan. Among more paid plans, Resos offers a free plan for restaurants, café’s, or for businesses just starting up and looking for a free option.
The free plan includes 25 bookings per month and the core tools for taking and managing reservations. There is no time limit. Paid add-ons, including the waitlist, require a paid plan, but each add-on can be tried free for 30 days.
Core features include an intuitive floor plan, online bookings, guest profiles, table management, and email confirmations. Paid plans can add tools such as online payments and the waitlist. Read more about the features 👉 here
Resos is a modern and user-friendly system with its core booking features included on the free plan. Optional tools such as SMS notifications, online payments, and the waitlist are paid add-ons available with a paid plan. Larger venues that need faster response times can also add high-priority support to their booking system.
Ideal for: Resos is ideal for small restaurants or startups that need a comprehensive yet cost-effective booking solution. Its modern interface and wide range of features are perfect for venues that prioritize a seamless, tech-forward guest experience.
🚀 Main features:
- 🆓 Free plan for all sizes of businesses
- 📈 Core booking features included
- 📱 Modern, user-friendly interface
💲 Pricing: Free plan available (Limited to 25 bookings/month)
| ✅ Pros | ❌ Cons |
| ✔️ Suitable for small restaurants/startups | ❌ Paid add-ons require a paid plan |
| ✔️ 25 bookings/month with core booking features | ❌ Waitlist and SMS are not included |
| ✔️ Intuitive floor plan and table management |
2. TableAgent
TableAgent is a free reservation system powered by the Amazon.com AWS Cloud. No software download or credit/debit card details are required. The user interface is simple, making it a good choice for restaurants seeking a straightforward, free reservation software.
The layout of the user interface is a bit old-fashioned, but fairly simple to use. If a restaurant is looking for a free and simple reservation software to start with, TableAgent could be a good choice.
Ideal for: TableAgent is perfect for small to medium-sized restaurants looking for a straightforward, no-frills reservation system. Its simple user interface and cloud-based setup make it an excellent choice for venues that are transitioning from traditional to digital booking systems.
🚀 Main features:
- Powered by Amazon.com AWS Cloud
- No software download needed
- All features available immediately
💲 Pricing: Free
| ✅ Pros | ❌ Cons |
| ✔️ Free, cloud-based system | ❌ Somewhat old-fashioned UI |
| ✔️ No software or card details needed | ❌ Paid extras for some features |
| ✔️ Unlimited bookings and features |
3. GloriaFood
Just like TableAgent, GloriaFood is also a free restaurant booking system. Besides that, GloriaFood also provides a food ordering system, which can be used free of charge as well.
Similarly, optional paid extras can be purchased if a restaurant needs those features. These include an online payment service, marketing tools, and branded mobile apps. Speaking of which, one of the disadvantages GloriaFood has is that it is not available on desktop.
Instead, a mobile app needs to be downloaded. The range of features GloriaFood provides is wide and there are some unique ones too. These are for instance orders from Facebook, vacation mode, or a QR code menu.
GloriaFood offers a unique blend of a free restaurant booking and food ordering system. However, it’s mobile-app-centric, with no desktop version available.
Ideal for: GloriaFood is best suited for restaurants that also offer takeout and delivery services. Its integrated food ordering system and mobile app focus make it a great choice for venues looking to manage both reservations and food orders efficiently, especially those with a strong social media presence.
🚀 Main features:
- Mobile app-based system
- Integrated food ordering
- Unique features like Facebook orders
💲 Pricing: Free (Optional features paid extras)
| ✅ Pros | ❌ Cons |
| ✔️ Free booking and ordering system | ❌ No desktop version |
| ✔️ Feature-rich, including social media orders | ❌ Paid extras for advanced features |
4. Carbonara
Carbonara, as they say, is a ‘truly free’ booking system for restaurants. In opposite to TableAgent or GloriaFood, there are no optional paid extras available.
The system can be downloaded to mobile devices, but it is now also available on desktops. The user interface is bright, clean, and easy to use. One of the main features Carbonara provides is the waitlist, which helps restaurants manage tables in peak periods.
If, however, you are looking for a more advanced booking system, check out this post with the 7 best online booking systems for restaurants.
Ideal for: Carbonara is an excellent option for busy restaurants that need efficient waitlist management and a straightforward booking system. Its user-friendly design and multi-platform availability make it suitable for a variety of dining establishments, particularly those with high foot traffic.
🚀 Main features:
- Completely free, no paid extras
- Available on both mobile and desktop
- User-friendly, clean interface
💲 Pricing: Free
| ✅ Pros | ❌ Cons |
| ✔️ Truly free with no optional extras | ❌ Less suited for advanced needs |
| ✔️ Accessible on multiple devices | |
| ✔️ Specializes in waitlist management |
5. resmio
resmio caters to a range of needs with its three-tier plan system, including a free basic plan. It’s a versatile choice, though some advanced features come at an extra cost.
One of the main advantages resmio has is that reservations are unlimited in all plans. Although, the variety of features included in the free plan isn’t as big as that offered by the previously mentioned online restaurant booking software products.
These features include a Google Reserve button, QR code for guests, or booking notifications. The layout of the system is modern, and it is easy to get an overview of the bookings.
Ideal for: resmio is well-suited for a diverse range of dining establishments, from small cafés to larger restaurants. Its scalable plans and various add-ons make it a versatile option for venues that require a customizable booking solution with room to grow.
🚀 Main features:
- Free basic plan available
- Google Reserve button and QR codes
- Easy booking overview
💲 Pricing: Free basic plan (Add-ons at additional costs)
| ✅ Pros | ❌ Cons |
| ✔️ Unlimited reservations in free plan | ❌ Limited features in free version |
| ✔️ Includes key features like booking notifications | ❌ Add-ons require additional costs |
| ✔️ Modern and intuitive system layout |
What “free” actually includes
All five plans above are genuinely free: no commission, no per-cover charge, no fee for accepting a reservation. That’s worth spelling out, because “free” gets stretched to cover very different deals in this market. Reservation networks like OpenTable, Resy, and TheFork also get called free, since diners never pay to book through them, but the restaurant’s side of that deal looks nothing like the plans above.
Network platforms charge the restaurant, not the diner. OpenTable runs tiered monthly subscription plans and adds a per-cover fee on top for diners who discover the restaurant through OpenTable’s own site, app, or affiliate network; the fee structure varies by plan. Resy charges a flat monthly subscription with no per-cover fee (confirmed on Resy’s own pricing page), but there’s no free tier at all: its cheapest plan starts at $249 per month. TheFork Manager doesn’t list self-serve prices at all (“ask for pricing” is as specific as its page gets); its fee is a percentage of the average bill for every diner who books through TheFork, TripAdvisor, or partner channels, though bookings made through the restaurant’s own website or social pages carry no commission. None of the three offer a genuinely free plan the way Resos, TableAgent, GloriaFood, Carbonara, and resmio do, so when you’re comparing free restaurant reservation systems, these network platforms simply aren’t in the running.
What the free tier includes and excludes
| System | Free allowance | Included at no cost | Important paid limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resos | 25 bookings/month | Core reservation tools, website widget, and email confirmations | Add-ons require a paid plan |
| TableAgent | No monthly or per-reservation fee | Table and floor management, waitlist, and website integration | SMS costs $20/month; payments and deposits are paid services |
| GloriaFood | Unlimited reservations | Website widget with no setup or booking fee | Deposits cost $0.50 per guest; online payments cost $29/month |
| Carbonara | 50 bookings/month | Reservations and waitlist, including all Starter features | Two-way SMS and WhatsApp are charged by usage; deposits require VIP or PX |
| resmio | Unlimited reservations | Booking widget, email notifications, and a basic website | Widget customization, waitlist, and Google Reserve require Premium; SMS costs €0.09/message on paid plans |
Plan details were checked on each vendor’s official page on August 11, 2026: TableAgent, GloriaFood, Carbonara, and resmio. Resos details use this site’s current pricing data. Prices and plan inclusions can change.
Whichever free reservation system you land on, read the fine print on what “free” leaves out before you commit a season’s worth of bookings to it. Start with the free plan, with no per-cover fees to see exactly what’s included before you sign up.
Want to compare beyond the free tiers? Restaurant Academy maintains an independent roundup of the best restaurant booking systems in 2026, covering paid plans, commission terms, and the best fit by venue type.
Interested in trying out Resos’ free online restaurant booking software?
Would you like to hear more about our free system, Resos? Elevate your restaurant operations by creating an account and trying Resos for free. Explore our paid plans - no commitment. Need assistance getting started? Reach out to our dedicated customer support at hi@resos.com.
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