Compare — argued fairly
Put us next to whatever you’re on now.
Choose your current system. Every figure in its column is quoted from that company’s own published pages, checked in September 2026 — and where a company doesn’t publish something, we say so rather than guess.
Checked September 2026 against each company’s own published pages. Prices exclude VAT where the company quotes them that way, and currencies are shown as published. We don’t list a competitor’s feature as missing — only as not published, which means we couldn’t find it stated publicly, not that it doesn’t exist. Spotted something wrong or out of date? Tell us at hello@eightish.co.uk and we’ll correct it.
Where OpenTable wins
Be honest about this bit
What’s new
The things we’ve shipped that changed the argument
A booking system that only takes bookings is a diary with a website. These are the parts that do something on the nights the diary is thin, and they are why the table above reads the way it does.
Autopilot, with a control group
It finds the quiet night, picks the regulars who are overdue, and offers them a held table. Then it keeps a holdout group back so the covers it claims are measured, not asserted. Anyone can send a marketing blast; almost nobody will tell you whether it worked.
Earlier-table offers
A guest wanted eight o’clock and took half nine. When eight frees, they’re offered it — on a real table held for them, with the offer expiring so the floor never double-promises. Accepting moves their booking; it never quietly creates a second one.
Smart deposits
A deposit on every booking costs you covers. A deposit on none costs you Saturdays. So the risk is assessed per booking — party size, night, the guest’s own history — and the card is only asked for where it earns its place.
Seating preferences that mean something
A guest asks for a booth. If we can give them one, we do; if we can’t, the booking is flagged on the night so somebody can move them or say something when they arrive — under a guard that won’t waste a six-top on a couple to do it.
Closures that behave
Shut for a private hire or the week after Christmas? Availability disappears, Autopilot stays quiet, and nothing is auto-cancelled behind your back. Staff can still book across a closure — the system asks them to say they meant it.
A host stand that survives the wifi
Table moves, seating and completions keep working with no connection and sync when it comes back. The pub broadband going down at half seven should not be the reason nobody knows who is on table nine.
Method
Where these figures come from
We only put a number in a competitor’s column if that company publishes it themselves. No customer anecdotes, no “typical” costs, no screenshots of someone’s invoice. If they don’t publish it, the cell says so — which is itself worth knowing when you’re trying to budget.
Access Collins — booking system
Resy — no UK price list published; nothing quoted