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Software · head to head

7shifts vs OpenTable

7shifts logo

7shifts

Software

Restaurant team management made easy

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OpenTable logo

OpenTable

Software

Restaurant reservation and management platform

From
$39/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only 7shifts has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 7shifts subscription automatically renews at expiry for the same period at the then-current rate and fees are non-refundable, per 7shifts' Terms of Service.; OpenTable openTable for Restaurants charges a subscription fee on top of per-cover network fees: Basic is $149/month with covers free for the first 30 days then $1.50 per network cover, Core is $299/month at $1 per network cover, and Pro is $499/month also at $1 per network cover, so cost scales with both plan tier and diner volume rather than a flat seat price (archived plans page, 5 November 2025)
  • They diverge on capability: 7shifts covers Employee scheduling, OpenTable covers Online reservations.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which 7shifts and OpenTable actually diverge.

Attributes where 7shifts and OpenTable differ
Attribute7shiftsOpenTable
Starting priceFree$39/month
Free tierYesNo
Founded20141998

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in 7shifts

  • Employee scheduling
  • Time clocking
  • Team communication
  • Tip pooling
  • Labor compliance
  • Hiring
  • QuickBooks

Only in OpenTable

  • Online reservations
  • Table management
  • Guest profiles
  • Waitlist
  • Marketing tools
  • Reviews

Both cover

  • Toast
  • Square
  • Lightspeed
  • Revel
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

7shifts

  • Point of Sale
  • Order Management
  • Inventory Control
  • Staff Scheduling

OpenTable

  • Point of Sale
  • Order Management
  • Inventory Control
  • Staff Scheduling

Both are used for point of sale, order management, inventory control, staff scheduling, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

7shifts

  • Subscription automatically renews at expiry for the same period at the then-current rate and fees are non-refundable, per 7shifts' Terms of Service.
  • 7shifts may increase fees annually without notice to track CPI inflation, or with 30 days notice for other fee changes, per its Terms of Service.

OpenTable

  • OpenTable for Restaurants charges a subscription fee on top of per-cover network fees: Basic is $149/month with covers free for the first 30 days then $1.50 per network cover, Core is $299/month at $1 per network cover, and Pro is $499/month also at $1 per network cover, so cost scales with both plan tier and diner volume rather than a flat seat price (archived plans page, 5 November 2025)
  • On the Basic plan, reservations booked through the restaurant's own website are not free: they cost $0.25 per cover or a $49/month flat fee, a charge that is waived only on the higher Core and Pro tiers (archived plans page, 5 November 2025)

Pricing, plan by plan

7shifts

Free
  • CompFree
    • Basic scheduling
    • 1 location
  • Appetizer$29.99/month
    • Scheduling
    • Time clocking
  • Entree$69.99/month
    • Tip pooling
    • Labor compliance
  • The Works$135/month
    • Full features
    • Task management

OpenTable

$39/month
  • Basic$39/month
    • Reservations
    • Table management
  • Core$249/month
    • Guest profiles
    • Marketing
  • Pro$449/month
    • Full features
    • Premium support

Which should you pick?

Choose 7shifts if

  • You need employee scheduling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want time clocking.
7shifts review

Choose OpenTable if

  • You need online reservations.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want table management.
OpenTable review

Questions people ask

Is 7shifts or OpenTable better?
Neither clearly leads. 7shifts starts at Free and OpenTable at $39/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, 7shifts or OpenTable?
7shifts has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for 7shifts and $39/month for OpenTable.
Does 7shifts or OpenTable run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use 7shifts for free?
Yes. 7shifts has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. OpenTable starts at $39/month.
What is 7shifts best used for?
7shifts is most often used for point of sale, order management, inventory control, staff scheduling.
What can 7shifts do that OpenTable cannot?
7shifts covers Employee scheduling, Time clocking, Team communication, Tip pooling. OpenTable covers Online reservations, Table management, Guest profiles, Waitlist. Both handle Toast, Square, Lightspeed, Revel.
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