Software · head to head
Aloha POS vs OpenTable
OpenTable
Software
Restaurant reservation and management platform
- From
- $39/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Aloha POS high upfront hardware costs ($1,000+ per terminal) make it expensive to deploy across multiple locations; 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: Aloha POS covers Order management, OpenTable covers Online reservations.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Aloha POS and OpenTable actually diverge.
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), 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 Aloha POS
- Order management
- Labor scheduling
- Inventory control
- Enterprise reporting
- Loyalty programs
- NCR Back Office
- Third-party delivery
- Accounting software
Only in OpenTable
- Online reservations
- Guest profiles
- Waitlist
- Marketing tools
- Reviews
- Toast
- Square
- Lightspeed
Both cover
- Table management
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Aloha POS
- 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.
Aloha POS
- High upfront hardware costs ($1,000+ per terminal) make it expensive to deploy across multiple locations
- User interface is dated with functionality from 2005-era design, requiring training for staff familiar with modern applications
- Network connectivity issues cause terminals to lose access to central database when Wi-Fi drops, leading to transaction failures
- Requires proprietary terminals unlike competitors that run on standard iPads or Android tablets
- Complex customization requires expensive professional services and cannot be configured by restaurant staff
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
Aloha POS
$150/month- Essentials$150/month
- POS
- Basic reporting
- Professional$250/month
- Advanced features
- Labor management
- EnterpriseFree
- Custom pricing
- Full suite
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 Aloha POS if
- You need order management.
- You work on Windows, Android.
- You also want labor scheduling.
Choose OpenTable if
- You need online reservations.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want guest profiles.
Questions people ask
- Is Aloha POS or OpenTable better?
- Neither clearly leads. Aloha POS starts at $150/month and OpenTable at $39/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Aloha POS or OpenTable?
- Aloha POS starts at $150/month and OpenTable at $39/month.
- Does Aloha POS or OpenTable run on more platforms?
- Aloha POS runs on Windows, Android. OpenTable runs on Web, Ios, Android.
- What is Aloha POS best used for?
- Aloha POS is most often used for point of sale, order management, inventory control, staff scheduling.
- What can Aloha POS do that OpenTable cannot?
- Aloha POS covers Order management, Labor scheduling, Inventory control, Enterprise reporting. OpenTable covers Online reservations, Guest profiles, Waitlist, Marketing tools. Both handle Table management, Web support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Aloha POS: What are the hardware options for Aloha POS?
Aloha offers two main products: Aloha Essentials POS which runs on Windows servers at your location, and Aloha Cloud POS which operates on Android-based mobile terminals connected to cloud systems. Hardware costs approximately $1,000 per terminal or available through subscription.
SourceAloha POS: What features does Aloha include for restaurant operations?
Aloha includes kitchen automation, table management, staff rosters, payment processing, inventory tracking, reporting, customer loyalty programs, and employee time tracking.
SourceAloha POS: Is Aloha POS available as a subscription?
Yes. NCR Aloha offers an all-in-one monthly subscription model that includes software, hardware, payment processing, and 24/7 customer support. Upfront implementation costs vary based on specific needs.
SourceAloha POS: What are the network requirements for Aloha POS?
Aloha Essentials requires a stable network connection between terminals and the Windows server. Network disruptions cause terminals to lose access to the central database, resulting in transaction failures and payment errors.
Source