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Software · head to head

Lavu vs OpenTable

Lavu logo

Lavu

Software

iPad POS for restaurants and bars

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OpenTable logo

OpenTable

Software

Restaurant reservation and management platform

From
$39/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Lavu iPad-only solution with no Android or Windows alternative; 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: Lavu covers iPad POS, OpenTable covers Online reservations.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lavu and OpenTable actually diverge.

Attributes where Lavu and OpenTable differ
AttributeLavuOpenTable
Starting price$99/month$39/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsiPadWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20101998

Identical on both: 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 Lavu

  • iPad POS
  • Split checks
  • Tab management
  • Happy hour pricing
  • Inventory tracking
  • Kitchen display
  • QuickBooks
  • Xero

Only in OpenTable

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

Both cover

  • Ios support

What people use each for

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

Lavu

  • 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.

Lavu

  • iPad-only solution with no Android or Windows alternative
  • Hardware costs are significant with devices starting at $700
  • Limited offline functionality compared to some competitors

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

Lavu

$99/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Lavu review.

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 Lavu if

  • You need ipad pos.
  • You work on iPad.
  • You also want split checks.
Lavu 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 Lavu or OpenTable better?
Neither clearly leads. Lavu starts at $99/month and OpenTable at $39/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lavu or OpenTable?
Lavu starts at $99/month and OpenTable at $39/month.
Does Lavu or OpenTable run on more platforms?
Lavu runs on iPad. OpenTable runs on Web, Ios, Android.
What is Lavu best used for?
Lavu is most often used for point of sale, order management, inventory control, staff scheduling.
What can Lavu do that OpenTable cannot?
Lavu covers iPad POS, Split checks, Tab management, Happy hour pricing. OpenTable covers Online reservations, Table management, Guest profiles, Waitlist. Both handle Ios support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lavu: What devices does Lavu support?

Lavu is iPad-based and works with iPad Pro, Air, and Mini models. It is compatible with peripherals from Ingenico, Magtek, and supports various receipt printers, cash drawers, and barcode scanners.

Source
Lavu: Does Lavu offer financing for hardware?

Yes. Lavu offers 0% no-interest financing on hardware for 3-year contracts, and supports both 1-year and 3-year contract terms.

Source
Lavu: What is Lavu's pricing range?

Lavu monthly POS software costs range from $99 to $279 per month, with hardware starting at $700 and up to $1,500 for full systems.

Source
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