Comparison updated October 2026
Looking for a booking system with a flat monthly fee and no per-cover commission? Here's how Carbonara App and TheFork Manager compare on pricing and features, plan by plan, based on what TheFork publishes.
€0 to startNo commission per cover, on every planSet up in less than five minutesNo contract, no card to startWhy this page
TheFork and Carbonara App solve different problems. Here's how each one works.
TheFork is a restaurant booking marketplace with its own management software, TheFork Manager. According to its official pricing page, TheFork offers several plans and charges a fee based on a percentage of the average bill per guest for bookings that come from TheFork, Tripadvisor and partners.
Bookings from the restaurant's own website, Instagram and Facebook are included, with no commission.
Carbonara App is not a marketplace. It's an app for managing reservations and a queue for guests without a booking (walk-ins), built for independent restaurants, cafés and bars.
Flat monthly plans, no per-cover commission, and a free plan for low-volume venues.
Verdict
It depends on what you need most: fixed costs and running the floor, or visibility on a marketplace.
For fixed costs
Flat-fee management software, no per-cover commission
Free plan for 50 reservations and waitlist groups in any 30 daysPaid plans from €9.99 a month, flat feeZero per-cover commission on every planWalk-in waitlist and reservations in one appSMS and WhatsApp that guests can reply to (paid as you send them)QR code queue at the doorSet up in less than five minutes, no contractFor visibility
Booking marketplace with TheFork Manager software
TheFork marketplace to reach new dinersPartner channels: Tripadvisor, MICHELIN and moreCommission-free widget for your website and social mediaDedicated account manager and support 7 days a weekWaitlist for when you're fully booked (Performance, Enterprise)Chat with guests, card guarantees and reconfirmations (from Performance)Group features and email campaigns (Enterprise)Costs: monthly plan (price on request) and a fee based on a percentage of the average bill per guest for bookings from TheFork, Tripadvisor and partners.
Source for TheFork: TheFork Manager official pricing page, checked on 9 October 2026. Features may vary by plan, country and over time.
How each one charges, based on what each company publishes.
On every plan: a fee based on a percentage of the average bill per guest for bookings from TheFork, Tripadvisor and partners; bookings from your website, Instagram and Facebook included. Prices on request. Sources: TheFork Manager pricing and TheFork Manager plans, checked on 9 October 2026.
What each TheFork plan includes, summarised from TheFork’s own pages.
Listing on the TheFork marketplace and partner channels, commission-free booking widget for website and social media, one platform for all bookings, marketing tools, mobile app, dedicated account manager
Everything in Visibility, plus: smart floorplan, card guarantees, pre-payments and reconfirmations, customisable booking flow, advanced analytics, chat with guests, guest database with POS and CRM sync
Everything in Performance, plus: features for restaurant groups, tailored email campaigns, extended data options and integrations
Prices on request. Sources: TheFork Manager pricing and TheFork Manager plans, checked on 9 October 2026.
Carbonara App pricing
Start on the Free plan and move up only when your volume needs it. Every plan includes reservations and the waitlist.
€0
€9.99/month
€18.99/month
€27.99/month
€39.99/month
€52.99/month
Messages are paid as you send them. Ticket fees from 2.95% to 3.95% by plan. Deposits on VIP and PX. Two-week free trial. 10% off with yearly billing.
What you get
Everything an independent restaurant needs to manage guests, cut no-shows and work better, in one app.
No more pen and paper. Manage walk-in queues digitally and give guests real wait times.
Reservations 24/7 from your website, Instagram or a link, synced across your team's devices.
Reminders and 'table ready' alerts. Guests can reply if their plans change.
Table map in the app and live floor management from a phone or tablet.
Guests scan the QR at the door, join the list and get updates, with no app to download.
Covers served, average wait times and peak hours, for better decisions.
Carbonara App processes guest data on the restaurant's behalf and only to provide the service, in line with GDPR.
Guests book straight from your restaurant's Google Business Profile. Included in PX; an add-on on other plans.
Real feedback
From reviews on Capterra and GetApp.
“Training was really simple — very easy to roll out to the team, completely intuitive. It does exactly what it promises, without a hitch.”
“The fees of the chosen plan fit perfectly with our budget, and the benefits of optimising our business compensate for our investment.”
“We are pleasantly surprised by what Carbonara App has to offer at such an affordable cost. Highly recommended for any independent restaurant.”
One monthly fee and no minimum term. Pay monthly and change your plan whenever you like.
It depends on what you need. Carbonara App handles reservations, a queue for guests without a booking, the floor plan and messages to guests, on a flat fee with no per-cover commission. It's not a marketplace: it won't bring you new diners the way TheFork and its partner channels do. If many of your bookings come from the TheFork marketplace today, factor that in before switching.
The model. TheFork is a marketplace with management software: a monthly plan and a fee based on a percentage of the average bill per guest for bookings from TheFork and partners, while bookings from your own website and social media are commission-free. Carbonara App is flat-fee management software with no per-cover commission and a digital queue for walk-in guests.
Carbonara App has a Free plan for 50 reservations and waitlist groups in any 30 days. Paid plans are €9.99 (Starter), €18.99 (Light), €27.99 (Advanced), €39.99 (VIP) and €52.99 (PX) a month, with 10% off with yearly billing. Messages are paid as you send them. Deposits are available on the VIP and PX plans; ticket fees from 2.95% to 3.95% by plan. Two-week free trial. Details at carbonaraapp.com/pricing.
Not on covers or on the bookings you take: there’s no per-cover or per-booking commission on any plan, and the monthly fee is fixed. If you sell prepaid tickets, a ticket fee of 2.95% to 3.95% applies, set by your plan. Messages are paid as you send them, and card payments for deposits carry Stripe’s fees.
Your restaurant. Carbonara App processes guest data on the restaurant's behalf, only to provide the service, as set out in our Privacy Policy.
Yes. Where guests have given explicit consent to receive marketing, you can use that data to build a direct marketing list, under Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR. Details in our Privacy Policy.
Set-up takes less than five minutes, with no long-term contract, and the Free plan needs no credit card. Before switching, check the terms of your current TheFork contract.
Further reading
Every plan, from Free to PX, add-ons and free trial.
How the digital waitlist works for walk-in venues.
Bookings from your website, social media and Google.
How we protect guest data under GDPR.
Billing, features and set-up.
Ratings from restaurant owners worldwide.
Feature sheets and third-party reviews.
The official page our TheFork information comes from.
Start on the Free plan: no credit card, no contract. Move up only when you need to.
Up to 50 reservations and waitlist groups free in any 30 days · Plans from €9.99 a month · 2-week trial
Carbonara App is committed to protecting the privacy of restaurant owners and their guests. The service is run in line with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and applicable data protection law. Personal data, such as guests’ names and phone numbers, is collected only to provide the reservation and waitlist service, as described in our Privacy Policy.
Guest data and marketing lists: where a guest has given explicit, freely given consent to receive marketing from the restaurant, for example when booking, Carbonara App lets the restaurant use those contact details for a direct, consent-based marketing list, under Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR. The restaurant remains the data controller and is responsible for valid, documented consent. Guest data is never sold or shared with third-party advertisers.
Guests can access, correct or ask to delete their data at any time, by writing to the address in our Privacy Policy.
This comparison page is produced by Carbonara App. Information about TheFork comes from TheFork Manager’s official pricing page and plans page, checked on 9 October 2026, and may vary by plan, country and over time: always check current terms directly with TheFork. Carbonara App is not affiliated with TheFork, Tripadvisor or any other third party mentioned on this page. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.
