Running a restaurant means so much more than serving delicious food.
It also means managing the entire dining experience from start to finish. At the heart of this experience is your reservation system.
Diners book online more than ever. So, selecting the right booking tool has become crucial for streamlining operations and maximizing table turnover.
TableAgent and Tablein are two great options, but which one is right for your restaurant?
We’ll help break it down for you—from their pros and cons to what real users are saying.
So let’s get right into it!
Let’s start by comparing these two solutions based on the key features they offer.
Today's restaurants need to offer online table bookings if they want to attract modern diners and free up their staff’s time.
Both Tablein and TableAgent can help you with that, allowing you to embed their table booking widgets on your website.
That way, your customers can make reservations 24/7, from any device.
This means fewer phone calls and more time for your team to focus on in-house guests.
Let’s take a closer look at Tablein’s widget first.
It is based on simple HTML code that can be copied and pasted directly into your website, making it easy to integrate.
Source: Tablein
As you can see below, the widget itself is simple, yet functional and customizable.
Source: Upstairs at Anna's
You can opt for the weekly or monthly view, as well as choose the widget theme and background to match your restaurant’s aesthetic.
Tablein also allows you to showcase your booking policy next to the widget, making sure guests are aware of your terms and conditions before confirming their reservations.
Furthermore, Tablein’s widget supports more than 20 languages.
This not only allows you to set the widget to match your local language—it also enables you to select additional foreign languages for potential international guests.
Source: Tablein
That way, your restaurant’s offerings are easily accessible and understood by all of your customers, helping create a more seamless booking experience.
During the table reservation process, your guests can choose their dining area, make note of allergies, request special occasions, and even change bookings with just a few clicks.
Source: Tablein
TableAgent’s booking widget also covers the basics but with fewer design options and a different approach.
Tablein’s widget takes more of a step-by-step approach to the table booking process.
As you can see below, it asks guests to first select the desired reservation date, party size, and booking area before moving on to other details.
Source: Tablein
On the other hand, TableAgent asks for all information at once, using simple but functional drop down menus.
Source: TableAgent
Unlike Tablein, TableAgent’s system automatically assigns tables based on party size.
This makes allocation simple, but less customizable.
Source: TableAgent
Overall, Tablein creates a more personalized booking experience, but TableAgent can be a great starting point if you’re happy with fewer customization options and a simple layout.
Good reservation management keeps your tables full—without the chaos of overbooking.
It's essential for boosting your revenue and keeping your guests happy. Both tools help you see your bookings at a glance and make your service run smoother.
Tablein has an intuitive dashboard with multiple viewing options.
One thing that makes it stand out? Its intuitive calendar view that allows you to differ between available, booked, and pending slots with ease.
Source: Tablein
This view also gives staff a quick overview of availability and reservation statuses, while the reservation list view provides additional booking details, such as customer info and payment status.
The system offers both light and dark mode, which comes in handy for better visibility in different lighting conditions.
Source: Tablein
On top of that, automated confirmation emails and SMS reminders help reduce no-shows, a common challenge for restaurants of all sizes.
This improves reservation management by maximizing occupancy and minimizing disruptions to your restaurant’s flow.
Source: Tablein
Let’s take a look at how TableAgent works in terms of reservation management.
It offers two distinct dashboard options: a book-style reservation dashboard and a table management dashboard.
Source: TableAgent
The reservation book dashboard functions like a traditional booking system, providing a more granular view of each table booking.
For restaurants wanting more of a bird’s eye view of the situation, the table status dashboard gives exactly that:
It shows real-time reservation status in a table format and with color coding—red for reserved, blue for seated.
Source: TableAgent
Both systems let you change reservation statuses (confirmed, seated, finished, etc.) with just a few clicks.
It’s worth noting that TableAgent provides additional status options, like "running late", that can be useful for managing expectations during busy service periods.
While TableAgent's dashboard approach is great for restaurants transitioning from traditional reservation books to digital systems, there's no denying that Tablein offers a more modern, yet intuitive solution.
Great table management tools help you seat more guests, cut wait times, and pack in extra covers when you're busy.
In this context, Tablein comes with a handy floor plan editor to map out your restaurant layout.
Creating a clear floor plan with Tablein helps restaurants visualize and easily manage their space, allowing them to accommodate groups of all sizes with minimum fuss.
Source: Tablein
Need to split your dining room into sections? No problem!
Want to push tables together for a large party? Easy!
The system makes it possible to accurately create a virtual representation of your establishment, offering different table shape and size options.
It also includes a waitlist feature that sends an automated SMS message to your guests when their table is ready.
That way, they can, say, browse nearby shops instead of waiting at your entrance.
Source: Tablein
Additionally, with Tablein, you can make dining area selection mandatory, or let the system automatically allocate the area by priority.
This means you’ve got another way to ensure efficient use of available space and reduce waiting times.
Source: Tablein
TableAgent takes a different approach to table management.
Instead of a floor plan layout, it shows you your restaurant at a glance with its color-coded dashboard.
Available tables are marked in green, reserved tables are red, and seated tables appear in blue. It's like having a bird's eye view of your dining room at all times.
Source: TableAgent
And if you need to manage a waitlist, TableAgent has you covered.
Enter phone numbers, estimate wait times, and even assign old-school pagers if that's your thing.
TableAgent also has an option called Table Groups, enabling you to join together smaller tables for a larger party.
Source: TableAgent
The system automatically texts guests when they're added to the list and again when their table is ready.
While both tools offer solid table management features, Tablein’s visual approach with its customizable floor plan editor provides a more interactive and flexible way to manage your restaurant’s layout.
Want guests to come back again and again?
Building relationships is the secret sauce!
Luckily, both Tablein and TableAgent can help you track what your diners like.
Let’s first see how Tablein does it.
It saves your guests to the guest book by phone number, enabling you to keep tabs on them in an easy and intuitive way.
It also allows you to not only save and search for your guests’ contact info and see their visit history, but also jot down special notes like "loves window seats" or "allergic to shellfish."
Any notes you take will be saved in the guest profile and remain attached to that guest across all future bookings, making it easier for your staff to provide the best experience every single time.
Source: Tablein
You can also mark your regulars as VIPs, flag food critics, or even blacklist frequent no-call, no-shows.
But that’s not all:
Tablein is cooking up an even better CRM system that will offer deeper insights into your guests' preferences.
TableAgent allows you to make note of different information regarding your guests, too.
Source: TableAgent
Their tool lets you quickly find returning customers by name or phone number.
When they book again, their info pops up automatically—saving you time and helping you recognize your regulars.
Just make sure you have their phone number, or the system won't create a profile.
Both platforms handle the basics of guest management, but Tablein truly stands out with its advanced CRM features, allowing you to track guest preferences and ensuring a more tailored and consistent experience for every one of them.
Smart data helps you run a smarter restaurant, no doubt about it.
The right insights tell you when to staff up, where to focus your marketing efforts, and how to fine-tune operations.
Tablein keeps reporting simple and focused on what matters daily.
Source: Tablein
You can see data like the most booked hours, who your most loyal guests are, the number of guests per day, and how many guests dined without making a reservation, canceled their booking, or simply didn’t show up.
By default, the system shows statistics for a 15-day period, but you can always look at your preferred timeframe for more specific insights.
Source: Tablein
But aside from providing you with all the basic data, Tablein allows you to keep track of customer reviews, too.
This reporting feature makes it easier to identify areas for improvement and build stronger relationships with customers by addressing their feedback.
Source: Tablein
Tablein can also tell you whether your marketing efforts are paying off.
For instance, you can see the number of guests who subscribe to your newsletter and compare it to the total email count. This will give you insight into whether guests are interested in your updates.
Source: Tablein
And if all of this sounds good, you’ll be happy to find out that Tablein is currently working on developing even more advanced reporting features to help you with reservation management and marketing.
TableAgent shows your business patterns through colorful charts that make trends pop at a glance.
You can run reports on reservations and customers to spot patterns you might otherwise miss.
Source: TableAgent
Need to filter by reservation status, time, party size, or how they booked? Just a few clicks and you're there!
Just as colorfully, TableAgent shows you who your most loyal (or royal) customers are.
Source: TableAgent
While both platforms offer valuable insights, based on the available information, Tablein's reporting capabilities are more extensive and granular.
Their straightforward, daily-focused reporting and customer review tracking make it a very practical and intuitive tool for improving your restaurant operations and marketing strategies.
Today, managing bookings from your phone isn't just convenient—it's necessary.
Neither of the tools we’re comparing today has a designated mobile app, but both offer great alternatives.
Let’s start with Tablein.
While it doesn’t offer an app as such, Tablein makes it easy to access the web version of the system on any device, just like a regular app.
Source: Tablein
The interface adjusts to fit your screen, whether you're on a phone or tablet. Use it on iOS or Android—it works the same.
This makes it easy for your staff to check and update bookings on the go.
Source: Tablein
What’s more, you don’t have to learn how the app works—sometimes, apps differ so much from websites, that the learning curve almost isn’t worth it.
With Tablein, you have the same options, only condensed or expanded to look good on the screen you’re holding.
And since the system updates automatically, you'll always have the latest version without having to download anything new.
TableAgent also lets you access your dashboard wherever you are.
Check bookings from your phone, tablet, or laptop.
Since it's cloud-based, there's nothing to install and no equipment to buy. TableAgent boasts this fact as soon as you open their reservation system webpage.
Source: TableAgent
Both Tablein and TableAgent offer seamless, mobile-friendly access through their web platforms, ensuring you can manage bookings on the go without the need for a dedicated app or additional staff training.
Your reservation system needs to play nice with your other tech tools. The better they connect, the smoother your operation runs.
Tablein makes integrations super easy—no coding required.
It connects with all the major platforms where guests might find you: Google Business, Facebook, Instagram, and even the Michelin Guide.
Source: Tablein
Building a website? Tablein works with WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, Webflow, and Hostinger. Just paste in a bit of code, and you're all set.
For payments, it handles Stripe, PayPal, Redsys, and Paysera, with even more payment options on the way.
Source: Tablein
TableAgent also connects with third-party platforms so customers can book from different channels.
They say you can easily connect Stripe, Square, and Authorize.Net with their solution.
Source: TableAgent
While they don't specifically mention POS systems, they do offer referral tracking—handy if you work with concierges or booking partners who send guests your way.
Both systems handle the basics, but Tablein offers more comprehensive connections, especially with payment systems and website platforms.
This matters if you've got a complex tech setup or plan to grow your digital toolbox.
Even the best restaurant tech hits a snag sometimes. When that happens, good support makes all the difference.
Tablein offers round-the-clock support through multiple channels.
Need help at 2 AM? Send an email, start a live chat, or use their in-app messaging.
Tablein has also built a self-service portal with step-by-step guides for DIY problem-solving.
Source: Tablein
And if you prefer talking to a human, they offer phone support, too. They'll even help with installation and technical issues.
And that’s not all: Tablein also has a settings advisor available to help you customize the platform to fit your restaurant's unique needs.
TableAgent keeps it simpler—they invite you to call or email with questions.
Their system runs on Amazon's AWS cloud infrastructure, so the technical backbone is solid. But information about their direct support team is harder to find.
In this context, it’s worth noting that there’s a recent review (dated February 2025) giving TableAgent an alarming one-star for impossible customer support.
Source: Trust Pilot
From what we can see, Tablein offers more comprehensive and accessible help.
This matters a lot if you're not particularly tech-savvy or need assistance outside regular business hours.
Now, let’s get to what real users are saying about Tablein and TableAgent.
Reviews are the best way to find out what it’s really like to use these systems day-to-day.
Tablein knocks it out of the park with reviews, scoring a perfect 5/5 stars on GetApp.
Source: GetApp
Users love how easy it is to use, how quickly they can set it up, and how helpful the support team is.
Source: GetApp
Many rave about how smoothly it integrates with their websites, too.
The straightforward floor plans and automatic notifications for both staff and customers get lots of thumbs up, and people also appreciate the clear, no-surprises pricing.
However, some users wish for more flexible reservation times, and others would prefer a dedicated app instead of a mobile website.
Source: GetApp
We must note, though, that the five-star reviews span six years—proof that Tablein never compromised on quality.
TableAgent reviews are harder to find, but feedback on G2 and Reddit shows people love that it's free and covers the basics well, though there’s room for improvement.
Source: G2
Several restaurant owners say it meets their needs without costing a fortune, even when they add paid features like text confirmation.
Source: Trust Pilot
Still, it’s important to keep in mind that February 2025 review, especially if you feel you need sturdy customer support.
Bottom line: Tablein gets more consistent praise, especially for being user-friendly, feature-rich, and having great support.
But TableAgent's free price tag might be attractive if you're watching your budget.
For many restaurants—especially smaller ones—cost can make or break your decision.
And when it comes to this one comparison, there is a big difference. Let’s talk Tablein first.
Tablein keeps pricing clear and simple with three plans: Starter, Growth, and Success.
Source: Tablein
Need up to 50 reservations monthly? The Starter plan has you covered, with extra bookings at €0.67 each.
Handling more volume? The Growth plan includes 150 monthly reservations, with extras at just €0.37 each. And for busy establishments, the Success plan offers unlimited reservations.
And the best part is that all features come with every plan, which means no upselling for basic functionalities!
If you want to test out the system fully by making a commitment, Tablein offers a free 14-day trial—no credit card required, so there’s no way to be enrolled into a monthly plan without your consent.
TableAgent takes a totally different approach—it's free!
Source: TableAgent
They say restaurants using their system save thousands yearly compared to paid options.
It’s important to note that they do charge for extras like SMS notifications, online payments, and gift card features—but the core system costs nothing.
However, their event tickets, gift cards, and vouchers are some of the perks that make TableAgent stand out.
On their website, they list the most popular items you can sell through them (these are only some):
But if you want to make use of this, you will have to pay a monthly fee of $29.
The bottom line: TableAgent gives you basic functions for free, while Tablein offers a more complete package with pricing based on how many reservations you handle.
Your decision comes down to your budget and which features you absolutely need.
You’ve made it to the end—well done! By now, you know the essentials (and more) about both Tablein and TableAgent.
Your final choice ultimately comes down to your restaurant's specific needs, technical requirements, and budget.
TableAgent offers a solid free solution that covers the essentials.
And Tablein goes one step further, offering a feature-rich, super-customizable, and user-friendly experience for growing establishments.
And if you’re still on the fence, you can try Tablein for free, compare it with TableAgent, and make your final decision.