Freeheld vs Resy
A Resy alternative you pay for once
Resy does not charge per cover. It charges rent: a monthly subscription, every month, for as long as you use it. Freeheld costs $1,000 once and pays for itself in about three and a half months.
What you pay
Resy's published plans, checked October 2026.
| Plan | Monthly | Per cover | Year one | Five years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resy Platform | $289 | None | $3,468 | $17,340 |
| Resy 360 | $459 | None | $5,508 | $27,540 |
| Freeheld | $0 | None | $1,000 | $1,000 |
Against Resy Platform, Freeheld pays for itself in about 106 days; against Resy 360, about 67. Texting on Freeheld is passed through at cost (about $150 a year at 1,000 texts a month).
Where Resy is stronger
- An audience. Resy's app has a following among diners who look for what is new, and American Express card members get perks and priority booking through it. For a buzzy opening that can matter.
- A polished, mature product, with more integrations and a support team.
- Tock is folding into Resy in 2026, so ticketed and prepaid experiences are part of the same family. Freeheld does not take prepayments yet.
Where Freeheld is different
- No rent. One payment instead of a subscription that never ends.
- Your guests stay yours. Resy belongs to American Express, which makes money from the diner relationship. Freeheld never markets your guests anything. Export everything any day.
- Owned by restaurants. Open source and being formed as a cooperative. How that works
- Your reports show the truth. See how many covers came from Google, Instagram and your website, the channels you would keep without Resy's app.
Who should stay, who should switch
Stay if Resy's app and Amex members fill a meaningful share of your tables, or you rely on prepaid experiences.
Switch if your guests mostly find you through Google, Instagram, your own site and word of mouth, and the subscription has become a fixed cost you resent every month.
The switching guide covers moving your guest list and future bookings from Resy.
Sources
- Resy plans: resy.com/resyos/plans-and-pricing, checked October 2026.
- American Express ownership of Resy and Tock, and the 2026 merger: company announcements and press coverage, 2024 to 2026.