Quick verdict — which to pick
Your guests don't prepay
- You run a standard reservation flow — guests book, then pay at the table
- You want flat predictable pricing — £20/month, no per-cover, no transaction fees
- You want monthly billing with no contract
- You don't need a marketplace — your bookings come from your own website, Instagram, Google, word-of-mouth
- You want full white-label branding on the booking widget and confirmation emails
Prepayment is operationally critical
- You run a tasting menu, chef's table, or ticketed dining experience
- No-shows on a 14-cover service are catastrophic, not just annoying
- You can justify £159+/month plus payment-processing fees on every prepaid booking
- You're willing to commit to a 12-month contract for the prepaid infrastructure
- You value the Tock marketplace for discovery in tasting-menu-friendly markets
Pricing — flat rate vs tiered + payment fees
Tock's pricing model has multiple tiers — the entry "Marketing Site" tier is around £159/month and limits features. The "Plus" tier (~£399/month) and "Premium" tier (~£799/month) unlock the prepaid functionality and removes per-cover fees on the marketplace. Payment-processing fees apply on prepaid bookings regardless of tier.
| What you pay | Postonero | Tock (entry tier) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly subscription | £20 | From ~£159 (rises to ~£799 for Premium) |
| Per-cover fee | £0 | Varies — entry tier has cover fees, Premium removes them |
| Payment processing on prepaid bookings | N/A — no prepayment | Standard payment-processor fees (~2–3%) |
| Setup fee | £0 | Varies |
| Contract minimum | None — month to month | Typically 12 months |
| Annual cost (entry tier, 100 covers/mo) | £240 | £1,908+ |
Tock pricing converted from USD at approximate current rates. Tier prices and feature breakdowns vary — verify directly with Tock for current quotes.
Postonero is roughly 8× cheaper than Tock's entry tier and 40× cheaper than Tock Premium. The maths only flips if your restaurant model genuinely requires prepayment to function — at which point Tock's pricing is justified by the no-show prevention.
Features — what each gives you
| Feature | Postonero | Tock |
|---|---|---|
| Embeddable booking widget | Yes — one script tag | Yes |
| Branded confirmation emails | Yes — your colours, your name | Tock-branded by default |
| Guests cancel themselves (no phone calls) | Yes | Yes — refund policy varies by event |
| Staff dashboard (web) | Yes | Yes |
| Add walk-ins / phone bookings to dashboard | Yes | Yes |
| Prepaid reservations / deposits | No | Yes — Tock's signature feature |
| Ticketed events / pop-ups | RSVP-style only | Yes — full ticket sales |
| Diner-discovery marketplace | No | Tock marketplace |
| Floor-plan / table management | Yes — drag-from-palette editor, zones, joins, multi-layout schedules, server sections, VIP tags, reflow suggestions | Yes |
| POS integrations | None currently | Several |
| Get push-notified when bookings come in | Yes — PWA | Yes |
| Setup time | Same day | 1–3 weeks typical |
The prepaid trade-off
Prepayment is Tock's defining feature and the only meaningful reason most restaurants would choose it over a £20/month flat-rate alternative. Here's the honest framing:
When prepayment justifies the cost
Restaurants where prepayment is genuinely necessary share these characteristics:
- Small-cover, high-value services. A 14-seat tasting menu at £180/head where a single no-show costs you £180 and can't be filled at short notice.
- Long-prep menus. Tasting menus and chef's tables where ingredients are bought specifically for the booked covers and can't be repurposed if guests don't show.
- Chronic no-show rates above industry norms. Restaurants in markets or price points where the typical no-show rate is 15-25% — prepayment can drop this to 2-5%.
- Ticketed pop-ups or one-off dinners. Where the entire economics depend on every seat being paid for in advance.
When prepayment is overkill
For most independent restaurants — bistros, casual fine dining, neighbourhood spots, brunch venues — prepayment introduces friction that costs you bookings without solving a problem you actually have. The typical objection from guests when a deposit is requested: "I'll just go somewhere I don't have to pay upfront." Postonero's no-deposit booking is a better fit for any restaurant where the no-show rate is manageable through other means (confirmation emails, reminder texts, clear cancellation links).
When Tock is genuinely the right answer
Tock is the right call for restaurants in these specific situations:
- Tasting menus. If your restaurant runs multi-course tasting menus at any meaningful price point, Tock's prepaid model is a real operational advantage.
- Chef's tables and private dining. Where the cost of a no-show is catastrophic and prepayment is the standard expectation.
- Ticketed pop-ups and one-off dinners. Where ticket sales are the booking model.
- Restaurants in tasting-menu-friendly markets. Tock's marketplace genuinely surfaces tasting-menu restaurants to a self-selected audience of diners who expect to prepay.
For everyone else — restaurants whose service model is a regular booking flow with no prepayment — Tock's £159+/month is paying for infrastructure you won't use.
Switching from Tock to Postonero
Most relevant for restaurants that initially thought they needed prepayment, found the friction was costing them bookings, and want to switch to a no-deposit flow. Technical setup is straightforward — Postonero installs via one script tag on any existing website. Same-day go-live.
- Wind down active Tock prepaid events through their existing dates
- Export your Tock guest list before the contract ends
- Switch the embed script on your website to Postonero
- Update any "deposit required" copy on your site to reflect the new no-deposit booking
If you switch and find that no-shows spike to a problematic level, you can add a deposit-via-Stripe flow as a custom integration later — or move back to Tock for specific events while keeping Postonero for standard reservations.
Frequently asked questions
Is Postonero cheaper than Tock?
What does Tock do that Postonero does not?
Should I use Tock or Postonero for my restaurant?
Does Tock have a contract?
Can I use Postonero for ticketed events?
Related guides
For everything that doesn't need a deposit
Postonero is £20/month flat. No per-cover. No commission. No contract. Cancel any time.
Tell us about your restaurant — typical reply within one business day. Pair Postonero for standard reservations with Tock or Stripe for prepaid events if you need both. Most restaurants take real bookings within hours of installation.
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