AI-native booking
Guests ask ChatGPT or Claude for a table – and get one if a slot is free. Over the open MCP protocol, enabled per restaurant via OAuth. No classic reservation system can do this.
Onboard compared
More direct guests. Zero commission. One platform.
Commission portals charge for every guest. Classic reservation tools only do tables. Onboard is neither.
Onboard bundles reservations, your own guest app, bookings from ChatGPT & Claude and the full operations suite – at a predictable flat price, with servers in Germany.
Onboard, commission portals and classic tools head to head
A transparent overview. Figures for third parties are common-industry estimates, not official statements from any one provider.
| Criterion | Onboard | Commission portals (TheFork & co.) | Classic reservation tools |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commission per guest | €0 – ever | €2–7 per referred guest | Usually none |
| Your own guest app (iOS & Android) | Yes – discover, book, Apple Wallet, Live Activities | No – guests belong to the platform | No |
| Booking straight from ChatGPT & Claude | Yes – open MCP protocol with OAuth | No | No |
| Reserve with Google | Yes | Partly | Partly |
| All-in-one (reservations, shifts, vouchers, menu, team) | Yes – add modules as you go | No – reservations only | No |
| Who owns the guest data? | You – GDPR, export anytime | The platform | You |
| Servers & data protection | Servers in Germany, GDPR, DPA | Often outside the EU | Varies |
| Pricing model | Predictable flat monthly price | Commission, often plus a subscription | Subscription |
| Contract lock-in | Cancel monthly | Often annual contract | Varies |
Commission calculator
What does commission really cost you?
Estimate what commission portals cost you per year – and what you keep with a flat price.
Example calculation. Commission rates vary by portal and plan. Onboard charges no per-guest commission – you pay a flat price per module.
Commission via portals
€750/ month
€9,000 / year
Of that, with Onboard
€0/ month
€0 / year
What you keep with Onboard – per year
€9,000
Three things only Onboard does
Your own guest app
Instead of losing your guests to a commission portal, you get your own app: discover, book, gift cards in Apple Wallet, live reservation in the Dynamic Island. The relationship stays direct.
The whole suite, modular
Reservations, tables, menu, guest CRM, shifts, vouchers, knowledge, reports, AI assistant – each module bookable on its own, team chat free. One login instead of five tools.
Common questions about switching
Do the math – and keep your guests.
Onboard sets up in under 15 minutes. Flat price, servers in Germany, cancel monthly.