Blackbird vs Eater
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Blackbird
Earn significant rewards on dining spend with a unique payment card and reservation tool. Discover new restaurants, book tables, and enjoy exclusive perks as you dine more.
- Earn up to 7X dining rewards
- Discover and reserve tables
- Pay with FlyCard anywhere
- Exclusive Blackbird Club perks
- 10X rewards at participating coffee shops
- NFT and token features
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Blackbird is the restaurant lover's way to pay and earn. Get up to 7X on your dining spend. And have fun while you're doing it. Featured in The New York Times, TIME, TechCrunch, Fast Company, and Fortune. DISCOVER SPOTS. RESERVE A TABLE. Meet Birdie, a ground-breaking new search and planning tool. She learns what you like, sees your status, and books your reservation. PAY ANYWHERE. EARN EVERYWHERE. FlyCard is the rewards card for restaurant lovers. Earn 2X at any restaurant, bar, cafe, or takeout spot. Our points are called Fly, and you spend them anywhere you dine.* DINE MORE. GET BETTER REWARDS. Every meal you pay for with Blackbird moves you up in Blackbird Club. Start at 3X Dining Points at select spots and earn more with each Level, all the way to 7X, plus priority reservations, Members' Nights, and a private concierge text line. And your morning coffee earns 10X at participating coffee shops. Night moves, day moves, Fly moves. Questions? support@blackbird.xyz Know a restaurant that should be on Blackbird? restaurants@blackbird.xyz Restaurant Lovers Unite. *The FlyCard is a debit card powered by Rain and issued by Cross River Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A.. FlyCard is accepted wherever Visa is accepted.
Eater
Discover top restaurant and bar recommendations curated by expert editors. Find new places in any city, get personalized suggestions, and easily make reservations. Never have a bad meal again with trusted insider picks.
- Editor-curated restaurant picks
- Personalized recommendations
- Insider community connection
- Smart search functionality
- Create and share custom lists
- Direct table reservations
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The Eater app is the most trusted way to find great restaurants. Our editors have spent years eating at the best restaurants and bars so you always know where to go next. Get instant access to all of Eater’s restaurant picks in every major city, whether you're exploring a new neighborhood, planning a trip, or need a quick rec on the go. With the Eater app, you’ll never have a bad meal. What you’ll love about the Eater app: - Curated by editors: Trusted recommendations and reviews from people who know restaurants - Insider to insider: Follow and connect with editors, chefs, and friends, and be part of the Eater community - Ask anything: Smarter search that finds the places you actually want - Recommended for you: Eater’s take on restaurants near you and wherever you travel - Create and share: Browse Eater lists, make your own, and share your favorite spots with friends - Browse to book: Reserve tables directly in the Eater app so you’re one step closer to a great meal With the Eater app, the next great place to eat or drink is in the palm of your hand, no matter where the day (or night) takes you. Download the Eater app to find your next great meal.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Blackbird at 4.8 against Eater's 4.1. Blackbird also leads on ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Blackbird holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Blackbird has 13K ratings behind it against 64, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 36% of Blackbird's written reviews are positive against 41% of Eater's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Blackbird | Eater |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (13K ratings) — better | 4.1 (64 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 35.7% of reviews | 41.1% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 13K — better | 64 |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 16.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 185 MB | 154 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Blackbird Labs, Inc | Vox Media, Inc. |
Customer experience
Blackbird
Eater
User reviews
Blackbird
From 13K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Great rewards program
- 🚀 Smooth check-in process
- 💡 Unique NFT and token features
- 👍 Fun and engaging experience
Room to improve
- 🐛 Confusing user interface
- 🐛 Technical difficulties and glitches
- 🐛 Poor restaurant staff training
- 💡 Unclear how to use rewards/tokens
- 🐛 Deceptive concept with 'fly coins'
Eater
From 64 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Convenient access to Eater content
- 🚀 Curated restaurant recommendations
- 💡 Ability to save/reference restaurant lists
Room to improve
- 🐛 App crashes/won't open for some users
- 🔒 Forced opt-in for data tracking
- 🗺️ Outdated restaurant information
- 🌍 Limited to certain regions/cities
Bugs and requests
Blackbird
Reported bugs
3 issues- Authorization process not working
- Inability to update account information
- Inconsistent check-in and payment experience
Requested features
4 requests- Ability to view list of available restaurants
- Improved restaurant search and discovery
- Better integration with restaurant systems
- Clearer explanation of rewards and payment process
Eater
Reported bugs
2 issues- Search and account icons smushed on main map page
- Location settings get stuck after disabling tracking
Requested features
3 requests- Add filters and sorting for map/list view
- Allow sharing of restaurant lists
- Improve font size and layout on map view
In-app purchases
Blackbird
No in-app purchases
Eater
No in-app purchases
