# Eater vs DinnerElite

The clearest difference is rating: DinnerElite at 5.0 against Eater's 4.1. DinnerElite also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly). Eater's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ratings volume (62 vs 1). On price, monetization model, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. DinnerElite sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Eater asks for nothing beyond the download.

DinnerElite holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Eater has 62 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Eater ships an update weekly, DinnerElite every 3 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Eater | DinnerElite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (62 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eater/id6469005148/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dinnerelite-nyc-table-alerts/id6797784919/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **62** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 41.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#191** |
| Size | 154 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Vox Media, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/457274452) | [LIMED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1771878135) |

## What reviewers say

### Eater

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eater/id6469005148)

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.

**Highlights:** Editor-curated restaurant picks, Personalized recommendations, Insider community connection, Smart search functionality, Create and share custom lists, Direct table reservations

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Convenient access to Eater content
- 🚀 Curated restaurant recommendations
- 💡 Ability to save/reference restaurant lists

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes/won't open for some users
- 🔒 Forced opt-in for data tracking
- 🗺️ Outdated restaurant information
- 🌍 Limited to certain regions/cities

**Reported bugs**

- Search and account icons smushed on main map page
- Location settings get stuck after disabling tracking

**Requested features**

- Add filters and sorting for map/list view
- Allow sharing of restaurant lists
- Improve font size and layout on map view


### DinnerElite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dinnerelite-nyc-table-alerts/id6797784919)

**Currently charting:** #191 Top Grossing · Food & Drink (US App Store)

This app monitors hard-to-book New York City restaurants for table availability. Users select desired restaurants, dates, times, and party sizes to receive instant alerts when matching reservations open up. You then book the table yourself.

**Highlights:** Watchlist for 224 NYC restaurants, Customizable date and time windows, Party size filtering, Real-time table availability alerts, Direct booking link, Covers Resy, OpenTable, Tock reservations

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Expert | $28.99 | per month |
| Premium Yearly | $99.99 | per year |
| Expert Yearly | $289.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Eater free?

Eater is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is DinnerElite free?

DinnerElite is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Eater or DinnerElite?

DinnerElite is rated higher. Eater averages 4.1 out of 5 from 62 ratings, while DinnerElite averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Eater or DinnerElite have ads?

Eater shows ads; DinnerElite does not.

### Which is updated more often, Eater or DinnerElite?

Eater ships an update weekly, and DinnerElite every 3 days. Most recently, Eater was updated on October 24, 2026 and DinnerElite on October 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*