Comparison

Hardens vs Dojo

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Hardens

Discover brilliant restaurants and avoid disappointing ones with this trusted guide to the UK's dining scene. Features detailed ratings, real-time updates, and curated collections to help you find your next meal.

Highlights
  • Trusted restaurant reviews
  • Detailed ratings and reports
  • Over 3,000 updated entries
  • Powerful search filters
  • Curated collections
  • Restaurant diary
  • Club benefits and access
Features
Read full description

TELLING IT HOW IT IS! Your trusted guide to the UK's Best Restaurants + Avoid bad restaurants & discover brilliant ones + Founded 1991 + Trusted reviews and detailed ratings + Over 3,000 entries, updated in real time + New club with special benefits and access + Powerful search by price, food quality, cuisine + Book online (selected restaurants) + Journal meals out in your restaurant diary + Restaurant news, with constant updates + Browse curated collections of recommendations WHY YOU CAN TRUST OUR REVIEWS Decide where to eat based on socially sourced, carefully curated ratings and reviews. Votes are taken from 1,000s of fellow foodies, who take part annually in the Harden's Annual National Diners Poll. Harden's editors then carefully weed this data for cheats and distil the feedback into statistically-derived ratings and short reports quoting from diner feedback. Since 1991, we've been "telling it like it is" based on one of the UK's most detailed surveys of restaurant-goers. Each year, approximately, 8,000 ‘reporters’ (that's what we call diners who take part in the survey) contribute 50,000 reviews. And now you can even submit reports to us directly from the App. COVERING LONDON & THE UK With detailed coverage of the UK and London, the app features over 1,400 listings outside the capital, and more than 1,400 within London itself. (Outside London, that’s more listings than our rival, the Good Food Guide; and inside London, about five times as many reviews as the Good Food Guide!) INTRODUCING HARDEN’S CLUB (FREE & PLATINUM) Launching in early 2021 (pandemic allowing), Harden’s Platinum is a new level of Harden’s membership linking Harden’s community of diners with the UK’s best Restaurants and Hotels. + Gain access to a kitchen tour or an area that would otherwise be out-of-bounds. + Enjoy a perk like a complimentary course or glass of English Sparkling wine. + Access a special rate as a thank you when you spend more than average at a particular establishment You will also receive priority access and special rates when booking "Harden's Invites" events and online happenings. SUBSCRIBE TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR APP Although you can search for restaurants by name within the free version of the App, its powerful search features and constant updating of its restaurant data are only available to subscribers • Annual subscription - UK & London Restaurants, Pubs, & Cafés • Lasts one year (12 months from purchase) • Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase • Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period • Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal • Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase • Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable • Visit https://www.hardens.com/terms-and-conditions for terms of use • Visit https://www.hardens.com/terms-and-conditions for privacy policy information

About

Dojo

Discover and book dining experiences at partner restaurants. Secure last-minute tables, join virtual queues from afar, or plan special occasions up to a year in advance. Find great places to eat, even during peak times.

Highlights
  • Instant last-minute table bookings
  • Virtual queuing up to 5km away
  • Book special occasions up to a year ahead
  • Real-time table availability
  • Message restaurants while waiting
  • Manage bookings in-app
Features
Read full description

At Dojo, we work with our partner restaurants to bring you great dining experiences, when you want them. Grab an instant table to eat now, jump in the virtual queue and have a drink while we queue for you, or immerse yourself and book a place for that special occasion. Restaurants trust Dojo to facilitate amazing experiences. We drop more great places daily, so you're sure to find something you love. Features - Grab last-minute tables instantly - Queue virtually from up to 5km away - Book ahead and plan special occasions Feeling hungry now? You'll see the places nearby when you launch the app, and booking an available table is a couple of taps away. Restaurants offer last-minute tables, even at peak times. We've optimised the app to show you real-time availability, so grab your slot before somebody else does. Head over to the restaurant, who'll be expecting you, then take a seat and have a great time! Don't feel like queuing around the corner? For those extra-special, super-popular places, we offer virtual queuing. Join the queue and we'll send you real-time updates on your position and how long the wait is going to be. Then, you're free to find something better to do with your time. You can message the restaurant while you wait, and they'll notify you when your table is nearly ready. When you join Dojo, you'll be able to join the queue from 2km away. The more you show-up you'll unlock a greater range - up to 5km! Planning something special, or just like to be organised? Through Dojo, you can book up to a year in advance(1). This is great for those who like to plan ahead, and key to securing the perfect spot for a grand occasion. You can make a booking at restaurants for larger party sizes, with the entire experience handled directly in the app, including booking deposits, all powered by Dojo. Of course, you can amend or cancel your booking at any time, all through the app. Got a question or need some support? At Dojo we provide the very best in customer care. Chat with us directly in the app, drop us an email at [support@dojo.app](mailto:support@dojo.app), or find us on Twitter and Instagram. Our customer support team is available {8am until 8pm every day} to help you with anything from minor questions to event planning emergencies. You're in good hands. Want to keep your personal data safe? We've made data security our highest concern, and it's your right to have your data protected and accessible. Find all the details in our Privacy Policy; https://dojo.app/legal/privacy/, or contact our customer support team if you have any doubts or questions. (1) Each of our partner restaurants decides how long in advance they'd like to take bookings - some have no limit, others like to keep it spontaneous and fresh.

Screenshots

Hardens4 screens
Dojo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Dojo at 4.8 against Hardens's 3.5. Dojo also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (213 vs 4). Hardens's advantage is iOS requirement (12.2 vs 15.1). On price, review sentiment, ads and monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Hardens sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.49 per year. Dojo asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Dojo holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dojo has 213 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 54% of Hardens's written reviews are positive against 58% of Dojo's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hardens ships an update every 2 months, Dojo every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Hardens versus Dojo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHardensDojo
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.5 (4 ratings)4.8 (213 ratings) — better
Positive reviews53.6% of reviews57.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings4213 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 4 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS12.2 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size91 MB71 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHardens LtdPaymentSense

Customer experience

Hardens

All ratings4 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews28 reviews
Positive53.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative46.4%

Dojo

All ratings211 ratings
Positive94.8%
Neutral1.4%
Negative3.8%
Written reviews83 reviews
Positive57.8%
Neutral1.2%
Negative41.0%

Bugs and requests

Hardens

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Dojo

Reported bugs

12 issues
  • Login fails with conflicting error messages (account exists/doesn't exist)
  • Forgotten password link not sending
  • App hangs and becomes unresponsive
  • Cannot click on phone number field during signup
  • Password reset loop issues
Show 7 more
  • App crashes when selecting restaurants
  • Queue position updates incorrectly
  • Location verification too sensitive indoors
  • Text notifications only (no in-app notifications)
  • Booking deposits deleted without proper explanation
  • Restaurant availability showing closed venues
  • Wait time discrepancies between app and actual wait

Requested features

10 requests
  • Apple Sign-In integration
  • iOS Keychain password integration
  • Clear wait time estimates in minutes/hours
  • In-app messaging system instead of text notifications
  • Real-time queue position tracking
Show 5 more
  • Expanded restaurant listings
  • Better GPS accuracy tolerance
  • Improved customer support channels
  • More cuisine variety (Palestinian cuisine mentioned)
  • Ability to report closed/inaccurate venues

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Hardens

Subscriptions2
  • Annual UK + London Restaurants$7.491 Year
  • Annual UK + London Restaurants$9.991 Year
None

Dojo

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Hardens free?
Hardens is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Dojo free?
Dojo is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Hardens or Dojo?
Dojo is rated higher. Hardens averages 3.5 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Dojo averages 4.8 from 213 ratings.
Do Hardens or Dojo have ads?
Neither Hardens nor Dojo shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Hardens or Dojo?
Hardens ships an update every 2 months, and Dojo every 4 weeks. Most recently, Hardens was updated on November 1, 2026 and Dojo on October 29, 2026.

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