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Birdeye alternatives for cafés, salons and small shops (2026)

Birdeye brings reviews, texts, web chat and listings together, and it describes itself as built for brands with many locations. It publishes no prices: each business gets a quote, usually for a yearly agreement. If you run a café, salon or small shop and mostly want more Google reviews or more regulars, a smaller app with its price on show can do that part. Which one depends on your till, your budget and whether you need texts.

We make FaveCard. It is one of the eight alternatives on this page, which are listed by what each does best, not ranked.

Last verified: 22 October 2026, by the FaveCard team

Is Birdeye a fit for a café or salon?

Birdeye puts review requests and replies, texts, web chat, social media messages, listings, surveys and referrals in one place, with AI helpers it calls coworkers. Its home page says "AI Coworkers for Multi-location Brands", and its own article on pricing says its buyers typically run 100 to 10,000 locations. It also has a page for small businesses, and its pricing form starts at 1 to 3 locations.

Price. Not published. The pricing pages for the US, the UK and Australia are a form (Birdeye's pricing page), and its article on pricing says plans are custom and usually run on yearly agreements. A page on its site offers a 30-day free trial, and some accounts are billed monthly; neither shows a price.

Terms. Unless your order says otherwise, an agreement renews by itself for the same length unless Birdeye receives written notice at least 90 days before; payments under an order cannot be cancelled or refunded; and at each renewal an 8% "Innovation Fee" is added to recurring fees (Birdeye's terms of service, 13 May 2026, sections 2.3, 5.1 and 6).

Where it sells. It has its own companies, offices and phone lines in the US, the UK and Australia, and sends review requests by text in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia (Birdeye's help centre). We found no Canadian page or price.

Loyalty. We found no stamp card, points or Wallet card on its pages. Its referrals page says loyalty programs "work best for retail stores and restaurants"; Birdeye itself offers referrals.

So for a café, salon or small shop, the question is which part of Birdeye you need. If it is mostly Google reviews, or regulars coming back, the apps below do that part on their own, with prices you can see before you talk to anyone.

The best Birdeye alternative for each need

Find the line that sounds like your business. Each card takes you to the details below.

Birdeye and eight alternatives side by side

Compared on what a café, salon or shop owner asks first: the price for one location, how each one asks for reviews and on which sites, texting, and whether there is a loyalty card. There is no overall winner.

Birdeye, for reference

NameBest forPrice to start (one location)How it asks for reviewsReview sitesTextingLoyalty card
BirdeyeReviews, texts, web chat and listings for many locationsNot published; each business gets a quoteEmail and text requests with reminders, sent by hand, in bulk or from your till; QR codesRequests to any of 200+ sites it monitors, except Yelp; replies to reviewsOne inbox for texts, web chat, social messages, email and voicemailNo card; referrals

The alternatives, A to Z

NameBest forPrice to start (one location)How it asks for reviewsReview sitesTextingLoyalty card
BoomerangmeA Wallet card that asks for a review after a stampBusiness $199, or $164 billed yearlyA push message from the card some hours after a stamp; a star rating firstGoogle, and the review links you addTexts and emails through your own Twilio and Mailgun or SendGrid accountsStamp and seven other card types in Apple and Google Wallet
BrightLocalYour Google profile, listings and review requestsGrow $65, or $584 a yearEmail and text requests with follow-ups; a score first, if you choose itUp to 3 sites per request; monitors 80+ sites; replies to Google and FacebookRequest texts on prepaid credits, in the US, Canada and the UK; no inboxNone found
FaveCardWe make thisA stamp card that brings regulars back and asks for Google reviewsThe Business plan; price on our pricing pageOn the customer's card page right after a reward, then by email if they agreed to emailsGoogle onlyNone; messages go to the Wallet cardStamp cards in Apple and Google Wallet
GatherUpReviews on food and beauty sites beyond Google, plus surveys$124, or $99 billed yearlyTexts and emails, QR codes and feedback linksGoogle, OpenTable, Tripadvisor, Mindbody, Treatwell and moreUp to 300 texts a month; two-way texts in betaNone
NiceJobA review text after every job closed in Square, Jobber or QuickBooksStarter $75A text and an email when a job closes in the app you use for jobs or paymentsGoogle, Facebook and moreRequest texts only; no inboxNone; referrals and rebooking reminders on Pro
PodiumTexts, calls, payments and reviews in one shared inboxCore $399; every plan through its sales teamTexts after a visit, with reminders; staff can also send by hand or in bulkGoogle, Facebook and 22 other connected sites; replies to Google and FacebookTwo-way and bulk texts; a phone system as an add-onNo card: an automatic text with a coupon or discount
SquareCafés and shops that already take payments with SquareSquare Plus $49 per location (US)Email and text to regulars or after positive feedback; by hand tooGoogle onlyText marketing, 500 texts a month on PlusPoints at Square's till; Apple Wallet only
TrustindexFree review requests by email or QR code, and reviews on your websiteFree; Single $65 a yearEmails (by hand or automatic) and QR codes; NFC cards are paidGoogle; shows reviews from 133 review sites and apps on your websiteNoneNone

Prices and what each one does, as shown on each company's own pages on 22 October 2026: US dollars, one location, per month and billed monthly unless stated. UK prices are in the section on the UK below, and sources are linked in each section.

When to choose each one

What each one does well, what to keep in mind, and its price on the day we checked.

Boomerangme: best for a Wallet card with a review request by push

A loyalty app with eight card types in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet, for growing businesses, agencies and franchises.

Choose it when

  • You want a loyalty card and review requests in one app: some hours after a stamp, the card sends a push message asking the customer to rate you, and then shows your review links.
  • You want more than stamps: points, cashback, memberships, gift and discount cards too.
  • You run up to 10 locations: the Business plan includes 10 locations and 50 manager logins.

Keep in mind

  • In its help centre's words, the customer gives a star rating first, and a rating lower than 5 opens a box for written feedback.
  • No free plan; a 14-day trial without a credit card.
  • Texts and emails go through your own Twilio and Mailgun or SendGrid accounts.

Price: Business $199 a month, $179 a month billed quarterly or $164 a month billed yearly. Checked on 22 October 2026 on Boomerangme's pricing page. More in our Boomerangme comparison.

BrightLocal: best for your Google profile, listings and review requests

Help with local search for businesses and agencies: where you rank, your listings and, on its Grow plan, review requests and replies.

Choose it when

  • You mostly used Birdeye for Google: Grow sends review requests by email and text, with follow-ups, to up to three review sites you pick.
  • You want your reviews from more than 80 sites in one place, with replies to Google and Facebook reviews from inside BrightLocal.
  • You want your business details kept right on listing sites, and your reviews shown on your website.

Keep in mind

  • Each request can ask for a score first, with a threshold you set, or go straight to the review sites. In its help centre's words, customers with a low score still see the review links; they get a feedback step first.
  • Texts cost prepaid credits and go only to numbers in the US, Canada and the UK; not in Australia.
  • Review requests are only on Grow. There is no inbox for two-way texts, and no loyalty card.

Price: Grow $65 a month, or $584 a year, in US dollars for one location; 14-day trial without a card, cancel any time. Checked on 22 October 2026 on BrightLocal's pricing page.

FaveCard: best for bringing regulars back, with a Google review request

We make FaveCard. A stamp card your customers keep in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet, with no app to download. On the Business plan it also asks for Google reviews.

Choose it when

  • You want regulars to come back: a stamp card with rewards at the stamp counts you choose.
  • You want Google reviews without extra work: right after a reward, the customer's card page shows a request with one tap to your Google review page, and an email follows about two hours later if they agreed to emails.
  • You want to ask fairly: every customer gets the same request, with no rating step and nothing given in return, at most once every 6 months.
  • On every plan, Free included, your business page can show your Google review link, and its printable QR code opens that page.

Keep in mind

  • Google only: no Facebook, Tripadvisor or other sites.
  • No texts at all: no text requests, no inbox, no phone system and no payments.

Price: Review requests come with the Business plan; see our pricing page. Cancel anytime, with no long-term contract.

GatherUp: best for reviews on food and beauty sites beyond Google

Review requests, surveys and review monitoring for small businesses, multi-location brands and agencies. It names restaurants among its industries.

Choose it when

  • You want reviews on the sites your customers read: requests can point to OpenTable, Tripadvisor, Mindbody, Treatwell and more, as well as Google.
  • You want to hear from customers first: NPS and surveys are on every plan.
  • You want one flat price: up to 300 texts and 3,000 emails a month for one location.

Keep in mind

  • Two-way texting runs through a web-to-text chat widget marked as beta, and texts cannot be used during the free trial.
  • Yelp is not on its list of sites for requests.
  • No loyalty card.

Price: $124 a month billed monthly, or $99 a month billed yearly, for one location; $75 or $60 a month per location for 2 to 10. 14-day trial, no contract. Checked on 22 October 2026 on GatherUp's pricing page.

NiceJob: best for a review text after every job

Review requests by text and email that start when a job is closed in the app you already use. It is made mainly for trades and home services.

Choose it when

  • Your payments or bookings run through Square, Jobber, QuickBooks or Housecall Pro: a request goes out when the job closes.
  • You want texts and emails sent for you, and your reviews shown on your website.
  • You want referrals and rebooking reminders too: the Pro plan.

Keep in mind

  • Requests start from a connected app, and there is no inbox for two-way texts.
  • Texts work in the US, Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand; elsewhere, email only.
  • Its own industry list is led by trades, though cafés, restaurants and salons can pick their trade at sign-up.

Price: Starter $75 and Pro $125 a month in US dollars, no contract, 14-day trial without a card. Checked on 22 October 2026 on NiceJob's pricing page.

Podium: best for texts, calls and payments in one inbox, with prices on show

Texts, calls, emails, social media messages and web chat in one shared inbox, with payments, review requests and a phone system on top.

Choose it when

  • You want what Birdeye's inbox does, with prices on the website: Core $399 and Pro $599 a month.
  • You want payments by text, card readers and tap to pay, and a business phone system as an add-on.
  • You want review requests by text to Google, Facebook and 22 other connected sites, with replies to Google and Facebook reviews from inside Podium.

Keep in mind

  • Every plan is bought through its sales team. Unless your order says otherwise, the first term is 12 months and renews unless either side gives 30 days' notice (Podium's terms of service).
  • Its terms name the US, Canada and Australia as where it sells, unless your order says otherwise.
  • No loyalty card: its "Customer Loyalty Automation" is a text with a coupon or discount.

Price: Core $399 and Pro $599 a month; Signature is priced by its sales team. Checked on 22 October 2026 on Podium's pricing page. More in our Podium alternatives.

Square: best if you already take payments with Square

Square's till, online store and marketing. In the US, its Plus plan adds loyalty points and automatic Google review requests.

Choose it when

  • You sell with Square: a Google review request goes by email and text when a customer becomes a regular (3 purchases in a year) or leaves positive feedback, and you can send one by hand (Square's help).
  • You want loyalty in the same till: customers join with their phone number and earn points.
  • You want texts: Plus includes 500 texts a month, then 3¢ each.

Keep in mind

  • It works only with Square's own till, online store or invoices.
  • The loyalty pass is Apple Wallet only; there is no Google Wallet pass.
  • Review requests and loyalty are not in Square Free, and the US price is per location.

Price: US: Square Plus $49 a month per location (Square's pricing). Canada: Loyalty from $60 and Marketing from $20 a month per location (Square Canada). Australia: Loyalty from $49 and Marketing from $20 (Square Australia). Those pages show "$" without naming the currency. UK prices are under "In the UK" below. 30-day trial. Checked on 22 October 2026. More in our Square Loyalty comparison.

Trustindex: best for free review requests and reviews on your website

Review widgets and review collecting, with a free plan that has no time limit.

Choose it when

  • You want to start for free: the Free plan sends review request emails, by hand or automatically, and makes a QR code for your Google review page.
  • You want your reviews on your own website: its widgets show reviews from 133 review sites and apps.
  • You want something customers tap at the counter: an NFC review card for $29.

Keep in mind

  • No texts, no inbox and no loyalty card.
  • Automatic AI replies cost $29 a year per review source.
  • Some widget layouts are paid.

Price: Free forever; Single $65 a year for one business, Pro $125 a year for five, Ultimate $349 a year. 7-day trial of the paid plans. Checked on 22 October 2026 on Trustindex's pricing page.

When to stay with Birdeye

Birdeye does a lot that a review or loyalty app does not. It may still be the right choice if you want:

  • review requests by email or text to any of the more than 200 sites it follows, OpenTable, Tripadvisor, Uber Eats, Deliveroo, Fresha and Trustpilot among them, with the timing, message tests and reminders handled for you;
  • Google's review form opened inside Birdeye's own page, so you can see which request led to a review;
  • AI replies to reviews that can post 4- and 5-star replies for you and hold 1- and 2-star ones for your approval;
  • one inbox for texts, web chat, Facebook, Instagram, email and voicemail, plus payments, referrals, surveys and listings;
  • ready connections to tills and booking systems such as Toast, Clover, Lightspeed, Square, Mindbody, Zenoti and Treatwell;
  • its own companies, offices and phone lines in the UK and Australia, with UK and European customers' data kept in the European Economic Area;
  • terms that forbid review gating (asking only the customers you expect to be happy) for every business that uses it.

It suits a group of salons, spas, cafés or shops that wants reviews, messages and listings for every location in one place.

How to ask for Google reviews the right way

Whatever you pick, Google's rules are the same (Google's contribution policy, checked on 22 October 2026):

  • Ask every customer, not only the ones you expect to be happy.
  • Give nothing in return: no payment, discount, free goods or services for a review.
  • Don't press anyone to write a review while they are with you, and don't tell them what to write.

Birdeye's own terms say the same: every customer must get the same options, whatever they think of you. Three common ways to ask at a counter: a QR code by the till or on the table that opens your Google review page (make one for free with our Google review QR code maker); a link on the receipt or in the booking confirmation; or an automatic request after a visit or a reward, which Birdeye, Square, NiceJob, GatherUp, Boomerangme and FaveCard each send in their own way.

How to choose by business type

Café, coffee shop or bakery

Customers come back often and spend a little each time, and many pay by card without leaving a phone number or email. Automatic requests from a till need one: Birdeye's help says so for Square, and its Toast connection takes contact details from takeout and delivery orders only. A QR code by the till reaches everyone. If you take payments with Square, Square Plus asks your regulars for a Google review and runs points in the same till. A stamp card brings regulars back, and FaveCard and Boomerangme ask for a review from the card itself. GatherUp can point requests to Tripadvisor or OpenTable as well as Google.

Hair salon, barbershop, nail or beauty salon

If you book in Fresha, its plans already send review invites after checkout by text, WhatsApp or email, and its paid Google Rating Boost add-on shows a Google review prompt to clients whose rating reaches a minimum the salon sets (Fresha's help centre). Birdeye follows Fresha reviews, but we found no Fresha booking connection on its integrations page. If you take payments with Square, NiceJob can text a review request after each appointment. GatherUp can ask for reviews on Treatwell and Mindbody too. In the US, Broadly says salons and barbershops use it.

Small shop or boutique

Square fits if it is already your till. Trustindex is the cheapest way to ask by email or QR code and to show your reviews on your website. For a card that brings regulars back, look at FaveCard or Boomerangme.

Several locations

This is what Birdeye is built for. Reputation, Yext and SOCi also describe themselves as made for large or multi-location brands, and ReviewTrackers prices per location, paid yearly, after a demo. GatherUp charges $60 to $75 a month per location for 2 to 10 locations, and Boomerangme includes 10 locations in its Business plan. FaveCard's Free, Pro and Business plans each cover one location.

How to choose by country

In the UK

Birdeye sells here through its UK company, with UK phone lines and a UK pricing page that is also a form; Podium's terms name only the US, Canada and Australia. Square's UK prices are per month: Square Loyalty from £25 per location (Square UK Loyalty), and Square Marketing from £9, which can send an automatic email asking for a Google review after a sale (Square UK Marketing). NiceJob sends its review texts in the UK, and a BrightLocal text to a UK number costs two credits instead of one. GatherUp, Trustindex and Boomerangme show their prices in dollars and name no countries on the pages we read. FaveCard's UK plans are on our pricing page.

In Canada and Australia

Birdeye sends review texts in both. In Australia it has its own company, and to text from an Australian number a business sends its registration and a proof of address, then waits 3 to 4 business days; we found no Canadian Birdeye page or price. Podium sells in both, with no price page for either. NiceJob sends its review texts in both countries, and BrightLocal's texts work in Canada but not in Australia. Square shows local prices for Square Loyalty and Square Marketing. FaveCard's plans for both countries are on our pricing page.

How we checked this

We make FaveCard. We started from the names that come up most often on the pages that rank for "Birdeye alternative" in the US, added the ones many cafés, salons and shops already use (Square, Trustindex, Boomerangme and Fresha), and judged each on the same points: the price for one location, how it asks for reviews and on which sites, texting, and any loyalty card. Every fact about another company comes from its own website, help centre or legal pages, never from review sites, other comparison pages or AI answers, and was checked on 22 October 2026. Birdeye publishes no prices, so this page gives none for it; we did not fill in its pricing form, book a sales call or sign up anywhere. Some help centres load with JavaScript, so we also read them in a browser. Square's Canadian and Australian pages show "$" without naming the currency. FaveCard's facts come from our product as it runs today. We give no scores and no overall winner. Prices and plans change, so check the linked page before you sign up, and if you see an error, tell us through our contact page and we will correct it.

Update log

  • 22 October 2026: first version. Everything on this page checked on 22 October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Birdeye alternative for a small business?

There is no single best one: it depends on what you used Birdeye for. If you take payments with Square, Square Plus adds automatic Google review requests and loyalty points for $49 a month per location in the US. For free review requests by email or QR code, Trustindex has a free plan. BrightLocal's Grow plan, at $65 a month, sends review requests and looks after your Google profile and listings. NiceJob texts a review request after each job from $75 a month, and GatherUp asks on Google and on food or beauty review sites from $99 a month billed yearly. For a loyalty card that asks for a Google review after a reward, there is FaveCard, which we make. Prices from each company's own page on 22 October 2026.

How much does Birdeye cost?

Birdeye does not publish its prices. Its pricing pages for the US, the UK and Australia are a form, with location bands that start at 1 to 3 locations, and its own article on pricing (updated 14 August 2026) says plans are custom, depend on the products and the number of locations, and usually run on yearly agreements. A page on its site offers a 30-day free trial, and some accounts are billed monthly, but neither shows a price. We do not repeat figures from other websites, because Birdeye's own pages show none. Checked on 22 October 2026.

Is Birdeye free to use?

Not for review requests or messages. Any business can have a free profile on reviews.birdeye.com, which shows its basic details and reviews, and a page on Birdeye's site offers a 30-day free trial; we found no free plan. For free review requests, Trustindex has a free plan that sends request emails and makes a QR code for your Google review page. On FaveCard's Free plan, which we make, your business page can show your Google review link with a printable QR code. Checked on 22 October 2026.

Can I cancel Birdeye?

To stop a Birdeye agreement renewing, send Birdeye written notice at least 90 days before the renewal date. That is in its terms of service (13 May 2026, section 2.3), unless your order form says otherwise; without that notice, an agreement renews by itself for the same length as its first term. Payments under an order form cannot be cancelled or refunded (section 5.1), and at each renewal Birdeye adds an 8% "Innovation Fee" to recurring fees, unless the agreement is from before 1 April 2024 or the order says otherwise (section 6). The length of the term is set in your order form, so check it.

Birdeye or Podium: which suits a small business?

Both bring review requests and texts into one place, but they sell differently. Podium shows its prices, Core $399 and Pro $599 a month, and by default has a 12-month term with 30 days' notice; it sells in the US, Canada and Australia. Birdeye gives each business a quote, usually for a yearly agreement, and its terms ask for 90 days' notice before a renewal unless the order says otherwise; it also sells in the UK. Birdeye describes itself as built for brands with many locations; Podium's pricing page names shops, home services, car dealers, med spas and dental practices. Neither has a loyalty card. Checked on 22 October 2026.

Does Birdeye have a loyalty program?

Not a loyalty card. Birdeye has referrals: automatic requests by text, email or social media after a payment or a positive review, with rewards such as discounts, gifts or coupons. Its own referrals FAQ says loyalty programs work best for retail stores and restaurants. We found no stamp card, points or Apple or Google Wallet card on its pages on 22 October 2026. Square, Boomerangme and FaveCard each have a loyalty card.

What is an easy way for a café or salon to get more Google reviews?

Ask every customer the same way, at a natural moment: a QR code by the till or on the table that opens your Google review page, a link on the receipt or in the booking confirmation, or an automatic request after a visit or a reward. Google's rules say you may not offer anything in return, ask only the customers you expect to be happy, or press people to write a review while they are with you. You can make a free QR code for your Google review page on our site.

Can I give customers a reward for leaving a Google review?

No. Google's policy for Maps reviews does not allow businesses to offer payment, discounts, free goods or services in exchange for a review, or for changing or removing a negative one. You can still ask every customer for an honest review. Checked on Google's contribution policy page on 22 October 2026.

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Birdeye, Boomerangme, BrightLocal, Broadly, Fresha, GatherUp, NiceJob, Podium, Reputation, ReviewTrackers, SOCi, Square, Trustindex and Yext are trademarks of their owners. FaveCard is not affiliated with, endorsed or sponsored by any of them.