AppInstitute vs Restaurant Star

AppInstitute is a no-code builder for branded mobile apps that can be published to the Apple App Store, Google Play or as a progressive web app. Restaurant Star (Restaurant ★ Star) is a Japanese service that builds and runs a branded loyalty app for restaurant chains, with point and stamp cards, coupons, push messages, customer records and reports. Both are listed under Branded Restaurant App Builder. The main differences are in price, contract terms and audience.

Key differences

  • price

    On price, AppInstitute at GBP 49 per month; Restaurant Star at JPY 22,000 per month (tax included). These figures are not directly comparable because the currency or billing basis is not the same.

  • contract terms

    Contract terms differ. AppInstitute: None for monthly plans; Restaurant Star: 1 year at minimum, varying by contract.

  • audience

    Not every audience is shared. Entries that only one product lists: AppInstitute: Restaurants and takeaways wanting their own ordering app; Restaurant Star: Restaurant chains moving off paper cards, LINE or another loyalty app.

  • platforms

    Listed platforms: AppInstitute: Web, iOS, Android; Restaurant Star: iOS, Android.

  • company background

    Founding years: AppInstitute, 2011; Restaurant Star, 2009. Headquarters: AppInstitute, Nottingham, United Kingdom; Restaurant Star, Tokyo, Japan.

Side by side

AppInstitute vs Restaurant Star: side-by-side comparison from published vendor information
FieldAppInstituteRestaurant Star
What it isAppInstitute is a no-code builder for branded mobile apps that can be published to the Apple App Store, Google Play or as a progressive web app.Restaurant Star (Restaurant ★ Star) is a Japanese service that builds and runs a branded loyalty app for restaurant chains, with point and stamp cards, coupons, push messages, customer records and reports.
Best forRestaurants and takeaways wanting their own ordering app; Cafes, bars and clubs building repeat visits; Agencies and resellersRestaurant chains moving off paper cards, LINE or another loyalty app; Chains whose head office has little time for marketing; Small chains of 5 to 10 sites
Pricing modelSubscription per appSubscription plus setup quote
Starting priceGBP 49 per monthJPY 22,000 per month (tax included)
Free planNoNot published
Free trialYesNot published
ContractNone for monthly plans1 year at minimum, varying by contract
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidiOS, Android
CountriesNot publishedJapan
LanguagesNot publishedJapanese
Number of integrations3Not published
CertificationsNot publishedISMS certification, ISO 27001
Security practicesNot publishedNot published
Founded20112009
HeadquartersNottingham, United KingdomTokyo, Japan
OwnerNot publishedNot published
Last reviewed29 September 202629 September 2026

Integrations

No partner appears in every list.

Named only by AppInstitute

  • Ecwid
  • Shopify
  • Woo Commerce

Named only by Restaurant Star

Restaurant Star does not name any integrations in the material we reviewed.

Which to choose

AppInstitute

Choose AppInstitute if you are in one of these groups: Restaurants and takeaways wanting their own ordering app; Cafes, bars and clubs building repeat visits; Agencies and resellers.

Restaurant Star

Choose Restaurant Star if you fit its listed audience: Restaurant chains moving off paper cards, LINE or another loyalty app; Chains whose head office has little time for marketing; Small chains of 5 to 10 sites.

Our profile lists a weaker fit: Buyers wanting a LINE Mini App: the FAQ says it delivers a dedicated app, not a LINE Mini App.

What we could not confirm

AppInstitute

  • Named payment gateways
  • Which plans include which features beyond the pricing page summary
  • Legal entity and team size
  • Funding
  • Security certifications
  • Interface languages

Restaurant Star

  • Initial setup cost (quoted individually)
  • Which POS registers and ticket machines are supported
  • Renewal and cancellation terms
  • Team size and funding
  • Names of the iOS and Android apps (each chain gets its own branded app)
  • Vendor performance claims such as 3,000+ stores, 99.2% retention and 10 million users are unaudited

Go further

AppInstitute profileRestaurant Star profile

Other comparisons with these products

Sources

Facts on this page come from the pages below. Prices and features change, so confirm with each vendor before you buy.

Restaurant Star, reviewed 29 September 2026

  1. Home page: service, claims, features, customers, pricehttps://res-star.com/
  2. Pricing and standard featureshttps://res-star.com/price
  3. Company profilehttps://res-star.com/corp
  4. FAQ: contract term, POS, LINE, timelinehttps://res-star.com/archives/column/faq
  5. ISO 27001 certificationhttps://res-star.com/archives/column/isms