This article is the most exhaustive description of Untappd for Business available. Use it to learn about Untappd for Business and to consider whether it's right for your business.
๐ Update Spring 2023: Untappd for business now has two tiers: Essential ($899/year) and Premium ($1199/year).
Just over a year ago they increased their price from $599 to $899 (a 50% increase). The limitations built into this new two tier system appear designed to once again charge existing and previous customers more for their services.
BeerMenus, a popular Untappd alternative with many of the same features, costs just $599 per year.
Its usage is declining sharply in the United States. Here's the data.
Untappd is a beer journaling app. Its users "check-in" and rate the beers they've had.
In the late 2000s and early 2010s Untappd saw explosive growth in the United States alongside other rating and ticker culture apps. Check-ins were undoubtedly booming.
But Untappd usage in the US is now declining very sharply. For example, from 2020 to 2021 check-ins in New York City, its number 1 US market, declined by 46%. In Chicago, its second biggest market, check-ins were down 47%. The same general trend appears to be true across the US.
This goes for some non-US markets as wellโthe number of check-ins in London, Untappd's number 1 market worldwide, declined by 28% during the same time period.
If you're in the United States, it's likely that using Untappd for Business will not be as helpful as it used to be (and even that value is questionable).
Untappd is currently seeing growth in other marketsโsuch as continental Europe.
When and how do Untappd users use Untappd? Is advertising to Untappd users effective?
Untappd is a beer journaling app, so its users open the Untappd app after theyโve drank (or at least tasted) a beer.
After is the key word there. A majority of Untappd users do not use the app to find beers or to decide where to goโthey only open the app after they've gotten to the bar, restaurant, brewery, or beer store.
Because of that, if you're a bar, restaurant, brewery, or beer store, it's likely ineffective to advertise to this audience.
A bar or restaurant paying for Untappd for Business would be like a car dealership paying to advertise to someone who just bought a new car: the buying decision has already been made, so why pay to advertise to that person?
A much more effective marketing strategy is getting in front of beer drinkers when theyโre deciding where to go.
BeerMenus, an Untappd alternative, is entirely focused on this job, and gets you in front of all your beer drinking locals (not just the beer nerds who use Untappd).
Get in front of beer drinkers when they're deciding where to go.
Give BeerMenus a test drive.
BeerMenus also offers fully customizable Print and TV Menus (not just pre-selected themes), a truly robust QR Code Menu solution, as well as all the marketing tie-ins youโll find with Untappd.
Example BeerMenus Print menu templates
๐ Want to add your logo, change the color/font, or adjust the layout?
Choose this template now and customize it later!
๐ Want to add your logo, change the color/font, or adjust the layout?
Choose this template now and customize it later!
๐ Want to add your logo, change the color/font, or adjust the layout?
Choose this template now and customize it later!
๐ Want to add your logo, change the color/font, or adjust the layout?
Choose this template now and customize it later!
๐ Want to add your logo, change the color/font, or adjust the layout?
Choose this template now and customize it later!
๐ Want to add your logo, change the color/font, or adjust the layout?
Choose this template now and customize it later!
๐ Want to add your logo, change the color/font, or adjust the layout?
Choose this template now and customize it later!
๐ Want to add your logo, change the color/font, or adjust the layout?
Choose this template now and customize it later!
๐ Want to add your logo, change the color/font, or adjust the layout?
Choose this template now and customize it later!
๐ Want to add your logo, change the color/font, or adjust the layout?
Choose this template now and customize it later!
๐ Want to add your logo, change the color/font, or adjust the layout?
Choose this template now and customize it later!
๐ Want to add your logo, change the color/font, or adjust the layout?
Choose this template now and customize it later!
๐ Want to add your logo, change the color/font, or adjust the layout?
Choose this template now and customize it later!
๐ Want to add your logo, change the color/font, or adjust the layout?
Choose this template now and customize it later!
๐ Want to add your logo, change the color/font, or adjust the layout?
Choose this template now and customize it later!
๐ Want to add your logo, change the color/font, or adjust the layout?
We also offer a free 14-day trial for you to give it a shot without having to talk with a sales person or take a demo. Of course, if youโd like a hand weโre here to help.
Untappd for Business is a subscription service that launched in 2016 after Next Glass acquired the beer social network app Untappd, which was founded by Greg Avola and Tim Mather.
Businesses that pay for the subscription are marked as "verified" on the Untappd app, can list beer menus and events on Untappd, and have access to digital menu boards, printable menus, website menu, and Facebook and Twitter integrations.
Does Untappd for Business offer a free trial or free plan?
There's no free plan, but you may get a free trial in some cases. In order to use Untappd for Business, you have to request a sales demo, take the demo, and then pay. If youโre unsure of whether Untappd for Business is a good fit for your business, you could request monthly billing or ask for a free trial. We've heard from some businesses that they received a free trial.
Does Untappd for Business offer an option for QR code menus?
Whatโs the best way to learn about Untappd for Business features without talking with a sales person?
You can learn a little about how Untappd for Business works on their help site, but there is not a ton of information available.
What alternatives are there to Untappd for Business?
Businesses considering Untappd for Business often also consider BeerMenus.
BeerMenus and Untappd for Business both provide menu management, Print Menus, TV Menus, real-time Website Menus, social media integrations, event promotion, a beer database, and access to local audiences.
BeerMenus offers a free plan, enables you to try all features without talking with a sales person (you can enter your email and immediately get started, has wine and spirits databases, will provide support and custom design help before you sign up for any paid plan, and primarily helps beer lovers decide where to buy craft beer.
BeerMenus is often the best choice for bars, restaurants, and breweries who value menu automation and who want to have professionally and personally customized digital, print, or QR Menus. With Untappd for Business you're limited to using pre-existing menu themes.
BeerMenus is also often the best choice for businesses that sell alcohol for off-premises consumption, like liquor stores and bottle shops. This is because BeerMenus helps these businesses reach locals using search engines to find specific beers and automating email marketing. Untappdโs audience is more engaged with businesses that sell beer for on premises consumption.
BeerMenus is also available in the iOS App Store and on Android in the Google Play Store.
How does Untappd for Business explain its return on investment?
Untappd for Business suggests that each beer check-in from a first time visitor on the Untappd app received after signing up for Untappd for Business is revenue you wouldnโt have received if you hadnโt paid for Untappd for Business.
That's certainly circular. An example will likely help.
Here's something they may say: in the first 3 months after becoming a Verified Venue, your bar had 263 check-ins from first time visitors. Those check-ins totaled over $1,500 in new revenue (assuming each beer is $6).
At first glance, nothing seems off there, but there's a wolf in sheep's clothing and it's that "first time visitor" language.
Basically, the math makes one big assumption: it assumes that every person who checked-in for the first time at your business after you signed up for Untappd for Business wouldn't have checked-in if you hadn't signed up for Untappd for Business.
In other words, they're saying none of these 263 folks would have come into your business if you had not become verified on Untappd for Business.
It's extremely unlikely this is the caseโfolks are likely checking in at your bar or restaurant already (Untappd will tell you about this activity), and since you're not yet signed up for Untappd for Business, that means they found you when you were not verified. These folks have come in for some reason, that's for sure, but it's because you've done something right. It's not because of Untappd; they just happen to be using Untappd to log the beer they're drinking after they've arrived (learn more about how people use Untappd vs. BeerMenus).
This is not to say there's no opportunity for growth through Untappd for Business; there very well could be. But the fact is that Untappd attempts to take credit for the hard work you've already put in.
To truly understand the new revenue attributable to your Untappd for Business subscription, youโd need to know how many of these first time visitors came to your business because you were verified on Untappd.
You can never know this for sure, but one way to estimate this would be to see how many first time visitors you generally had each month prior to becoming verified and then compare that to the number you see after you become verified. The difference could be attributable to being verified on Untappd.
You should also ask your Untappd sales person how many monthly first time visitors and monthly check-ins local verified businesses near you have had in recent months and if they increased after they became verified. Compare those to the number of first time visitors you're already seeing on Untappd to see if there's room for improvement. If there is, you might consider trying Untappd for Business. And don't forget you can ask for a free trial and monthly billing to test whether you see real increase in new customers before committing to pay for a year.
What does Untappd for Business cost?
Untappd does not list its prices publicly on its website or in its help docs.
The list price had been $599 per year, but in February 2022 Untappd increased its price to $899 for all businesses on Untappd (a 50% price increase).
Now, in Spring 2023, they unveiled their new two tier pricing structure comprised of "Essential" ($899/year or $89.99/month) and "Premium" ($1199/year or $119.99/month).
There are four differences between the two plans:
Non-beer items are capped at 20 with Essential, they're unlimited with Premium.
User accounts are capped at 5 with Essential, they're unlimited with Premium.
Premium accounts get access to Untappd's API.
Premium accounts get access to a wine and spirit database from Wine-Searcher. Early reports indicate this database is not very robust.
With non-beer items capped at 20, it appears this two-tier pricing was introduced in order to force existing and new customers to pay more without gaining a ton of value from the service.
BeerMenus, a popular Untappd for Business alternative, offers wine and spirit databases and the ability to add an unlimited number of non-beer items and is much more affordable at just $599 per year. Additionally, BeerMenus has never raised prices on existing customers.
What is a Verified Venue? Is it free?
Venues are considered "Verified" on Untappd if they pay for Untappd for Business. There is no free way to be a Verified Venue.
How can I cancel a Untappd for Business subscription?
โEither Party may terminate or not renew any Services order upon thirty (30) daysโ prior written notice.โ
โFor any Services order renewal term, Customer hereby authorizes Untappd, or its designee, to charge Customerโs account for such non-refundable Fee on a recurring basis consistent with this Agreement using the account information Customer previously provided to Untappd.โ
Translating that into actual English: your subscription fees are non-refundable and charged in advance.
Also alarming: you need to cancel 30 days in advance of a renewal date or else you'll be charged again.
However, it's possible these terms violate automatic renewal laws in your state.
If you request to cancel fewer than 30 days in advance of your renewal, Untappd should still honor your request. If Untappd refuses your request or you were already charged and Untappd refuses to provide a refund, you can still file a chargeback with your credit card company to get your money back.
A recent California law, that applies to all businesses with customers in California, states that: "a consumer who accepts an automatic renewal or continuous service offer online shall be allowed to terminate the automatic renewal or continuous service exclusively online, which may include a termination email formatted and provided by the business that a consumer can send to the business without additional information."
In other words, if you signed up online, you must be able to cancel online, which could include sending the business an email that was formatted and provided by the business. Untappd doesn't seem to provide a way to cancel online or an example email that could be sent without additional information in order to cancel.
Lastly, if your payment is late (even by a day), Untappd reserves the right to assess a 1.5% late fee on your membership fee.
That means if something totally normal happensโe.g., you have to replace your credit card, your card expired, etc.โand they canโt bill you on schedule, you could be assessed a late fee.
