shouldiuse.io

Categories

VERDICT

Should I use Backbar Academy | Free Guides & Resources for Bar & Restaurant Professionals?

Backbar Academy provides a complete learning resource for bar and restaurant staff. Complete with free guides, templates, videos, articles and more to learn the tips and tricks to be successful. - academy.getbackbar.com

Worth it. This is Backbar's free content library, not software — there is nothing to purchase. Use it if you run or staff a bar; if you need inventory tooling, evaluate Backbar the app or a competitor separately.

Confidence

Medium. Based on 20 public sources; most cover Backbar software, few independently cover the Academy itself.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depthNot disclosed
  • Support qualityNot disclosed
  • Security postureNot disclosed

Pricing

$0 forever

Backbar Free

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes

Best for

  • New bar managers learning inventory basics
  • Owners wanting free spreadsheet templates and calculators
  • Bartender training and onboarding
  • Small bars not ready to buy software

Not for

  • Buyers expecting software — this is content, not a tool
  • Teams needing live inventory tracking or ordering today
  • Non-hospitality businesses
  • Anyone wanting accredited or certified training

Gotchas - check before you buy

medium

It is a vendor content hub; expect Backbar product CTAs and sign-up prompts throughout

medium

Academy funnels readers toward Backbar's paid plans; verify current pricing directly

low

Some Academy URLs render 404 error pages in the reviewed sources

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Completely free guides, templates, videos, and articles for bar staff
  • Broad coverage: inventory, purchasing, accounting, bartender training, wine knowledge, liquor laws
  • Downloadable spreadsheet templates: inventory, pour cost, par levels, cocktail costing
  • Related Backbar software rated 4.5/5 on G2

Cons

  • Marketing hub for Backbar software, not independent education
  • No software functionality — you cannot manage inventory here
  • Review evidence covers Backbar the app, not Academy content quality

Sources & method

Analyzed 10/03/2026 - 9 sources - No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

official x3review x4security x1news x1

Key stats

  • Value for money: 5/5

    Rating

  • $0 forever

    Starting price

  • 9

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 5/5. Everything is free
  • Ease of use: 4/5. Users say app is easy to figure out
  • $0 Academy cost Free guides, templates, videos
  • 4.5/5 G2 rating Backbar software, not the Academy
  • Yes Free software tier Free forever plan for inventory
  • 3 Total software plans First is free forever

Pricing

Backbar Free

$0 forever

  • Take inventory
  • Place orders
  • Control costs on web or mobile

Security

No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

What users say

Independent review evidence covers Backbar's software rather than the Academy, and users find the app easy to adopt.

“Convenience of use, easy to figure out. Can pick up and start making measurable differences in bar production”
G2 review
“Backbar is a bar inventory and ordering platform with a free forever tier, making it one of the most accessible”
Homebase blog

Alternatives

Compare Backbar Academy | Free Guides & Resources for Bar & Restaurant Professionals with each alternative.

  • Partender

    Bar inventory app with visual bottle blueprints

Companies that use it

  • Hotel Vermont⁹
  • Cohn Restaurant Group⁹
Full analysis

Based on 20 public sources; most cover Backbar software, few independently cover the Academy itself.

Free guides and templates for bar staff from Backbar — nothing to buy. Good for learning, not a software decision.

Methodology

Based on 20 public sources; most cover Backbar software, few independently cover the Academy itself.

Sources

  1. Backbar Academy homepageacademy.getbackbar.com
    official
  2. Backbar free resources librarygetbackbar.com
    official
  3. Backbar Reviews on G2g2.com
    review
  4. Backbar Pricing on G2g2.com
    review
  5. Bar Management Apps — Homebase blogjoinhomebase.com
    news
  6. How to Take Inventory and Calculate Pour Cost — Morgenthalerjeffreymorgenthaler.com
    review
  7. Barcop back office softwarebarcop.com
    official
  8. Partender — App Storeapps.apple.com
    review
  9. Backbar Academy security pageacademy.getbackbar.com
    security

Rate this review

Anonymous. You can change your vote.

Loading votes…

Comments

One queue. No nested comments. Give a display name first. Limit: 200 words per comment and 7 comments per day. You can edit or delete yours.

Save a name to write a comment.

0 / 200 words

No comments yet.