5 Best Hopper Alternatives in 2026
The 5 best Hopper alternatives in 2026: AyeWatch, Google Flights, Kayak, Skyscanner and Going, compared on fare alerts, coverage and price.
By AyeWatch Team8 min read
Hopper predicts whether to buy or wait and sells add-ons like Price Freeze. People look for a Hopper alternative when they already know the trip and the fare they would pay, and want that number tracked rather than a forecast.
Others want to book on the airline's own site, or plan from a laptop, since Hopper is mobile only. Below are five options, with notes on when Hopper is still the better pick.
Quick comparison: best Hopper alternatives
| Product | Best for | Starting price | Key difference | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AyeWatch | Alerts on a fare page you already picked | Free Preview, then $9/mo | Tracks the page you name, no forecast | Read |
| Google Flights | Simple free tracking of a specific route | Free | Free route tracking by email | Read |
| Kayak | Flight and hotel price alerts in one place | Free | Flight and hotel alerts with Price Forecast | Read |
| Skyscanner | Free alerts with flexible "Everywhere" search | Free | Everywhere search with free alerts | Read |
| Going | Curated cheap-flight deals and mistake fares | $49/yr | Curated deals and mistake fares | Read |
Starting prices are the lowest paid plan listed on each vendor's site, checked October 2026.
Best for a fare you already chose
1. AyeWatch
AyeWatch is an AI internet monitor. Paste the public results page for your route and dates, from Google Flights, Kayak or the airline, and write the rule in plain English. It alerts you with a short summary when the listed fare changes in a way that matches. It does not predict fares, book flights or freeze prices.
Best for: Alerts on a fare page you already picked.
- The page you will book on. Any public fare or hotel page that shows the price without logging in, including airline sites.
- Your number, your rule. "Alert me when this round trip drops to $700 or below, total price."
- Web and mobile. Set up monitors in the web app and get push on iOS and Android, or email, Slack and Discord.
- Hourly monitoring on Pro, ASAP mode on Pro+ for routes where fares move often.
Pricing: Free Preview with no card. Pro is $9/mo with hourly monitoring. Pro+ is $19/mo and unlocks ASAP mode.
Try AyeWatch as your Hopper alternative
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Start free →Why teams choose AyeWatch
- No buy-or-wait score. Alerts report what changed on the page, and the booking decision stays with you.
- Airline pages count. A webpage monitor takes any public URL, not only one app's search results.
- One rule, several pages. A monitor can cover more than one URL, such as results from two nearby airports for the same dates.
Monitor: "Google Flights results for New York to Lisbon, May 12 to May 20"
Rule: "Alert me when the cheapest nonstop round trip drops to $700 or below. Ignore hotel and car suggestions."
AyeWatch vs Hopper
| Feature | AyeWatch | Hopper |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free Preview, then $9/mo | Free; paid add-ons like Price Freeze |
| Core job | Alerts when a page you name changes | Buy-or-wait predictions and booking |
| Fare predictions | No | Yes |
| Booking and Price Freeze | No | Yes, Price Freeze is a paid add-on |
| Pages covered | Any public fare or hotel page, including airline sites | Hopper's own search |
| Where you use it | Web app plus iOS and Android | Mobile app only |
When Hopper is still the better pick: If you book from your phone, travel flexibly and want a buy-or-wait call, Hopper does that and AyeWatch does not. AyeWatch also cannot hold a fare, so if you want Price Freeze, stay with Hopper.
Best free alternative
2. Google Flights
Google Flights has a Track prices toggle that emails you when fares change for a route, on specific dates or any dates.
Best for: Simple free tracking of a specific route.
Strengths
- Free, unlimited routes
- Specific-date or any-date tracking
- Fast, clean search
Weaknesses
- No target-price setting
- No mistake-fare alerts
- Email is the main channel
Pricing: Free (Free).
Pick it if you have a specific trip in mind and want a free tracker.
3. Kayak
Kayak sends email or app alerts when prices change on a saved flight or hotel search, with exact-date and flexible-date options and a buy-or-wait Price Forecast. Its Price Forecast is the closest match to Hopper's buy-or-wait advice.
Best for: Flight and hotel price alerts in one place.
Strengths
- Free flight and hotel alerts
- Flexible-date options
- Price Forecast guidance
Weaknesses
- Standard alerts are a daily digest
- Fares can move before you open the email
- Some fares come from lesser-known sellers
Pricing: Free (Free).
Pick it if you want free alerts for both flights and hotels.
Best for flexible destinations
4. Skyscanner
Skyscanner offers free price alerts on saved flight searches, sent by email and app push, plus flexible-destination search.
Best for: Free alerts with flexible "Everywhere" search.
Strengths
- Free alerts
- Everywhere and flexible-date search
- Email and app notifications
Weaknesses
- Check frequency is not published
- Alerts keep few of your original filters
- Account required
Pricing: Free (Free).
Pick it if you want free alerts and are flexible on where you go.
Best for deal hunters
5. Going
Going, formerly Scott's Cheap Flights, emails members cheap flights and mistake fares found by its team. The free plan covers US economy deals; paid plans add international and premium cabins.
Best for: Curated cheap-flight deals and mistake fares.
Strengths
- Human-vetted deals and mistake fares
- Free plan available
- Covers premium cabins on Elite
Weaknesses
- Billed annually only
- Curated deals, not tracking of your route
- Elite costs $199/yr
Pricing: $49/yr (Free plan).
Pick it if you are flexible on dates and want vetted deals sent to you.
FAQ
What is the best Hopper alternative?
For alerts on a specific fare page you already picked, AyeWatch. For free route tracking, Google Flights. For buy-or-wait advice outside Hopper, Kayak's Price Forecast.
Is there a free Hopper alternative?
Yes. Google Flights, Kayak and Skyscanner all send free fare alerts, and Going has a free plan for US economy deals. AyeWatch has a Free Preview with no card.
Can AyeWatch book flights or freeze a fare?
No. AyeWatch alerts you when the listed fare on a page changes. You book on the airline or travel site yourself, and there is no Price Freeze.
Does AyeWatch predict whether fares will rise or fall?
No. It has no price history charts and makes no forecasts. It tells you when the page you named shows a change that matches your rule.
Which flight pages work with AyeWatch?
Public results or itinerary pages that show the fare in a logged-out browser window. Logged-in corporate fares and links that expire quickly do not work well.
Which tool is right for you?
- You know the trip and the fare you would pay: AyeWatch.
- You want free tracking of a specific route: Google Flights.
- You want flight and hotel alerts with a forecast: Kayak.
- You are flexible on where you go: Skyscanner.
- You want vetted cheap fares sent to you: Going.
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