Written by: Charlie Murphy
Memolli: an alternative to Yelp and Google Maps
Memolli vs Yelp and Google Maps: A comparison of features and benefits for reviewing and journaling your restaurant experiences.
Why I don’t add reviews on Yelp and Google Maps anymore
Like many people, I started out using Yelp and Google Maps to explore, review, and bookmark restaurants I went to. After a few dozen reviews, however, the motivation faded. Today, I still rely on Google Maps to find places, get directions, and occasionally save a spot for later, but I no longer write reviews there.
The reason is simple: Yelp and Google Maps are built for public contribution, not personal journaling.
When writing a review on Yelp or Google Maps:
- You’re writing for strangers.
- Putting time into writing polished reviews or taking good photos.
- Your data ultimately belongs to the platform.
- Limited to no privacy options.
- Little customization or flexibility.
What I wanted:
- A private space where I could write notes without pressure. Half-formed thoughts, bad photos, or quick ratings.
- Ways to quickly search through my past reviews to remember what I liked.
- Visual-first design that made browsing my reviews enjoyable, whether on a map or a gallery of my photos.
- Full ownership of my data, with easy export options.
In short, I wanted my reviews to belong to and serve me, which is a big reason I made Memolli. And recent updates have made an even more compelling alternative to Yelp and Google Maps (read about them in the December 2025 updates).
This screenshot from Memolli shows how you can view your reviews on the map, just like Yelp and Google Maps.
How Memolli is Different
| Feature | Memolli | Yelp | Google Maps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Search & review places | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Write private reviews | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| See your reviews on a map | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Can review non-place items (e.g. coffee, beer) | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Customize your reviews | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Bookmark places | ❌ (planned) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Share reviews with friends* | ✅ | ⚠️ | ⚠️ |
| Group reviews into lists† | ✅ | ⚠️ | ⚠️ |
| Easily export your data | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Ad free | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| You own your data | ✅ | ⚠️ | ⚠️ |
* Your reviews are shared on Yelp and Google Maps by virtue of being public.
† Yelp and Google Maps have limited list features, but they’re not designed for grouping reviews together in a meaningful way.
Who Memolli Is For
Memolli is ideal if you:
- Feel burned out writing public reviews.
- Want a private place to track restaurants, but also be able to review individual items like coffee, beer, or wine.
- Enjoy browsing your reviews visually, whether on a map or through photos.
- Care about long-term ownership of your notes and photos.
- Want a flexible, customizable way to journal your dining experiences.
If Yelp and Google Maps feel like broadcasting, Memolli feels like writing in a notebook you’ll actually want to reread.
Final Thoughts
Yelp and Google Maps are excellent tools for discovery, ordering, directions, etc. Memolli isn’t trying to replace that. Instead, it fills the gap they leave behind: a personal, private space to remember what you’ve experienced and how you felt about it.
If you’ve ever stopped writing reviews because they no longer felt like yours, Memolli was built for exactly that reason.
Want to try it out? Sign up on the website or download the app from the App Store.