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Waitlist Me alternatives
Waitlist Me is a self-serve waitlist and reservation app with a free version and paid plans from $34.99 a month. The apps below differ on text allowances, POS links, restaurant focus and pricing model.
Apps on this page
Only confirmed features are shown.
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Waitlist and reservation app for restaurants and other businesses that texts guests when their table is ready.
- Starting price
- Free plan · From $39 per month
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial
- POS
- Square
Update activity Active Market presence Established
Best for Walk-in restaurants that want guests to join by QR code, text or your website and be texted when the table is ready
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Restaurant waitlist app with SMS alerts: guests add themselves or a host adds them, and the system estimates the wait automatically.
- Starting price
- From $39.99 per month
- Free plan
- No free plan listed
- Free trial
- No free trial listed
Update activity Low Market presence Small
Best for Walk-in spots that want texts to waiting guests plus a self check-in kiosk on an iPad at the door
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Browser-based waitlist and reservation system for restaurants that shows guests their place in line without an app download.
- Starting price
- Free plan · From $11.99 per month
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- No free trial listed
Update activity Unknown Market presence Small
Best for Small walk-in spots that want a free queue with QR check-in and no hardware to buy
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Waitlist and reservation app for restaurants: staff add a guest's phone number, the guest gets a text, and it runs on any smartphone.
- Starting price
- Free plan · From $9.99 per month
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial
Update activity Active Market presence Established
Best for Small walk-in restaurants that want a low-cost waitlist with QR join and texts to guests
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Reservation system for restaurants and venues, with a virtual waitlist (OnTheGo) for walk-ins.
- Starting price
- Book a demo for pricing
- Free plan
- No free plan listed
- Free trial
- No free trial listed
Update activity Moderate Market presence Established
Best for Restaurants that take bookings first and want a walk-in queue inside the same system
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Host-stand software for restaurant brands with table management, wait-time tools and two-way SMS that tells guests their table is ready.
- Starting price
- Book a demo for pricing
- Free plan
- No free plan listed
- Free trial
- No free trial listed
- POS
- Toast
Update activity Active Market presence Established
Best for Multi-unit restaurant brands that want the waitlist, reservations and tables in one host-stand tool
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Restaurant reservation and table management software with a waitlist that sends custom SMS alerts and runs on iPad, mobile and desktop.
- Starting price
- From $99 per month
- Free plan
- No free plan listed
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial
- POS
- Square
Update activity Active Market presence Established
Best for Venues and small groups that want reservations, a live floor view and the guest database in one place, with the waitlist as one part
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Restaurant reservation, table management and waitlist software with guestbook, event and marketing tools for single venues and groups.
- Starting price
- From $109 per month
- Free plan
- No free plan listed
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial
- POS
- Square
Update activity Moderate Market presence Established
Best for Single restaurants and small groups that want reservations, a floor plan, waitlist and guest book on a flat monthly fee
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Restaurant reservation and guest management platform, now part of OpenTable, with a digital waitlist and table optimization tools.
- Starting price
- Book a demo for pricing
- Free plan
- No free plan listed
- Free trial
- No free trial listed
Update activity Low Market presence Growing
Best for Restaurants that want reservations, guest marketing, text campaigns and surveys in one system, especially in Canada
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Virtual waitlist and queue management app with SMS notifications and a virtual waiting room for walk-in businesses.
- Starting price
- Free plan · From $59.99 per month
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- No free trial listed
Update activity Active Market presence Established
Best for Small walk-in spots that want to test a waitlist on a free plan before paying
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Reservation and table management system with a guest self-add waiting list and a text to walk-ins when their table is ready.
- Starting price
- Book a demo for pricing
- Free plan
- No free plan listed
- Free trial
- No free trial listed
Update activity Unknown Market presence Small
Best for Restaurants, cafes, bars and wineries wanting a waiting list alongside reservations, on a flat monthly fee
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Reservation and waitlist management for high-volume restaurants from Olo, covering table assignment and guest preferences.
- Starting price
- Book a demo for pricing
- Free plan
- No free plan listed
- Free trial
- No free trial listed
Update activity Low Market presence Established
Best for High-volume restaurants that want the waitlist, reservations and table assignments in one iPad app
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Restaurant reservation platform with table management and an online waitlist that guests can join remotely and get SMS alerts from.
- Starting price
- From $299 per month
- Free plan
- No free plan listed
- Free trial
- No free trial listed
- POS
- Toast
Update activity Active Market presence Established
Best for Sit-down restaurants wanting reservations, table management and the waitlist together in one system
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Host-stand system for restaurants: walk-ins, online waitlist joins and reservations in one list, plus two-way texting and table maps.
- Starting price
- From $39 per month
- Free plan
- No free plan listed
- Free trial
- No free trial listed
Update activity Low Market presence Small
Best for First-come, first-served restaurants that want a host-stand iPad app with a table map and two-way texting
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Virtual queue management system with a business app and customer app so walk-ins can join queues from their phones.
- Starting price
- From £14.99 per month
- Free plan
- No free plan listed
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial
Update activity Low Market presence Small
Best for A single walk-in location, such as a counter or small cafe, that wants a QR queue and live wait estimates at a low flat price
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Text-message waitlist tool: staff add a customer's name and number, then send a text when it is their turn; runs in a web browser.
- Starting price
- From $49 per month
- Free plan
- No free plan listed
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial
Update activity Unknown Market presence Small
Best for Small walk-in spots that want a text waitlist in a browser, with no app or hardware to buy
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Restaurant booking system with a table planner, guest profiles, booking reminders and a digital waitlist feature.
- Starting price
- From €45 per month
- Free plan
- No free plan listed
- Free trial
- No free trial listed
Update activity Active Market presence Growing
Best for Restaurants that run mostly on reservations and want a list to refill cancelled tables
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Reservation and guest management platform for restaurants, bars and wineries, with waitlists that can be managed from any device.
- Starting price
- From $289 per month
- Free plan
- No free plan listed
- Free trial
- No free trial listed
- POS
- Toast, Square
Update activity Active Market presence Established
Best for Full-service restaurants that want reservations, floor plans and a walk-in waitlist in one system
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Cloud queue and waitlist system where customers join by QR code and are called by WhatsApp, SMS or voice alert.
- Starting price
- Free plan · From $49 per month
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- No free trial listed
- POS
- Square
Update activity Active Market presence Growing
Best for Counter-service and walk-in-only spots that want guests to scan a QR code and wait elsewhere
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Guest management platform for restaurants and hotels in the Middle East and North Africa, covering bookings, waitlists and guest profiles.
- Starting price
- From $129 per venue / month, billed annually
- Free plan
- No free plan listed
- Free trial
- No free trial listed
Update activity Active Market presence Established
Best for Restaurants and hotel outlets across the Middle East and North Africa that need a waitlist, CRM and reservations in a single system
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Reservation and waitlist system for restaurants that books through Google, DoorDash and social channels and includes table management.
- Starting price
- Book a demo for pricing
- Free plan
- No free plan listed
- Free trial
- No free trial listed
- POS
- Square, Toast
Update activity Active Market presence Established
Best for Restaurant groups, hotels and bars that want a guest database and marketing alongside reservations and a waitlist
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Restaurant waitlist and reservation system from SpotOn with predictive wait times, guest texting and a table map shared with the POS.
- Starting price
- From $100 per month
- Free plan
- No free plan listed
- Free trial
- No free trial listed
Update activity Moderate Market presence Established
Best for Restaurants already on, or moving to, SpotOn POS that want the table map and servers shared with the host stand
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Host-stand app from Toast for running a restaurant waitlist and reservations, assigning servers and seating parties on a floor plan.
- Starting price
- From $50 per month
- Free plan
- No free plan listed
- Free trial
- No free trial listed
- POS
- Toast
Update activity Active Market presence Established
Best for Restaurants already on Toast POS that want the host stand, waitlist and reservations in the same account
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Waitlist, check-in, reservation and appointment app for in-person businesses; customers join a waitlist by QR code.
- Starting price
- Free plan · From $199 per location / month
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- No free trial listed
Update activity Active Market presence Small
Best for A small walk-in line that can live on a free plan with a link or QR code and no app for guests
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Restaurant waitlist and reservation software with two-way texting and Reserve with Google ($99 plan); also pitched to barbers and salons.
- Starting price
- Free plan · From $49 per month
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- No free trial listed
- POS
- Square
Update activity Active Market presence Established
Best for Restaurants with one or two locations that like a flat monthly price and want a free plan to start on
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Cloud queue management system where customers join by QR code, kiosk or staff entry and are notified by SMS, WhatsApp, email or push.
- Starting price
- From $27 per month, billed annually
- Free plan
- No free plan listed
- Free trial
- 7-day free trial
Update activity Unknown Market presence Growing
Best for Small restaurants that want a walk-in queue, bookings and a floor map at a flat price per location
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Waitlist, queue management and appointment scheduling software for walk-in and appointment-based businesses.
- Starting price
- Free plan · From $31 per month, billed annually
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- No free trial listed
- POS
- Square
Update activity Active Market presence Established
Best for Operations with several sites or regulatory requirements that want a walk-in queue plus bookings in one system
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Reservation, waitlist and table management system for restaurants, run from an iPad and listed on Yelp and other booking channels.
- Starting price
- From $159 per month
- Free plan
- No free plan listed
- Free trial
- No free trial listed
- POS
- Toast
Update activity Active Market presence Established
Best for Full-service restaurants that want bookings and a waitlist listed on Yelp, Google Search and Apple Maps
No apps match these filters.
Compare side by side
| App | Starting price | Free plan | Two-way SMS | Reservations | POS | Best for | Update activity | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allgood WaitlistRestaurant waitlist app with SMS alerts: guests add themselves or a host adds them, and the system estimates the wait automatically. | From $39.99 per month | No free plan listed | Yes | Yes | None listed | Walk-in spots that want texts to waiting guests plus a self check-in kiosk on an iPad at the door | Low | Visit website – Allgood Waitlist |
| BzzBrowser-based waitlist and reservation system for restaurants that shows guests their place in line without an app download. | Free plan · From $11.99 per month | Yes | No | Yes | None listed | Small walk-in spots that want a free queue with QR check-in and no hardware to buy | Unknown | Visit website – Bzz |
| CarbonaraWaitlist and reservation app for restaurants: staff add a guest's phone number, the guest gets a text, and it runs on any smartphone. | Free plan · From $9.99 per month | Yes | Yes | Yes | None listed | Small walk-in restaurants that want a low-cost waitlist with QR join and texts to guests | Active | Visit website – Carbonara |
| CoverManagerReservation system for restaurants and venues, with a virtual waitlist (OnTheGo) for walk-ins. | Book a demo for pricing | No free plan listed | Unknown | Yes | None listed | Restaurants that take bookings first and want a walk-in queue inside the same system | Moderate | Visit website – CoverManager |
| Crunchtime HostHost-stand software for restaurant brands with table management, wait-time tools and two-way SMS that tells guests their table is ready. | Book a demo for pricing | No free plan listed | Yes | Yes | Toast | Multi-unit restaurant brands that want the waitlist, reservations and tables in one host-stand tool | Active | Visit website – Crunchtime Host |
| Eat AppRestaurant reservation and table management software with a waitlist that sends custom SMS alerts and runs on iPad, mobile and desktop. | From $99 per month | No free plan listed | Unknown | Yes | Square | Venues and small groups that want reservations, a live floor view and the guest database in one place, with the waitlist as one part | Active | Visit website – Eat App |
| HostmeRestaurant reservation, table management and waitlist software with guestbook, event and marketing tools for single venues and groups. | From $109 per month | No free plan listed | Yes | Yes | Square | Single restaurants and small groups that want reservations, a floor plan, waitlist and guest book on a flat monthly fee | Moderate | Visit website – Hostme |
| LibroRestaurant reservation and guest management platform, now part of OpenTable, with a digital waitlist and table optimization tools. | Book a demo for pricing | No free plan listed | Yes | Yes | None listed | Restaurants that want reservations, guest marketing, text campaigns and surveys in one system, especially in Canada | Low | Visit website – Libro |
| NextMeVirtual waitlist and queue management app with SMS notifications and a virtual waiting room for walk-in businesses. | Free plan · From $59.99 per month | Yes | Unknown | Unknown | None listed | Small walk-in spots that want to test a waitlist on a free plan before paying | Active | Visit website – NextMe |
| ObeeReservation and table management system with a guest self-add waiting list and a text to walk-ins when their table is ready. | Book a demo for pricing | No free plan listed | Unknown | Yes | None listed | Restaurants, cafes, bars and wineries wanting a waiting list alongside reservations, on a flat monthly fee | Unknown | Visit website – Obee |
| Olo HostReservation and waitlist management for high-volume restaurants from Olo, covering table assignment and guest preferences. | Book a demo for pricing | No free plan listed | Yes | Yes | None listed | High-volume restaurants that want the waitlist, reservations and table assignments in one iPad app | Low | Visit website – Olo Host |
| OpenTableRestaurant reservation platform with table management and an online waitlist that guests can join remotely and get SMS alerts from. | From $299 per month | No free plan listed | Yes | Yes | Toast | Sit-down restaurants wanting reservations, table management and the waitlist together in one system | Active | Visit website – OpenTable |
| QaTableHost-stand system for restaurants: walk-ins, online waitlist joins and reservations in one list, plus two-way texting and table maps. | From $39 per month | No free plan listed | Yes | Yes | None listed | First-come, first-served restaurants that want a host-stand iPad app with a table map and two-way texting | Low | Visit website – QaTable |
| QueueAwayVirtual queue management system with a business app and customer app so walk-ins can join queues from their phones. | From £14.99 per month | No free plan listed | Unknown | Unknown | None listed | A single walk-in location, such as a counter or small cafe, that wants a QR queue and live wait estimates at a low flat price | Low | Visit website – QueueAway |
| Ready TextText-message waitlist tool: staff add a customer's name and number, then send a text when it is their turn; runs in a web browser. | From $49 per month | No free plan listed | Yes | Yes | None listed | Small walk-in spots that want a text waitlist in a browser, with no app or hardware to buy | Unknown | Visit website – Ready Text |
| resOSRestaurant booking system with a table planner, guest profiles, booking reminders and a digital waitlist feature. | From €45 per month | No free plan listed | Unknown | Yes | None listed | Restaurants that run mostly on reservations and want a list to refill cancelled tables | Active | Visit website – resOS |
| Resy OSReservation and guest management platform for restaurants, bars and wineries, with waitlists that can be managed from any device. | From $289 per month | No free plan listed | Yes | Yes | Toast, Square | Full-service restaurants that want reservations, floor plans and a walk-in waitlist in one system | Active | Visit website – Resy OS |
| ScanQueueCloud queue and waitlist system where customers join by QR code and are called by WhatsApp, SMS or voice alert. | Free plan · From $49 per month | Yes | Unknown | Unknown | Square | Counter-service and walk-in-only spots that want guests to scan a QR code and wait elsewhere | Active | Visit website – ScanQueue |
| ServmeGuest management platform for restaurants and hotels in the Middle East and North Africa, covering bookings, waitlists and guest profiles. | From $129 per venue / month, billed annually | No free plan listed | Unknown | Yes | None listed | Restaurants and hotel outlets across the Middle East and North Africa that need a waitlist, CRM and reservations in a single system | Active | Visit website – Servme |
| SevenRoomsReservation and waitlist system for restaurants that books through Google, DoorDash and social channels and includes table management. | Book a demo for pricing | No free plan listed | Yes | Yes | Square, Toast | Restaurant groups, hotels and bars that want a guest database and marketing alongside reservations and a waitlist | Active | Visit website – SevenRooms |
| SpotOn ReserveRestaurant waitlist and reservation system from SpotOn with predictive wait times, guest texting and a table map shared with the POS. | From $100 per month | No free plan listed | Yes | Yes | None listed | Restaurants already on, or moving to, SpotOn POS that want the table map and servers shared with the host stand | Moderate | Visit website – SpotOn Reserve |
| TablesReadyWaitlist and reservation app for restaurants and other businesses that texts guests when their table is ready. | Free plan · From $39 per month | Yes | Yes | Yes | Square | Walk-in restaurants that want guests to join by QR code, text or your website and be texted when the table is ready | Active | Visit website – TablesReady |
| Toast TablesHost-stand app from Toast for running a restaurant waitlist and reservations, assigning servers and seating parties on a floor plan. | From $50 per month | No free plan listed | Yes | Yes | Toast | Restaurants already on Toast POS that want the host stand, waitlist and reservations in the same account | Active | Visit website – Toast Tables |
| Waitlist AppWaitlist, check-in, reservation and appointment app for in-person businesses; customers join a waitlist by QR code. | Free plan · From $199 per location / month | Yes | Unknown | Yes | None listed | A small walk-in line that can live on a free plan with a link or QR code and no app for guests | Active | Visit website – Waitlist App |
| WaitlyRestaurant waitlist and reservation software with two-way texting and Reserve with Google ($99 plan); also pitched to barbers and salons. | Free plan · From $49 per month | Yes | Yes | Yes | Square | Restaurants with one or two locations that like a flat monthly price and want a free plan to start on | Active | Visit website – Waitly |
| WaitQCloud queue management system where customers join by QR code, kiosk or staff entry and are notified by SMS, WhatsApp, email or push. | From $27 per month, billed annually | No free plan listed | Unknown | Yes | None listed | Small restaurants that want a walk-in queue, bookings and a floor map at a flat price per location | Unknown | Visit website – WaitQ |
| WaitwhileWaitlist, queue management and appointment scheduling software for walk-in and appointment-based businesses. | Free plan · From $31 per month, billed annually | Yes | Yes | Unknown | Square | Operations with several sites or regulatory requirements that want a walk-in queue plus bookings in one system | Active | Visit website – Waitwhile |
| Yelp Guest ManagerReservation, waitlist and table management system for restaurants, run from an iPad and listed on Yelp and other booking channels. | From $159 per month | No free plan listed | Yes | Yes | Toast | Full-service restaurants that want bookings and a waitlist listed on Yelp, Google Search and Apple Maps | Active | Visit website – Yelp Guest Manager |
Yes and No come from each vendor's own website. Unknown means it could not be confirmed there. "No free plan listed" means the vendor's pricing page shows no free plan. How we compare
What Waitlist Me does for a restaurant
Waitlist Me covers the waitlist, reservations and table management. It texts guests when their turn comes, supports two-way texting and shows wait-time estimates. Guests can join remotely, by QR code or at a self check-in kiosk, and a public wait board can be shown in the entrance. The data records Square and Clover integrations and Reserve with Google, and a Clover App Market listing.
There is a free version, though the vendor’s Clover listing says that Basic tier comes without texts to guests, and the pricing page also lists Premium at $34.99 monthly or $27.99 on annual billing, Pro at $59.99 and Platinum at $99.99. Those three plans carry allowances of 1,000, 2,500 and 5,000 notifications each month in the US and Canada, and extra notifications are $0.02 apiece from a prepaid balance. You can sign up on the site without talking to anyone, so the label is Self-serve.
Why restaurants compare other apps
- Built for many industries. Waitlist Me also lists salons, clinics and retail among its industries. If you want a tool whose whole product is restaurant host-stand work, compare the restaurant-only apps.
- Text allowances. A Friday rush with two texts per party adds up. Premium’s 1,000 notifications a month is the number to test against your covers.
- Per-location subscriptions. A group with three rooms needs three subscriptions.
- POS. If you run Toast rather than Square or Clover, check the Toast-linked apps below.
Grouped by what you need
Other free plans
Bzz, Carbonara, TablesReady, Waitlist App and Waitly each have a free plan and take reservations. Bzz alerts guests with a browser push and device vibration instead of SMS, so no per-text fees apply. NextMe, ScanQueue and Waitwhile have free plans for a walk-in line without confirmed reservations. NextMe’s free plan has 100 SMS a month and 1 user.
Other self-serve apps
Allgood Waitlist ($39.99 a month), QaTable ($39 a month), Ready Text ($49 a month, 2,500 texts included), resOS (from EUR 45 a month, with the waitlist as an add-on), ScanQueue ($49 a month) and WaitQ ($27 a month billed annually) all carry the Self-serve label, and so does Waitlist Me. Sixteen restaurant apps in all carry it. The other nine, Bzz, Carbonara, Eat App, NextMe, QueueAway, TablesReady, Waitlist App, Waitly and Waitwhile, add a custom or enterprise plan through sales.
Linked to Toast
Crunchtime Host, OpenTable, Resy OS, SevenRooms, Toast Tables and Yelp Guest Manager list Toast. They are mostly demo-led or quote-based, and prices run from $159 a month at Yelp Guest Manager and $289 at Resy OS. OpenTable lists the waitlist on its Core plan at $299 a month and on Pro, not on Basic. Toast Tables is a $50 a month add-on to Toast POS. SevenRooms and Crunchtime Host do not publish prices.
More text volume
Hostme lists unlimited SMS and WhatsApp on paid plans, from $109 a month. Ready Text includes 2,500 texts at $49 and bills $0.015 for each text beyond that.
Deeper reservation tools
SevenRooms, Eat App, Resy OS and Yelp Guest Manager are reservation and table-management systems with a waitlist as one part. They cost more, and three of them sell through a demo.
How to choose
Estimate your texts. Multiply nightly parties by the messages each one gets, then by the nights you open. Compare that to each plan’s allowance and what overage costs. Then decide whether you need reservations at all; if you only take walk-ins, a waitlist-only app has less to learn.
If you run Square or Clover today, keep the POS link on your shortlist. If you run Toast, the Toast-linked apps are the short list. Apart from our ad card on top, the cards above are alphabetical, not ranked, and pricing is read from each vendor’s page.
Frequently asked questions
Why compare other apps to Waitlist Me?
Waitlist Me is used by restaurants, salons, clinics and other businesses, so some owners look at apps built around restaurants only. Others compare text allowances, since extra notifications cost $0.02 each after the monthly plan allowance, or want a different POS link.
Which alternatives also have a free plan?
Waitwhile, ScanQueue and NextMe record a free plan, as do Bzz, Carbonara, TablesReady, Waitlist App and Waitly. Check each page for limits, such as guest parties or visits per month.
Does Waitlist Me work with a POS?
The data records Square and Clover, and a Clover App Market listing. Eat App, Hostme, OpenTable, ScanQueue, SevenRooms, TablesReady, Toast Tables, Waitly, Waitwhile, Resy OS and Yelp Guest Manager list other combinations of Square or Toast.
Is Waitlist Me priced per location?
Yes. The pricing notes say each location needs its own subscription. WaitQ also prices per location and shows extra locations at $20 a month each, and Waitlist App prices per location too.