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Best Free Restaurant Waitlist Apps
Nine restaurant waitlist apps have a $0 plan with the waitlist on it. Each one caps something, usually guests, texts or both, so check the cap against your Friday night.
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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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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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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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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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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Waitlist and reservation app that texts or calls customers when their turn comes; used by restaurants, salons, clinics and other businesses.
- Starting price
- Free plan · From $34.99 per month
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- No free trial listed
- POS
- Square, Clover
Update activity Moderate Market presence Growing
Best for Single-location restaurants and other walk-in businesses that want self-serve signup and a low fixed monthly cost
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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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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
No apps match these filters.
Compare side by side
| App | Starting price | Free plan | Two-way SMS | Reservations | POS | Best for | Update activity | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Waitlist MeWaitlist and reservation app that texts or calls customers when their turn comes; used by restaurants, salons, clinics and other businesses. | Free plan · From $34.99 per month | Yes | Yes | Yes | Square, Clover | Single-location restaurants and other walk-in businesses that want self-serve signup and a low fixed monthly cost | Moderate | Visit website – Waitlist Me |
| 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 |
| 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 |
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
How we picked these apps
An app is on this best-of list when its own pricing page shows a $0 plan that has the waitlist in it. That is the whole filter. We read the vendor’s pricing page, not a review site, and we record a free plan only when the page plainly offers one and the waitlist is part of it. A free trial doesn’t count, and neither does a free tier that leaves the waitlist out.
Nine apps match, A to Z: Bzz, Carbonara and NextMe, then ScanQueue, TablesReady, Waitlist App, Waitlist Me, Waitly and Waitwhile. That is the order used on this page too. The order says nothing about quality, and TablesReady, the company that runs this site, is treated by the same rules as the rest.
What to look for
A free plan is a cap with a price of zero, so the useful question is which cap you will hit first. The pricing pages describe four kinds.
- Guest caps. Waitlist App’s Starter plan covers up to 250 new guests a week. Waitly allows 100 guest parties a month, and Waitwhile’s free plan is limited to 1 location and 50 visits a month. ScanQueue’s Starter plan allows 10 customers a day. Carbonara’s free plan allows 50 bookings a month, with every Starter feature included.
- Message caps. TablesReady’s free plan includes 150 messages a month in the US and Canada. Sent and received texts both count, and outside those two countries the quota is one tenth of that. NextMe’s free plan includes 100 SMS a month and 1 user.
- Alert method. Bzz has no SMS. Guests get a browser push and a vibration on their device, so no per-text fees apply. Its free plan has the queue and a cap of 5 buzzers.
- Waitlist Me. Its pricing page says a free version of the account exists and is easy to try, but shows no card or limits for it. The free Basic level sends guests no texts, per the vendor’s Clover listing, so texting starts only on a paid plan.
Run a quick sum. A restaurant that seats 40 parties on a Friday and 20 on a quiet Tuesday can pass 100 parties in a week. That is under the Waitlist App cap of 250 new guests a week and well over Waitwhile’s 50 visits a month.
How to choose
Start with how guests will be told their table is ready. If you want texts, rule out Bzz and treat ScanQueue’s free plan as a trial. If a browser-based buzz in the guest’s pocket is enough and you want to skip per-text fees, Bzz is the one built that way.
Next, check whether you also take reservations. Bzz, Carbonara, TablesReady, Waitlist App, Waitlist Me and Waitly are confirmed for reservations. NextMe, ScanQueue and Waitwhile are not confirmed for reservations in our data.
Then check POS. ScanQueue, TablesReady, Waitlist Me, Waitly and Waitwhile list a Square integration, and Waitlist Me also lists Clover. If your guest list lives next to a Toast terminal, the free plans on this page won’t link to it.
Last, look at the first paid step, because that is where a growing restaurant ends up. The lowest paid plans on these pages are $11.99 a month for Bzz, $9.99 for Carbonara, $59.99 for NextMe, $49 for ScanQueue, $39 for TablesReady, $34.99 for Waitlist Me and $49 for Waitly, all billed monthly. Waitwhile starts at $31 a month on annual billing, and Waitlist App’s Pro plan is $199 per location per month. These prices were checked on 2026-09-30 and are on each app’s page.
If none of these fit
A free plan is one way to narrow the field. If you want texting that replaces your pagers, see the pager replacement best-of list. If the waitlist has to sit next to your reservation book, try waitlist and reservations. Operators with a Square, Toast or Clover terminal can use the POS integration list. If your concern is the busiest night, the walk-ins list is built around texts and wait-time estimates. For a single location that wants to sign up without a sales call, see small restaurants.
Frequently asked questions
Is a free restaurant waitlist app really free?
The plan costs $0, but every plan on this page has a cap. Examples from the pricing pages are 150 messages a month on TablesReady, 100 texts a month on NextMe, 100 guest parties a month on Waitly, 50 visits a month on Waitwhile and 10 customers a day on ScanQueue. Past the cap you either upgrade or stop adding guests or texts.
Which free plans include text alerts?
Eight of the nine apps are confirmed for SMS notifications. Bzz is the exception, because it alerts guests by browser push and device vibration instead. ScanQueue's free Starter plan lists 5 trial SMS a month, so texting there is a test, not a working allowance.
What happens when I reach the free plan's limit?
It depends on the app. Waitly keeps the waitlist working but pauses text messages until next month. Waitwhile stops new guests from being added until the next cycle. TablesReady alerts you at 80, 90 and 100 percent of the quota and pauses messaging at 100 percent with no overage fee.
Why isn't an app with a free plan that excludes the waitlist listed?
The filter asks for a $0 plan with the waitlist on it. Eat App and resOS both have a free plan, but their pricing pages do not show the waitlist on it, so neither is on this best-of list.