Are you looking for a way of managing the people waiting to access your services or events?
With the right waitlist software, you can do this automatically, save a tonne of time and avoid human error.
There are so many options to choose from, though, and while some of them are perfect for certain types of businesses… they might not work for others AT ALL.
So, we reviewed the most popular waitlist management systems to help you find the best one for your needs, goals and budget.
What are you waiting for? Let’s dive right into them!
TablesReady
As the name suggests, this waitlist app was created with restaurants in mind. Still, its focus on text messaging makes it a versatile option for pretty much any business relying on service appointments, no matter the industry.
TablesReady is particularly easy to use and offers interesting features like online check-ins, public waitlist views and website embedment.
It follows a freemium model, but because the free plan is quite limiting (for example, you can’t take online bookings or enable two-way text messaging), TablesReady can easily end up becoming pricey.
It’s also entirely internet-dependent. So, if your connection happens to be slow or patchy, the entire system could be affected.
Who this waitlist management system is best for
Restaurants and appointment-based businesses across different industries, especially those looking for a simple solution that’s easy to set up and maintain (without requiring extensive training or good tech skills among staff)
Pricing and subscription information
- Free plan with limited features and up to 150 messages/month
- Premium plan with more features (like online bookings and two-way messaging) ranging from £46.83 to £277/month depending on the number of messages
- Custom Enterprise options available
Waitwhile
You can use this all-in-one platform to manage queues, schedule service appointments and facilitate event registrations. This makes Waitwhile a versatile option for businesses across different industries.
Because it’s particularly customisable, you’ll get to personalise your text messages, branding, waitlist settings and much more.
You can also use it on different devices without having to rely on your WiFi. Waitwhile offers good analytics and integrates with all kinds of external apps, too.
If you need to go beyond its basic plan, though, it can get quite pricey. Some customers also mentioned a learning curve, so it’s probably NOT the easiest and most intuitive waitlist management system out there.
Who this waitlist management system is best for
Large businesses with complex systems and high customer traffic across different branches. It’s mainly ideal for those looking to customise, elevate and manage their full customer experience (otherwise, you could end up paying for features you don’t need and use)
Pricing and subscription information
- Free plan for up to 50 visits/month in one location
- Paid plans for £18.26 or £123.82/month depending on the number of locations, visits and additional features
- Custom Enterprise options available
ScoreApp
We started our platform to help businesses get more leads and customers through a full quiz marketing funnel, but you can now use ScoreApp to manage waitlists, sell out and promote events, too. How?
- Start a waitlist for an event or to launch a new product or service
- Use a compelling landing page to encourage your audience to sign up, and consider linking it to a short quiz that asks strategic questions. That way, you can segment them and collect LOAD of data on who they are, their current situation and their likes and dislikes
- Stay in touch with them, nurture them and inspire FOMO through a personalised waitlist email sequence
- Promote your event or new offer, and sell out confidently
- You can also use ScoreApp to keep your audience engaged during the event itself, whether that’s in-person or online (for example, using a different quiz to test their knowledge or gather their opinions)
- Then, nurture your customers or attendees to keep them in your world and upsell to them
Just keep in mind that ScoreApp won’t be relevant if you’re after a real-time waitlist system that also manages bookings and appointments, especially as a restaurant.
Who this waitlist management system is best for
ANY kind of business looking to create waitlists that promote launches or simple events (online or in-person) and to nurture their audience in a personalised way.
Our quiz-building platform is perfect to reach more people and get new leads and customers, too.
So, you can use ScoreApp in different ways, really making the most of your subscription by creating separate quizzes for all your goals.
Pricing and subscription information
- Free plan for one quiz and including access to the full AI quiz builder, templates, online training and courses
- Different paid plans (£24, £49 and £82/month) depending on how many Scorecards you wish to create, how many responses you’re aiming to get and what additional features you need
Create your waitlist for FREE with ScoreApp
Yelp Guest Manager
You might know Yelp as a local business listing platform but it offers a large suite of tools, too.
Its Guest Manager, in particular, is ideal for restaurants and hospitality businesses. You can reach more people by connecting it to your Google and Yelp listings, offer online reservations and manage your waitlists.
Unfortunately, the cheapest plan (which could already be pricey for some businesses) lacks features that many restaurants consider essential, like POS integrations. So, realistically, you’re looking at +£200/month.
And if you want the Kiosk feature—a guest-facing iPad that lets passersby add themselves to your waitlist and check in—that’s a separate add-on (+ £38.67/month).
Also, according to some users, Yelps Guest Manager’s layout and big range of features can be confusing.
Who this waitlist management system is best for
Restaurants that already get a lot of traffic from Yelp and are thinking of using other products from its suite.
Given its pricing model and wide range of features, it’s also better suited for big restaurants and hospitality businesses with a large budget, several branches and more complex needs.
Pricing and subscription information
- Basic plan (for up to 500 monthly covers) at £78.58
- Plus plan (unlimited covers and additional features like POS integration, guestbook and credit card holds) at £237.32
- Add-ons and custom Enterprise options available
Carbonara
Specifically made for restaurants, this budget-friendly all-in-one platform includes waitlists, online bookings and table management.
Carbonara is especially loved by its customers for being intuitive and simple to use. It focuses on two-way messaging (via text and WhatsApp), is available in 7 languages and can be accessed on smartphones, tablets and computers.
Unfortunately, it hasn’t got the same features and levels of table management as some of its competitors, and it doesn’t currently let you take a deposit (but they’re working on it).
Who this waitlist management system is best for
Restaurants, cafes and bars that are on a budget and only want a simple solution without frills. It’s even more useful for those in tourist-heavy areas or multilingual communities
Pricing and subscription information
- Free plan for up to 50 covers/month
- Paid plans ranging from £7.19 to £28.79/month, mainly based on the number of monthly bookings (the basic one already includes most features, but you’ll get a few additional ones with its higher plans)
Toast Tables
Toast is an entire restaurant management software and POS, but this optional add-on is all about managing waitlists and reservations.
It offers a two-way messaging system, real-time updates from your POS and features to ensure a personalised experience (from requests to occasions and VIP tagging).
Your customers can also join your waitlist directly from Google, and you get to collect LOTS of juicy data.
It’s only really an option if you use the Toast POS, though. With this being a separate add-on, it can all become quite expensive, too. It’s also worth keeping in mind that it’s not always easy to get the support you need.
Who this waitlist management system is best for
Restaurants that already use the full Toast POS system and are hoping to personalise and elevate their entire customer experience (and have the budget for it!)
Pricing and subscription information
- The POS starts at £54.47/month, and the Toast Tables add-on is an extra £157.14/month
- Custom bundles available depending on the features you need
OpenTable Waitlist
This popular online booking platform for restaurants is a household name that’s been around for +25 years.
Some of its higher plans now include waitlist management features, too: perfect to let your customers join your waitlist remotely, send them SMS notifications and review your analytics.
Realistically, given its price and model, OpenTable Waitlist might not be an option for small restaurants and cafes, and it’s just not relevant if you already have a separate booking system.
Who this waitlist management system is best for
High-end restaurants and chains that need a comprehensive waitlist and reservation system (and that would actually make the most of all its additional features)
Pricing and subscription information
The Waitlist feature is only available with OpenTable’s Core (£235.99/month) and Pro (£393.84/month) plans
SpotOn
This POS and all-in-one platform is mainly for restaurants (although it does offer limited options for small businesses in the retail, professional services, automotive and health & beauty industries).
You can opt for its Reservations & Waitlist add-on to make the most of a two-way messaging system and to let your customers book directly from your website, social media or Google.
Unfortunately, because it’s not available as a standalone service, it just won’t be relevant if you already have a separate POS. SpotOn can also be quite expensive, too.
Who this waitlist management system is best for
Restaurants that already use the SpotOn POS or are planning on investing in a bespoke package to manage all their operations and back-end processes, from front-of-house to payroll and reporting
Pricing and subscription information
This add-on is only available as part of SpotOn’s “Customize Your Own” plan. So, you’ll need to get in touch with them to receive a bespoke quote and bundle
All pricing correct at the time of publishing
Choosing the best waitlist management system for your business
As you now know, some of these waitlist management systems can be handy for some businesses and completely irrelevant for others.
So, make sure you focus on something that would work well with your needs, goals, industry and budget (no point in paying for features you wouldn’t use!).
If you want to create waitlists that feed into launches or events and generate more leads and customers for your business? Then, it’s simple: ScoreApp would be the PERFECT solution for you.
It’s a breeze to get started, and you can stick to the free plan until you need more features. So, create your ScoreApp waitlist today and for FREE!
