Seven waitlist and virtual queue apps for restaurants compared on public prices, free plans and what each one is built for, including where Noubty is not the best fit.
Choosing a waitlist app for a restaurant comes down to three questions: who adds the guest to the line, how the guest is told, and what you pay when it gets busy. Here are seven options, with the public prices we found in November 2026. We make Noubty, so we say clearly where another tool fits better.
Quick comparison
| App | Free plan | Paid plans from | Built for | |---|---|---|---| | Noubty | Yes: 1 location, 100 tickets a day | €19 a month | Any local place; queue, bookings, orders, loyalty | | Waitwhile | Yes: 50 visits a month | $29 a month | Waitlist and appointments across industries | | TablesReady | Yes: up to 100 parties | $39 a month | Busy restaurants; floor plan and table status | | Waitlist Me | Yes; limits not listed | $34.99 a month | Waitlist with table and server management | | NextMe | Yes; limits not listed | $49.99 a month | Simple waitlist with text messages | | Yelp Guest Manager | No | $99 a month | Restaurants that get guests through Yelp | | OpenTable | Not listed | $39 a month plus a fee per network cover | Restaurants that want bookings from the OpenTable network |
Prices come from each vendor's site or its Capterra listing. They change, so check before you decide.
Noubty
Guests join by scanning a QR code, with no app, and follow their turn on a web page or a Wallet pass. The same tool handles bookings, click & collect, table ordering and loyalty, in six languages. Best for places that want one tool for the line and the orders, starting free. Less suited if you need a drag-and-drop floor plan with server sections.
Waitwhile
A waitlist and appointment tool used far beyond restaurants, with integrations and an API. Best for teams that want appointments and integrations. See Noubty vs Waitwhile.
TablesReady
A host-stand app with a floor plan, live table status and two-way texting. Best for full-service restaurants where the host seats by table. See Noubty vs TablesReady.
Waitlist Me
A long-established waitlist and reservations app priced by number of notifications, with floor plans on higher plans. See Noubty vs Waitlist Me.
NextMe
A simple waitlist with text notifications and a virtual waiting room. See Noubty vs NextMe.
Yelp Guest Manager
Waitlist, reservations and table management tied to your Yelp page. Best for restaurants in markets where diners search on Yelp. See Noubty vs Yelp Guest Manager.
OpenTable
A reservation network with table management. You pay a monthly fee and a fee per diner booked through the network. Best for restaurants in cities where diners book on OpenTable. See Noubty vs OpenTable.
How to choose
- You mostly take walk-ins: pick a tool where guests join by themselves from a QR code. - You seat by table with a host: pick one with a floor plan. - You depend on a marketplace for new diners: the marketplace's own tool will fit best. - You also take orders or run loyalty: one tool for all of it saves a second subscription.
Noubty is free for one location and 100 guest tickets a day. See all 17 comparisons.