MakeTheWaitlist vs Waitwhile
The most established product in the category, aimed at multi-location businesses and enterprises. Their own homepage leads with queue management, appointment scheduling and analytics.
What Waitwhile does better
Genuinely more product than we have: appointment scheduling, multi-location routing, a documented public API, and integrations with tools a chain already runs. If you operate several sites and need them managed together, they are built for that and we are not.
| MakeTheWaitlist | Waitwhile | |
|---|---|---|
| Start without an account | Yes - make a waitlist and share it before signing up | No, signup required first |
| Free tier | 15 guests per waitlist, no time limit, no card | 1 location, 50 visits per month, and a one-time $2 message credit. |
| Paid plans | Pro and Premium monthly, plus timed passes | Starter from $31/month, Business from $55/month, Enterprise on request. 20% off annual billing. |
| Billing model | Subscription, or unlock a single waitlist once for $15 | Subscription only. No one-time or per-event option. |
| Notifications | None sent. Each guest gets a live link showing their own position | SMS, metered. The free plan ships a $2 credit and cannot buy more. |
| Guest needs an app | No - the join link opens in any browser | No |
Waitwhile figures read from waitwhile.com on 2026-08-24. Prices change - check theirs before deciding.
Which to pick
Waitwhile if you run multiple locations and want scheduling and analytics in the same system. Us if you want a waitlist running in a minute without an account, and you would rather not pay monthly for one busy room.
Compare with others: TablesReady, Waitlist Me, NextMe. Or read about restaurant waitlist apps and QR code waitlists.
MakeTheWaitlist vs Waitwhile: questions
It depends entirely on how often you need it, which is the honest answer rather than a dodge. Waitwhile bills monthly, so the cost is the same whether you use it every day or six Saturdays a year. If your rush is occasional, unlocking a single waitlist once for $15 costs less than a month of most plans. If you run a busy room every day and need what they offer, comparing monthly plans is the fairer comparison.
Genuinely more product than we have: appointment scheduling, multi-location routing, a documented public API, and integrations with tools a chain already runs. If you operate several sites and need them managed together, they are built for that and we are not.
Yes. Create a waitlist, share it, and add guests before you make an account. Making one later keeps your waitlists together across devices.
Every figure in the table was read from waitwhile.com's own pages on 2026-08-24. Prices change, so check theirs before deciding.
Try it before you compare plans
Free for up to 15 guests, and you do not need an account to start.