How queue apps charge
Most queue management apps charge a monthly fee, often per location, and meter visits or messages. QR Wait sells prepaid tickets that never expire. The table lists the prices each vendor publishes on its own pricing page.
As of October 2026
| Product | Pricing model | Free tier | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| QR Wait | Prepaid ticket packs, no expiry | 1,000 tickets once | 5,000 for $9 … 150,000 for $99 |
| Waitwhile | Monthly, capped by visits; SMS extra | 50 visits a month | from $31 (2,500 visits), Business from $55 |
| NextMe | Per location per month | unclear | Starter $59.99; price and messages multiplied by locations |
| TablesReady | Monthly plus message tiers | 100 parties, 150 messages | $39 / $79 (billed annually) |
| Waitly | Monthly by parties | 100 parties | $49 / $99 / $249–299 |
| Waitlist Me | Monthly plus overage | yes (limits not stated) | $34.99 / $59.99 / $99.99, $0.02 per extra notification |
| Yelp Guest Manager | Monthly, annual contract | no | $129–349, kiosk $99, early-termination fee |
| Qminder | Monthly per account | 14-day trial | $869 / $1,149, appointments an add-on |
| Skiplino | Per location per month | 7-day trial | $299 / $399; SMS and WhatsApp may cost extra |
| Frontlion (Qtrac) | Per location plus modules plus a deployment fee | no | e.g. 8 locations $1,144 a month plus $11–14k once |
| Qmatic, Wavetec, Q-nomy | Licence plus hardware, quoted on request | no | not published |
What the models mean for you
Seasonal venues
A monthly plan keeps charging in the quiet months. Prepaid tickets don't expire, so you pay for the visitors you serve.
Several locations
Per-location plans multiply the price by the number of sites. QR Wait's tickets are one balance for all queues of an account.
Notifications
Some plans meter SMS or notifications. QR Wait notifies through Web Push at no extra cost, but sends no SMS.
When another app may fit better
- You need SMS or WhatsApp notifications: QR Wait notifies only through Web Push.
- You want a native app from an app store for staff or visitors.
- You want kiosks and displays supplied and installed by the vendor.
Questions
- Why prepaid tickets instead of a subscription?
- Many queues are seasonal or run for events. Tickets that never expire mean you pay for the visitors you actually serve, not for the months in between.
- What counts as a ticket?
- Each new entry in a queue uses one ticket, however many people are in the group: a QR join, a kiosk number or one the attendant adds.
- Where do these prices come from?
- From each vendor's public pricing page, checked in October 2026. Only published prices are listed; vendors that quote on request are marked as not published.
From the blog
Sources
Competitor facts come from each vendor's own pricing, feature and help pages, checked in October 2026. Prices and plans change; check the vendor's page before you decide. Names are trademarks of their owners.
- waitwhile.com/pricing
- help.waitwhile.com
- intercom.help/nextme-app
- tablesready.com/pricing
- waitly.com/pricing
- waitlist.me/features
- business.yelp.com/restaurants/yelp-restaurants-pricing
- qminder.com/pricing
- help.qminder.com
- skiplino.com/queue-management-system
- frontlion.com/pricing
- qtrac.com
- qmatic.com/products
Other comparisons
Try it before you decide
The demo runs in your browser in a minute; a free account comes with 1000 tickets.