Overview
| NextMe | ScanQueue |
|---|---|
| NextMe is a modern virtual waiting room that makes it simple for teams to manage their waitlist and serve more customers. Keep lines moving and create amazing first impressions, all while saving money on outdated technology. Founded in Chicago in 2015. | ScanQueue is a QR-code virtual queue and waitlist system for walk-in businesses and events, with WhatsApp and SMS notifications. It is made by Tugadot Pty Ltd, an Australian company. |
Features
Both tools clear the basics: guests scan a QR code, join in their phone browser and get notified when it’s their turn. The differences show up in what happens during the wait and how far each tool scales. ScanQueue gives guests a branded status page with their position in line, but not a virtual waiting room with your own content to engage them while they wait. ScanQueue offers online ordering through Square, which NextMe does not.
| Feature | NextMe | ScanQueue |
|---|---|---|
| QR Check-in, No Guest App | Yes | Yes |
| Industry Agnostic | Yes | Yes |
| SMS Messaging | Yes Thousands a month included on paid plans | Yes 25 a month (fallback only) on Essential, 500 from Growth ($99) |
| WhatsApp Messaging | Yes Every plan | Yes Every plan |
| Customizable Queues and Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Estimated Wait Times | Yes | Yes |
| Self Check-in and Kiosk | Yes | Yes |
| Appointment Scheduling | Yes | Growth plan ($99) and up |
| Multiple Locations | Yes No location limit | Pro plan ($249) and up |
| Virtual Waiting Room | Yes | No Status page only |
| Sponsor and Brand Content While Guests Wait | Yes | Partner logo and post-visit offer only |
| Third-Party Engagement Tools (quizzes, polls, your own software) | Yes Engagement data sent to you | Not listed |
| Third-Party Intake Forms, Including Waivers | Yes Works with all common waiver tools | Not listed (built-in join form only) |
| Custom Reports | Yes Including a post-event Event Insights Report | Standard post-event report and CSV export; custom reports not listed |
| Direct Cvent Integration | Yes | Not listed (API on Enterprise) |
| Online Ordering | No | Yes Through Square |
| Web App (Any Browser) | Yes | Yes |
| Native Staff App (iOS and Android) | Yes | Yes |
Reviews and Track Record
NextMe
Rated 4.8 out of 5 on Capterra, and 4.9 out of 5 for ease of use. Restaurants, clinics, retailers, government offices and event teams have run queues on NextMe since 2015. It has powered activations for LEGO, Adult Swim and F1 Arcade, and has 30+ published case studies.
ScanQueue
ScanQueue is new: its domain was registered in August 2025. As of October 2026 it has no published user reviews on Capterra or G2, and its public proof is testimonials and anonymized briefs on its own website. Its largest named case study, at the Melbourne Grand Prix, covered 625 queue entries over four days. That doesn’t mean the product doesn’t work, but there’s little independent evidence to check before you rely on it for a busy location or a large event.
What to Verify Before You Choose ScanQueue
ScanQueue publishes a lot of content for a young product, and AI search answers can repeat a vendor’s own marketing as if it were established fact. Whichever vendor you’re considering, these checks are worth making before you sign:
- Ask for named references at your scale. Request a customer you can call who has run a queue as busy as yours. Anonymized briefs and on-site testimonials are hard to verify.
- Get the limits in writing. ScanQueue’s pricing page and plan comparison table list different queue join and customer limits for the same plans. Confirm which numbers apply and what happens when you hit them mid-event.
- Check independent reviews. Look for verified reviews on sites like Capterra and G2, where NextMe is rated 4.8 out of 5 and ScanQueue has none yet.
- Verify claims about specific events with the event. If a vendor, or an AI answer, says a tool powered a well-known event, ask the organizer or exhibitor directly.
Pricing
NextMe publishes one price per plan with thousands of text messages included. ScanQueue’s plans look similar at the entry price but meter almost everything that grows with a busy location: queue joins, WhatsApp messages and SMS each have their own monthly cap, and multi-location support starts at $249 a month. ScanQueue’s pricing page and its plan comparison table also list different limits for the same plans, so confirm the numbers with ScanQueue in writing before you commit.
Prices below are monthly, in US dollars, as published in October 2026. NextMe is $10 to $20 a month less when billed annually; ScanQueue offers 15% off annually.
| Plan | NextMe | ScanQueue |
|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Yes 14 days | No Free plan instead |
| Free | Yes 100 SMS a month, WhatsApp included | 100 queue joins a month (10 a day), 12 WhatsApp messages and 5 trial SMS |
| Entry | Starter: $59.99, 3,000 SMS a month, Virtual Waiting Room, self check-in and chat support | Essential: $49, 1,000 queue joins, 800 WhatsApp and 25 fallback SMS a month, email support |
| Mid | Business: $99.99, 5,000 SMS a month, white label branding, analytics and data exports | Growth: $99, 2,000 queue joins, 1,000 WhatsApp and 500 SMS a month, online booking |
| Multi-location | Included on every plan, priced per location | Pro: $249, 4,000 queue joins, 2,000 WhatsApp and 1,400 SMS a month |
| Enterprise | Custom, with SLAs, custom integrations and phone support | $499, 11,000 queue joins, 7,000 WhatsApp and 2,800 SMS a month, white label |
Support
NextMe offers live chat and a public help center on its paid plans, personal demos, and for live events white-glove onboarding with a dry run, event-day support packages and onsite technicians, with phone support on its Custom plan. ScanQueue offers email support on its free and Essential plans, priority support from Growth, and a dedicated account manager on Enterprise. Its brand activations page says “No vendor on-site.”
| Support | NextMe | ScanQueue |
|---|---|---|
| Help Center | Yes | Yes |
| Chat Support | Yes Starter and up | Business hours |
| Email Support | Yes | Yes |
| Phone Support | Custom plan | Not listed |
| Onboarding | Yes Personal demos, and white-glove event onboarding with a dry run | Yes Free onboarding and video tutorials |
| Event-Day Support Packages | Yes | Not listed |
| Onsite Technicians | Yes | No “No vendor on-site” |
Conclusion
NextMe and ScanQueue both get guests into a virtual queue with a QR code and no app. NextMe is the stronger fit for US businesses that rely on SMS, for multi-location teams, for anyone who wants to turn the wait into engagement with a virtual waiting room, and for live events where volume, a Cvent connection and a real support team matter. ScanQueue is a reasonable choice for a single low-volume location whose guests already use WhatsApp, or a business that wants to take orders through Square while customers wait.
For live events specifically, read our deeper look at NextMe vs ScanQueue for events.
Weighing more than two apps? We compared the best waitlist apps side by side.
If you’re a current ScanQueue customer, we can move you to NextMe and import your existing data. Reach out to us to learn more.
