Overview
| NextMe | Waitlist Me |
|---|---|
| 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 Keep lines moving and create amazing first impressions, all while saving money on outdated technology. | A waitlist management application for restaurants and other businesses that uses text and phone call notifications to alert customers when it is their turn. Waitlist Me is also commonly referred to as waitlist.me and WaitlistMe. |
Features
Both platforms offer basic waitlist and appointment management tooling. However, Waitlist Me is built around a single queue per location, with few customization options or enterprise-friendly features for teams looking to scale. It also lacks a virtual waiting room to engage with guests while they wait. NextMe, on the other hand, does not offer table management, which Waitlist Me includes from its Pro plan.
| Feature | NextMe | Waitlist Me |
|---|---|---|
| Industry Agnostic | Yes | Yes |
| Enterprise Friendly | Yes | No |
| SMS Messaging | Yes | Yes |
| Customizable Notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Customizable Queues and Fields | Yes | No |
| Appointment Scheduling | Yes | Yes |
| Self Check-in | Yes | Yes |
| Public Waitlist | Yes | Yes |
| Privacy Options | Yes | No |
| Repeat Guest Lookup | Yes | Yes |
| Estimated Wait Times | Yes | Yes |
| Web App | Yes | Yes |
| iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Virtual Waiting Room | Yes | No |
| Table Management | No | Yes |
Usability
NextMe
Ranks 4.9 out of 5 for ease of use based on Capterra reviews. NextMe is easy to use and train and this is a common source of praise relative to other competing tools. Usability is a frequent theme in NextMe’s positive reviews.
Pricing
NextMe offers a 14-day free trial of its paid features and a free plan that includes SMS notifications. Waitlist Me offers no trial, and its free plan sends no texts without a prepaid balance, but its paid plans are cheaper.
Overall, you’ll likely pay less for Waitlist Me, with fewer features and without a trial to try it first. Please note, Waitlist Me increased their pricing in September 2024. The pricing below reflects their increased pricing model.
| Plan | NextMe | Waitlist Me |
|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Yes 14 days | No |
| Free | Yes Up to 100 SMS per month | No text notifications without a prepaid balance |
| Entry plan | Starter: $49.99/mo when billed annually | Premium: $27.99/mo when billed annually |
| Mid plan | Business: $79.99/mo when billed annually | Pro: $47.99/mo when billed annually, adds table management |
| Top plan | Custom pricing | Platinum: $79.99/mo when billed annually, adds an API |
Support
NextMe offers live chat and personal demos, with phone support on its Custom plan. Waitlist Me is reached by email or an in-app issue report. Both platforms have knowledge bases.
| Support | NextMe | Waitlist Me |
|---|---|---|
| Help Center | Yes | Yes |
| Chat Support | Yes | No |
| Phone Support | Custom plan | No |
| Personal Demos | Yes | No |
Conclusion
NextMe and Waitlist Me each have their own pros and cons as waitlist platforms. NextMe is ideal for teams that need an easy to use, feature-rich solution with reliable human support. Its paid plans cost more, and it does not offer table management.
Waitlist Me is the better fit for a restaurant that needs table management on a tight budget. It has cheaper paid plans, but no trial, a very limited free version and fewer ways to reach support.
