Walk-in waitlist apps and alternatives, compared
Looking for an alternative to your waitlist or booking app? the NextUp app next to 33 other apps, from Waitwhile and Waitlist Me to Squire and Booksy: price per location, what's included and what's built for walk-in shops, so you can decide which fits your business.
| App | Starting price | Free plan or trial | Online payments |
|---|---|---|---|
| The NextUp app | Walk-in: $29/month for your first location, $19 for each additional one. Pro, with appointments: $59 and $39. 3 team members included per location, then $10/month each | Free plan: 1 location, 1 team member, 50 check-ins a month (every app included), no card needed; paid plans have a 14-day trial with every Pro feature | Stripe's 2.9% + 30¢ online, plus NextUp Walk-in's 0.5% card fee (at most $1 a payment, never on tips). Your clients pay no booking fee |
| Squire | $30/month (Independent, one barber) | No: a 14-day free trial (as of Oct 30, 2026, on its pricing page) | 2.9% + 30¢ online, 2.5% + 20¢ in person; clients may pay a booking fee, and 30-minute payouts cost extra |
| Booksy | $29.99/month plus tax, plus $20/month for each additional staff member | No: a 14-day free trial | 2.69% + 30¢ online, 2.49% + 10¢ on their card reader; 30-minute payouts cost 1.5%, next-day payouts are free |
| theCut | Pro $25/month for a barber (Free is $0); the owner’s Shop account is $0/month | Yes: Free for barbers at $0 and, as of Oct 30, 2026, a $0 Shop plan for owners; a 30-day Pro trial, no card | 2.75% on its pricing page, through Stripe; standard deposits are free and instant deposits cost 1.5% |
| Vagaro | $30/month for one location ($23.99 shown as an exclusive rate for the first 6 months), plus $10/month for each extra bookable calendar license (you pay for up to seven licenses; more staff after that cost nothing extra) | No: a 30-day free trial | Card rates not listed on its pricing page (checked October 2026) |
| Fresha | $19.95/month (Independent, one bookable team member); Team is $14.95/month per team member | No: a 7-day free trial | 2.79% + 20¢ online, 2.29% + 20¢ in person, 3.30% + 20¢ keyed in, plus $0.10 per Tap to Pay authorisation; card readers from $139 |
| Square Appointments | Free $0; Plus $49/month and Premium $149/month per location | Yes: Square Free at $0 a month; a 30-day free trial of Plus and Premium | Square’s own processing: 2.6% + 15¢ in person and 3.3% + 30¢ online on Free; 2.9% + 30¢ online on Plus and Premium |
Other apps' figures are from their own pricing pages, checked October 2026; prices change, so check theirs for today's. Names are trademarks of their owners; NextUp Walk-in isn't affiliated with them.
- NextUp Walk-in3 team members a location included, then $10/month each$67
- Waitlist MePremium: a separate subscription for each location$104.97 $37.97 more
- Square AppointmentsPlus: $49/month per location; Premium is $149/month per location$147 $80 more
- NextMeStarter, billed yearly: the price multiplied by your locations$149.97 $82.97 more
- MindbodyStarter: $79/month per location; Accelerate and Ultimate are quoted$237 $170 more
Each app's published monthly price, before taxes, texts and extra team members; theirs as listed on their own pricing pages, checked October 2026. Prices change: check theirs for today's.
Round-ups
Detailed comparisons
Common questions
Is NextUp Walk-in cheaper than Waitwhile or Waitlist Me?
NextUp Walk-in has a Free plan for one small line, and its paid plans start at $29/month. Waitwhile starts at $31/month, and Waitlist Me Premium is $34.99 per location.
Does NextUp Walk-in have a free plan?
Yes. Free covers 1 location, 1 team member (the owner counts) and 50 check-ins a month, with every app (the TV display and door tablet included), and our 'Powered by NextUp Walk-in' line. Free needs no card at sign-up; a card is taken only at checkout when you upgrade. Paid plans start at $29 a month with a 14-day trial of every Pro feature.
How does NextUp Walk-in decide who gets the next walk-in?
In the order customers joined the line. Each customer picks a team member or “Anyone” and sees that person’s wait, only people on duty are called, and for an “Anyone” walk-in the Staff Screen suggests who is free soonest. NextUp Walk-in doesn’t keep a turn count today, so a shop that shares walk-ins by straight rotation keeps that tally itself.
What does NextUp Walk-in include that other walk-in waitlist apps charge extra for?
A now-serving TV Display, a Door Tablet for walk-ins without a phone and your own branding throughout come with every plan, Free included. On every paid plan (Walk-in, Pro and Restaurant). No paid plan has to move up a tier for any of it.
Can I switch to NextUp Walk-in from Waitwhile, Waitlist Me or another app?
Yes. Setup takes about two minutes: add your services, put the QR code at the door, and pair the TV with the six-character code on the screen. To bring your clients, import the export from your old system (Excel, CSV, Google Sheets or contacts): NextUp Walk-in matches the columns and checks every row before anything is saved. From then on, everyone who checks in with a phone number is added to your client list unless they opt out.
Which waitlist app is best for a barbershop or salon?
NextUp Walk-in is built specifically for walk-in trades: barbershops, salons, tattoo studios, nail salons, auto shops and groomers. It includes the features those businesses need: a door tablet for customers without a phone, a now-serving TV display for the waiting area, a live place in line on their phone, and a staff screen with service and stylist selection. For booth-rental and suite shops, it also collects rent on a schedule and tracks online tips for each person, ready for payroll.
Try it on a Saturday
14 days free, with every Pro feature. Set up a location in about two minutes.