Hardware you don't have to think about.
Start with the tablet and phones you already have: NextUp Walk-in runs in any browser. For the waiting-room TV, a streaming stick in the HDMI port does the job, or the NextUp app on Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV or Google TV, and the NextUp app for Apple TV is our premium pick.
Want to check a device you own? See the hardware compatibility list.
- 4
- Kinds of gear, each with picks
- 3
- Tiers in each: Good, Better, Best
- 0
- Hardware you have to buy to start
NextUp Walk-in runs in a web browser — any device that can open one works. These are the ones we'd choose, from affordable to premium.
- Good Affordable, and does the job.
- Better Smoother, more reliable, and looks nicer.
- Best A premium look and feel for a high-end business.
TV display
What runs the display. Two ways to set it up: plug a streaming stick into a TV you already have, or, if you're buying a new TV anyway, get one with Roku or Fire TV built in. A built-in TV runs the NextUp app by itself, so there's one remote and nothing extra to plug in. Any ordinary 4K TV works as the screen; the device running it decides how good the display looks.
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max
The lowest-cost way to get the display live.
- Plugs into any TV's HDMI port in seconds
- Install the NextUp app from the Amazon Appstore, or open the display in Amazon Silk
- Wi-Fi only, so keep the router close
- Or buy a TV with Fire TV built in: check it runs Fire OS, not Vega OS (the app for Vega OS is coming soon)
Roku Streaming Stick 4K
For a Roku TV, or if your business already uses Roku.
- The NextUp app for Roku, added with the code NEXTUPTV
- Turn off the Roku screensaver once, in Settings
- Or buy a Roku TV: the app runs on the TV itself, no stick needed
- Names are read aloud only with Audio Guide on; the chime always plays
Budget Google TV stick
Roughly Fire Stick pricing, if you prefer Google TV. The Walmart onn 4K Plus is the usual one.
- Runs the NextUp app from Google Play, no browser needed
- Plugs into any TV's HDMI port in seconds
- Wi-Fi only, so keep the router close
Google TV Streamer
A faster, steadier display on a budget.
- Ethernet port for a wired connection, so no Wi-Fi dropouts
- Faster processor than the Fire Sticks
- Runs the NextUp app from Google Play, or the display in a browser
Apple TV 4K
The premium pick: the NextUp app for Apple TV.
- A native app, not a web page: the smoothest motion and the sharpest text
- Live updates, the chime and spoken names, with sound settings on the remote
- Get the Wi-Fi + Ethernet model for a wired connection
- WorksStreaming devices
- Apple TV
- Roku
- Fire TV Stick 4K Max
- Our app, from each device's own store
- Runs all day on its own, no phone needed
- Won't workChromecast
- Only mirrors a phone's screen
- The picture lags and stutters
- Freezes when the phone sleeps or leaves
- Use a Fire TV Stick 4K Max instead
- Coming soonNewer Fire TV Sticks
- 4K Select (2025) and Stick HD (2026) run Vega OS, with no web browser
- Our app for them is coming soon
- Until then, pick a Fire TV Stick 4K Max
- Coming soonLG and Samsung TVs
- A NextUp app built into the TV is coming soon
- Until then, plug in a streaming stick
As an Amazon Associate, NextUp Walk-in earns from qualifying purchases.
Skip the TV's own browser, and the built-in browser on commercial or "professional" displays. Those browsers are usually years behind, so modern layouts, animations and fonts often look wrong or stutter. An Apple TV or a streaming stick in the HDMI port costs less than the difference and keeps the display current. On a Fire Stick, the NextUp app is best; in a browser, use Amazon Silk: it is built on Chromium and uses the stick's graphics chip, so the motion stays smooth.
Door tablet
A tablet by the entrance where walk-ins add their name.
Samsung Galaxy Tab A11+
Doing the job well for less.
- Chrome and App pinning built in, to keep it on NextUp Walk-in
- The 11-inch "plus" size is easiest to type on
Apple iPad (A16)
Smooth, dependable and easy to lock down.
- Guided Access keeps it on NextUp Walk-in
- Bright, responsive screen
- Years of software updates ahead
iPad Air 13-inch
A premium, large screen at the door.
- Easier to read and type on from a distance
- Fast, with a premium finish
- Pairs well with a floor-standing kiosk
iPad Air 11-inch
Premium but compact.
- Same chip as the 13-inch, smaller footprint
- Easier to mount in a tight space or on a slim stand
We don't recommend Amazon Fire tablets for the door: they don't come with Chrome, adding a page to the home screen is unreliable, and locking them to one page usually needs extra software.
Mounting and anti-theft
Keep the door tablet in place, charged and out of reach of wandering hands.
Security cable and lockable countertop stand
A staffed front desk, or a quiet counter.
- Tethers the tablet to the counter
- Quick to fit, easy to charge
Lockable wall or countertop enclosure
A tidy, secure door tablet.
- Locks the tablet in with a key
- Covers the buttons and hides the charging cable
- Mounts on a wall or sits on a counter
Floor-standing kiosk
A proper check-in station by the door.
- Brushed metal or matte black finish, with a heavy base
- Locked enclosure with the cable run inside the stand
- Stands anywhere near a power socket
Staff screen device
Where your team calls the next person.
Any phone you already have
Getting started, or a small team.
- Nothing to buy
- Every phone with a web browser works
Budget tablet on a stand
A shared screen at the front desk.
- Big enough for the whole team to see
- Stays at the desk, always charged
iPad on a swivel stand
A polished front desk.
- Swivels to face whoever is calling
- Smooth, premium and dependable
As an Amazon Associate, NextUp Walk-in earns from qualifying purchases.