Pricing
Free until you’re busy.
Run your line for $0. You pay only if you want your line on a screen in your shop, or you’re sending more than 300 texts a month — and only if you choose to.
Free
Where everyone starts$0every month. Not a trial. No card.
- 300 texts a month, every month
- No limit on people in line — only texts are counted
- A QR code and a permanent link to your line
- Customers join from their own phone — no app
- Their place in line, live, on their phone
- A text when they join and when you’re ready for them
- Walk-up sign-in for customers who won’t scan
Pro
For busy shops$29a month
- The line board: your line on a screen in your shop — a tablet, or a laptop plugged into your TV. First name and last initial, never phone numbers. See it
- 1,000 texts a month included
- Then 2¢ a text as you grow
- Everything in Free
- No contract. Cancel anytime from your dashboard.
Every account starts on Free. You upgrade from your dashboard when you need to — the only time we ask for a card. The line board is for walk-in shops; it isn’t offered for clinics or school pickup lines.
Founding shops
Our first 10 shops get Pro free for a year.
thewaitlist is live and brand new. Sign up while a spot is open and you get Pro (normally $29 a month) automatically: the line board for a screen in your shop and 1,000 texts a month, about 500 customers. No card, nothing to apply for. If you ever need more than 1,000 texts in a month, you can switch to paid Pro. After a year you’re on the free plan (300 texts a month, without the line board) unless you choose to keep Pro. We never charge automatically.
What counts as a text
Every text we send for you counts as one. A customer who asks for texts usually gets two — one confirming they’re in line, one when you’re ready for them — so 300 texts is about 150 customers a month. School pickup lines send one text per car.
Customers who join with just their name cost nothing. They watch their place in line on their phone instead.
What happens at the limit
On Free, nothing stops the day you reach 300 texts. We email you before you get there and again when you do, and texting keeps working for 48 hours (up to 100 more texts) so you have time to decide. After that, texts pause until your month resets or you upgrade — your line keeps working either way, and people can still join and watch their spot. There is no card on file, so there is nothing to charge.
On Pro, texts past 1,000 are 2¢ each — no jump to a bigger plan. A safety stop at 10,000 texts a month keeps a mistake from running up a bill; email us to raise it.
Prices in USD. Message and data rates may apply to your customers. Questions about pricing? Email help@thewaitlist.com — a person answers.