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Waitwhile alternative priced by location, not visits
Waitwhile prices its plans by monthly visits and locations. Qwaiton prices by locations and counters. Which one is cheaper depends on how busy you are; here is how to work it out.
- Visits vs locations pricing
- Free plan vs 14-day trial
- Checked 21 October 2026
At a glance
Waitwhile and Qwaiton, side by side
Both run in the cloud and handle waitlists and bookings. The difference is the pricing model: Waitwhile counts visits, Qwaiton counts locations and counters.
| Qwaiton | Waitwhile | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $50 / month (Starter) | Free plan; paid plans from $31 / month |
| How pricing works | Per plan: 1, up to 5, or unlimited locations | Per plan, by monthly visits and locations |
| Public plans | Starter $50 · Enterprise $100 · Custom $300 per month | Free (1 location, 50 visits/month) · Starter from $31 · Business from $55 · Enterprise custom (yearly saves 20%) |
| Users included | 5 / 50 / unlimited team members | Not the main limit; visits and locations are |
| Free trial | 14 days, no credit card | Free plan without time limit |
| SMS messages | Included in Enterprise and Custom | SMS credits ($2 to try); usage based |
| Appointments | Included from Enterprise ($100) | Waitlist and bookings |
| Deployment | Cloud, runs in a web browser | Cloud |
Public list prices in US dollars, excluding taxes. Sources: qwaiton.com/queue-management-pricing, waitwhile.com/pricing, checked on 21 October 2026. Prices and plans change; check the vendor’s page before you buy.
Qwaiting, Qminder and Waitwhile are trademarks of their owners. Qwaiton is not affiliated with them. This comparison uses only information the vendors publish themselves; if something is out of date, email info@qwaiton.com and we will correct it.
Which one fits
Honest answer: it depends on your queue
Choose Waitwhile if…
- You have very few visits: Waitwhile’s free plan covers 1 location and 50 visits per month.
- You mainly need a restaurant- or retail-style waitlist with two-way messaging.
- You want up to 10 locations on a lower tier with modest visit volumes.
Choose Qwaiton if…
- You serve hundreds or thousands of visitors a month at one location: Qwaiton plans do not count visits.
- You need counters, tokens and a waiting-room display for walk-in service desks.
- You want SMS notifications included in the plan (Enterprise, $100 per month) instead of buying credits.
Price examples
What you would pay in three common cases
List prices per month as published by both vendors. Your real price depends on the options you need.
| Your situation | Qwaiton | Waitwhile |
|---|---|---|
| Small shop, about 40 visits per month | Starter: $50 | Free plan (1 location, 50 visits) |
| One busy clinic, about 2,000 visits per month | Starter $50, or Enterprise $100 with SMS | Starter tier for that volume (from $31; calculate on waitwhile.com) |
| 5 branches, about 4,500 visits per month | Enterprise: $100 | Business tier for that volume (from $55; calculate on waitwhile.com) |
Based on public prices checked on 21 October 2026; SMS fees, taxes and hardware not included.
Switching
Moving from Waitwhile step by step
How to switch without disrupting your queue
- List what you run today: locations, services, counters or rooms, and who works where.
- Start a free Qwaiton trial and set up one location the same way. It takes about an hour.
- Run both side by side for a few days at that location, with one screen each, until the team is comfortable.
- Move the QR codes and the waiting-room screen, then roll out the other locations one by one.
- Cancel the old subscription only after the last location has moved.
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FAQ
Waitwhile vs Qwaiton, answered
Is Waitwhile free?
Waitwhile has a free plan for 1 location and up to 50 visits per month. Paid plans start at $31 per month and are priced by locations and monthly visits (checked 21 October 2026).
Does Qwaiton limit the number of visits?
Qwaiton plans are priced by locations, counters and team members as listed on our pricing page, not by monthly visits.
Which is better for walk-in service desks?
If people take a number and wait for a counter, as in clinics, banks and public offices, Qwaiton’s counters, tokens and waiting-room display are built for that. For a restaurant waitlist with a handful of visits, Waitwhile’s free plan may be enough.
Can I try Qwaiton without paying?
Yes. Every Qwaiton plan starts with a 14-day free trial without a credit card.
Compare on your own queue,
free for 14 days.
Set up one location in Qwaiton and run it next to Waitwhile for a few days. No credit card needed.
14-day free trial · No credit card · Cancel anytime