ScanQueue alternative
The ScanQueue alternative built for multi-location businesses
ScanQueue is a capable, low-cost QR waitlist with a generous free plan. If you run more than one location or need text messages as well as WhatsApp, Queue Join gives you more for less. Here’s an honest comparison.
Facts about ScanQueue checked on 19 October 2026
At a glance
Price to start
Queue Join
Free plan, then from $29 a month
ScanQueue
Free plan, then from $49 a month
Text messages
Queue Join
WhatsApp, RCS and SMS from one shared allowance
ScanQueue
WhatsApp on every plan; SMS mainly from Growth ($99 a month)
Best for
Queue Join
Independent businesses and growing chains
ScanQueue
Single-location walk-in businesses and events
Which one is right for you?
Choose Queue Join if…
- You run several locations and don’t want to pay $249 a month for ScanQueue Pro to get them
- Your customers expect a text message, not only WhatsApp
- You want automated voice calls as an add-on rather than a custom quote
- You want the API and webhooks without asking sales
- You’d rather work with a UK company
Choose ScanQueue if…
- You want a self check-in kiosk on a free plan: ScanQueue includes it on every plan
- You take orders through Square and want them in the queue
- You want AI wait-time predictions or an AI phone receptionist
- Your customers need notifications in Spanish
Queue Join and ScanQueue, feature by feature
A tick means the feature is there; a dash means it’s there with limits. The numbers in brackets link to the ScanQueue page each fact comes from. Rows we couldn’t confirm for ScanQueue are left out rather than guessed.
| Feature | Queue Join | ScanQueue |
|---|---|---|
| Getting started | ||
| Free plan | Available50 visits and 50 messages a month | Available100 queue joins a month (10 a day)[1] |
| Free trial of paid plans | Available14-day trial on paid plans | Not availableNo trial; the free plan is the trial[2] |
| Runs on phones and tablets you already have | Available | Available[4] |
| Several locations on one subscription | AvailableFrom Growth (3 locations) | AvailablePro and above ($249 a month)[1] |
| Walk-ins and booking | ||
| Customers join by QR code | Available | Available[4] |
| Live status page for customers | Available | Available[4] |
| Appointment booking | Available | AvailableGrowth and above[1] |
| Self check-in kiosk | AvailableBusiness and above | AvailableEvery plan, Free included[1] |
| Notifications | ||
Available | AvailableEvery plan, from 12 a month on Starter[1] | |
| SMS | Available | Available with limits5 trial credits on Starter, 25 for fallback on Essential, 500 from Growth[1] |
| Web push to customers | Available | AvailableFree on every plan[1] |
Available | AvailableFree and unlimited on every plan[3] | |
| Automated voice calls | AvailableAdd-on | Available with limitsCustom quote only[1] |
| Text messages included in the price | AvailableIncluded in every plan, from 50 a month | Available with limitsWhatsApp and SMS allowances that vary by plan[1] |
| Running the business | ||
| Analytics and reports | AvailableGrowth and above | AvailableEssential and above; advanced reporting on Pro[1] |
| Your own branding | Available | AvailablePaid plans; white-label on Enterprise[1] |
| Staff roles and permissions | Available | Available[3] |
| Data and developers | ||
| API | AvailableBusiness and above | Available with limitsEnterprise, on request[2] |
| Data export | AvailableEach customer’s data on every plan; CSV reports from Growth | AvailableCSV reports and customer data[2] |
| Customer-facing languages | English (UK and US) | English and Spanish[3] |
Queue Join and ScanQueue prices
Prices in US dollars, as each company publishes them. ScanQueue’s prices are from its own website on 19 October 2026.
Queue Join
| Plan | Billed monthly | Billed yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Free1 location, 50 visits and 50 messages a month | $0 | $0/mo |
| Starter1 location, 250 visits and 550 messages a month | $29 | $23/mo |
| Growth3 locations, 1,000 visits and 1,650 messages a month | $69 | $55/mo |
| Business10 locations, 4,000 visits and 4,400 messages a month | $149 | $119/mo |
| Enterprise25 locations, unlimited visits and 11,000 messages a month | $399 | $319/mo |
ScanQueue
| Plan | Billed monthly | Billed yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Starter100 joins, 12 WhatsApp and 5 trial SMS a month | $0 | $0/mo |
| Essential1,000 joins, 800 WhatsApp and 25 fallback SMS a month | $49 | Not listed |
| Growth2,000 joins, 1,000 WhatsApp and 500 SMS a month; booking | $99 | $1,010/yr |
| Pro4,000 joins, 2,000 WhatsApp and 1,400 SMS a month; multiple locations | $249 | $2,540/yr |
| Enterprise11,000 joins, 7,000 WhatsApp and 2,800 SMS a month; API on request | $499 | $5,090/yr |
Like-for-like examples
Three locations
ScanQueue
Multiple locations start on Pro: $249 a month.
Queue Join
Growth: $69 a month, or $55 billed yearly, for up to 3 locations.
About 500 text messages a month
ScanQueue
Growth is the first plan with 500 SMS: $99 a month.
Queue Join
Starter: $29 a month, with 550 messages included.
Queue Join also bills in pounds and euros.
Where Queue Join is different
More than one location, without the jump to Pro
ScanQueue adds multiple locations on its Pro plan, at $249 a month. Queue Join Growth covers several locations on one account, with each location’s waitlist, team and reports kept separate.
- Separate waitlists and QR codes for each location
- Branch managers see only their own locations
- Compare locations side by side in analytics
Text messages on every plan
On ScanQueue, SMS below the Growth plan is limited to trial or fallback credits. Every Queue Join plan, Free included, has one message allowance shared by WhatsApp, RCS and SMS, so customers without WhatsApp still get their text.
- WhatsApp first, then RCS or SMS automatically
- One allowance, whichever channel delivers
- Free web push and email on top
Voice calls and the API without a sales call
ScanQueue prices voice calls as a custom solution and offers its API on Enterprise, on request. Queue Join sells voice calls as an add-on you buy from your account, and includes the API and webhooks from Business.
- Automated voice calls as an add-on
- API and webhooks from Business
- Usage and billing visible in your account
Every plan gets the essentials
Booking, your own branding, marketing campaigns and staff roles come with every Queue Join plan, Free included. On ScanQueue, booking starts on Growth and the free plan has no custom branding.
- Walk-ins and appointments in one place
- Your logo and colours on every customer page
- Opt-in marketing campaigns, with consent recorded
Switching from ScanQueue
There’s nothing to import. Customers join by QR code, and each customer’s history builds up from their first visit.
- 1
Set up your locations
Add your locations, opening hours and any services you offer.
- 2
Print your QR codes
Download a QR code poster for each location and put it where customers queue or arrive.
- 3
Run both for a week
Keep ScanQueue running while your team gets used to Queue Join, then cancel it once you’re happy.
ScanQueue and Queue Join: common questions
Sources
Everything this page says about ScanQueue comes from ScanQueue’s own public pages, checked on 19 October 2026:
ScanQueue is a trademark of its owner. Queue Join isn’t affiliated with or endorsed by ScanQueue. Plans and prices change, so check ScanQueue’s website for the latest details. If you spot something out of date, tell us through our contact page and we’ll correct it.