Reservation software, compared honestly
TableHelm, the Waitlist Me alternative with a full reservation book
Waitlist Me is a simple waitlist and notification app with no free tier for real use: every plan is priced by monthly text allowance. The honest comparison is scope: Waitlist Me manages the queue and text notifications, while TableHelm runs the queue and the reservation book together, with a floor plan, guest history and no-show protection, for a flat fee with no per-text metering.
What Waitlist Me does well
Credibility first: these are the genuine strengths.
- Simple by design: a queue, wait estimates and notifications without a bigger system around them
- Multi-location management included on every paid tier
- Transparent per-text overage pricing ($0.02) rather than a hard cutoff
When Waitlist Me is the better pick: No-reservations restaurants that only need to manage a walk-in line and text guests when their table is ready.
Waitlist Me pricing and terms
| Monthly price | Premium $34.99/mo; Pro $59.99/mo; Platinum $99.99/mo (about 20% less if billed annually) |
|---|---|
| Usage fees | Text-metered: 1,000 / 2,500 / 5,000 notifications a month by tier, then $0.02 per additional text |
| Contract | Monthly or annual (annual billing discounts each tier by roughly 20%) |
| Free tier | None for real use; pricing starts at Premium |
| Guest data | Not detailed on the pricing page; product is positioned as a waitlist tool, not a guest CRM |
| No-show tools | Not a reservation product; no card holds or no-show fee tools |
Last verified 2026-07-03, from the sources listed on this page. Waitlist Mefigures are published list prices and terms; negotiated contracts differ. Always check the vendor's site for current pricing before you decide.
Sources for the Waitlist Me facts on this page
Side by side
How TableHelm compares
Swipe the table sideways for the full comparison.
| TableHelm | Waitlist Me | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | Free, or $29 a month flat | Premium $34.99/mo; Pro $59.99/mo; Platinum $99.99/mo (about 20% less if billed annually) |
| Usage fees | Never a per-cover or per-booking fee | Text-metered: 1,000 / 2,500 / 5,000 notifications a month by tier, then $0.02 per additional text |
| Contract | Month to month. Cancel self-serve, keep your data. | Monthly or annual (annual billing discounts each tier by roughly 20%) |
| Free tier | Yes: unlimited reservations and guests, one location | None for real use; pricing starts at Premium |
| Guest data | Your guest book is yours. Full CSV export, free, any time, forever. | Not detailed on the pricing page; product is positioned as a waitlist tool, not a guest CRM |
| No-show protection | Card holds via your own Stripe account (Pro). You keep 100% of every no-show fee; TableHelm takes nothing. | Not a reservation product; no card holds or no-show fee tools |
| Signup | Self-serve. No demo call, no card to start. | See the vendor's site |
Waitlist Me column: published list prices and terms, last verified 2026-07-03(sources on this page); check the vendor's site for current pricing. TableHelm column: our own published product facts.
The honest gaps
What TableHelm does not do (and Waitlist Me might)
- No diner discovery network. Your guests book through your own website, Google profile and Instagram; TableHelm makes that link excellent but brings no marketplace demand.
- No POS integration yet.
- No built-in SMS yet: confirmations and reminders go by email, plus a manage link you can text from any phone.
- One location per account for now.
If any of those are dealbreakers today, we would rather you know now. Here is exactly what you get on both of our plans.
Questions
Waitlist Me vs TableHelm: FAQ
Premium is $34.99/mo (1,000 texts), Pro $59.99/mo (2,500 texts), Platinum $99.99/mo (5,000 texts), each about 20% cheaper billed annually, plus $0.02 per text over your allowance. There's no free tier. Check waitlist.me for current pricing.
Weighing a move off Waitlist Me?
Start free in minutes: unlimited reservations, your own booking page, and a guest book you can export any time. No card, no demo call.