Event Waitlists allow members to join a waitlist when a free event ticket is full. Admins can review requests and approve registrations in the dashboard as spots become available.
This feature is being released in waves. If you do not see this available in your dashboard you can reach out to [email protected] to inquire about having it enabled.
Access to Event Waitlists
Event Waitlists are available for free tickets only. If you are not seeing the waitlist option under free ticket types, reach out to the Gradual support team at [email protected]
Admins can manage waitlists from the event dashboard. Depending on your community setup, waitlist management may also be available in collaborator or club dashboard environments for users with the appropriate permissions.
Enable a waitlist for a ticket
To enable a waitlist:
Open the event from your dashboard.
Go to Ticket Setup.
Open the ticket you want to edit, or create a new ticket.
Turn Enable Waitlist on.
Optionally enter a waitlist quota.
If no quota is added, the waitlist can accept unlimited signups. Once the waitlist is enabled, members will be able to join the waitlist when that ticket is no longer available.
How members join a waitlist
When a free ticket is full and a waitlist is enabled, members will see the option to join the waitlist instead of registering normally.
To join a waitlist, members complete the standard RSVP flow. This includes registration questions or invitation validation, depending on the event settings.
After joining the waitlist:
the member is added to the waitlist for that ticket
the event will show a Waitlisted status for that member
the member may receive a confirmation email, depending on your event communication setup
How members leave a waitlist
Members can remove themselves from a waitlist from the event page. When a member cancels their waitlist request:
their request is removed from the active waitlist
inventory updates automatically
their entry moves to the Cancelled tab in the dashboard
Invitation-only events
For invitation-only tickets, only eligible invited users can successfully join the waitlist.
If a member is not yet eligible to access the ticket, they may need to complete the invitation request flow first. Once approved, they can return and join the waitlist if space is still available.
Manage the waitlist as an admin
Admins can review waitlist activity directly from the event dashboard.
To access the waitlist:
Open the event in your dashboard.
Go to Ticket Setup.
Open the Waitlist page.
From here, admins can review waitlisted members and take action as space becomes available.
Waitlist requests are organized into the following tabs:
To be reviewed | Requests that are still pending action. |
Approved | Requests that have been approved and converted into registrations. |
Declined | Requests that were declined by an admin. |
Cancelled | Requests that were cancelled by the member. |
Approve or decline a waitlist request
From the To be reviewed tab, admins can approve or decline individual waitlist requests.
A request can only be approved if:
a ticket is available
the event has not ended
the member is still eligible for the ticket
any required registration questions have been completed
the member is not already registered
When a request is approved, the member is automatically registered for the event and added to the attendee list. Ticket inventory and waitlist counts are also updated.
When a request is declined, the member is removed from the active review queue. Depending on your setup, they may be able to join the waitlist under a different ticket type.
Bulk approve or decline waitlist requests
Admins may also be able to manage multiple requests at once. Bulk actions are helpful when several spots open up and you want to move multiple waitlisted members into the event quickly.
Callouts and limitations
There are a few important things to know when setting up a waitlist:
Waitlists are supported for free tickets only
Paid tickets cannot be saved with waitlists enabled
If the waitlist is turned off, new members will no longer be able to join
If a waitlist quota is reached, members will see that the waitlist is full
You also cannot reduce the waitlist quota below the number of members already on the waitlist.
If members are already waiting, turning the waitlist off will stop new signups, but existing waitlist entries will remain.
If registration requirements change after members have already joined the waitlist, some members may no longer be eligible for approval.
Example use cases
A free event fills up quickly
A webinar reaches capacity, but additional interested members can still join the waitlist. As cancellations happen, admins approve new attendees from the waitlist.
A club event has limited space
A club event is full, but the organizer wants to track additional demand. The waitlist provides a simple overflow process without creating a second registration workflow.
Several spots become available at once
After a number of cancellations, the admin approves multiple waitlisted members and fills those spots quickly.
Best practices
Event Waitlists work best when you:
use them for high-demand free events
add a quota if you want to control review volume
review requests regularly as spots open up
avoid changing access rules or registration requirements after members have already joined
For invitation-only events, it is best to finalize invitation settings before enabling the waitlist.