How to Add a Waitlist to WordPress (No Plugin Required)

You want a WordPress waitlist — a signup form on your WordPress site, not a Mailchimp redirect, but a real waitlist that tracks referrals and sends updates. GetWaitly's waitlist widget drops into WordPress with two lines of code, no plugin required.

Here is exactly how to add a waitlist to WordPress, and the one plan limitation to know about first.

The short answer

Add a Custom HTML block to the page where you want the form and paste your GetWaitly embed snippet. The waitlist widget renders inline, matches your brand colors, and collects subscribers straight into your dashboard. On a self-hosted WordPress site (WordPress.org) this always works. On WordPress.com, JavaScript in HTML blocks requires a Business plan or higher. Total time: 5 minutes.

What you need

• A GetWaitly account with a waitlist created. The free plan covers 100 subscribers.
• Your waitlist's public ID from the Widget/Embed section of the dashboard — it tells the waitlist widget which list to load.
• A WordPress site. Self-hosted (WordPress.org) works on any host. WordPress.com needs a plan that allows custom JavaScript — free, Personal, and Premium strip script tags; Business and Commerce allow them.

Step 1 — Get your embed code

In your GetWaitly dashboard, open the waitlist and go to the Widget section. Copy two pieces of code:

Script tag (loads the widget):

<script src="https://getwaitly.com/widget.js" defer></script>

Container div (where the form appears):

<div class="gw-widget" data-waitlist-id="YOUR_WAITLIST_ID"></div>

Replace YOUR_WAITLIST_ID with your waitlist's public ID.

Step 2 — Add the form to a page

Open the page or post where the waitlist belongs in the WordPress block editor. Click the + button, search for Custom HTML, and add the block.

Paste both parts into the block:

<div class="gw-widget" data-waitlist-id="YOUR_WAITLIST_ID"></div>
<script src="https://getwaitly.com/widget.js" defer></script>

Click Preview or Publish. The signup form renders where the block sits.

That is the whole integration. If your theme supports it, the form inherits your GetWaitly accent color and font automatically.

Step 3 — Or load the script site-wide (optional)

If you plan to show the widget on several pages, load the script once instead of on every page. Add only the script tag globally, then place only the container div on each page.

With a plugin: Install a header/footer plugin like WPCode or Insert Headers and Footers, and paste the script tag into the Footer section (before </body>).

<script src="https://getwaitly.com/widget.js" defer></script>

Then, on each page, add a Custom HTML block with only the div:

<div class="gw-widget" data-waitlist-id="YOUR_WAITLIST_ID"></div>

Without a plugin: Edit your theme's footer.php (in Appearance → Theme File Editor) and paste the script tag just before </body>. A plugin is safer — theme updates overwrite manual edits.

Step 4 — Use the popup variant (optional)

If you want a button that opens the form in a modal instead of an inline form, use the trigger variant. Add the script once (Step 3), then place a button where you want it:

<button class="gw-trigger" data-waitlist-id="YOUR_WAITLIST_ID">Join waitlist</button>

This is a good fit for a header CTA or a sticky button.

Step 5 — Test it

Publish and open the page in a private window. You should see the signup form. Submit a test email and confirm:

• The success message appears.
• The subscriber shows up in your GetWaitly dashboard.
• On mobile, the form is full-width and easy to tap.

If the form does not appear, see the troubleshooting section below.

Troubleshooting

The form is blank. Most often, JavaScript was stripped from the HTML block. On WordPress.com, move to a Business plan, or use the no-JavaScript method below. On self-hosted sites, check whether a security or caching plugin is stripping <script> tags — some "optimization" plugins defer or remove them.

The script loads but the form does not render. The data-waitlist-id must be the waitlist's public ID, not its URL slug. Copy it again from the dashboard.

Nothing shows in the editor. Some block editors do not run third-party JavaScript in the editor preview. Check the published page, not the editor.

Alternative: no JavaScript at all

If you cannot run scripts (for example, on WordPress.com free), point a native HTML form at your waitlist's form action URL. No widget script, no plugin:

<form action="https://getwaitly.com/api/join/YOUR_WAITLIST_ID" method="post">
  <input type="email" name="email" required placeholder="Your email" />
  <button type="submit">Join the waitlist</button>
</form>

The browser posts the signup and redirects to your thank-you page. You lose the inline success animation and the match-your-branding styling, but the signup still lands in your dashboard.

Alternative: the hosted page

If editing your WordPress theme or blocks is more than you want to do right now, GetWaitly includes a hosted page. Publish it at getwaitly.com/w/your-id, customize the content and branding, and link to it from your site. It works as a standalone destination while you build the product.

FAQ

Do I need a WordPress waitlist plugin?

No. A Custom HTML block is enough for the inline form, and a footer plugin is only useful for loading the script site-wide.

A dedicated WordPress waitlist plugin does something different: it stores signups in your own database and sends mail through your host's PHP mailer. That is the right call if the list has to live inside wp-admin. The tradeoff is that you get no referral queue and no broadcast tooling, and deliverability depends on your host's mailer — the problem most WordPress sites already have. Use the widget when you want a list that grows on its own; use a plugin only when you specifically need the subscribers in WordPress.

Does the GetWaitly widget work on WordPress.com?

Yes, if your plan allows custom JavaScript. WordPress.com free, Personal, and Premium plans strip <script> tags; Business and Commerce allow them. On lower plans, use the no-JavaScript form action above or link to the hosted page.

Will the widget slow down my WordPress site?

No. The script uses defer, so it loads after your content, and it is under 15KB. Load it site-wide once via a footer plugin if you use the widget on several pages.

Can I add the waitlist to a sidebar or footer widget area?

Yes. Use a Custom HTML widget in Appearance → Widgets (or the block-based widget editor) and paste the container div there. Load the script site-wide first.

Does the form match my site's design?

The widget uses your waitlist's accent color and font from GetWaitly settings. It cannot be styled independently, but you can control its width and alignment by placing the container div inside a styled wrapper in the block editor.

Is there a WordPress waitlist template?

Not one you need. A "waitlist template" usually means a ready-made page layout or a plugin's form design. On WordPress you already have the layout — the waitlist widget is two lines of code in a Custom HTML block, and it inherits your accent color and font from GetWaitly. If you would rather have a whole page than a form on an existing one, publish the hosted page and link to it.

How do I collect names or phone numbers, not just emails?

Enable those fields in your GetWaitly widget settings. The inline widget form renders the fields you configure. Custom questions are supported too.

Related guides

• How to Add a Waitlist to Ghost — the Code Injection method for Ghost blogs

• Add a Waitlist to Your Website: Every Platform Guide — the full directory of platform guides

• Carrd Waitlist: Add a Signup Form in 2 Minutes — the same widget on Carrd, step by step

• How to Add a Waitlist to Webflow — the Code Embed method

• How to Add a Waitlist to Wix — the Embed HTML element, plus site-wide Custom Code

• WooCommerce Waitlist: Back in Stock Notifications — the same widget on a store

• Which Form Builder for a Waitlist? — form builders vs a dedicated waitlist tool

• 7 Best Waitlist Tools for Solo Founders in 2026 — the full comparison

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