There are three tabs. Here's what each one does.
Tab 1 — Watch Queue (No login needed)
This is the most important tab for most people — and it requires absolutely nothing. No Google account. No sign-up. Just open the site and type a queue number.
What you see after entering a queue number:
- The queue name and description
- A large NOW SERVING token number that updates live
- A full table of everyone in the queue, with the current token highlighted in green
- A yellow notice if the queue owner has paused the queue
This tab is designed for the patient sitting in a waiting room, the customer who just dropped off a phone for repair, or anyone who just wants to know when their turn is coming. No friction. No login. Just enter the code and watch.
The queue owner can write the code on a whiteboard, print it on a receipt, or display it on a screen. Anyone with that code can watch.
New: You can also watch a queue directly from the landing page, before signing in at all — there's a dedicated "Watch a Queue" box right above the sign-in button.
Tab 2 — Join Queue Online (Google login required)
This tab is for people who want to get in line themselves — without going to the counter first.
Why does this require a Google login? Because the system needs to know who you are to assign you a token and prevent the same person from joining twice. Your Google account is used purely for identity — no personal data is stored beyond your name and email.
Here's exactly what happens when you join:
- You sign in with Google — one tap, no password
- You enter the queue number shared by the owner
- You type your name
- New: You can optionally add your phone number with country code
- New: You choose separately whether to mask your email and whether to mask your phone number in the public queue list — both are masked by default for your privacy
- You get assigned the next available token number automatically
- You can then watch the live table and come back when your number is close
A few things to know about this tab:
- If the queue owner has set the queue to Manual Entry Only, you will see a notice saying joining online is not allowed — approach the counter instead
- If the queue is paused, the join button is hidden and you'll be asked to wait until the owner resumes it
- If you have already joined, it shows your existing token number instead of letting you join again
- By default, your phone number and email are partially masked for privacy — shown as 98******10 or al**@gmail.com. You can choose to unmask either one when joining if you prefer to show your real contact details
- New: Changed your mind after joining? A "🗑 Leave / Delete My Token" button is now available once you've joined. Tap it, confirm, and your token is permanently removed — you're free to join again later if needed
Tab 3 — Create Queue (Google login required)
This tab is for the queue owner — the clinic receptionist, the shop counter, the event organizer.
Google login is required here because only the owner should be able to manage and control a queue. Without identity verification, anyone could mess with your queue.
Creating a queue takes about 30 seconds:
- Enter your organization or event name
- Add an optional description
- Choose whether to allow Online Join or Manual Entry Only
- Click Generate
You immediately get a unique number code — like 100012. Share this with your customers. Once created, this code never changes.
Inside the manage panel, you have full control:
- ▶ Start — activates the queue so customers can join
- ⏸ Pause — temporarily stops new joins and shows a waiting message to customers
- 🔄 Refresh — clears all members and resets to token #1 (with a warning before it happens)
- Set token / +1 — update which token number is currently being served
- ➕ Add Manually — add a member by name and phone number, for elderly customers or anyone who needs help at the counter
As the queue owner, you always see the full, unmasked phone number and email of everyone in your queue in the manage panel — masking only applies to what other customers see on the public live table.
Manual Entry Only — what is it and when should you use it?
When creating a queue, there's a toggle called Manual Entry Only. When this is turned on, customers cannot join the queue themselves online — only the queue owner can add members manually from the manage panel.
This is useful for:
- Hospital counters where the receptionist assigns tokens physically
- Situations where you want to verify identity before adding someone to the queue
- Events where pre-registration is required
Customers can still watch the queue live — they just can't add themselves to it.
What happens when the queue is paused?
If the owner clicks Pause, every person watching or trying to join sees a yellow notice: "⏸ This queue is currently paused by the owner. Please wait."
The join button disappears. The live table is still visible — so customers can still see where the queue stands. The moment the owner clicks Start, everything comes back live automatically, without anyone needing to refresh their page.
Privacy — masking your phone and email
When you join a queue online, two checkboxes let you control your own privacy independently:
- Mask my email in the public queue list — checked by default
- Mask my phone number in the public queue list — checked by default
If left checked, anyone watching the queue sees your contact partially hidden — for example al**@gmail.com or 98******10. If you uncheck either box, that piece of information shows in full to anyone watching the queue.
Regardless of your choice, the Watch Queue tab (the one that needs no login) always shows masked contact details for everyone — this extra layer of protection exists because that tab is open to absolutely anyone with the queue code.
The queue owner can always see your full, unmasked contact details in their manage panel — this is necessary so they can reach you if needed.
Directory — find other QLine queues
A Directory link is now available in the header, next to "How QLine Works." This takes you to a list of publicly shared QLine queues, so you can discover ones near you without needing to already have a code.
Summary — what needs login and what doesn't
| Feature | Login Required? |
|---|---|
| Watch Queue (live token + member table) | ❌ No — open to anyone |
| Join Queue Online | ✅ Yes — Google login |
| Leave / Delete your own token | ✅ Yes — Google login |
| Create a Queue | ✅ Yes — Google login |
| Manage Queue (Start/Pause/Refresh/Add) | ✅ Yes — queue owner only |
Is it really free?
Yes. Completely. No subscription. No hidden charges. No credit card. The entire system runs on Google's Firebase infrastructure and Cloudflare Pages — both of which have generous free tiers that handle hundreds of daily users without any cost.
Try it now
Open qline-live.pages.dev on any phone or computer. If you have a queue code, go straight to Watch Queue — no login needed. If you want to test the full system, sign in with Google and create a queue in under a minute.
Feedback, feature requests, or just want to share how you're using it — reach me at connect.qline@gmail.com
Built entirely using Anthropic's Claude AI | Hosted free on Cloudflare Pages | Database on Firebase