Comparison
Campnab is a solid, long-running campsite cancellation scanner — and it has no free tier. OpenCampsite watches sold-out campgrounds across the US and Canada and emails you when a matching spot opens, and it's free while we're in beta, no credit card required.
| Campnab | OpenCampsite | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Pay-per-use scans $10–$20 each (by check frequency), or memberships $10–$30/month | Free while we're in beta — no credit card |
| Free tier | None — no free scans and no free trial (per their FAQ) | Everything is free during beta; a free tier stays when paid plans launch |
| Active alerts | Per scan purchased, or by membership tier | 3 at a time during beta — pause or finish one to start another |
| Notifications | Text messages (up to 2 phone numbers) and email | Email today; SMS is planned once carrier verification completes |
| Coverage | US + Canada: Recreation.gov, ReserveAmerica, ReserveCalifornia, many state systems, Ontario Parks, BC Parks, Parks Canada, plus niche county/utility systems | US + Canada: Recreation.gov, ReserveCalifornia, ReserveAmerica (multi-state), Colorado Parks & Wildlife, Ontario Parks, BC Parks, Parks Canada, Firefly Reservations — 6,000+ alert-ready campgrounds and areas |
| Demand data | Not published | Published daily — see the most-watched campgrounds |
| Auto-booking | No — you book on the official reservation site | No — you book on the official reservation site (we think that's the right call) |
| Getting started | Buy a scan or membership on their site | No account needed — confirm your email and your first alert runs in about a minute |
Campnab facts checked on campnab.com's public pages on July 18, 2026. Their pricing and coverage can change — trust their site over this table, and if you spot something out of date, email support@opencampsite.com and we'll fix it.
Fair is fair: Campnab sends text-message alerts (we're email-only until our toll-free number finishes carrier verification), it has run since 2017 with over 5.3 million alerts sent, and it covers some state park and niche county/utility reservation systems we don't cover yet. If your campground books through one of those, Campnab is the right tool for that trip — check our coverage to see what we watch today, and request anything missing.
Yes, during our beta: every OpenCampsite feature is free with no credit card required, including alerts for Recreation.gov, ReserveCalifornia, ReserveAmerica, Colorado, Ontario Parks, BC Parks, and Parks Canada campgrounds. When paid plans launch we'll give at least 30 days' notice, a free tier stays, and founding campers get 50% off their first year. Campnab does not offer a free tier or free trial — scans start at $10.
No. Campnab's own FAQ says they don't offer free trials; pricing is pay-per-use scans ($10–$20 depending on check frequency) or memberships from $10 to $30 per month (checked July 18, 2026).
If you need text-message alerts today, Campnab sends SMS while OpenCampsite is email-only until our toll-free number clears carrier verification. Campnab has also been scanning since 2017, reports 5.3M+ alerts sent, and covers some state and niche reservation systems we don't cover yet. If your campground isn't in our coverage, request it — and use whichever tool watches it today.
Sometimes! Recreation.gov, ReserveAmerica, Ontario Parks, BC Parks, and Parks Canada all have free native availability emails, and we'd honestly recommend trying them. Their common limits: small caps (3 alerts on Recreation.gov, 5 on BC Parks), email-only, park-wide rather than campsite-specific matching, and the same notice goes to every watcher at once. ReserveCalifornia has no native alert feature at all. OpenCampsite exists for the trips where those limits bite.
Pick a campground, choose your dates, and we'll email you when a cancellation or new opening matches. Free while we're in beta.