Comparison
Schnerp is a well-reviewed cancellation scanner — 1.8M+ alerts sent since 2022 — with unusually deep coverage of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. After a 10-notification free tier, it costs $15–$29/month.
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. We also cover the big ReserveAmerica state-park systems — Texas, New York, and more — that Schnerp doesn't.
| Schnerp | OpenCampsite | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Basic $15/month (email + text, 3 requests) or Priority $29/month (7 requests, WhatsApp + push) | Free while we're in beta — no credit card |
| Free tier | 10 email notifications and 1 active request to start — then a paid plan | Everything is free during beta; a free tier stays when paid plans launch |
| Active alerts | 1 (free) / 3 (Basic) / 7 (Priority) | 3 at a time during beta — pause or finish one to start another |
| US coverage | 8 systems: Recreation.gov, ReserveCalifornia, Florida, Washington, Michigan, Wyoming, Hawaii, Yellowstone lodges — no ReserveAmerica (so no Texas, New York, and most state parks) | Recreation.gov, ReserveCalifornia, ReserveAmerica (multi-state), Colorado Parks & Wildlife, Firefly Reservations |
| Canada coverage | 19 systems — Parks Canada, provincial parks, conservation authorities, even alpine huts | Parks Canada, Ontario Parks, and BC Parks |
| Australia / New Zealand | Yes — 20 systems across AU and NZ | No — North America only |
| Notifications | Email free; text on Basic; WhatsApp and push on Priority only | Email today; SMS is planned once carrier verification completes |
| 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) |
Schnerp facts checked on schnerp.com's public pages on July 21, 2026. Their pricing and coverage can change — trust their site over this table, and if you spot something out of date, email hey@opencampsite.com and we'll fix it.
Fair is fair: Schnerp sends text messages today (we're email-only until our toll-free number finishes carrier verification), covers Australia and New Zealand, and goes deeper in Canada than we do — conservation authorities, alpine huts, and territorial parks on top of the big systems. It's founder-run since 2022 with 1.8M+ alerts sent and hundreds of five-star reviews.
If your trip books through one of those systems, Schnerp is the right tool for it — 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. Schnerp's free tier is 10 email notifications and one active request; after that it's $15/month for email + text or $29/month for priority checks with WhatsApp and push (checked July 21, 2026 on schnerp.com/pricing). When our paid plans launch we'll give at least 30 days' notice, a free tier stays, and founding campers get 50% off their first year.
No — as of July 21, 2026, Schnerp's own coverage list (schnerp.com/new) includes 8 US systems and none of them is ReserveAmerica, which powers state-park reservations for Texas, New York, and many other states. OpenCampsite covers ReserveAmerica across multiple states, plus Colorado Parks & Wildlife's system.
If you camp in Australia or New Zealand, Schnerp is one of the only scanners that covers them at all. It's also ahead for deep-Canada trips — conservation-authority campgrounds, alpine huts, territorial parks — and for anyone who needs text-message alerts today, since OpenCampsite is email-only until our toll-free number clears carrier verification.
Neither does. Schnerp's FAQ says booking is up to you via the park's reservation system, and OpenCampsite works the same way: we alert you the moment a matching site opens, you book it on the official site. Nobody holds your reservation-account credentials.
Pick a campground, choose your dates, and we'll email you when a cancellation or new opening matches. Free while we're in beta.
Comparing other tools too? See all of our campsite-alert comparisons.