General FAQ

What is CaptiFi?

CaptiFi is a guest WiFi marketing platform. When guests connect to your venue's WiFi, they see a branded splash page where they enter their details. CaptiFi captures this data and automates follow-up marketing (welcome emails, review requests, offers, etc.).

What is a splash page?

A splash page (also called a captive portal) is the screen guests see when they connect to your WiFi. Instead of going straight online, they're presented with a branded page where they enter their details, typically their name and email. It's your first touchpoint with every guest and a powerful marketing tool.

Who is CaptiFi for?

Any business that offers guest WiFi:

• Restaurants & cafés
• Bars & pubs
• Hotels & B&Bs
• Gyms & fitness centres
• Retail stores
• Coworking spaces
• Event venues
• Airbnb & short-term rentals

How quickly can I get started?

Most venues are live in about 5 minutes from start to finish. Plug in the device, enter your PIN, and you're ready to go.

Do I need technical skills?

No. The CaptiFi device is pre-configured. You literally just plug it in. If you're integrating with existing hardware (UniFi, Aruba, etc.), some basic network knowledge helps but our support team can walk you through it.

Can I use my own branding on the splash page?

Absolutely. You can fully customise the splash page with your logo, brand colours, background images, and messaging, and choose exactly which details to ask guests for (name, email, plus your own custom questions). See the Splash Page Builder.

Do my guests need to download an app?

No. CaptiFi works entirely through the browser: guests simply connect to your WiFi and the splash page appears automatically. No app download required, on any device.

Can I try it before committing?

Yes! We offer a 30-day free trial. No long-term contracts. Cancel anytime.

What data do you capture?

Depending on your splash page configuration:

• First name and last name
• Email address
• Phone number (if enabled)
• Answers to any custom questions you add
• Visit timestamps and frequency, plus device type
• Marketing consent status

Can guests skip the login?

You decide. Every field on the splash page can be shown or hidden, and each shown field can be required or optional, so anything from a full sign-up form down to a near-instant connect is possible.

Why does a Chromecast or smart TV keep asking to sign in?

It has no browser to complete the sign-in page, so it retries the page and never gets online. Add its MAC address on the venue's Connection page under My Venues (More, then Connection, then Pre-authorized devices) and it skips the sign-in page from then on. Available at venues on CaptiFi access points and venues on a UniFi controller. See Pre-authorised devices.

A guest's phone joins the WiFi but nothing loads and no sign-in page appears

This is usually a VPN app set to block every connection outside the VPN (often called a kill switch, or "Block connections without VPN"). The phone never asks the WiFi for its sign-in page, and the VPN itself can't connect until the guest has signed in, so nothing loads. Ask the guest to pause the VPN, sign in on the page that appears, then switch the VPN back on. Hotel and airport WiFi works the same way.

Does CaptiFi affect my WiFi speed?

No. CaptiFi doesn't throttle or slow down your internet. It simply intercepts the first connection to show the splash page, then gets out of the way.

Can I run different splash pages at different venues?

Yes. Each venue has its own splash page design, and you can copy a design from one venue to another and then tailor it. Updating a venue's design (for example for a seasonal event) takes effect immediately.

How do the automated marketing emails work?

CaptiFi can automatically send emails at key moments, for example a welcome email after a guest's first visit, a "we miss you" email if they haven't returned in a while, or a review request a few hours after their visit. You configure the triggers and templates from your dashboard. See Email Automations.

What integrations does CaptiFi support?

Google Reviews, Mailchimp, Revinate, Toast (POS), Leat, Twilio (SMS), Airship, Zapier, Slack, and HubSpot, with more on the way. Integrations are available on the Growth plan and above, apart from Google Reviews, which is on Essentials and above. Lite has no integrations. The 30-day free trial runs on the plan you choose at signup, so pick Growth or above if you want to try the integrations during your trial (you can switch plans from the dashboard at any time). See the Integrations Hub.