I was recently contracted to build a website for a small hotel (Inn & Suites). I told them I would design the site and then integrate a booking system. To be more helpful, I did some research on booking systems and quickly realized that a booking system is just the beginning—there’s also something called a PMS (Property Management System).
I used ChatGPT’s deep research, Google’s AI, standard Google searches, and a site called Capterra. After submitting my information on Capterra, I was contacted by a rep—either from them or a third-party consultant with no ties to any specific system. They recommended five platforms, a few of which were already in my top ten. Two of the five turned out to be unimpressive, but they did help rule out some systems clearly geared more toward vacation rentals.
Below is a cleaned-up version of the notes I took.
Although Eviivo offers more out of the box (and has some VERY impressive features), you can’t embed its booking engine directly into your website. I also thought Cloudbeds’ presentation felt more polished and professional, which led me to believe their support might be stronger (though that’s just an assumption). Both very likely offer excellent customer service.
That being said, if you’re interested in having a website company build you a site that’s SEO-optimized, well-designed, and able to handle bookings, let us know. These are the systems we’re currently open to working with!
Cloudbeds vs. Eviivo vs. WebRezPro – Comparison
Summary Table
Feature | Cloudbeds | Eviivo | WebRezPro |
---|---|---|---|
Channel Manager | Unlimited, full | Unlimited, full | Full but costs $30/ |
Website Integration | Fully embeddable | Redirects (no embed) | Redirects (no embed) |
Payment Processor | Cloudbeds, GPay, APay, in-person | Stripe/PayPal | Many options, in-person |
Booking Fees | None | $0.50/booking | None |
Reports | Yes | Yes | Yes |
AI/Messaging Inbox | Premium only | Yes | No |
Custom Fields | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Mobile App | Yes | Yes | No |
Support | 24/7 | 24/7 | 8am-8pm Sun-Sat |
Price (approx.) | $220/mo or $320 for premium/mo | $228/mo + $0.50 per booking | $120/mo + $30/OTA |
Best For | Hotels of all sizes | Small properties | Medium Hotels |
Short Breakdown
Cloudbeds
- Channel Management & Booking Engine: Unlimited OTA connections (Trivago, Airbnb, etc.), real-time sync, inventory controls, fully embeddable direct booking engine (Google integration).
- Pricing Strategies: Can raise OTA rates and offer direct booking discounts.
- Payment & Processing: Cloudbeds credit card processing, Google Pay, Apple Pay, in-person payments, payouts in 1–2 business days, flat monthly fee, no OTA booking fees or commissions.
- Automation & Communication: Automated notifications, premium plan adds OTA messaging inbox, AI guest replies, review replies, website chatbot, mobile app, promo manager, automated emails.
- Additional Features: Custom fields (add-on), reporting, flexible contracts (quarterly/yearly), onboarding coach.
- Pricing (Your Quote): $220/mo (standard) or $320/mo (premium).
Eviivo
- Channel Management & Booking Engine: Two-way channel sync, Booking Manager and PMS, promotes direct bookings, bookings redirect to eviivo (cannot embed), can restrict rooms/rates, recommends many OTAs.
- Payment & Processing: Stripe or PayPal, guests can pay after visit or upfront, 2.9% + $0.30 + $0.50 per booking, no commission fees.
- Automation & Communication: Messaging inbox, AI answers, review replies, website chatbot (on booking engine), automated guest review/notification emails, mobile app, Eviivo University, phone/chatbot support.
- Additional Features: Revenue/income reporting, can display reviews on booking engine, strong support for small properties.
- Pricing (Estimate): $228/mo + $0.50/booking + payment processor rates; one-time $60 connection fee and $120 training fee (waived if live in 2 weeks).
- Support: Based in Austin, TX, attentive support for small properties, Paige Alexander is contact.
- Notes: Paige Alexander previously at Cloudbeds, believes Eviivo is better for small businesses.
WebRezPro
- Channel Manager: 2-way sync, not as advanced as Siteminder, no unified inbox, bookings redirect (no embed), modern interface.
- OTA Strategy: Supports multiple OTAs, $30/mo for each additional after the first.
- Payment Processing: Works with major processors, payouts in 1–2 days, may accept Google/Apple Pay (verify), in-person supported, no booking fees.
- Automation & Features: Automated emails/notifications, custom booking questions, drag-and-drop reservations, color tags, guest tablet signature, reporting, built-in accounting, yield management.
- Support: Phone support 7 days/week (8am–8pm), ticket support (not 24/7), chat coming soon, dedicated account manager, monitoring for downtime, low staff turnover.
- Demo Access: Full demo system available.
- Pricing: Starts at $120/mo (1 OTA included), $30/mo per extra OTA, $149–$199 per integration, first 3 months non-refundable, 30-day notice after. No booking fees.
- Limitations: No OTA messaging inbox, no AI, can't reply to/display reviews, no website chatbot.
- Promo Manager: Yes (similar to Eviivo).
- Target Market: Robust and customizable for hotels.
Cloudbeds vs. Eviivo vs. WebRezPro – Comparison of Reviews
System | User Satisfaction | User Reviews | Ease of Use | Functionality | Value for Money | Customer Support |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cloudbeds | 4.3 | 333 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.1 |
WebRezPro | 4.6 | 209 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.8 |
eviivo | 4.1 | 394 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.1 |
Expanded Breakdown
Channel Management & Booking Engine
- Unlimited OTA connections (Trivago, Airbnb, etc.); all bookings sync to a unified calendar
- Real-time updates, inventory controls, direct booking engine (with Google integration)
- Can embed in website fully
Pricing Strategies
- Ability to increase prices on OTA channels and offer discounts for direct bookings
Payment & Processing
- Cloudbeds credit card processing connects to your bank account
- Payouts in 1–2 business days after initial transaction
- Accepts Google Pay, Apple Pay; blended rate: 2.9% + $0.30, +1% for international/Amex
- In-person payments supported
- Flat monthly fee—no OTA booking fees or commissions
Automation & Communication
- Automated notifications for guests and staff
- Premium Plan ($320/mo): OTA messaging inbox, AI guest replies, review replies, website chatbot
- Mobile app, promo manager, manual review posting, automated emails
Additional Features
- Custom fields for extra guest info (may require add-on)
- Reporting: room/channel performance; likely supports printable reports
- Flexible contracts: quarterly or 1-year with monthly payments
Pricing (Your Quote)
- Standard: $220/mo (core PMS)
- Premium: $320/mo (all advanced features)
Onboarding & Support
- Onboarding coach included
Channel Management & Booking Engine
- Channel manager with two-way sync; Booking Manager and PMS included
- Promotes direct bookings; supports complete hotel booking and blocking
- Bookings redirect to eviivo (cannot embed booking engine in your website)
- Encourages connecting to as many OTAs as possible
- Can restrict number of rooms and set different rates
- Booking plugin may work with website, but presenter was unsure
Payment & Processing
- Guests can pay after visit, leave deposit, or pay upfront; reservations can be modified
- Uses Stripe or PayPal for payments—offers flexibility
- 2.9% + $0.30 + $0.50 booking fee per booking
- No commission fees to eviivo
Automation & Communication
- Messaging inbox for OTA communication
- AI-powered answers, review replies, and website chatbot (for booking engine)
- Automated email system for guest reviews and notifications
- Mobile app available
- Eviivo University for training; support via phone and chatbot
Additional Features
- Revenue and income reporting from all sources
- Can display reviews on website booking engine
- Known for good support, especially for smaller properties
Pricing (Your Estimate)
- $228/month
- One-time $60 connection fee and $120 training fee (waived if live in 2 weeks)
- $0.50 per booking fee, plus payment processor rates
Onboarding & Support
- Based in Austin, Texas; support phone number provided
- Focuses on small properties with attentive support
- Contact: Paige Alexander – (901) 210-5949
Additional Notes
- Paige Alexander previously worked at Cloudbeds, including as VP of Sales
- She praised Cloudbeds for mid-market and larger properties, but believes eviivo offers more personal support and attention for smaller properties
Channel Manager:
- Yes, with 2-way syncing (not as advanced as Siteminder). No unified inbox.
Booking Engine:
- Redirects bookings (cannot embed). Modern interface.
OTA Strategy:
- Supports multiple OTAs. Additional OTAs are $30/month after the first.
Payment Processing:
- Integrates with many major processors. Payouts in 1–2 business days.
- May accept Google Pay, Apple Pay (confirm with processor). No in-person PayPal terminals.
- In-person payments supported (deposit recommended). No additional booking fees.
Automation:
- Automated email system (can request reviews). Automated notifications.
Custom Fields:
- Custom questions available in booking engine.
User Interface:
- Drag-and-drop reservations. Custom color tags and legend.
- Guest tablet signature supported.
Reporting & Accounting:
- Built-in accounting for taxes and income streams.
- Yield management module for dynamic pricing.
- Revenue/income reporting by source.
Support:
- Phone support 7 days/week (8am–8pm).
- Ticket support available (not 24/7). Chat support coming soon.
- Dedicated account manager. Low staff turnover. Monitoring for downtime.
Demo Access:
- Full demo system provided.
Pricing:
- Starts at $120/month (includes first OTA).
- $30/month per additional OTA.
- Integrations: $149 or $199 each.
- First 3 months non-refundable; 30-day email notice after.
- No additional booking fees.
Limitations:
- No messaging inbox for OTA communication.
- No AI answers.
- Cannot reply to reviews or display them on the booking engine.
- No website chatbot.
Promo Manager:
- Yes (similar to eviivo).
Target Market:
- Hotels (robust, flexible, customizable).