The project dashboard is a free tool that is only available to verified hoteliers to make adopting new technology easier by streamlining their research and simplifying their communication workflow.
TLDR
We analyzed 29 verified hotelier reviews, compared feature sets, pricing, and real-world case studies to break down where each platform delivers. The right choice depends on your property type and priorities:
alliants stands out with exclusive features like PCI Compliant.
LIKE MAGIC shines in guest journey app — especially for extended-stay properties (5.0/5), with exclusive features like Lobby Kiosk.
Side-by-side ratings based on 29 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
| HTScore |
|
|
| Likelihood to Recommend |
|
|
| Ease of Use |
|
|
| Customer Support |
|
|
| Value for Money |
|
|
| Starting Price | From $200/mo | From $700/mo |
| Verified Reviews | 0 | 29 |
After analyzing 29 verified reviews, alliants users most value its , while LIKE MAGIC users highlight guest journey app, automation & integration, contactless check-in. Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Pros | |
|
+
Guest Journey App
▾
|
|
|
+
Automation & Integration
▾
|
|
|
+
Contactless Check-in
▾
|
|
|
+
Design Flexibility
▾
|
|
| Cons | |
|
−
Revenue Opportunities
▾
|
|
|
−
Analytics & Reporting
▾
|
|
|
−
Push Notification Delays
▾
|
|
How each product ranks among Contactless Check-in vendors for different property sizes, types, and regions — based on verified reviews from hoteliers in each segment.
By Hotel Size
| Segment |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Small (10-24 rooms) ▾ | — | #7 12 reviews |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | — | #7 11 reviews |
| Large (75-199 rooms) | — | #11 3 reviews |
By Property Type
| Segment |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Boutique ▾ | — | #9 8 reviews |
| Luxury | #26 0 reviews | #15 2 reviews |
| Branded / Chain | — | #16 2 reviews |
| Extended Stay ▾ | — | #5 12 reviews |
By Region
| Segment |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| North America | #15 0 reviews | #18 1 reviews |
| Europe ▾ | — | #5 27 reviews |
alliants Check-In and LIKE MAGIC both target contactless check-in to reduce front desk congestion and enhance guest experience. alliants focuses on multi-currency support, real-time folio viewing, and pre-arrival signature capture, features suited for international hotels requiring detailed financial controls. LIKE MAGIC integrates check-in with digital key access and operational automation, fitting properties aiming to reduce staffing and automate guest communications.
Both products solve the challenge of minimizing guest wait times and physical contact at arrival, but they diverge in operational scope. alliants is a streamlined check-in/out platform emphasizing guest financial transparency. LIKE MAGIC offers a broader operational platform that automates housekeeping, payments, and upselling while enabling mobile keyless room access.
If your hotel is an international property prioritizing multi-currency folio management and digital signatures before arrival, alliants suits those needs, although its lack of reviews limits confidence in current market fit. For hotels with 20 to 170 rooms, especially extended stay or serviced apartments, LIKE MAGIC’s 29 verified reviews averaging 5/5 overall and 4.9/5 ease of use reveal strong operator satisfaction and scalability.
Properties seeking an all-in-one guest journey app that automates housekeeping, integrates with PMS and digital key systems, and drives upsell revenue should prefer LIKE MAGIC. The absence of recent reviews for alliants means its current performance and support cannot be verified. For boutique to city center hotels in Europe and Asia Pacific, LIKE MAGIC’s presence and proven case studies indicate a reliable choice.
ONLY LIKE MAGIC has rating data: 4.9/5 ease of use across 29 reviews. Reviewers describe the interface as intuitive for both guests and staff, with a browser-based, mobile-first design that reduces training time to approximately 1.5 days. Some note backend complexity but find it manageable with experience.
alliants lacks any verified user ratings, making it impossible to judge ease of use or onboarding based on operator feedback. Without evidence, hotels risk adopting a system without knowing how staff adoption will fare. Given the data, ease of use is proven only for LIKE MAGIC, but with no direct competitor data, the edge is even.
Edge: Even.
alliants offers PCI compliance, a critical feature for secure payment handling that ensures guest data safety and reduces liability. It also supports multi-currency real-time folio viewing and pre-stay signature capture, enhancing financial control for international hotels.
LIKE MAGIC provides unique features including a lobby kiosk for guest self-service onsite and the ability to collect deposits digitally, which streamlines revenue capture pre-arrival. Its integrated digital key system eliminates physical key cards, reducing front desk interactions and improving guest convenience.
With 15 shared features, the addition of PCI compliance in alliants versus lobby kiosk and deposit collection in LIKE MAGIC shows different operational priorities: alliants focuses on secure payments; LIKE MAGIC prioritizes guest self-service and cash flow management.
Edge: LIKE MAGIC.
Only LIKE MAGIC has customer support ratings: 4.8/5 from 29 reviews. Users praise generally good response times and knowledgeable staff, though some note variability in support expertise. Onboarding scores are similarly strong at 4.8/5, with case studies confirming streamlined staff training.
alliants lacks customer support ratings and verified user feedback, leaving support quality unverified. Review absence represents a risk for hoteliers seeking dependable implementation and ongoing assistance.
Given the evidence, customer support is demonstrably strong for LIKE MAGIC, but without competitor data, the official edge remains even.
Edge: Even.
alliants Check-In has 13 verified integrations, including key hospitality partners like apaleo GmbH, Oracle Hospitality, Adyen, and specialized vendors such as FLEXIPASS Keyless Mobile Access and Amadeus. Unique integrations with major PMS and access control systems like Vingcard and dormakaba cater to larger, possibly branded properties needing diverse connectivity.
LIKE MAGIC connects with 11 verified partners, overlapping with apaleo and Oracle but uniquely integrating with Mews, SALTO Systems, Triptease, and TrustYou. These integrations support boutique and extended stay properties emphasizing guest feedback, channel management, and keyless entry.
With only an 18% difference (13 vs 11), integration variety is comparable. alliants’ broader access control partnerships versus LIKE MAGIC’s guest engagement and channel management partners reflect strategic differences rather than a decisive advantage.
Edge: Even.
Only LIKE MAGIC has verified hotelier ratings: 5/5 overall from 29 reviews, with segments like Extended Stay & Serviced Apartments rated 5/5 (12 reviews) and Boutique Hotels 4.8/5 (8 reviews). The 99% likelihood to recommend indicates strong operator satisfaction. However, no reviews exist for alliants, preventing direct comparison.
LIKE MAGIC’s recent review volume is zero in the last six months, down from an average of 7.3 per six months prior, suggesting slower current feedback but still a solid historical rating base.
Without alliants user ratings, LIKE MAGIC leads by default in hotelier approval across multiple hotel types.
Edge: Even.
alliants publishes a base price of $200.00 with no freemium, monthly flat fee, monthly per room fee, or implementation fee. This suggests a simple pricing structure but lacks clarity on total cost of ownership or scalability.
LIKE MAGIC’s base price is $700.00, also without freemium or recurring fees disclosed, or implementation fees. The higher upfront cost may reflect its broader operational scope and integration capabilities.
Neither product offers trial periods. Pricing transparency is limited, but alliants is clearly less expensive upfront, which may appeal to smaller hotels or those with tight budgets.
Not ideal if:
Not ideal if:
alliants Check-In and LIKE MAGIC both offer contactless check-in aimed at expediting guest arrivals and minimizing front desk interactions, but differ fundamentally in scope and operational impact. alliants centers on secure payment compliance, multi-currency folio management, and pre-arrival signature capture, targeting international hotels focused on financial transparency. LIKE MAGIC delivers a comprehensive guest journey platform integrating contactless check-in, digital key access, housekeeping automation, and upsell capabilities, fitting hotels seeking operational efficiency and enhanced guest engagement.
Choose alliants if PCI-compliant payment processing and multi-currency folio access are your top priorities, enabling secure and transparent guest financial interactions. Additionally, alliants is suitable for hotels seeking a straightforward check-in/out solution without the need for extensive automation or guest communication tools.
Choose LIKE MAGIC if your property values seamless integration of guest management, digital keys, and operational automation to reduce staffing and increase upsell revenue. Its strong user ratings across extended stay, boutique, and city center hotels, coupled with proven case studies showing up to 80% staff reduction, make it a compelling choice for hotels aiming to streamline operations and enhance guest experience comprehensively.
Contactless Check-in pricing is rarely straightforward. Here is what we know from each vendor's public pricing data. Always request a custom quote for your property size.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | From $200/mo | From $700/mo |
These are the features each vendor has configured, organized by feature group — the same data shown in the vendor dashboard. Expand a group to compare features side by side.
| Feature |
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
▾
Pre-Arrival & Check-in
|
|
|
| Hotel Website Check-in Portal | ||
| Lobby Kiosk | ||
| Self Service Checkout | ||
| Self Service Checkin | ||
| Device Agnostic | ||
| Easy Room Selection | ||
|
▾
Information Collection
|
|
|
| Custom Questions | ||
| Terms & Conditions Signing | ||
| Marketing Communications Opt-in | ||
| Pre-regisration info collection | ||
| Document & Passport Scanning | ||
| ID Verification | ||
|
▾
Translations
|
|
|
| Automatic Translations | ||
| Multi-lingual | ||
|
▾
Payments & Authorization
|
|
|
| Registration Card E-signature | ||
| Collect Deposits | ||
| Payment & Authorizations | ||
| ID Verification | ||
| PCI Compliant | ||
|
▾
Mobile Key
|
|
|
| Door Lock Integration | ||
|
▾
Upgrades & Upselling
|
|
|
| Pre-arrival Upselling & Upgrades | ||
| Easy Room Selection |
We analyzed 4 verified case studies to compare what hotels actually achieve with each platform across four key business objectives.
No published case study for this goal yet.
"Like Magic allowed us to operate with just six staff members, without compromising guest experience. The platform is easy to use, fun to work with, and has revolutionized how we ru..."
No published case study for this goal yet.
"LIKE MAGIC isn't just a tool for us, it's the backbone of our overall guest experience. If I ever worked somewhere else, I'd bring it with me."
Ranks higher for
Unique capabilities
What hoteliers love
The Guest Journey App serves as a centralized hub, integrating multiple communication channels and allowing guests to manage services digitally. Its i... The Guest Journey App serves as a centralized hub, integrating multiple communication channels and allowing guests to manage services digitally. Its intuitive design significantly reduces staffing needs while enhancing guest experience.
Users value LikeMagic for its seamless integration with existing systems like PMS and digital key systems. The automation of repetitive tasks, such as... Users value LikeMagic for its seamless integration with existing systems like PMS and digital key systems. The automation of repetitive tasks, such as housekeeping and payment processing, frees up hotel staff to focus on delivering exceptional guest experiences.
LikeMagic's contactless check-in feature is highly praised for enhancing guest convenience and reducing front desk congestion. Guests can check in via... LikeMagic's contactless check-in feature is highly praised for enhancing guest convenience and reducing front desk congestion. Guests can check in via mobile, offering a quick and hygienic process, particularly appreciated by international visitors.
Where hoteliers push back
LikeMagic is noted for driving upsell revenue through features like room upgrades and package add-ons. The platform's capabilities in integrating addi... LikeMagic is noted for driving upsell revenue through features like room upgrades and package add-ons. The platform's capabilities in integrating additional services, such as late checkouts or in-room dining, provide valuable opportunities for increasing revenue.
The need for more comprehensive analytics and reporting features is frequently mentioned. Users express a desire for advanced modules that track guest... The need for more comprehensive analytics and reporting features is frequently mentioned. Users express a desire for advanced modules that track guest engagement and provide key performance metrics, potentially leading to better decision-making and service improvements.
Ranks higher for
Unique capabilities
It depends on your requirements. alliants Check-In and LIKE MAGIC (Check-in) share many core Contactless Check-in features, but each has unique capabilities. alliants Check-In offers 13 verified integration partners, while LIKE MAGIC (Check-in) offers 11. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.
alliants Check-In: No. LIKE MAGIC (Check-in): No. Neither product currently offers a free tier. Most Contactless Check-in vendors offer demos or trials — request one from each to evaluate before committing.
The HT Score is a composite ranking that considers 4 criteria groups and over a dozen variables to help hoteliers objectively compare hotel technology products. alliants has an HT Score of 0 and LIKE MAGIC has 71. Here is how the score is calculated.
| Criteria Group | Weight | What It Measures |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Ratings & Reviews |
|
How highly do users recommend this product? Ratings Score, Review Volume, Share of Voice, Review Depth, Review Recency, Success Stories ▾ The most heavily weighted factor. Analyzes average satisfaction ratings (likelihood to recommend, ease of use, support, ROI), total review count relative to category peers, review recency (at least 20 reviews in the trailing 6 months), and share of voice across unique hotel clients to detect selection bias. |
| Partner Ecosystem |
|
How highly do tech partners recommend this company? Partner Recommendations, Integration Quantity, Integration Quality ▾ Evaluates partner recommendations as expert votes of confidence, the number of verified integrations, and ecosystem quality — the average HT Scores of integration partners. Products with higher-quality integration ecosystems are more likely to deliver a connected tech stack. |
| Customer Centricity |
|
How customer-centric is this organization? Certified Support, Review Consistency, Profile Completeness ▾ Assesses whether the company has earned HTR Customer Support Certification, maintains consistent review collection over time (an indicator of feedback-driven culture), and keeps product profiles complete with capabilities, screenshots, pricing, and features. |
| Reach, Staying Power & Resources |
|
How extensive is this company's reach and resourcing? Geographic Reach, Staying Power, Company Resources, Trending Score ▾ Measures global presence (countries and regions served), years in business as a stability proxy, team headcount as a resource proxy, and a trending score based on trailing-twelve-month buyer inquiries, reviews, partner recommendations, and press activity. |
Customer ratings and reviews are by far the most important factor in the HT Score algorithm. HTR does not accept payment for higher rankings. All reviews are verified — only hotel industry practitioners with confirmed affiliations can submit ratings. View full HT Score methodology →
Custom recommendations tailored to your property