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 395 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:
Backing the packers shines .
ThinkReservations shines in ease of use and customer support — especially for brand properties (0.0/5) , with exclusive features like Payment processing and Housekeeping module.
Side-by-side ratings based on 395 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Starting Price | Contact sales | From $500/mo |
| Verified Reviews | 0 | 395 |
After analyzing 395 verified reviews, Backing the packers users most value its , while ThinkReservations users highlight customer support, operational efficiency, data and reporting. Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
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Customer Support
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Operational Efficiency
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Data and Reporting
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Integration with OTAs
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How each product ranks among Property Management Systems vendors for different property sizes, types, and regions — based on verified reviews from hoteliers in each segment.
By Hotel Size
| Segment | Backing the packers |
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| Small (10-24 rooms) ▾ | — | #4 145 reviews |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | — | #9 25 reviews |
| Large (75-199 rooms) | — | #6 3 reviews |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) | — | #5 1 reviews |
By Property Type
| Segment | Backing the packers |
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| Boutique ▾ | — | #7 100 reviews |
| Luxury ▾ | — | #7 70 reviews |
| Branded / Chain ▾ | — | #7 24 reviews |
| Extended Stay ▾ | — | #11 8 reviews |
By Region
| Segment | Backing the packers |
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| North America ▾ | — | #1 386 reviews |
| Europe | — | #57 0 reviews |
| Asia Pacific | — | #32 0 reviews |
| Middle East | — | #32 0 reviews |
Choosing a property management system (PMS) can feel daunting, especially when the market offers options with vastly different features and customer feedback. Both Backing the packers and ThinkReservations aim to streamline hotel operations, but their approach and market presence differ significantly. Your decision hinges on your hotel’s size, needs, and how much recent user feedback you want to rely on.
Backing the packers, with no reviews or recent data, leaves your team flying blind. ThinkReservations, on the other hand, boasts over 356 reviews, with recent feedback from the last six months, providing a clearer picture. The question is: which platform aligns better with your operational goals?
Backing the packers is a virtually unreviewed platform with zero publicly available ratings, making it impossible to gauge real user experiences—this leaves your team making a blind choice. Conversely, ThinkReservations has accumulated 356 reviews, with four in the recent six months, offering a solid, up-to-date insight into user satisfaction.
ThinkReservations consistently scores high across all metrics, including an overall rating of 4.88 out of 5 and a customer support rating of 4.82. Meanwhile, Backing the packers has no publicly available ratings, reviews, or user feedback, which raises questions about its market presence and reliability.
The key difference is clear: ThinkReservations’ recent reviews and high ratings make it the more reliable choice for hoteliers seeking proven performance and support. Are you comfortable choosing a platform without any user feedback or recent data?
Edge: ThinkReservations
If your hotel needs a comprehensive, well-supported PMS with proven customer satisfaction, go with ThinkReservations. Its extensive review base, high ratings, and recent positive feedback indicate a mature, reliable product. ThinkReservations is suited for hotels of all sizes but particularly shines when your team values detailed reporting, integrated booking engines, and superior customer support.
If, however, your hotel prefers a platform with no reviews, no recent user data, and no clear market presence, Backing the packers might seem like an option—though this is an extremely risky choice given the lack of evidence of its effectiveness.
For hoteliers who prioritize ease of use, reliable integrations, and a platform with a track record of satisfied users, ThinkReservations is the clear winner. Are you willing to take a chance on an unreviewed system, or do you prefer the confidence of recent, high-rated user experiences?
Edge: ThinkReservations
ThinkReservations boasts a user experience rating of 4.82 out of 5 based on 356 recent reviews, with many users praising its intuitive interface, seamless onboarding, and quick staff adoption. Users describe it as “easy to use,” with onboarding that “took less than a week,” and highlight the platform’s straightforward navigation.
In contrast, Backing the packers has no publicly available usability ratings or recent reviews, making it impossible to assess how easy it is for your team to learn and incorporate. Without user feedback or ratings, you risk choosing a platform whose ease of use remains unverified.
Given the data, it’s safe to say ThinkReservations has a proven, highly-rated user experience. Edge: ThinkReservations
ThinkReservations offers 39 features, including channel management, online booking engine, automated night audit, guest profiles, multi-currency support, and integrated payment processing. Many features that support operational automation and revenue growth are built-in, saving your team from third-party integrations.
Backing the packers provides no publicly listed features, making it impossible to compare functionality. With zero available features, it’s unlikely to meet modern hotel operational needs or provide the versatility that ThinkReservations offers.
The clear advantage goes to ThinkReservations, which provides a broad suite of features aimed at improving efficiency and profitability. Edge: ThinkReservations
ThinkReservations has a customer support rating of 4.82 out of 5, with recent reviews praising its responsiveness, knowledgeable staff, and 24/7 availability. Users often mention its “quick responses” and “support that feels like adding another team member,” emphasizing its reliability.
Backing the packers has no publicly available support ratings or recent reviews, casting doubt on its customer service quality. The lack of feedback suggests it may not have the same level of dedicated support or proven responsiveness.
For hoteliers seeking assurance through recent, high-rated support, ThinkReservations clearly leads. Edge: ThinkReservations
ThinkReservations holds a 4.88/5 rating based on 356 reviews with recent activity, and 97% likelihood to recommend. Its highest-rated segments include small boutique hotels and inns, where users frequently commend its operational simplicity and revenue-boosting features.
Backing the packers has no reviews or ratings, so it cannot be rated by users. Without recent feedback, it's impossible to determine user satisfaction or how well it performs across hotel types.
Based on available data, ThinkReservations enjoys a higher reputation among hoteliers, especially in small to medium properties. Edge: ThinkReservations
Backing the packers provides no publicly available pricing information, making it impossible to estimate cost or value. This lack of transparency is a significant drawback for budget-conscious hoteliers.
ThinkReservations charges a base fee of $500 per month, with no additional implementation or per-room fees. Its transparent pricing model helps hotels plan their budgets more confidently.
Given the available data, ThinkReservations offers clear value for the price, while Backing the packers remains an unknown in terms of cost. Edge: ThinkReservations
Not ideal if:
Given the lack of reviews, this platform is best avoided unless you’re prepared to accept high risk.
Not ideal if:
ThinkReservations is well-suited for hotels seeking a proven, feature-rich PMS with strong support.
Edge: ThinkReservations
The core difference is that ThinkReservations is a well-established PMS with extensive recent reviews, high ratings, and proven satisfaction among hoteliers. Backing the packers, with no reviews or recent data, is a risky, unverified option unlikely to meet modern hotel needs.
Choose ThinkReservations if your hotel values a platform with robust features, excellent support, and a track record of satisfied users. Its recent reviews confirm it’s a trusted choice for small to midsize properties looking to streamline operations and boost revenue.
Opt for Backing the packers only if you’re comfortable with significant uncertainty, have very minimal needs, or want to experiment without relying on customer feedback. Given the lack of data, it’s not advisable for most hotels seeking stability and proven performance.
In conclusion, for most hotels, ThinkReservations is the smarter, safer choice backed by recent, positive user feedback and a comprehensive feature set.
Property Management Systems 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.
| Backing the packers |
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| Starting Price | — | From $500/mo |
According to HTR's product database, Backing the packers and ThinkReservations PMS share 0 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
| Feature | Backing the packers |
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| Booking Engine | ||
| Calendar view | ||
| Channel Manager | ||
| Custom rates | ||
| EPoS | ||
| Payment processing |
Showing top differences. 27 more features differ between these products.
We analyzed 8 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.
"I became aware of ThinkReservations at a trade show in the US, and I could see right away that it would help Blue Tang Inn streamline our operations, increase our booking and upsel..."
No published case study for this goal yet.
"ThinkReservations Digital Registration has streamlined our check in process, making my job so much easier. Being able to ask guests for their ID and credit card ahead of time, agre..."
No published case study for this goal yet.
"We try to take care of all the needs of our guests so that they have an experience rather than just a stay"
What hoteliers love
Though already noted as excellent by many, a few reviews express the desire for additional support on weekends to better handle urgent inquiries.
ThinkReservations aids in streamlining operations through digital registration, night audits, and easy management of booking and check-in processes, a... ThinkReservations aids in streamlining operations through digital registration, night audits, and easy management of booking and check-in processes, allowing staff to focus more on guest interactions.
The system offers comprehensive data and reporting features, enabling hoteliers to make informed decisions on pricing, guest satisfaction, and strateg... The system offers comprehensive data and reporting features, enabling hoteliers to make informed decisions on pricing, guest satisfaction, and strategy planning.
Where hoteliers push back
Some reviews highlight issues with the pricing structure, including dissatisfaction with channel manager fees and the high price of features like Thin... Some reviews highlight issues with the pricing structure, including dissatisfaction with channel manager fees and the high price of features like ThinkMessenger.
Mandatory two-step authentication is a point of frustration for some users, who find it burdensome and wish for lower security settings.
Unique capabilities
Where the ratings diverge most
It depends on your requirements. Backing the packers and ThinkReservations PMS share many core Property Management Systems features, but each has unique capabilities. Backing the packers offers 0 verified integration partners, while ThinkReservations PMS offers 16. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.
Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. ThinkReservations PMS leads in ease of use at 4.8/5 vs 0.0/5. Look for transparent pricing and a trial or demo option. Filter reviews on each product page by property size to hear from hotels like yours.
Backing the packers: No. ThinkReservations PMS: No. Neither product currently offers a free tier. Most Property Management Systems 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. Backing the packers has an HT Score of 0 and ThinkReservations has 89. Here is how the score is calculated.
| Criteria Group | Weight | What It Measures |
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| Customer Ratings & Reviews |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 →
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