Bookinglayer vs. RMS:
Which Is Right for You?

The Decision

Choosing the right property management system (PMS) can significantly impact your hotel's efficiency, guest satisfaction, and revenue. Bookinglayer and RMS are two options that aim to streamline operations but take very different approaches. Bookinglayer offers an all-in-one booking platform tailored for adventure and activity-based businesses, while RMS provides a comprehensive hospitality platform with a broader feature set designed for scalability and deep operational control. Your decision hinges on your specific needs—do you prioritize activity bookings or a full-scale PMS?

Both products aim to improve your team's workflow and guest experience, but RMS clearly leads in overall adoption, recent reviews, and feature depth. This raises the question: is RMS the smarter choice for your hotel? Let's compare these two systems across key areas.

Is Bookinglayer or RMS Better for Hotels?

Bookinglayer and RMS are both designed to streamline booking and operational processes, but they serve different hotel types and business models. Bookinglayer specializes in integrating activity bookings with accommodation, making it ideal for adventure travel, surf camps, and wellness retreats looking for quick setup and straightforward management.

RMS, on the other hand, is a broader hospitality platform with a focus on hotel chains, resorts, and properties requiring extensive features like trust accounting, revenue management, and integrated channel management. RMS supports complex operations across multiple locations, making it suitable for larger or multi-property hotels.

While Bookinglayer’s simplicity might appeal to smaller, activity-focused businesses, RMS’s deeper feature set and recent review activity make it more suitable for hotels needing robust operational tools. Do your operational needs lean toward activity packages or comprehensive hotel management?

Bookinglayer vs RMS: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel needs a straightforward booking solution that combines activities and accommodation, Bookinglayer’s ease of use and quick onboarding make it a strong contender. Its $600/month pricing offers a cost-effective option for small to medium businesses that want to reduce admin time without a steep learning curve.

Conversely, RMS’s extensive feature set—over 55 unique capabilities including trust accounting, revenue management, and a guest portal—makes it better suited for hotels with complex operations. Its $800/month pricing reflects its depth, scalability, and global presence, with over 7,000 users in 70 countries.

For hotels seeking simplicity and quick deployment, Bookinglayer is a good fit. For those needing advanced features and scalability, RMS provides more comprehensive support.

Is Bookinglayer or RMS Easier to Use?

Bookinglayer’s interface is designed for simplicity, especially suited for businesses that need quick setup and minimal training. However, it has zero recent reviews, making it difficult to assess current user satisfaction or onboarding experience.

RMS boasts a 4.28/5 ease-of-use rating based on 293 reviews, with many users praising its intuitive interface and helpful onboarding. Customers highlight the platform’s user-friendly booking chart and real-time management tools, despite some calls for more training resources.

Edge: RMS.

Which Has Better Features: Bookinglayer or RMS?

Bookinglayer offers only 1 feature exclusive to it—the drag-and-drop tape chart—focusing mainly on activity and package management. RMS, with 55 unique features, provides integrated CRS, online support, EPoS, revenue management, guest CRM, group booking, automated night audit, multi-language and currency support, and extensive channel management.

RMS’s feature depth allows for comprehensive hotel management, whereas Bookinglayer’s feature set is narrower, tailored for activity-based bookings. RMS’s broader capabilities make it the clear winner here.

Edge: RMS.

Which Has Better Customer Support: Bookinglayer or RMS?

Bookinglayer has no recent reviews, making it impossible to gauge current support quality. RMS, with a 4.48/5 support rating from 293 reviews, is consistently praised for proactive, knowledgeable assistance, with many reviewers highlighting fast responses and helpful staff.

Customers say RMS support is “very helpful every time,” and the team is described as “patient and friendly,” with quick callback options. RMS’s extensive support network and positive recent feedback give it the edge.

Edge: RMS.

Which Has More Integrations: Bookinglayer or RMS?

Bookinglayer has just 1 verified partner, limiting integration options. RMS, with 112 verified partners, integrates with major OTAs, payment gateways, POS systems, and specialized tools like Criton, Sage, STR, and more.

This extensive integration ecosystem allows RMS users to connect various tools seamlessly, crucial for multi-property operations. RMS’s broader integration options make it the better choice.

Edge: RMS.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Bookinglayer or RMS?

Bookinglayer has no recent reviews, so hotel ratings are unavailable. RMS’s 4.56/5 average rating is based on 293 reviews, with many hotels praising its scalability, reliability, and feature depth.

Hotels in diverse segments—from boutique to larger resorts—appreciate RMS’s ability to support growth and complex operations. RMS’s higher, more recent review counts make it the favored choice.

Edge: RMS.

How Much Do Bookinglayer and RMS Cost?

Bookinglayer charges a flat $600/month fee without a trial or additional charges. RMS costs $800/month, also without trial options, and offers extensive features reflecting its broader scope.

While RMS is more expensive, its added capabilities can justify the cost for hotels with complex needs. Bookinglayer’s lower price benefits smaller operations with simpler requirements.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Bookinglayer?

• Hotels that focus on activity bookings, such as surf camps, adventure travel, or wellness retreats.
• Teams that want a simple platform to manage fixed-date trips, packages, and add-ons.
• Businesses that prioritize quick setup and minimal training.
• Hotels seeking a cost-effective solution for combining bookings and activities.
• Small to medium-sized operations with straightforward operational needs.

Not ideal if you require extensive integrations, trust accounting, or revenue management features.

What Type of Hotel Should Use RMS?

• Hotels with multiple properties or large resorts needing scalable management.
• Teams that want in-depth reporting, revenue optimization, and trust accounting.
• Properties that rely on online travel agencies and need integrated channel management.
• Hotels seeking automation, guest portals, and advanced guest relationship tools.
• Medium to large properties looking for a platform supporting growth and complex operations.

Not ideal if your hotel primarily handles activity bookings or has minimal operational complexity.

RMS vs Bookinglayer: The Bottom Line for Hotels

RMS’s core strength lies in its extensive feature set, global presence, and proven scalability. It supports complex operations, offers comprehensive integrations, and earns higher, more recent reviews, making it the preferred choice for larger or multi-property hotels.

Bookinglayer, while easier for activity-focused businesses and smaller hotels, lacks recent user feedback and depth in features, making it less suitable for expanding or complex operations. It’s best for niche markets needing quick, straightforward booking management.

If your hotel needs a full-scale PMS with deep operational tools, RMS is your better choice. For smaller or activity-tied businesses prioritizing simplicity, Bookinglayer can suffice.

In summary, RMS delivers a broader, more robust platform supported by recent positive reviews and extensive integrations. Bookinglayer appeals to niche markets with straightforward booking needs but falls short on recent feedback and feature depth. Your choice should align with your operational complexity and growth plans.