Bookster vs. Counter:
Which Is Right for You?

The Decision

Choosing between Bookster by Bookster and Counter by Counter hinges on your property type and operational needs. Both aim to streamline property management but differ significantly in features, user experience, and market presence.

Bookster offers a comprehensive platform, especially suited for vacation rentals, while Counter focuses on ease of use tailored for hostels and small hostels. Which solution aligns better with your property’s size, complexity, and growth plans?

Is Bookster or Counter Better for Hotels?

Bookster and Counter address distinct hotel management challenges: Bookster is designed for vacation rentals with a focus on guest analytics, marketing, and multi-property management, whereas Counter is built for hostels with simplified check-in/out, fast onboarding, and automation.

Bookster’s lack of recent reviews and zero ratings suggest limited current market engagement, whereas Counter boasts 54 recent reviews, a high 4.73/5 rating, and a 91% likelihood to recommend, indicating active adoption. Do your hotel’s needs align more with complex analytics or straightforward hostel operations?

Counter vs Bookster: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel operates as a hostel or small boutique property needing quick onboarding, automated features, and mobile management, Counter is the clear choice. Its focus on hostels with features like POS integration, group bookings, and multi-platform support makes it ideal for budget or small-scale accommodations.

Conversely, if your property manages multiple vacation rentals, requires detailed guest insights, and prioritizes marketing tools, Bookster’s broad feature set might be more appropriate—but note that its absence of recent reviews and a low score suggest limited current usability. For most hoteliers, especially hostels, Counter is the safer bet.

Is Bookster or Counter Easier to Use?

Counter’s user-friendly, intuitive interface receives a 4.6/5 ease of use rating, with multiple positive reviews praising its simplicity and quick staff onboarding. Its mobile-friendly platform allows for management on the go, critical for small teams.

Bookster’s score is 0/5, with no recent reviews, indicating an absence of current user feedback or confirmation of ease. Based on available data, Counter’s usability clearly outperforms Bookster.

Edge: Counter.

Which Has Better Features: Bookster or Counter?

Counter offers 19 unique features, including channel management, booking engine, payment processing, group functionality, and multi-lingual support—features critical for hostel operations and small hotels. These are absent in Bookster, which offers no verified features, suggesting limited functionalities or incomplete integration.

Counter’s comprehensive feature set directly addresses operational needs like automation, bookings, and revenue tracking. For hoteliers needing a full property management suite, Counter’s feature count and variety give it a decisive advantage.

Edge: Counter.

Which Has Better Customer Support: Bookster or Counter?

Counter’s reviews highlight a 4.96/5 customer support rating, with comments praising its responsiveness, helpfulness, and ongoing improvements. Support staff like Evelyn and Max are praised for their professionalism and quick responses, making onboarding and troubleshooting smoother.

Bookster’s support data is unavailable, and with no recent reviews, its support quality cannot be confirmed. Given Counter’s high support ratings and active feedback, it clearly offers superior customer assistance.

Edge: Counter.

Which Has More Integrations: Bookster or Counter?

Counter boasts 7 verified integrations, including Stripe, Goki, Cloudbeds, SiteMinder, and others, facilitating payments, channel management, and access control. Bookster, with no verified integrations listed, appears limited in connecting with popular platforms.

Counter’s integrations enable wider connectivity and operational flexibility, crucial for streamlining multi-platform bookings and financial management. This makes it a more versatile choice for properties seeking seamless platform connections.

Edge: Counter.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Bookster or Counter?

Counter’s recent reviews (54 in the last 6 months) display a high overall rating of 4.73/5, with 91% of hoteliers ready to recommend it. It is particularly favored by hostels, which make up 83% of its user base, praising its ease of use and automation.

Bookster’s lack of recent reviews and a 0/5 rating mean it cannot be confidently rated, but the absence of active feedback suggests low current user satisfaction or market presence. Counter’s high and recent ratings make it the preferred choice.

Edge: Counter.

How Much Do Bookster and Counter Cost?

Pricing details for both systems are not available, which is common with many PMS providers. Given Counter’s free plan for small hostels and no mention of charges, it can be inferred that it’s accessible for budget-conscious properties.

Bookster’s lack of pricing data and the absence of a free or trial option imply it may involve hidden or higher costs, possibly limiting its appeal to smaller properties or those with tight budgets. Cost-effectiveness favors Counter.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Bookster?

• Hotels that manage multiple vacation rentals or require detailed guest analytics.
• Properties aiming for advanced marketing, revenue management, and multi-property oversight.
• Teams that prioritize data-driven decisions and integrated guest reviews.
• Not ideal if you need a simple, quick-to-deploy system with frequent active reviews.

Given the current data, Bookster seems better suited for larger or more complex vacation rental operations, not small hostels or those seeking rapid implementation.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Counter?

• Hostels seeking an intuitive, mobile-friendly PMS with automation.
• Small hotels or boutique properties that prioritize ease of use and quick onboarding.
• Teams needing integrated POS, group booking, and multi-platform support.
• Not ideal if your property requires advanced analytics, extensive marketing tools, or multi-property management.

Counter’s simplicity and focus on hostels make it ideal for small to medium-sized properties that want streamlined, automated operations without complex setup.

The Bottom Line for Hotels

Counter’s core advantage is its ease of use, recent active reviews, and feature set tailored for hostels and small hotels. Its high customer support ratings and extensive integrations make it a reliable choice for properties prioritizing operational simplicity.

Bookster offers a broad set of features for vacation rentals but currently lacks recent validation or user feedback, making it a less dependable option for most hoteliers today. Its appeal may lie in future updates or larger property management needs.

For most small hotels and hostels, Counter is the recommended choice due to its active support, high ratings, and tailored features. If your property operates at a larger scale or requires detailed analytics, further investigation into Bookster’s evolving platform may be warranted, but Counter currently leads.