Cambridge PMS vs. Counter:
Which Is Right for You?

The Decision

Choosing between Cambridge PMS by Shiji and Counter hinges on your hotel’s specific operational needs and what features matter most to your team. Both aim to streamline property management, but they differ significantly in scope, user experience, and regional focus. If your hotel requires a broad, feature-rich PMS with extensive integrations, Counter stands out due to its higher ratings and more recent reviews. Conversely, Cambridge PMS's limited review data makes it harder to assess, but the absence of recent feedback suggests less confidence in its current performance.

Are you prioritizing a product with proven recent user satisfaction, or are you exploring options with a broader feature set but limited recent feedback?

Quick Verdict: Counter or Cambridge PMS – Which Is the Clearer Choice?

Counter currently holds a sizable lead with a 4.73/5 overall rating based on 54 reviews, most recent within the last six months, and a 91% likelihood to recommend. Its wide regional presence and active user base, especially among hostels, reinforce its reliability and popularity. Cambridge PMS has no recent reviews or ratings, which raises concerns about ongoing support and development. Given this, Counter emerges as the more trusted and tested option for most hoteliers.

If your hotel values recent, high-rated reviews and active support, Counter is the better pick. If you are considering a more traditional PMS with a niche market focus, Cambridge may still have potential but with less data to confirm its effectiveness.

Is Cambridge PMS or Counter Easier to Use?

Counter has a 4.6/5 ease of use rating from over 50 recent reviews, praised for its intuitive interface, quick onboarding, and mobile accessibility—users say it's "easy to learn" and "simple to understand." Support staff are noted for their responsiveness, often resolving issues within minutes. Conversely, Cambridge PMS's support ratings and review count are unavailable, making it difficult to gauge the user experience. The lack of recent reviews suggests lower confidence in its current ease of adoption.

Edge: Counter.

Which Has Better Features: Cambridge PMS or Counter?

Counter offers 19 features, including a channel manager, payment processing, booking engine, automated night audit, guest CRM, multi-currency, multi-lingual support, and more. These features are tailored primarily for hostels and small hotels, aiming to automate and integrate daily tasks. Cambridge PMS, by comparison, offers no unique or listed features, making it unclear what specific functionalities it provides or how it compares operationally. This significant feature gap favors Counter for comprehensive property management.

Edge: Counter.

Which Has Better Customer Support: Cambridge PMS or Counter?

Counter scores a 4.96/5 for customer support based on recent reviews, with users applauding its quick, helpful responses, especially from team members like Evelyn and Max. Support is also described as "very responsive" and "always reachable." Meanwhile, Cambridge PMS has no recent support ratings or reviews, which raises uncertainty about its current level of customer service. The consistent praise for Counter’s support makes it the clear winner here.

Edge: Counter.

Which Has More Integrations: Cambridge PMS or Counter?

Counter boasts seven verified integrations, including Stripe, WuBook, FLYR Hospitality, SiteMinder, Cloudbeds, Channex, and Goki, allowing seamless connections with payment, channel management, and access control platforms. Cambridge PMS has only one verified partner, Duetto, limiting its integration scope. For hotels seeking flexibility with multiple platform integrations, Counter offers more options and proven connections.

Edge: Counter.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Cambridge PMS or Counter?

Counter's user ratings reflect high satisfaction among hostel properties, averaging 4.75/5 across 52 reviews, with recent feedback praising ease of use and automation. Cambridge PMS has no recent reviews or ratings, making it impossible to assess user sentiment or satisfaction levels. The active, positive feedback for Counter underscores its trusted position among small property operators.

Edge: Counter.

How Much Do Cambridge PMS and Counter Cost?

Both products do not list explicit pricing details, implying they may require direct inquiry for quotes or are potentially free with paid add-ons. Counter's free-to-use core features are attractive for budget-conscious hostels, but additional modules may incur costs. Cambridge PMS’s lack of pricing transparency makes it difficult to compare cost-effectiveness directly.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Cambridge PMS?

• Hotels seeking a basic or niche PMS with minimal feature needs.
• Hotels that prefer a traditional, possibly less tech-reliant system.
• Properties with a focus on specific markets or regional operations.
• Teams that want a straightforward solution without extensive integrations.

Not ideal if:

• Your hotel requires a modern, integrated platform with frequent updates and support.
• You need advanced automation, channel management, or revenue tools.
• Your operation spans multiple regions or requires multi-currency/multi-lingual support.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Counter?

• Hostels and small hotels looking for an easy-to-use, all-in-one solution.
• Teams that want automation in check-ins, payments, and reporting.
• Properties that prefer a mobile-friendly platform to manage operations remotely.
• Hotels seeking multiple integrations within a unified system.

Not ideal if:

• You operate a large, enterprise-level hotel chain needing complex corporate features.
• Your hotel relies heavily on extensive revenue management or advanced CRM.
• You need a highly customizable platform tailored to niche markets outside hostels or small hotels.

Counter vs Cambridge PMS: The Bottom Line for Hotels

Counter’s core strength is its active, recent user base and a broad feature set tailored for hostels and small hotels, which translates into high confidence in its performance. Its robust support, multiple integrations, and positive reviews make it the safer choice for most hoteliers today.

Cambridge PMS, with no recent review data and limited features, appears less proven and less aligned with modern hotel operations. Unless your property operates in a very specific niche or region, Counter is the clear winner.

Choose Counter if you want a well-supported, feature-rich platform with proven recent satisfaction. Opt for Cambridge PMS only if you have highly specialized needs and are comfortable with limited recent feedback and unknown support levels.