ChargeAutomation - E-authorization, chargeback protection vs. Trustwave:
Which Is Right for You?

The Decision

When it comes to cybersecurity and fraud prevention for your hotel, both ChargeAutomation and Trustwave aim to protect your revenue and data. ChargeAutomation specializes in payment security, automation, and chargeback prevention tailored for the hospitality industry, while Trustwave offers a broader cybersecurity suite focused on threat detection, compliance, and data security. Your choice hinges on whether you need a payment-focused solution or a comprehensive cybersecurity platform.

ChargeAutomation solves revenue loss due to fraud via automated e-authorizations, virtual cards, and chargeback protections. Trustwave, on the other hand, emphasizes network security, PCI compliance, and threat management. Which aligns better with your hotel’s priorities?

Is ChargeAutomation or Trustwave Better for Hotels?

ChargeAutomation is built specifically to prevent fraud in hotel payments through features like 3D Secure, automated collection, and virtual cards, making it more targeted at hotel revenue protection. Trustwave offers extensive cybersecurity tools, including threat detection, vulnerability management, and compliance services, but with less focus on payment-specific features.

ChargeAutomation’s 18 verified partners and regional presence across nine countries indicate a strong hotel industry footprint, especially for vacation rentals and extended stays. Trustwave's sole focus on network security and PCI compliance appeals more to hotels needing broad data protection but lacks specific hotel transaction tools.

Since both address security, your decision should consider whether your hotel needs a payment-centric solution (ChargeAutomation) or a broader security partner (Trustwave). Do you want to focus on securing financial transactions or comprehensive cyber defenses?

ChargeAutomation vs Trustwave: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel needs to safeguard payment processes and eliminate revenue loss from fraud, go with ChargeAutomation. It offers features like PCI compliance, auto-collect of deposits, virtual cards, and self-service check-in—built to streamline hotel payments and prevent chargebacks.

If your priority is network security, PCI compliance, and vulnerability management, Trustwave is the better pick. It provides automated threat detection, vulnerability scans, and security monitoring, suitable for hotels with complex IT environments or those seeking broad cybersecurity coverage.

For a hotel prioritizing payment automation and fraud prevention, ChargeAutomation’s extensive features and recent reviews make it the clear choice. Conversely, if your hotel’s main concern is data security and compliance, Trustwave’s focus and reputation suit you better.

Is ChargeAutomation or Trustwave Easier to Use?

ChargeAutomation boasts a near-perfect ease of use rating at 4.94/5, with many reviewers praising its user-friendly design and quick onboarding process. Customer support is rated 5/5, with users describing the system as intuitive and responsive, facilitating staff adoption even for beginners.

Trustwave’s ease of use scores slightly lower at 4/5, with some users noting that support can be challenging to access. While its platform is robust, it may require more technical expertise to navigate effectively, especially for small hotels without dedicated IT teams.

Edge: ChargeAutomation.

Which Has Better Features: ChargeAutomation or Trustwave?

ChargeAutomation offers 26 unique features focused on payment security, automation, and fraud prevention, including 3D Secure, PCI compliance, virtual cards, self-service check-in, and device-agnostic payment processing. It also features integrations with PMS systems and hotel-specific tools like easy room selection and upselling.

Trustwave provides a suite of cybersecurity capabilities but lacks hotel-specific features, offering no dedicated integrations or automation tools tailored to hospitality. Its core strength lies in threat detection, compliance, and vulnerability management, but it doesn’t include the payment-focused features ChargeAutomation offers.

For hotel-specific payment and fraud prevention features, ChargeAutomation’s extensive set makes it the superior choice. If cybersecurity is your primary concern, Trustwave’s broader threat management is notable, but it lacks the hotel-centric features.

Edge: ChargeAutomation.

Which Has Better Customer Support: ChargeAutomation or Trustwave?

ChargeAutomation’s reviews highlight its exceptional support, rated 5/5, with users praising prompt responses and ongoing improvements. Customers appreciate the dedicated team’s responsiveness and the system’s ease of implementation, which reduces staff training time.

Trustwave’s support rating is slightly lower at 4/5, with some users mentioning that support can be difficult to reach or slow to respond. While its technical expertise is high, smaller hotels or those new to cybersecurity may find support less accessible.

Edge: ChargeAutomation.

Which Has More Integrations: ChargeAutomation or Trustwave?

ChargeAutomation integrates with 18 verified partners, including major PMS and booking platforms like RoomRaccoon, Guesty, Mews, and Oracle Hospitality. These integrations facilitate seamless payment automation tailored for hotels.

Trustwave currently offers no verified integrations specific to hotel PMS or booking systems, focusing instead on broader cybersecurity tools. This limits its ability to provide a unified hotel management experience.

If integration with your existing hotel systems matters, ChargeAutomation’s partner network is a clear advantage. Trustwave’s offerings are more suited for standalone cybersecurity needs.

Edge: ChargeAutomation.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: ChargeAutomation or Trustwave?

ChargeAutomation has a review count of 18, with recent reviews indicating high satisfaction—ratings as high as 4.94/5 for ease of use and 5/5 for support. Hoteliers in vacation rentals and extended stays particularly praise its automation features and customer service.

Trustwave, with only one recent review, receives a solid 4/5 rating for network security, but lacks hotel-specific feedback. Its user base in independent hotels rates it favorably for security, but data is limited.

Given the volume and recency of reviews, ChargeAutomation’s customer satisfaction is more robust and hotel-centric.

Edge: ChargeAutomation.

How Much Do ChargeAutomation and Trustwave Cost?

ChargeAutomation charges a flat rate of $200 per month without a free tier or trial, making its pricing transparent but fixed. Trustwave’s pricing is not publicly available, typically custom quotes based on scope, which can vary significantly.

Your hotel should consider whether the fixed fee aligns with your budget for payment automation and fraud prevention or if a tailored cybersecurity investment fits your needs better.

What Type of Hotel Should Use ChargeAutomation?

• Hotels that process a high volume of online payments and need to prevent chargebacks.
• Properties with complex cancellation and deposit policies.
• Hotels seeking to automate and secure virtual payments and deposits.
• Teams that want to streamline guest check-in, upselling, and payment management.
• Not ideal if your hotel relies primarily on in-person transactions without online payments.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Trustwave?

• Hotels with complex IT infrastructure needing broad cybersecurity protections.
• Properties looking to ensure PCI DSS compliance across multiple systems.
• Hotels that want vulnerability scanning, threat detection, and incident response.
• Teams that require managed security services and expert consultation.
• Not ideal if your hotel’s main concern is payment automation or fraud prevention specifically.

The Bottom Line for Hotels

ChargeAutomation excels at reducing revenue loss through automated, hotel-specific payment security features, making it ideal for properties emphasizing online bookings and virtual transactions. Its recent reviews and extensive integrations position it as the more trusted and hotel-focused solution.

Trustwave offers a broad security portfolio suited for hotels needing extensive network and data protection, especially those with complex IT environments. However, its lack of hotel-specific features and integrations means it’s less tailored to your day-to-day payment needs.

In essence, choose ChargeAutomation if your goal is to prevent fraud, streamline payments, and enhance guest experience with automation. Opt for Trustwave if your hotel needs comprehensive cybersecurity and compliance tools beyond payment processing.