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 44 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:
ChargeAutomation shines in ease of use and customer support , with exclusive features like GlobalPayments (Credit Card Processing) and Lobby Kiosk.
CheckInn Systems shines .
Side-by-side ratings based on 44 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Starting Price | From $200/mo | From $400/mo |
| Verified Reviews | 44 | 0 |
After analyzing 44 verified reviews, ChargeAutomation users most value its payment processing, contactless check-in, customer support, while CheckInn Systems users highlight . Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
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Payment Processing
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Contactless Check-in
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Customer Support
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Upselling Features
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Customization Limitations
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PMS Integration
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Customer Reviews
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How each product ranks among Contactless Check-in vendors for different property sizes, types, and regions — based on verified reviews from hoteliers in each segment.
By Hotel Size
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| Small (10-24 rooms) ▾ | #6 13 reviews | — |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | #5 16 reviews | — |
| Large (75-199 rooms) ▾ | #6 5 reviews | — |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) | #13 1 reviews | — |
By Property Type
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| Boutique ▾ | #6 9 reviews | — |
| Luxury ▾ | #10 6 reviews | — |
| Branded / Chain | #9 4 reviews | — |
| Extended Stay ▾ | #3 18 reviews | — |
By Region
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| North America ▾ | #4 19 reviews | — |
| Europe ▾ | #6 20 reviews | — |
| Asia Pacific | #5 2 reviews | — |
Choosing between ChargeAutomation’s Online Check-in and CheckIn Systems’ Kiosk Solutions hinges on your hotel’s specific needs. Both aim to streamline guest arrivals, but ChargeAutomation offers a comprehensive contactless check-in platform with automation features, while CheckIn Systems focuses on kiosk-based visitor management. Your decision should align with whether you prioritize digital automation or on-site self-service kiosks.
ChargeAutomation boasts a significantly larger user base, more recent reviews, and higher overall ratings, making it the more proven choice. But does that make it the right fit for your property? Let’s explore.
ChargeAutomation is designed explicitly for hotels and vacation rentals, integrating contactless check-in, ID verification, and upselling. CheckIn Systems, meanwhile, centers on visitor management, suitable for organizations that need quick, secure on-site check-ins but lack hotel-specific features.
ChargeAutomation’s recent reviews emphasize ease of use, automation, and revenue-boosting features, bolstered by 42 reviews in the last six months. CheckIn Systems, with no recent reviews or user ratings, remains less validated in the hotel industry.
Do you need a scalable, hotel-centric platform or a straightforward kiosk solution? The choice depends on whether your focus is automation or on-site visitor handling.
If your hotel needs a comprehensive, contactless guest onboarding system that automates payments, ID verification, and upsell opportunities, ChargeAutomation is the clear choice. Its features are tailored specifically for hotels, with integrations to major PMS platforms and a broad regional presence.
If your primary requirement is quick, secure on-site check-ins through self-service kiosks without deep PMS integration, CheckIn Systems could suffice—but it currently lacks detailed reviews, features, or proven hotel-specific performance. Given ChargeAutomation’s extensive review data and recent positive feedback, it’s the stronger option for most hotels.
Hotels seeking to automate guest onboarding and enhance revenue should go with ChargeAutomation. Those with minimal digital infrastructure and a need for simple kiosks might consider CheckIn Systems, but limited validation makes that less certain.
ChargeAutomation impresses with a high ease-of-use rating of 4.71/5 based on 42 recent reviews, with hoteliers praising its user-friendly interface and seamless PMS integration. Onboarding is also rated at 4.61/5, with users noting that the platform is intuitive and quick to adopt.
CheckIn Systems, lacking recent reviews and ratings, offers no publicly available data to assess its user interface or onboarding process. Without such data, it’s difficult to compare, but the absence suggests limited hotel-specific usability validation.
Edge: ChargeAutomation.
ChargeAutomation features 16 core functions, including ID verification, payment automation, upselling, digital guidebooks, and PMS integration. It also offers advanced capabilities like PCI compliance, multi-processor gateways, self-service checkout, lobby kiosks, and a hotel website check-in portal—features not present in CheckIn Systems.
CheckIn Systems primarily provides self-service kiosk functionalities without hotel-specific integrations or extensive automation features. With no features reported beyond basic visitor check-in, ChargeAutomation’s broader suite makes it the more complete choice.
Edge: ChargeAutomation.
ChargeAutomation’s support team scores 4.9/5, with reviews highlighting their responsiveness, friendly service, and quick issue resolution. Customers appreciate the knowledgeable support staff that helps streamline onboarding and solve problems efficiently.
CheckIn Systems lacks recent reviews or ratings, leaving its customer support reputation unclear. The absence of feedback suggests it may not have comparable support levels or hotel-specific assistance.
Edge: ChargeAutomation.
ChargeAutomation supports 18 verified partners, including major PMS and channel management systems like Guesty, Mews, and Oracle Hospitality. It offers extensive integration capabilities that facilitate smooth data flow and operational efficiency.
CheckIn Systems, with zero verified integrations, appears more limited in connecting with other hotel management tools. Its core strength lies in on-site check-in, not system interoperability.
Edge: ChargeAutomation.
ChargeAutomation has a strong review score with 42 recent reviews and a 98% likelihood to recommend, especially among vacation rentals and extended-stay properties. Hotels across various segments appreciate its automation, user friendliness, and revenue features.
CheckIn Systems has no recent reviews or ratings from hotel professionals, making it impossible to assess user satisfaction. The lack of data favors ChargeAutomation as the more trusted and validated solution.
Edge: ChargeAutomation.
ChargeAutomation is priced at a flat $200 per month, with no implementation or trial fees, providing transparency and affordability for hotels of all sizes. CheckIn Systems charges $400 upfront, with no apparent ongoing costs, but lacks detailed pricing transparency.
Given the available data, ChargeAutomation offers a more competitive and predictable pricing model, especially considering its richer feature set.
Not ideal if your hotel:
Not ideal if your hotel:
ChargeAutomation is a comprehensive, hotel-focused contactless check-in platform with strong recent validation, extensive integrations, and high user satisfaction. Its automation and upselling features are proven to boost revenue and operational efficiency, making it a versatile choice for most hotels.
CheckIn Systems offers a basic kiosk solution ideal for simple, on-site visitor management but lacks recent reviews, hotel-specific features, and integrations. Its limited validation suggests it’s less suitable for hotels seeking a proven, scalable digital onboarding system.
If your priority is a tried-and-tested, feature-rich contactless check-in platform, ChargeAutomation is the clear winner. For straightforward, physical visitor check-in needs, CheckIn Systems might suffice—but with less confidence in performance or support.
Contactless Check-in 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.
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| Starting Price | From $200/mo | From $400/mo |
According to HTR's product database, ChargeAutomation Online Check-in and CheckIn Systems Kiosk Solutions share 16 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
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| Chase (Credit Card Processing) | ||
| First Data (Credit Card Processing) | ||
| Heartland (Credit Card Processing) | ||
| Multi-Processor Gateway | ||
| PCI Compliance | ||
| Vantiv (Credit Card Processing) |
Showing top differences. 2 more features differ between these products.
What hoteliers love
The software's automated payment processing feature is praised for handling payments, security deposits, and chargebacks. Users appreciate how it mini... The software's automated payment processing feature is praised for handling payments, security deposits, and chargebacks. Users appreciate how it minimizes fraud and error, saving time and reducing labor costs. Payment automation facilitates smoother operations and enhances financial security for both hotels and guests.
ChargeAutomation simplifies the check-in process with its robust contactless solution. Reviews frequently highlight how the system allows guests to co... ChargeAutomation simplifies the check-in process with its robust contactless solution. Reviews frequently highlight how the system allows guests to complete check-in remotely, reducing front desk traffic and wait times. This feature is especially beneficial in minimizing manual work, improving operational efficiency, and creating a better guest experience.
While support is generally praised for being responsive and helpful, a few reviews noted the need for improvements in response time and additional sup... While support is generally praised for being responsive and helpful, a few reviews noted the need for improvements in response time and additional support personnel. Good support is crucial for resolving issues quickly, thereby affecting the overall experience.
Where hoteliers push back
A critical point raised by some users is the need for more customization options. Reviews mention limitations in the ability to customize the guest po... A critical point raised by some users is the need for more customization options. Reviews mention limitations in the ability to customize the guest portal, email formats, and other interfaces. This lack of flexibility can impact how well the software meets specific needs of different properties.
Although several reviews highlight how ChargeAutomation seamlessly integrates with Property Management Systems (PMS), there are also some criticisms a... Although several reviews highlight how ChargeAutomation seamlessly integrates with Property Management Systems (PMS), there are also some criticisms about its PMS connectivity. Users report issues like synchrony problems and the need for more flexible information transfer capabilities.
Unique capabilities
Where the ratings diverge most
It depends on your requirements. ChargeAutomation Online Check-in and CheckIn Systems Kiosk Solutions share many core Contactless Check-in features, but each has unique capabilities. ChargeAutomation Online Check-in offers 18 verified integration partners, while CheckIn Systems Kiosk Solutions offers 0. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.
Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. ChargeAutomation Online Check-in leads in ease of use at 4.7/5 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.
ChargeAutomation Online Check-in: No. CheckIn Systems Kiosk Solutions: No. Neither product currently offers a free tier. Most Contactless Check-in 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. ChargeAutomation has an HT Score of 24 and CheckInn Systems has 0. 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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