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 89 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:
CheKin shines , with exclusive features like Hotel Website Check-in Portal.
straiv shines when it comes to digital check-in and check-out , with exclusive features like Mobile Checkin and Mobile Checkout.
Side-by-side ratings based on 89 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Starting Price | From $400/mo | From $500/mo |
| Verified Reviews | 6 | 83 |
After analyzing 89 verified reviews, CheKin users most value its , while straiv users highlight digital check-in and check-out, guest communication and customization, ease of implementation and use. Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
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Digital check-in and check-out
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Guest communication and customization
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Ease of implementation and use
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Continuous improvement and updates
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Payment process issues
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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
| Segment |
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| Small (10-24 rooms) ▾ | #9 3 reviews | #3 27 reviews |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | #22 0 reviews | #3 41 reviews |
| Large (75-199 rooms) ▾ | #18 1 reviews | #5 8 reviews |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) ▾ | — | #5 5 reviews |
By Property Type
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| Boutique ▾ | — | #3 28 reviews |
| Luxury ▾ | #21 1 reviews | #9 8 reviews |
| Branded / Chain ▾ | — | #3 19 reviews |
| Extended Stay ▾ | #18 0 reviews | #4 18 reviews |
By Region
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| North America | — | #16 2 reviews |
| Europe ▾ | #9 6 reviews | #2 79 reviews |
Your hotel aims to streamline the contactless check-in process, enhance guest experience, and automate operations. Both Chekin by CheKin and straiv by straiv offer solutions to meet these needs, but they diverge in focus, features, and user feedback. Chekin emphasizes comprehensive automation and integrations, while straiv concentrates on contactless, guest-friendly digital journeys. Which platform aligns best with your property's specific demands?
Chekin and straiv both help automate contactless check-in, but they approach the challenge differently. Chekin offers a broader set of features such as guest registration, document scanning, and custom branding, making it suitable for hotels seeking extensive automation and integration. Straiv, however, simplifies the guest journey with mobile check-in/out, guest messaging, and digital concierge functions, emphasizing ease of use and contactless services without requiring app downloads. Do you prioritize feature depth or guest-centered simplicity?
Chekin’s current user base includes vacation rentals, city hotels, and hostels, with a focus on property management automation. Straiv mostly serves boutique, branded, and serviced apartments, showing strength in contactless guest experience and operational efficiency. Chekin’s more extensive feature set is backed by fewer recent reviews, while straiv’s recent reviews—eight in the last six months—indicate a more active and current user base. Given the stronger review activity for straiv, it’s a more current choice for hotels prioritizing recent feedback.
If your hotel needs deep automation, integrations, and customizable branding, Chekin is the better fit. Its features like online deposits, multi-lingual support, and document scanning cater to larger or more complex operations looking to streamline check-in and compliance tasks.
Conversely, if your hotel values a quick, contactless guest experience with minimal guest app interaction, straiv is preferable. It excels in digital check-in/out, guest messaging, and digital concierge services, ideal for properties focusing on guest convenience and operational simplicity. Your choice depends on whether automation depth or guest ease is your top priority.
Chekin scores slightly higher in ease of use, with a rating of 4.67/5, compared to straiv’s 4.69/5. Both platforms are praised for intuitive interfaces, with Chekin’s onboarding rated at 4.33/5 and straiv’s at 4.62/5—straiv’s onboarding is notably smoother. Customer support ratings are close, but straiv edges slightly ahead at 4.72/5 versus Chekin’s 4.5/5, reflecting a more recent and active support presence. Overall, straiv’s interface and support are just a bit more current and user-friendly.
Edge: straiv.
Chekin boasts 12 features exclusive to its platform, including hotel website check-in portals, document scanning, multi-lingual support, and PCI compliance—features that enhance automation and security. Straiv offers 10 unique features centered on guest engagement and contactless interaction, such as mobile check-in/out, guest messaging, and room service ordering.
Chekin’s feature set is more comprehensive for property management automation, while straiv’s features focus on streamlining guest flow and digital services. For properties needing extensive automation, Chekin’s feature count gives it the edge.
Edge: Chekin.
Straiv’s support ratings are slightly higher at 4.72/5, with recent reviews praising its responsiveness and proactive updates. Chekin’s support, rated at 4.5/5, receives positive feedback but has fewer recent reviews, making straiv’s support more current and reliable.
Guests and hoteliers report straiv’s team as helpful, quick to resolve issues, and actively improving the platform. For ongoing, responsive assistance, straiv takes the lead.
Edge: straiv.
Chekin integrates with 20 verified partners, including major PMS providers like RoomRaccoon, HotelTime, and Guesty. Straiv connects with 36 verified partners, notably integrating with Oracle Suite 8, Protel, and Vingcard, along with other hotel systems.
While both platforms have strong integration options, straiv’s larger partner network and notable integrations with enterprise PMS systems provide greater flexibility. If extensive third-party integration is vital, straiv’s broader ecosystem is advantageous.
Edge: straiv.
Straiv’s recent reviews—eight from the last six months—highlight an overall rating of 4.81/5, with a 95% likelihood to recommend, indicating high satisfaction. Chekin’s reviews are sparse, with only six reviews in total and none recent, and an overall rating of 0/5, which suggests limited current data and potentially outdated feedback.
Given the volume and recency of straiv’s reviews, hoteliers rate straiv significantly higher, particularly for its usability and support. Straiv’s ongoing customer feedback makes it the more trusted choice today.
Edge: straiv.
Chekin’s pricing is a flat rate of $400 per month, with no free tier or trial, indicating a predictable cost structure. Straiv’s base price is $500 per month, also without a free tier or trial, but slightly more expensive.
Both platforms lack flexible tiered pricing or trial options, so your decision may hinge on feature needs rather than cost alone. Chekin’s slightly lower price point might appeal if budget is a concern.
Not ideal if your hotel is small, values simplicity, or doesn’t need extensive automation.
Not ideal if your hotel needs extensive automation features or complex integrations.
Chekin and straiv both aim to simplify contactless check-in but serve different hotel segments and operational styles. Chekin’s broader features and integrations make it suitable for larger or more automation-reliant properties, while straiv’s ease of use, recent positive reviews, and guest-centric features favor smaller to mid-sized hotels emphasizing guest experience.
If your hotel requires in-depth automation and customization, Chekin offers more comprehensive tools. For properties prioritizing a smooth, contactless guest journey with quick setup, straiv is the better choice.
In conclusion, straiv’s active user base and recent review momentum position it as the stronger option for today’s hoteliers seeking a straightforward, contactless check-in platform. Chekin remains valuable for complex operations needing extensive automation, but its limited recent feedback warrants caution.
This detailed analysis should guide your decision-making process by aligning your hotel’s specific needs with each platform’s strengths.
According to HTR's product database, Chekin and straiv share 9 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
| Feature |
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| Collect Deposits | ||
| Custom Questions | ||
| Document & Passport Scanning | ||
| Hotel Directory | ||
| Hotel Website Check-in Portal | ||
| Local Recommendations | ||
| Marketing Communications Opt-in | ||
| Mobile Checkin | ||
| Mobile Checkout | ||
| Pre-regisration info collection | ||
| Room Service Ordering | ||
| Web-app |
Showing top differences. 10 more features differ between these products.
Ranks higher for
Unique capabilities
What hoteliers love
Digital check-in and check-out are praised for significantly reducing waiting times for guests and administrative burdens for staff. Reviews emphasize... Digital check-in and check-out are praised for significantly reducing waiting times for guests and administrative burdens for staff. Reviews emphasize the benefits of contactless processes, especially during the COVID-19 era, providing guests with seamless and flexible arrivals and departures, while ensuring compliance with health safety protocols.
Users appreciate the ability to communicate directly with guests through journey mailing and other customizable modules. This facilitates timely infor... Users appreciate the ability to communicate directly with guests through journey mailing and other customizable modules. This facilitates timely information exchange, promotional offers, and enhances overall guest satisfaction. Reviews laud the flexibility in designing guest interactions based on individual hotel needs.
Straiv receives high marks for the ease with which its system can be implemented, requiring no advanced IT skills. Reviews consistently mention the to... Straiv receives high marks for the ease with which its system can be implemented, requiring no advanced IT skills. Reviews consistently mention the tool's intuitive user interface, making it easy for both staff and guests to interact with the system.
Where hoteliers push back
Some users report issues with the payment processing feature, such as delays and incomplete data transfers. Improvements in integrating multiple payme... Some users report issues with the payment processing feature, such as delays and incomplete data transfers. Improvements in integrating multiple payment gateways are suggested to enhance efficiency and reliability.
Ranks higher for
Unique capabilities
Where the ratings diverge most
It depends on your requirements. Chekin and straiv share many core Contactless Check-in features, but each has unique capabilities. Chekin offers 20 verified integration partners, while straiv offers 37. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.
Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. Chekin leads in ease of use at 4.7/5 vs 4.7/5. 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.
Chekin: No. straiv: 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. CheKin has an HT Score of 0 and straiv has 73. 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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