Canary Contactless Check-In vs. Chicostay:
Which Is Right for You?

The Decision

Choosing a contactless check-in platform hinges on your hotel’s size, tech needs, and customer service expectations. Canary Contactless Check-In solves a broad range of operational challenges with its extensive feature set, while Chico offers a simplified approach tailored for vacation rentals and small hospitality businesses. Both aim to streamline guest arrivals, but their scope and maturity differ significantly.

Canary’s platform is a well-established leader in the hotel industry, boasting thousands of reviews, recent updates, and proven results. Chico, by comparison, remains relatively untested with no published reviews. Does your hotel need a robust, widely adopted solution or a straightforward tool for smaller operations?

Is Canary Contactless Check-In or Chico Better for Hotels?

Canary Contactless Check-In is designed to improve guest experience, boost revenue, and reduce front desk workload across all hotel types, from luxury to boutique. It offers an extensive feature set, including digital contracts, ID verification, payment authorizations, and integrations with over 50 PMS partners, making it a versatile choice for hotels ready to modernize.

Chico targets short-term rentals and smaller hospitality businesses, offering streamlined automation and booking management without the complexity of Canary. Its lack of reviews and limited regional presence suggest it’s less proven at scale but potentially more suitable for operators with minimal tech infrastructure.

Would your hotel benefit from Canary’s extensive features and proven track record, or is Chico’s simplified system enough for your current needs?

Canary Contactless Check-In vs Chico: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel requires a comprehensive, scalable platform with proven success and extensive integrations, go with Canary. Its 1,391 reviews, a 4.68/5 overall rating, and recent positive feedback demonstrate high customer satisfaction and ongoing development.

If your hotel is a small vacation rental or a boutique property with limited tech needs, Chico might seem appealing. However, the absence of reviews, a small employee base, and no demonstrated market presence make it a less reliable option for growth.

For most hotels looking to elevate guest experience and operational efficiency, Canary’s proven performance makes it the clear choice.

Is Canary Contactless Check-In or Chico Easier to Use?

Canary’s UI scores a 4.82/5, with a quick onboarding process rated at 4.68/5. Users frequently mention how intuitive and straightforward the setup is, even for hotels with limited tech staff, citing a seamless implementation experience.

Chico offers a simplified platform but lacks publicly available user ratings or reviews to assess ease of use. Its limited market presence suggests fewer resources dedicated to user experience or ongoing support.

Edge: Canary.

Which Has Better Features: Canary Contactless Check-In or Chico?

Canary offers 26 exclusive features, including PMS integration, digital contracts, ID verification, device agnosticism, custom questions, and marketing opt-ins, providing full-service guest management. Its features support fraud prevention, PCI compliance, upselling, self-check-in, and multilingual options, making it a complete platform.

Chico’s feature set remains unspecified, with no documented functionalities or integrations. Without detailed features, it’s unlikely Chico matches Canary’s breadth or depth, which are critical for large-scale hotel operations.

Edge: Canary.

Which Has Better Customer Support: Canary Contactless Check-In or Chico?

Canary’s support scores 4.69/5, with recent reviews praising its responsiveness and helpful onboarding experience. Clients describe Canary’s support as attentive, often resolving issues swiftly and guiding hotels through complex integrations.

Chico offers no publicly available support ratings or testimonials, making it difficult to evaluate its reliability. Given Canary’s proven support in thousands of hotels, it remains the more trustworthy choice.

Edge: Canary.

Which Has More Integrations: Canary Contactless Check-In or Chico?

Canary integrates with 54 verified partners, including major PMS providers like RoomRaccoon, WebRezPro, and innRoad, along with key solutions for door locks and third-party marketing tools. These integrations facilitate a smooth, unified experience across hotel operations.

Chico has no listed integrations or verified partner network, limiting its potential for seamless operation within existing hotel tech stacks. For hotels seeking a connected, scalable solution, Canary’s ecosystem is unmatched.

Edge: Canary.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Canary Contactless Check-In or Chico?

Canary’s reviews are recent and plentiful, with a 4.68/5 rating based on 1,391 reviews, and a 95% likelihood to recommend. Hotels across all segments—luxury, boutique, branded—report improved efficiency and guest satisfaction, often highlighting its ease of use and support.

Chico lacks reviews and market presence, making it impossible to assess hotel satisfaction or compare ratings. Based on existing data, Canary is clearly the higher-rated product.

Edge: Canary.

How Much Do Canary Contactless Check-In and Chico Cost?

Canary’s pricing starts at $300 per month, with no freemium or trial options publicly listed. Its transparent pricing reflects its enterprise-ready features and support.

Chico does not publicly disclose pricing details, which could suggest customized quotes or limited options. For most hotels, Canary’s predictable pricing and proven ROI justify the investment.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Canary Contactless Check-In?

• Hotels aiming for full digital guest management and operational automation.
• Large or growing properties with complex integrations needs.
• Hotels prioritizing security, PCI compliance, and fraud prevention.
• Properties seeking to increase ancillary revenue through upselling.
• Hotels in regions where Canary’s extensive market presence is advantageous.

Not ideal if you operate a small, low-tech vacation rental or have minimal guest management needs.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Chico?

• Small boutique hotels or vacation rentals requiring simple automation.
• Operators with minimal integration requirements and a limited tech ecosystem.
• Businesses focused primarily on booking management rather than guest engagement.
• Hotels in regions where Chico’s presence and support are accessible.

Not ideal if your property needs advanced features, integrations, or proven industry support.

The Bottom Line for Hotels

Canary Contactless Check-In is a mature, feature-rich platform trusted by thousands of hotels worldwide, with recent positive reviews and extensive integrations. Its core advantage lies in its proven ability to enhance guest experience, streamline operations, and generate revenue through upselling.

Chico, by contrast, falls short on publicly available data, lacking reviews and a market footprint. For scalable, reliable contactless check-in and guest management, Canary is the safest, most proven choice.

If your hotel seeks a flexible, well-supported platform with a track record of success, go with Canary. For smaller, simpler operations with minimal tech needs, Chico might suffice—but confirmation of its capabilities and support is advisable before investing.