Cloudbeds HMS vs. PeopleHub - Human Resources for Hotels (By Papertrail):
Which Is Right for You?

The Decision

Choosing between Cloudbeds HMS and PeopleHub comes down to your hotel’s core needs. Cloudbeds offers a comprehensive hotel management system that unifies operations, reservations, and distribution—ideal for hotels seeking operational efficiency and growth. PeopleHub, on the other hand, specializes in HR management, streamlining staff onboarding, scheduling, and compliance—best suited for hotels prioritizing workforce management. Which system aligns more closely with your hotel’s immediate priorities?

Cloudbeds’s all-in-one platform aims to accelerate your property’s revenue and guest experience, while PeopleHub focuses on optimizing your team’s performance. Are you looking for a solution that drives revenue directly or one that enhances staff efficiency and satisfaction?

Quick Verdict: Cloudbeds has the edge with more reviews and recent user feedback

With over 1,200 reviews and a recent surge of 76 reviews in the last six months, Cloudbeds has earned a top rating of 4.62/5 and a stellar NPS of 8.94/10. Papertrail’s HR platform has no reviews or ratings, indicating limited market presence and user feedback. Given the wealth of recent data and high satisfaction scores, Cloudbeds is the clear leader for hotels seeking a versatile management system.

Is Cloudbeds or Papertrail Better for Hotels?

Cloudbeds is designed to serve a broad spectrum of hotels—from boutique properties to larger resorts—by integrating reservations, channel management, revenue, and guest experience tools into a single platform. Reviews praise its ease of use, with a 4.58/5 rating, and its ability to simplify daily operations, making it suitable for teams that want to centralize their workflows.

Papertrail’s PeopleHub is a niche HR tool focusing exclusively on staff lifecycle management. While it offers features like onboarding, scheduling, leave management, and compliance workflows, it lacks the broader operational modules that hoteliers typically need for daily management. If your hotel’s primary concern is HR, Papertrail could be valuable; otherwise, Cloudbeds’s extensive feature set makes it the stronger choice.

The decision ultimately hinges on whether your focus is operational efficiency at the property level or workforce management. Do you need a full hotel management platform or a dedicated HR solution?

Cloudbeds vs Papertrail: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel needs a complete, integrated management system that covers reservations, channel distribution, revenue, and guest engagement, Cloudbeds is the clear winner. Its extensive feature set—74 exclusive features—supports end-to-end hotel operations and scalability, making it suitable for properties aiming to grow or streamline.

If, however, your hotel’s challenge lies predominantly in managing staff workflows, compliance, and internal HR processes, Papertrail’s PeopleHub offers a dedicated, digital HR environment. It’s ideal for teams that want to reduce paperwork, improve staff satisfaction, and ensure compliance, especially across multiple locations.

For hotels seeking operational growth, Cloudbeds’s tools for revenue management, automation, and distribution make it the better pick. For those prioritizing workforce efficiency and HR compliance, Papertrail’s platform is tailored to meet those needs.

Is Cloudbeds or Papertrail Easier to Use?

Cloudbeds scores 4.58/5 in ease of use, with most users describing its interface as intuitive and simple for staff to adopt. The platform’s onboarding process is rated 4.41/5, and users report quick staff training, even for complex features like revenue management and multi-channel distribution.

In contrast, Papertrail has no publicly available ratings or reviews on ease of use, but as a small team with 11 employees, its platform is likely tailored for straightforward HR workflows. However, without user feedback, it’s difficult to gauge how seamlessly it integrates into daily hotel operations.

Edge: Cloudbeds.

Which Has Better Features: Cloudbeds or Papertrail?

Cloudbeds boasts 74 features exclusive to its platform, including PMS connectivity, analytics dashboards, inventory management, real-time integrations, multi-lingual support, online check-in/out, automated reporting, and revenue management modules—covering the full scope of hotel management needs.

Papertrail offers core HR features: onboarding, shift scheduling, leave management, performance tracking, and compliance workflows. It does not provide operational tools like reservations, channel management, or revenue optimization.

Clearly, Cloudbeds’s feature set is far more comprehensive for hotel management. Edge: Cloudbeds.

Which Has Better Customer Support: Cloudbeds or Papertrail?

Cloudbeds has a reported customer support score of 4.38/5, with reviews highlighting fast, friendly, and effective assistance. Users appreciate their responsive support team that resolves issues quickly, enhancing overall satisfaction.

Papertrail, lacking publicly available support ratings or reviews, provides no comparable data. Given Cloudbeds's strong recent reviews and dedicated support infrastructure, it holds the support advantage.

Edge: Cloudbeds.

Which Has More Integrations: Cloudbeds or Papertrail?

Cloudbeds integrates with 190 verified partners, including major OTAs, POS systems, revenue management tools, and payment processors. Notable integrations include AdsHotel, Trevo, Umi Digital, and others, providing a broad ecosystem for operational connectivity.

Papertrail has no listed verified integrations, limiting its ability to connect with external systems or expand functionality. For hotels seeking a flexible, connected platform, Cloudbeds’s extensive integration network is essential.

Edge: Cloudbeds.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Cloudbeds or Papertrail?

Cloudbeds’s 4.62/5 rating is based on 1,219 reviews, with recent feedback emphasizing ease of use, automation, and revenue growth. Hoteliers across segments like boutique hotels and hostels rate it highly, often praising its comprehensive features and support.

Papertrail has no reviews to assess, so no comparison can be made. The high, recent user ratings for Cloudbeds demonstrate its strong market standing.

Edge: Cloudbeds.

How Much Do Cloudbeds and Papertrail Cost?

Cloudbeds starts at a base price of $500 per month without a trial or freemium options. Pricing details for Papertrail are not publicly available, which suggests a custom quote based on hotel size and needs.

Since Cloudbeds’s pricing is transparent and widely adopted, it allows for straightforward budgeting. The lack of public pricing for Papertrail makes cost comparison challenging.

Edge: Cloudbeds.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Cloudbeds?

• Hotels that want an all-in-one management platform covering reservations, channel management, revenue, and guest experience.
• Properties aiming to streamline daily operations and reduce manual errors.
• Hotels looking for scalable solutions that grow with their business.
• Teams that desire extensive integrations with other systems.
• Hotels focused on automating tasks like payments, reporting, and revenue management.

Not ideal if your hotel primarily needs HR management without operational tools, or if you prefer a standalone HR platform.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Papertrail?

• Hotels that prioritize digital, paperless HR processes.
• Property groups with multiple locations seeking centralized staff management.
• Teams that want to improve onboarding, scheduling, and compliance workflows.
• Hotels looking to reduce administrative paperwork and manual HR tasks.
• Boutique or small hotels that need straightforward HR tools integrated into their operations.

Not ideal if your hotel requires reservations, revenue management, or distribution functionalities—these are outside Papertrail’s scope.

Cloudbeds vs Papertrail: The Bottom Line for Hotels

Cloudbeds is the clear leader for hotels needing a complete management system. Its extensive feature set, strong reviews, recent feedback, and market presence make it a versatile choice for operational growth.

Papertrail’s HR focus makes it ideal for hotels that want to optimize staff management specifically. If your hotel’s priority is workforce automation and compliance, it’s worth considering; otherwise, Cloudbeds offers a broader solution.

For most hotels, especially those looking to scale or streamline multiple aspects of operations, Cloudbeds provides a more comprehensive, well-supported platform. Choose Papertrail only if your primary goal is advanced, digital HR management for staff across multiple locations.