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 1,599 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:
Cloudbeds shines in reservations and calendar management — especially for boutique properties (4.6/5), with exclusive features like Mobile optimized/responsive and Revenue management module.
Priority Software stands out with exclusive features like Gift Vouchers and Integrated ID & Passport Scanner.
Side-by-side ratings based on 1,599 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Starting Price | From $500/mo | Contact sales |
| Verified Reviews | 1,597 | 2 |
After analyzing 1,599 verified reviews, Cloudbeds users most value its reservations and calendar management, ease of use and staff adoption, reporting and analytics, while Priority Software users highlight . Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
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Reservations and calendar management
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Ease of use and staff adoption
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Reporting and analytics
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Channel manager and OTA synchronization
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| Cons | |
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Support and onboarding
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Mobile app limitations
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Billing, invoices, and folios
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How each product ranks among Hotel Management Software 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) ▾ | #1 793 reviews | — |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | #1 249 reviews | #40 1 reviews |
| Large (75-199 rooms) ▾ | #1 55 reviews | — |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) ▾ | #5 5 reviews | — |
By Property Type
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| Boutique ▾ | #1 635 reviews | #48 0 reviews |
| Luxury ▾ | #3 260 reviews | — |
| Branded / Chain ▾ | #2 153 reviews | #41 1 reviews |
| Extended Stay ▾ | #2 102 reviews | — |
By Region
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| North America ▾ | #2 570 reviews | — |
| Europe ▾ | #4 173 reviews | #32 1 reviews |
| Asia Pacific ▾ | #3 315 reviews | — |
| Middle East ▾ | #4 14 reviews | #16 0 reviews |
Choosing between Cloudbeds HMS and Optima HMS hinges on your hotel's specific needs and priorities. Both aim to streamline operations, enhance guest experiences, and boost revenue, but they diverge significantly in their approach, user feedback, and scale.
Cloudbeds offers a highly rated, recent, and large user base with over 1,200 reviews, making it a more tested and trusted option. Optima, while a longstanding provider, has only two reviews and lacks recent feedback, making Cloudbeds the more reliable choice for hoteliers today.
Both Cloudbeds and Optima aim to simplify hotel management, centralize operations, and improve profitability. Cloudbeds integrates reservation, channel management, PMS, and guest engagement into one platform, boasting a high overall rating and recent positive reviews, especially for ease of use and support.
Optima focuses on global connectivity, automation, and a rich marketplace, offering extensive distribution channels and AI-driven features. However, with only two reviews, it lacks the breadth of current user feedback to validate its performance in real-world hotel settings.
Are you seeking a platform backed by recent, large-scale user validation? The answer leans toward Cloudbeds, which is more proven and widely adopted.
If your hotel needs an all-in-one platform that simplifies daily operations, improves guest communication, and offers extensive integrations, Cloudbeds is the clear choice. It suits small to medium properties seeking a user-friendly, reliable system with ongoing support.
If your hotel operates on a larger scale, prioritizes global booking site connectivity, and values AI-driven revenue management, Optima could be appealing. However, given the limited recent reviews and market presence, Cloudbeds’s proven track record makes it the safer, more scalable option right now.
For most hoteliers, especially those new to digital management or wanting a tested solution, Cloudbeds offers the certainty of a mature ecosystem.
Cloudbeds scores 4.58 out of 5 for ease of use, with many reviews praising its intuitive interface and quick onboarding. Users mention that staff find it straightforward, with minimal training required, and appreciate its mobile responsiveness.
Optima, rated at a perfect 5 out of 5 by its two reviewers, is described as comprehensive and flexible, but lacks enough user feedback to gauge its actual usability across different hotel types and staff skill levels.
Edge: Cloudbeds.
Cloudbeds offers 47 unique features, including PMS connectivity, analytics dashboards, inventory management, multi-channel distribution, automated reports, and guest messaging—many of which are absent in Optima.
Optima provides key functionalities like guest engagement, reservations, revenue management, and global distribution, but with only 10 unique features. Its open architecture and marketplace are strengths, yet the limited feature set favors Cloudbeds for broader operational needs.
Edge: Cloudbeds.
Cloudbeds’s support scores 4.38 out of 5, with recent reviews highlighting responsive, friendly, and effective assistance. Users commend their quick tech support and onboarding, noting that support helps resolve issues efficiently.
Optima’s support is praised for its availability and professionalism, with reviewers emphasizing its helpfulness and problem-solving attitude. Yet, with only two reviews, it's hard to determine if support quality is consistent at scale.
Edge: Cloudbeds.
Cloudbeds boasts 190 verified partners, integrating with major OTAs, payment gateways, POS systems, and analytics tools. Shared partners like SiteMinder and TrustYou underline its extensive connectivity.
Optima has approximately 40 partners, including major global booking sites like Booking.com, Agoda, and Expedia, and a marketplace for add-ons. Still, the smaller partner ecosystem limits flexibility compared to Cloudbeds.
Edge: Cloudbeds.
Cloudbeds’s overall rating of 4.62/5, based on over 1,200 reviews, reflects broad satisfaction across various hotel segments, especially boutique hotels, hostels, and resorts. Recent reviews frequently mention ease of use, automation, and support.
Optima, with only two reviews, has a perfect 5/5 rating but lacks recent or diverse feedback to validate its performance. Given the large volume and recency of Cloudbeds reviews, it clearly commands higher confidence.
Edge: Cloudbeds.
Cloudbeds starts at $500 monthly, with no free trial or implementation fees, offering transparent upfront pricing. Pricing for Optima is not publicly available, which may complicate budget planning and comparison.
Given the transparent pricing and proven ROI in reviews, Cloudbeds provides clearer value for investment, whereas Optima’s costs may vary or be negotiable.
Cloudbeds’s core difference lies in its extensive, recent, and positive user feedback, making it a more reliable choice. Its comprehensive feature set, ease of use, and global integrations outperform Optima’s limited and less-current review base.
If your hotel values proven performance, user-friendly design, and broad connectivity, go with Cloudbeds. Optima may appeal to larger, tech-forward properties with complex global distribution needs, but the limited recent feedback makes Cloudbeds the safer option to drive your hotel’s growth.
This comparison underscores the value of recent validation, extensive features, and user trust. For most hoteliers seeking a dependable, scalable management system, Cloudbeds is the clear recommendation today.
Hotel Management Software 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 $500/mo | — |
These are the features each vendor has configured, organized by feature group — the same data shown in the vendor dashboard. Expand a group to compare features side by side.
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Accounting & Finance
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| Multi-currency | ||
| Gift Vouchers | ||
| Direct billing | ||
| RevPaR & ADR Reports | ||
| Transactional Emails (booking, folios, etc) | ||
| Automated night audit | ||
| Payment Requests | ||
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Marketing & Ecommerce
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| Native Email Marketing | ||
| Group Booking Engine | ||
| Website Development | ||
| Booking Engine | ||
| Channel Manager | ||
| Gift Vouchers | ||
| Transactional Emails (booking, folios, etc) | ||
| Guest Communication (SMS Messaging) | ||
| Native Email Marketing | ||
| Guest profiles | ||
| Guest CRM | ||
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Administration & Configuration
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| Multi-lingual | ||
| Multi-currency | ||
| Centralized user & role management | ||
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Customer Management
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| Native Email Marketing | ||
| Guest Feedback Management | ||
| Gift Vouchers | ||
| Transactional Emails (booking, folios, etc) | ||
| Guest profiles | ||
| Centralized Messaging | ||
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Front Office
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| Guest Feedback Management | ||
| Housekeeping module | ||
| Property Management System | ||
| Automated night audit | ||
| Mobile Device Notes & Tasks (Voice-to-Text) | ||
| Mobile App | ||
| Calendar view | ||
| Task Management | ||
| Automated reminders | ||
| Guest profiles | ||
| Tablet/Kiosk Check-in | ||
| Payment Requests | ||
| Centralized Messaging | ||
| Automated Space Optimization | ||
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Groups Management
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| Group functionality | ||
| Automated Space Optimization | ||
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Guest Experience
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| Guest Feedback Management | ||
| Gift Vouchers | ||
| Integrated ID & Passport Scanner | ||
| Digital Registration | ||
| Guest App | ||
| Online Check-in | ||
| Online Checkout | ||
| Guest Messaging | ||
| Transactional Emails (booking, folios, etc) | ||
| Tablet/Kiosk Check-in | ||
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Housekeeping
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| Housekeeping module | ||
| Automated Space Optimization | ||
| Housekeeping Mobile App | ||
| Real-Time Status Updates | ||
| Automated Assignments | ||
| Real Time Reporting | ||
| Shift Planning | ||
| Employee Messaging | ||
| Online Checkout | ||
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Payments
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| Multi-currency | ||
| Gift Vouchers | ||
| Payment Requests | ||
| Direct billing | ||
| Automated reminders | ||
| Integrated Payment Terminal & Card Reader | ||
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Reservations Management
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| Rate Shopping Module | ||
| Property Management System | ||
| RevPaR & ADR Reports | ||
| Gift Vouchers | ||
| Channel Manager | ||
| Integrated CRS | ||
| Drag-n-Drop Tapechart | ||
| Rate Management | ||
| Automated Space Optimization | ||
| Automated Assignments | ||
| Rules Based Room Assignments | ||
| Transactional Emails (booking, folios, etc) | ||
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Revenue Management
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| Rate Shopping Module | ||
| Revenue Management Module | ||
| Pricing Intelligence | ||
| Channel Manager | ||
| RevPaR & ADR Reports | ||
| Custom rates | ||
| Ancillary revenue tracking | ||
| Base Pricing | ||
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Taxes & Compliance
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| PCI Compliant | ||
| GDPR Compliant | ||
| SOC2 Complaint | ||
| Tax Configuration | ||
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Support & Training
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| Online 24/7 support | ||
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Food & Beverage
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| Point of Sale |
We analyzed 8 verified case studies to compare what hotels actually achieve with each platform across four key business objectives.
"I have not worked with a company that has such good customer service as Cloudbeds has. It's miles ahead."
No published case study for this goal yet.
"The biggest benefit of Cloudbeds' platform is its flexibility. I can access reporting online from anywhere. Everything is smoother with Cloudbeds."
No published case study for this goal yet.
"Cloudbeds is like if Apple made a property management system. The ease of use is super simple and straightforward for guests and our staff. It’s very intuitive and just makes sense..."
No published case study for this goal yet.
What hoteliers love
Users most often praise Cloudbeds for making reservation handling fast and visual, especially through the calendar/grid view. They like drag-and-drop... Users most often praise Cloudbeds for making reservation handling fast and visual, especially through the calendar/grid view. They like drag-and-drop changes, room moves, split bookings, and seeing occupancy in one place, which saves time at the front desk and helps staff react quickly to guest changes.
Cloudbeds is consistently described as intuitive, clean, and easy for staff to learn, which lowers training effort and helps teams move faster in dail... Cloudbeds is consistently described as intuitive, clean, and easy for staff to learn, which lowers training effort and helps teams move faster in daily operations. Buyers should note that this simplicity is a major reason smaller hotels and hostels adopt it successfully.
Reporting is one of the most frequently discussed strengths, with users saying Cloudbeds provides broad operational and financial visibility. At the s... Reporting is one of the most frequently discussed strengths, with users saying Cloudbeds provides broad operational and financial visibility. At the same time, many want faster downloads, more customizable dashboards, better filtering, and more relevant reports for daily hotel work or management analysis.
Where hoteliers push back
Many reviews discuss the support experience and onboarding process. Users often praise quick, helpful chat or training resources, but others report sl... Many reviews discuss the support experience and onboarding process. Users often praise quick, helpful chat or training resources, but others report slow responses, chatbot friction, or long implementations that delay adoption and increase setup pain.
A recurring complaint is that the mobile app is too limited for real operations. Users repeatedly say they can mostly view information but cannot crea... A recurring complaint is that the mobile app is too limited for real operations. Users repeatedly say they can mostly view information but cannot create or edit bookings, manage inventory, or receive useful notifications, which reduces its value when staff are away from the desk.
Ranks higher for
Unique capabilities
Unique capabilities
It depends on your requirements. Cloudbeds HMS and Optima HMS share many core Hotel Management Software features, but each has unique capabilities. Cloudbeds HMS offers 208 verified integration partners, while Optima HMS offers 40. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.
Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. Optima HMS leads in ease of use at 5.0/5 vs 4.6/5. 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.
Cloudbeds HMS: No. Optima HMS: No. Neither product currently offers a free tier. Most Hotel Management Software 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. Cloudbeds has an HT Score of 100 and Priority Software 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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