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 1,277 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 when it comes to ease of use and intuitive design — especially for independent properties (4.5/5) , with exclusive features like Integrated Payment Processing.
Simple Booking shines in ease of use and customer support .
Side-by-side ratings based on 1,277 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
| HTScore |
|
|
| Likelihood to Recommend |
|
|
| Ease of Use |
|
|
| Customer Support |
|
|
| Value for Money |
|
|
| Starting Price | From $200/mo | From $200/mo |
| Verified Reviews | 1,255 | 22 |
After analyzing 1,277 verified reviews, Cloudbeds users most value its ease of use and intuitive design, real-time synchronization, all-in-one platform integration, while Simple Booking users highlight . Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Pros | |
|
+
Ease of use and intuitive design
▾
|
|
|
+
Real-time synchronization
▾
|
|
|
+
All-in-one platform integration
▾
|
|
|
+
Reporting and analytics
▾
|
|
| Cons | |
|
−
Customization limitations
▾
|
|
|
−
Speed and performance issues
▾
|
|
|
−
Website builder limitations
▾
|
|
How each product ranks among Channel Managers vendors for different property sizes, types, and regions — based on verified reviews from hoteliers in each segment.
By Hotel Size
| Segment |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Small (10-24 rooms) ▾ | #3 572 reviews | #26 5 reviews |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | #5 171 reviews | #19 12 reviews |
| Large (75-199 rooms) ▾ | #4 42 reviews | #18 3 reviews |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) | #11 4 reviews | — |
By Property Type
| Segment |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Boutique ▾ | #2 484 reviews | #23 9 reviews |
| Luxury ▾ | #4 213 reviews | #22 8 reviews |
| Branded / Chain ▾ | #4 108 reviews | #28 3 reviews |
| Extended Stay ▾ | #2 92 reviews | #26 2 reviews |
By Region
| Segment |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| North America ▾ | #1 405 reviews | — |
| Europe ▾ | #4 183 reviews | #13 19 reviews |
| Asia Pacific ▾ | #4 231 reviews | #22 0 reviews |
| Middle East ▾ | #6 14 reviews | #12 2 reviews |
Choosing a channel manager is vital for your hotel's distribution, visibility, and operational efficiency. Both Cloudbeds’ MyAllocator and Simple Booking aim to streamline your reservations and multi-channel presence, but they diverge significantly in scale, support, and recent performance. With Cloudbeds dominating in reviews and market reach, understanding their differences is key to making an informed choice.
Are you ready to select the solution that best fits your property's size, complexity, and growth plans?
Cloudbeds’ MyAllocator is a comprehensive, widely adopted channel management system trusted by over a thousand hotels worldwide, with a 4.64/5 overall rating supported by over 1,000 reviews. Simple Booking, by contrast, has a very limited review count—only 21 reviews—and a 0/5 overall score, which diminishes confidence in its current usability and support.
While both promise to connect your property with multiple OTAs, Cloudbeds offers a broader ecosystem and more recent reviews, indicating ongoing improvements. Given the stark difference in review volume and recency, Cloudbeds’ platform is generally more reliable and trusted.
If your hotel needs a mature, scalable platform with extensive integrations, advanced features, and proven support, Cloudbeds is the clear winner. Its user base spans boutique hotels, hostels, and large resorts, and it offers 190 verified integration partners, including major OTAs and tech providers.
However, if your property is small, with minimal distribution needs, and you're looking for a simple, budget-friendly solution with a straightforward booking engine, Simple Booking might suffice. Yet, its low review count and lack of recent feedback suggest it’s less dependable for growing or complex operations.
For most hotels aiming for growth and reliable support, Cloudbeds is the better choice.
Cloudbeds scores 4.6/5 for ease of use, with many users praising its intuitive dashboard and straightforward setup, though some mention occasional lag during peak hours. Conversely, Simple Booking’s user rating is 4.95/5, with reviews highlighting its speed and user-friendly interface for managing reservations.
Despite the higher perceived simplicity of Simple Booking, Cloudbeds’ more extensive onboarding and support resources make it accessible for a broader range of users. Edge: Simple Booking, for its slightly higher ease-of-use score and positive recent feedback.
Cloudbeds offers 14 shared features with Simple Booking but also includes three exclusive functionalities: centralized user & role management, unlimited channels without extra charges, and integrated payment processing. Simple Booking’s core features focus on booking engine and channel management, but it lacks advanced functionalities like role management or payment integration.
Cloudbeds’s broader feature set, especially around multi-user management and automation, makes it more suitable for hotels with complex operations or multiple staff roles. Edge: Cloudbeds, with its richer, more versatile features tailored for larger or more sophisticated properties.
Cloudbeds’s support is rated 4.41/5, with reviews mentioning its responsiveness but also occasional delays. Simple Booking has a slightly higher support rating of 4.81/5, with reviewers praising its attentive service and faster issue resolution.
Given the larger user base and recent reviews, Cloudbeds’s support is more tested and reliable, though Simple Booking’s support appears more personalized. Edge: Simple Booking, for its higher support rating and recent positive feedback, though limited review volume warrants caution.
Cloudbeds boasts 190 verified partners, including major OTAs and tech solutions like SiteMinder, TripAdvisor, and RateGain, with 22 shared integrations with Simple Booking. Simple Booking has 56 verified partners, mostly regional or niche providers, with fewer global OTAs.
If extensive, flexible integrations matter for your distribution strategy, Cloudbeds’s marketplace offers more options and better support for multi-platform management. Edge: Cloudbeds, thanks to its larger, more diverse ecosystem.
Cloudbeds’s reviews are significantly more numerous, with a 4.64/5 rating and recent positive comments from users across various hotel types, including boutique and hostel segments. Simple Booking has only 21 reviews and a 0/5 score, indicating limited feedback and possible dissatisfaction.
Given the volume and recency of Cloudbeds reviews, hoteliers rate it higher, especially for reliability, support, and feature depth. Edge: Cloudbeds, with its proven track record and broader user satisfaction.
Both products are priced at a base rate of $200 per month, with no freemium options or implementation fees. Cloudbeds, however, offers a more extensive platform with additional capabilities included at this price point, whereas Simple Booking’s limited feature set may not justify the same value.
Considering the feature breadth and support, Cloudbeds’s pricing provides better value for hotels seeking a comprehensive solution, especially as they scale. Both are similarly priced, but Cloudbeds delivers more for your investment.
Not ideal if:
Edge: Cloudbeds.
Not ideal if:
Edge: Simple Booking.
Cloudbeds stands out as a comprehensive, reliable, and widely supported channel management solution. Its extensive feature set, global integrations, and strong recent reviews make it the preferred choice for hotels aiming to grow beyond basic needs.
Choose Cloudbeds if your hotel requires scalability, detailed analytics, multi-property management, and a proven track record. Its larger ecosystem and recent performance improvements position it as the top option for most mid-sized and growing hotels.
Simple Booking may suit very small, budget-conscious properties looking for a basic reservation system, but its limited reviews and lack of recent feedback suggest it’s less suited for hotels with ambitions to expand or optimize distribution. If your hotel values dependability and comprehensive features, Cloudbeds is the clear choice.
Channel Managers 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.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | From $200/mo | From $200/mo |
According to HTR's product database, Cloudbeds Channel Manager (myallocator) and Simple Booking (Channel Manager) share 14 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
| Feature |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Centralized user & role management | ||
| Integrated Payment Processing | ||
| Unlimited Channels (no additional cost) |
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
The intuitive interface of Cloudbeds is highlighted positively by many users, who find it user-friendly for staff across all levels. This advantage re... The intuitive interface of Cloudbeds is highlighted positively by many users, who find it user-friendly for staff across all levels. This advantage reduces training time and enhances operational consistency, though some users still see room for improvement in advanced feature navigation.
The platform's real-time synchronization across different channels is highlighted as a critical feature. This provides users with up-to-date inventory... The platform's real-time synchronization across different channels is highlighted as a critical feature. This provides users with up-to-date inventory management, significantly reducing overbookings. Reviewers emphasize its importance in maintaining consistency across platforms like OTAs and direct bookings.
Many users praise Cloudbeds for its seamless integration of PMS, channel management, and booking engine, simplifying operations by reducing the need f... Many users praise Cloudbeds for its seamless integration of PMS, channel management, and booking engine, simplifying operations by reducing the need for multiple systems. This integration helps staff efficiently manage reservations, rates, and guest interactions in a centralized manner, boosting productivity and reducing errors.
Where hoteliers push back
While Cloudbeds supports essential functionalities, its customization options in areas such as website design, messaging, and reporting have been crit... While Cloudbeds supports essential functionalities, its customization options in areas such as website design, messaging, and reporting have been critiqued. Users seek more flexibility and control in tailoring these features to better meet specific business needs and improve guest experiences.
Though the platform generally performs well, some users report occasional speed bottlenecks and lag during peak operations, which can affect productiv... Though the platform generally performs well, some users report occasional speed bottlenecks and lag during peak operations, which can affect productivity. Faster load times and increased system responsiveness during high-traffic periods are desired improvements.
Ranks higher for
Unique capabilities
Ranks higher for
Where the ratings diverge most
It depends on your requirements. Cloudbeds Channel Manager (myallocator) and Simple Booking (Channel Manager) share many core Channel Managers features, but each has unique capabilities. Cloudbeds Channel Manager (myallocator) offers 189 verified integration partners, while Simple Booking (Channel Manager) offers 56. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.
Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. Simple Booking (Channel Manager) 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 Channel Manager (myallocator): No. Simple Booking (Channel Manager): No. Neither product currently offers a free tier. Most Channel Managers 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 99 and Simple Booking has 0. Here is how the score is calculated.
| Criteria Group | Weight | What It Measures |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Ratings & Reviews |
|
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 |
|
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 |
|
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 |
|
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 →
Product recommendations advisor