Cloudbeds PMS vs. Counter:
Which Is Right for You?

Is Cloudbeds PMS or Counter Better for Hotels?

Cloudbeds PMS and Counter serve overlapping but distinct niches within the hotel property management system (PMS) market. Cloudbeds offers a comprehensive, unified platform that integrates PMS, channel management, and booking engine functionality, making it well suited for a wide range of properties from hostels to boutique hotels and small multi-property groups. Counter focuses almost exclusively on hostels, delivering a streamlined, easy-to-use PMS optimized for the needs and workflows of that segment.

Both systems tackle the core challenge of managing reservations, availability, and guest communications, reducing manual tasks and overbooking risks. Cloudbeds excels at providing advanced tools for revenue management, multi-channel distribution, and operational automation across diverse hotel types, supported by a broad partner ecosystem. Counter emphasizes simplicity, mobile-friendly interfaces, and responsive support tailored to small hostels with limited staff. The choice depends largely on property type and scale, with Cloudbeds fitting operators seeking a scalable, feature-rich platform and Counter targeting hostels prioritizing ease of use and agility.

Cloudbeds PMS vs Counter: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your property is a hostel with a small team focused on straightforward operations and you value rapid onboarding and mobile access, Counter’s 83% hostel user base and 4.7/5 rating from 50 hostel reviews suggest it will meet your needs with minimal complexity. Counter’s integrated POS and automated payment features support cashless, fast-paced hostel environments but lack advanced revenue management or multi-property capabilities.

If you run an independent boutique hotel, bed & breakfast, or small chain with 20 or more rooms, Cloudbeds is the more data-backed choice, with 1,420 reviews spanning 15+ property segments and a 4.6/5 rating that rises to 4.8/5 in the last six months across 180 recent reviews. Cloudbeds supports multi-language operations, dynamic pricing, extensive channel management, and real-time reporting that empower revenue growth and operational efficiency. For properties needing a full PMS/channel/booking stack, Cloudbeds’ 45 unique hotel-centric features and 208 verified integrations provide the tools to scale and compete with larger groups. The data on Counter is too limited outside hostels to recommend it for other hotel types.

Is Cloudbeds PMS or Counter Easier to Use?

Both products rate equally well on ease of use at 4.6/5, with onboarding also closely matched (Cloudbeds 4.5/5, Counter 4.7/5). Cloudbeds users praise its intuitive interface and fast training times even for non-technical staff, describing front-desk workflows that reduce friction and speed check-in, room assignments, and housekeeping. Counter is lauded for having a clean, simple UI that requires little explanation and loads smoothly on mobile browsers, ideal for hostels with fast staff turnover.

Reviewers of Cloudbeds note occasional complexity in reporting customization and a mobile app that is currently more a viewer than a full workstation. Counter users highlight bugs impacting bed availability display and booking errors, which can complicate daily use. While Counter’s support responsiveness offsets some usability issues, Cloudbeds’ mature platform design better supports larger teams with varied roles.

Edge: Even.

Which Has Better Features: Cloudbeds PMS or Counter?

Cloudbeds dominates with 45 exclusive hotel-relevant features compared to Counter’s zero unique features. Cloudbeds includes critical modules for revenue management, integrated CRS, unlimited channel management with no added cost, centralized user role control, and a native booking engine. Operational features like online check-in/out, guest communication (SMS and email), task and housekeeping management with mobile apps, automated reminders, and shift planning directly reduce manual front-desk and back-office work. Payment processing is PCI compliant and integrated with card readers, simplifying billing workflows.

Counter lacks unique PMS features and focuses instead on core hostel workflows, including POS integration and automatic payment processing. It is mobile-friendly and simplifies basic reservation management but does not offer revenue optimization, multi-channel self-mapping, or advanced reporting features available in Cloudbeds.

The feature gap means Cloudbeds will improve operational efficiency, revenue capture, and guest experience across multiple property types, while Counter targets hostels needing basic PMS and payment automation without the complexity of advanced tools.

Edge: Cloudbeds PMS.

Which Has Better Customer Support: Cloudbeds PMS or Counter?

Counter leads with a 4.9/5 customer support rating and 4.7/5 onboarding compared to Cloudbeds’ 4.4/5 support and 4.5/5 onboarding. Counter reviewers frequently praise specific agents (Evelyn, Max, José) for responsiveness and helpfulness, noting quick resolution of issues and willingness to implement user feedback rapidly. This support is credited with offsetting some software bugs and improving user confidence.

Cloudbeds support is described as knowledgeable and collaborative but sometimes slow to respond, with occasional reliance on outsourced teams less familiar with detailed functionality. Onboarding is widely considered strong, with ample training resources and smooth transition support, especially for smaller properties.

For hotels prioritizing hands-on, responsive support tailored to hostel workflows, Counter holds a clear advantage. For larger or more complex operations, Cloudbeds’ broader support ecosystem and training materials provide a solid foundation despite some response latency.

Edge: Counter.

Which Has More Integrations: Cloudbeds PMS or Counter?

Cloudbeds offers 208 verified integrations across distribution, revenue management, payment gateways, guest experience, and operational tools, dwarfing Counter’s 7 verified partners. Both share 5 integrations including Stripe, SiteMinder, Cloudbeds own channel manager, Goki, and FLYR Hospitality.

Cloudbeds’ broader partner ecosystem includes key hospitality tools like AdsHotel, Trevo, FLEXIPASS mobile key, ManCloud housekeeping, 4SUITES sales, HiJiffy messaging, and Quinta guest apps. These integrations enable hotels to customize workflows and scale operations with specialized solutions.

Counter’s smaller integration list includes WuBook and Channex but lacks advanced tools for revenue management, multi-property control, or guest engagement outside basic PMS and POS functionality. Counter’s integration set suits hostels seeking core OTA connectivity and payment automation but limits expansion into more complex operational ecosystems.

Edge: Cloudbeds PMS.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Cloudbeds PMS or Counter?

Both products have an identical overall rating of 4.6/5. Cloudbeds has 1,420 total reviews with 180 in the last six months, where its rating rises to 4.8/5, indicating improving user satisfaction and a mature, well-supported product. Counter’s 57 reviews are all older than six months, so recent user sentiment is unclear, reducing confidence in its current performance rating.

By segment, Cloudbeds scores consistently 4.6/5 across hostels (305 reviews), boutique hotels (577), bed & breakfasts (586), and luxury hotels (243), showing broad appeal and stable performance across diverse property types. Counter’s ratings strongly concentrate in hostels (4.7/5, 50 reviews), with limited data in boutique hotels, B&Bs, and other segments and generally lower scores in these less represented areas.

Cloudbeds’ large, recent, and diverse review corpus provides a more reliable indication of quality and ongoing product improvement, while Counter’s smaller, less recent pool limits certainty outside hostels.

Edge: Even.

How Much Do Cloudbeds PMS and Counter Cost?

Cloudbeds publishes a base price of $600 with no implementation fees or trials. Its pricing model is not monthly flat or per room but likely includes tiered or usage-based fees given the absence of freemium or flat-rate options.

Counter does not publish any pricing information, nor does it offer freemium or flat-rate monthly pricing publicly. Both lack trial options.

Without transparent pricing from Counter, a direct cost comparison is impossible. Cloudbeds’ upfront base price suggests a premium positioning aligned with its comprehensive feature set and broad integrations. Counter’s free-to-use claim in marketing is contradicted by the lack of freemium or flat pricing disclosure, suggesting potential hidden or negotiated costs.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Cloudbeds PMS?

• Hotels that operate with multiple room types, channels, or rate plans needing real-time 2-way inventory synchronization and advanced revenue management.
• Teams managing multiple properties or scaling from independent to small chain, benefiting from centralized user roles and multi-property reporting.
• Properties seeking integrated booking engine, channel manager, and payment processing in a unified PMS platform to reduce system sprawl.
• Hotels prioritizing guest communication automation, online check-in/out, and mobile housekeeping apps to reduce front-desk and operational workload.
• Operators requiring broad third-party integrations for key operational areas like mobile key access, CRM, revenue management, and analytics.
• Not ideal if the property requires a fully offline or ultra-basic PMS with minimal automation, as Cloudbeds’ feature depth may be overwhelming.
• Not ideal for hostels that prefer a simpler, highly tailored hostel-focused interface without extensive configuration.
• Not ideal if immediate live phone support is critical, as some users report slow response times.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Counter?

• Small to medium hostels prioritizing ease of use and rapid onboarding with minimal training for high turnover staff.
• Teams valuing mobile browser access and integrated POS systems to manage cashless payments and multiple income streams on the go.
• Hostels seeking responsive customer support with fast issue resolution and willingness to implement feature requests quickly.
• Properties with relatively simple operational needs not requiring advanced revenue management, multi-property control, or extensive integrations.
• Not ideal if the property operates outside of hostels or requires multi-property scalability, as Counter’s user base and features are hostel-centric.
• Not ideal for hotels needing advanced rate management, group booking flexibility, or comprehensive reporting.
• Not ideal if the property cannot tolerate persistent bugs related to bed availability and booking errors reported by several users.

Cloudbeds PMS vs Counter: The Bottom Line for Hotels

Cloudbeds PMS and Counter both address core PMS needs but diverge sharply in scale and sophistication. Cloudbeds is a comprehensive platform with extensive features, integrations, and broad hotel segment suitability. Counter provides a focused, streamlined PMS experience tailored for hostels, emphasizing simplicity and support.

Choose Cloudbeds if your property requires a scalable, feature-rich solution that combines PMS, channel management, and booking engine in one stack. It offers automation to reduce manual work, advanced revenue management, and a wide integration ecosystem, supporting hotels from boutique to multi-property groups. Its 1,420 reviews and 4.8/5 recent rating demonstrate strong market validation.

Opt for Counter if you run a hostel prioritizing ease of use, mobile access, and responsive customer support, and you need a PMS that covers core operations and payment automation without the complexity of advanced features. Its 4.9/5 support rating and targeted hostel focus make it ideal for small teams, though limited integrations and unresolved bugs pose operational risks.

The decision hinges on property type and operational complexity. Cloudbeds fits hotels requiring scalability and operational depth; Counter suits hostels seeking simplicity and rapid deployment. Both reduce manual tasks and overbooking risk but differ fundamentally in scope and maturity.