Counter vs. Gearco - True Extended Stay:
Which Is Right for You?

The Decision

Choosing between Counter by Counter and Gearco - True Extended Stay can significantly impact your hotel's operations. Both products aim to streamline property management but serve different hotel types and operational needs. Counter is tailored for hostels and small inns, offering an easy-to-use platform with a focus on simplicity. Gearco, on the other hand, is designed for long-term stays and extended stay hotels, emphasizing automation and detailed guest management. What features matter most to your property?

Quick Verdict

Counter stands out due to its higher review count and recent positive feedback, making it the more reliable choice at this time. Its overall rating of 4.73/5 from 54 reviews far surpasses Gearco’s 0/5 rating with only one review. If your property operates primarily as a hostel, Counter offers proven usability and broad regional presence. If you manage an extended stay hotel, Gearco’s niche features could be appealing, but limited reviews mean less confidence.

Is Counter or Gearco Better for Hotels?

Counter’s core strength lies in its user-friendly interface, extensive integrations, and robust support, making it ideal for hostels and small inns. Its review score and user feedback highlight ease of use, quick onboarding, and reliable customer service, although some users report bugs affecting bookings and availability display. Gearco is tailored for long-term stays, offering automated guest data handling, electronic signatures, and complex rules for extended stays, all of which can boost efficiency in that niche. However, Gearco’s limited review data and regional presence make it harder to gauge its true performance in diverse markets.

Both products aim to reduce manual tasks and improve operational workflows, but Counter’s broader market presence and recent positive reviews make it a safer bet for most hoteliers now. Are you prioritizing ease and support, or specialized long-term stay management?

Counter vs Gearco: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel needs a straightforward, easy-to-navigate PMS with a proven track record, go with Counter. Its focus on hostels and B&Bs, combined with features like multi-currency, multi-lingual support, and a mobile app, makes it suitable for smaller properties operating in multiple regions. Its review score and user ratings confirm high satisfaction among hostel operators, especially with support responsiveness and ease of onboarding.

If your hotel primarily deals with long-term guests and requires advanced automated functionality for managing extended stays, Gearco might seem appealing. Its features like electronic signatures, automated surcharges, and stay-length management are tailored for long-term accommodation. But with only one review and limited market presence, Gearco’s applicability remains uncertain for most hotels.

For most hoteliers, Counter's broader use case coverage and recent positive reviews favor it as the more dependable choice. Are you looking for a general PMS or a specialized long-term stay system?

Is Counter or Gearco Easier to Use?

Counter boasts a 4.6/5 ease of use rating based on 54 reviews, with users praising its intuitive interface, quick onboarding, and mobile-friendly design. Many reviewers mention how staff can learn the system rapidly, and support is often described as responsive and helpful, especially from team members like Evelyn and Max.

Gearco, however, has a perfect 5/5 ease of use rating but only from a single review, making this data less reliable. Its features, aimed at complex long-term stay management, may require a steeper learning curve once more users adopt it.

Edge: Counter.

Which Has Better Features: Counter or Gearco?

Counter offers 13 shared features with other PMSs, including POS integration, guest CRM, and multi-currency support. Its exclusive features include a mobile app, centralized user management, guest profiles, multi-lingual, and multi-currency options, totaling six unique capabilities—valuable for small properties needing versatile tools.

Gearco provides four unique features, notably electronic signatures, stay length management, automated surcharges, and multi-property DNR controls, making it highly specialized for extended stay management. It also includes a revenue module and integrated CRS but lacks the broad versatility of Counter’s feature set.

Edge: Counter.

Which Has Better Customer Support: Counter or Gearco?

Counter’s support ratings are exceptional at 4.96/5, with numerous reviews emphasizing quick, professional assistance. Users frequently mention how the support team, especially Evelyn and Max, respond promptly to system bugs and feature requests, which is critical for daily operations.

Gearco’s reviews reflect a solid support experience with a 4/5 rating, praised for reliability and support staff responsiveness. However, with only one review, the data offers less confidence in its support performance compared to Counter’s well-established reputation.

Edge: Counter.

Which Has More Integrations: Counter or Gearco?

Counter integrates with 7 verified partners, including leading channel managers like SiteMinder, and platforms like Stripe, Goki, Cloudbeds, and FLYR. These integrations facilitate seamless booking management, payment processing, and access control, providing a comprehensive ecosystem for small to medium properties.

Gearco has 5 verified integrations, including shared partners like SiteMinder and unique ones like Vertical Booking and Sojern, focusing more on revenue management and distribution channels for extended stay hotels. Its integrations are solid but less diverse.

Edge: Counter.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Counter or Gearco?

Counter holds a 4.73/5 overall score across 54 reviews, making it the more trusted and well-rated solution. Reviewers particularly praise its ease of use, fast onboarding, and support responsiveness. Most reviews are recent, enhancing confidence in its current performance.

Gearco, with only one review and a 0/5 rating, offers no substantial data to suggest high user satisfaction. Its niche focus and limited market presence restrict its appeal unless your property specifically needs long-term stay features.

Edge: Counter.

How Much Do Counter and Gearco Cost?

Both Counter and Gearco do not publicly disclose specific pricing details, reflecting a custom or enterprise pricing approach. Expect to contact their sales teams for tailored quotes based on your property size and needs.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Counter?

• Hotels that primarily operate as hostels, B&Bs, boutique inns, or city center hotels.
• Teams that need a simple, mobile-friendly PMS with quick onboarding.
• Properties looking for integrations with OTA channels and payment systems.
• Small to medium-sized properties seeking efficient guest management and support.

Not ideal if:

• Your property requires advanced revenue management or multi-property DNR controls.
• You need extensive automation for long-term stays or complex rate rules.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Gearco?

• Hotels focusing on long-term, extended stay guests with variable length-of-stay management.
• Teams needing automated guest data capture, electronic signatures, and automated surcharges.
• Properties managing multiple locations with advanced revenue and availability controls.
• Hotels aiming to reduce manual errors in guest transactions and optimize long-term occupancy.

Not ideal if:

• Your hotel operates primarily as a short-term nightly property.
• You require a PMS with a broad regional presence or extensive third-party integrations.

Counter vs Gearco: The Bottom Line for Hotels

Counter is a comprehensive, user-friendly PMS tailored for small to medium properties, especially hostels and boutique hotels. It boasts more reviews, recent high ratings, and a broader regional reach, making it the more reliable solution for most hoteliers now.

Gearco offers tailored features for long-term stays but suffers from a limited review base and regional presence. Its automation and specialized tools could benefit niche properties, but the lack of extensive user feedback makes it a risk for broader deployment.

If your hotel needs a versatile, well-supported PMS with proven results, Counter is the clear choice. However, if your focus is exclusively on long-term guest management, Gearco might be worth exploring further, provided you’re comfortable with less market validation.