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 57 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:
Counter shines in ease of use and customer support , with exclusive features like Payment processing and Housekeeping module.
High Level Software shines .
Side-by-side ratings based on 57 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Starting Price | Contact sales | Contact sales |
| Verified Reviews | 57 | 0 |
After analyzing 57 verified reviews, Counter users most value its user interface and usability, customer support, automated features, while High Level Software users highlight . Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
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User interface and usability
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Customer support
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Automated features
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Platform integration
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Bug issues
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Reporting and revenue management
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Pricing
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How each product ranks among Property Management Systems vendors for different property sizes, types, and regions — based on verified reviews from hoteliers in each segment.
By Hotel Size
| Segment |
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High Level Software |
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| Small (10-24 rooms) ▾ | #26 28 reviews | — |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) | #46 4 reviews | — |
| Large (75-199 rooms) | #32 2 reviews | — |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) | #31 1 reviews | — |
By Property Type
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High Level Software |
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| Boutique ▾ | #31 16 reviews | — |
| Luxury | #44 4 reviews | — |
| Branded / Chain | #43 4 reviews | — |
| Extended Stay ▾ | #32 5 reviews | — |
By Region
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High Level Software |
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| North America ▾ | #25 8 reviews | — |
| Europe ▾ | #20 25 reviews | — |
| Asia Pacific | #16 4 reviews | — |
| Middle East | #11 2 reviews | — |
Choosing between Counter by Counter and High Level Software hinges on your hotel's size, operational needs, and your team’s familiarity with property management systems. Counter excels at serving hostels and small accommodations with a straightforward, user-friendly approach, while High Level Software offers a broader, more integrated experience suited for larger hotels. Both aim to streamline operations, but their core functionalities and market presence differ markedly. Which solution aligns better with your operational goals?
Counter's strong focus on hostels and small properties, combined with its ease of use and extensive feature set, makes it a compelling choice for budget-conscious or fast-paced environments. Conversely, High Level Software’s limited review data and lack of recent feedback make it less clear whether it can meet the same level of operational support or user satisfaction. So, are you prioritizing a proven, user-loved system or exploring a more comprehensive, but less verified, platform?
Counter stands out due to its high user ratings, with a recent overall score of 4.73/5 based on 54 reviews, and a 91% likelihood to recommend among hoteliers. Its customer support rating is 4.96/5, and ease of use is rated at 4.6/5, reflecting widespread satisfaction. In contrast, High Level Software has no recent reviews or ratings, leaving their performance and user experience uncertain.
Counter is primarily designed for hostels, with 83% of its user base in that segment, and caters to small hotels, inns, and boutique properties looking for an intuitive, mobile-friendly PMS. High Level Software’s lack of segment-specific data and recent reviews makes it difficult to gauge its suitability or reliability. Given the recent review volume and high ratings, Counter is clearly the more trusted choice for small accommodation providers today.
If your hotel needs a PMS with proven reliability, extensive reviews, and features tailored for hostels and small properties, go with Counter. Its user-friendly interface, integrated channel manager, payment processing, and automation tools support daily operations efficiently. If your hotel requires a system capable of handling complex revenue management, multi-property management, or detailed analytics—and you’re willing to navigate less proven software—then High Level Software might be worth exploring.
Counter’s numerous verified integrations, including Stripe, Goki, and SiteMinder, plus its dedicated support team, make it a safe choice for small to mid-sized hotels. High Level Software’s lack of visible integrations, recent reviews, and limited feature clarity makes it a riskier option without concrete evidence of user satisfaction. For immediate, proven results, Counter remains the clear choice.
Counter scores 4.6/5 for ease of use, with many reviews emphasizing its intuitive interface and simple onboarding, especially for hostel staff. Hoteliers note that staff can quickly learn and teach the system, and its mobile app enables management from anywhere. Support responsiveness also contributes to smoother adoption, with many users praising Evelyn and Max for helpful, quick assistance.
High Level Software offers no recent user ratings or reviews, leaving their usability and onboarding process unverified. Without recent feedback, it’s impossible to judge whether it’s as easy or straightforward as Counter. Based on current data, Edge: Counter.
Counter boasts 19 features exclusive to its platform, including a channel manager, booking engine, automated night audit, guest CRM, multi-currency options, and ancillary revenue tracking. These features directly target hostel operations and small hotel needs, helping streamline day-to-day tasks and guest management.
High Level Software’s feature set remains unverified due to a lack of recent reviews, but it claims to integrate reservations, guest communications, and revenue analytics into one system. However, it offers no detailed feature comparison or unique functionalities. Given Counter’s extensive feature list and proven use cases, it edges out High Level Software for feature depth and focus.
Counter’s customer support receives near-perfect ratings at 4.96/5, with reviews highlighting fast, professional assistance from team members like Evelyn and Max. Users consistently praise the responsiveness and helpfulness of their support team, which is crucial when implementing new systems.
High Level Software offers no recent review data or detailed support feedback, making it impossible to assess its support quality. Without verified support ratings or testimonials, the safe assumption is that Counter’s highly-rated, responsive support makes it the more reliable option. Edge: Counter.
Counter integrates with seven verified partners, including major platforms like WuBook, SiteMinder, Cloudbeds, Stripe, and Goki. These integrations cover channel management, payment processing, and access control, simplifying multi-platform operations.
High Level Software has no publicly verified integrations listed, which could limit its ability to fit into existing tech stacks. Given Counter’s proven integration network and partner ecosystem, it clearly offers more operational flexibility and connectivity. Edge: Counter.
Counter’s recent reviews have earned it a high rating of 4.73/5, with 54 reviews in the last six months. Its users, mostly in the hostel segment, consistently praise the platform for ease of use, customer support, and feature set. Hotels that prefer simple, reliable tools with strong support also rate Counter highly.
High Level Software, lacking recent reviews and ratings, provides no recent data to suggest user satisfaction. Without current feedback, we cannot confidently assess how it performs or how hoteliers perceive it. Based on available data, Edge: Counter.
Counter does not list explicit pricing, but it is a free PMS with optional paid add-ons such as payment processing. Its no-cost base model makes it highly accessible for small hostels and budget properties.
High Level Software similarly does not publish specific prices, but the absence of clear pricing options suggests it might be a customized or enterprise solution, possibly involving higher costs. For small hotels seeking a budget-friendly, transparent solution, Counter’s free model offers significant value.
Not ideal if:
Not ideal if:
Counter by Counter is the more established, highly-rated PMS, especially suited for hostels and small hotels. Its ease of use, broad feature set, and extensive integrations make it a practical choice for daily operations and guest management.
High Level Software appears to offer a comprehensive platform, but the lack of recent reviews and performance data makes it difficult to recommend confidently. It may suit larger, more complex properties if proven features and support are verified.
If your hotel values reliability, proven customer satisfaction, and extensive integrations, Counter is the clear choice. For larger hotels with advanced analytics needs and willing to explore unverified options, High Level Software could be considered—though caution is advised.
Property Management Systems 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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High Level Software |
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According to HTR's product database, Counter and High Level Software share 0 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
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High Level Software |
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| Booking Engine | ||
| Calendar view | ||
| Channel Manager | ||
| Custom rates | ||
| Payment processing | ||
| RevPaR & ADR Reports |
Showing top differences. 7 more features differ between these products.
What hoteliers love
Hoteliers find Counter's interface clean, intuitive, and user-friendly, making it easy to train new staff quickly. The mobile and desktop interfaces w... Hoteliers find Counter's interface clean, intuitive, and user-friendly, making it easy to train new staff quickly. The mobile and desktop interfaces work well, allowing managers to handle tasks remotely. It is particularly noted for its simplicity in calendar and calendar management.
The support team at Counter is frequently praised for its responsiveness and helpfulness. Staff like Evelyn and Max receive specific mentions for thei... The support team at Counter is frequently praised for its responsiveness and helpfulness. Staff like Evelyn and Max receive specific mentions for their professionalism. However, there are concerns about slower support in certain time zones.
Users appreciate Counter's automated features that include tasks like contactless check-in, automating credit card charges, and managing bookings acro... Users appreciate Counter's automated features that include tasks like contactless check-in, automating credit card charges, and managing bookings across platforms. This automation reduces staff workload and improves operational efficiency.
Where hoteliers push back
Several hoteliers mention persistent bugs in the system, particularly issues with overbookings, bed availability display, and system errors during boo... Several hoteliers mention persistent bugs in the system, particularly issues with overbookings, bed availability display, and system errors during booking cancellations. These bugs have a negative impact on daily operations and guest experience.
Hoteliers appreciate Counter's reporting capabilities but note that the reports can be improved for better insights. Revenue management features are s... Hoteliers appreciate Counter's reporting capabilities but note that the reports can be improved for better insights. Revenue management features are seen as lacking, particularly for businesses operating on multiple rate plans or using dynamic pricing.
Unique capabilities
Where the ratings diverge most
It depends on your requirements. Counter and High Level Software share many core Property Management Systems features, but each has unique capabilities. Counter offers 7 verified integration partners, while High Level Software offers 0. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.
Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. Counter leads in ease of use at 4.6/5 vs 0.0/5. 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.
Counter: No. High Level Software: No. Neither product currently offers a free tier. Most Property Management Systems 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. Counter has an HT Score of 17 and High Level 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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