Counter vs. Hotelgest:
Which Is Right for You?

The Decision

Choosing the right property management system (PMS) can significantly influence your hotel's operations and guest experience. Both Counter by Counter and Hotelgest by Hotelgest aim to streamline hotel management, but they diverge sharply in market presence, review credibility, and feature depth. Counter, with its focus on hostels and a strong track record, offers a comprehensive suite backed by recent, detailed reviews. Hotelgest, meanwhile, has minimal recent feedback and less regional reach, making its suitability less clear. How do these differences impact your decision?

Is Counter or Hotelgest Better for Hotels?

Counter has established itself as a leading PMS for hostels, boasting a 4.73/5 overall rating based on 54 recent reviews, with a 91% likelihood to recommend. Its strengths lie in ease of use, customer support, and high user satisfaction driven by features like channel management, payment processing, and automation. Conversely, Hotelgest's ratings are nonexistent or unverified, with no recent reviews or user feedback, making it difficult to gauge its real-world performance or suitability for your hotel.

Counter's user feedback emphasizes its intuitive interface, fast support, and reliable automation, making daily operations smoother. Hotelgest lacks recent reviews and detailed feedback, so its strengths, weaknesses, and user satisfaction remain uncertain. Does your hotel need a proven platform with solid reviews and active support? Or are you exploring less validated options?

Counter vs Hotelgest: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel primarily operates as a hostel or budget accommodation with a focus on automation, ease of management, and a proven track record, go with Counter. It’s the only platform with verified reviews, a high overall rating, and a broad feature set tailored for hostels, including channel management, booking engine, and integrated POS.

If your hotel is a traditional property seeking AI-driven insights or a less established PMS with undefined support and feature offerings, consider Hotelgest. However, given the lack of recent data and reviews, you risk choosing an untested solution that may not meet your operational needs. For clarity, Counter’s proven reputation makes it the safer choice.

Is Counter or Hotelgest Easier to Use?

Counter’s interface scores a 4.6/5 for ease of use, with many users describing it as clean, simple, and quick to learn. Onboarding experiences are rated highly, and staff report that the platform is intuitive enough for rapid staff adoption. Conversely, Hotelgest lacks any recent reviews or user feedback, preventing a definitive comparison on usability. The absence of user data suggests it may not yet have widespread adoption or proven ease of use.

Edge: Counter.

Which Has Better Features: Counter or Hotelgest?

Counter offers 19 unique features, including channel management, payment processing, booking engine, centralized guest CRM, automated night audits, multi-lingual and multi-currency support, and ancillary revenue tracking. These features are specifically built for hostels and small hotels, enabling comprehensive management from reservations to housekeeping.

Hotelgest provides AI-driven insights and automation tools, but with no detailed feature list or verified customer feedback, its capabilities remain unverified. It also has zero verified integrations, unlike Counter’s seven partners, including Stripe and SiteMinder. Counter’s extensive feature set clearly outmatches Hotelgest’s vague offerings.

Edge: Counter.

Which Has Better Customer Support: Counter or Hotelgest?

Counter’s customer support scores an impressive 4.96/5, with reviewers praising fast, helpful responses from dedicated support staff like Evelyn and Max. Recent reviews mention support responsiveness even during busy times, which enhances user confidence.

Hotelgest's support ratings are unavailable, and there are no recent reviews to determine responsiveness or quality. The lack of recent feedback puts its customer support into question, especially when critical issues arise. Given the importance of reliable support, Counter’s well-documented responsiveness is a decisive advantage.

Edge: Counter.

Which Has More Integrations: Counter or Hotelgest?

Counter integrates with seven verified partners, including major channel managers (SiteMinder, Goki), POS systems (Stripe), and revenue tools (Flyr). These integrations facilitate seamless operations across platforms and improve revenue management.

Hotelgest reports no verified integrations or partner connections. Without integrations, your hotel might face manual data entry and fragmented operations, limiting efficiency. Counter’s open integration ecosystem makes it more adaptable to your existing tech stack.

Edge: Counter.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Counter or Hotelgest?

Counter is rated 4.73/5 overall, with 54 recent reviews, predominantly from hostel operators and small hotels. Hoteliers highlight its user-friendliness, support, and automation as key benefits.

Hotelgest has no recent reviews or ratings available, making it impossible to assess user satisfaction or property-specific feedback. The recent review volume and high ratings for Counter make it the clearly preferred choice among hoteliers actively using PMS platforms today.

Edge: Counter.

How Much Do Counter and Hotelgest Cost?

Counter does not publicly list pricing but is marketed as a free PMS tailored for hostels, with no implementation or monthly fees. Its business model appears to be based on optional paid add-ons or integrations.

Hotelgest's pricing details are unavailable, and no trial or demo information is provided. The lack of transparent pricing complicates direct comparison, but Counter’s free offering and clear value proposition favor its adoption for budget-conscious or small properties.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Counter?

• Hotels that operate primarily as hostels, budget accommodations, or inns seeking an easy-to-use, all-in-one management tool.
• Teams that prioritize automation, swift onboarding, and responsive support.
• Hotels needing integrated channel management, POS, and revenue reporting.
• Properties with limited technical staff or those looking for a mobile-friendly platform.

Not ideal if your hotel requires advanced AI insights, extensive customization, or enterprise-scale solutions.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Hotelgest?

• Hotels interested in AI-driven insights, automation, and data-driven guest management.
• Larger hotels or chains seeking centralized, cloud-based PMS with AI recommendations.
• Hotels prepared to evaluate a platform with limited or unverified support and integration options.
• Properties focused on innovative, tech-heavy solutions that are willing to tolerate potential support gaps.

Not ideal if you need proven support, extensive integrations, or a large user community.

The Bottom Line for Hotels

Counter is the clear leader for your hotel if you want a well-supported, feature-rich PMS with proven success among hostels and small hotels. Its high ratings, recent reviews, and broad integration ecosystem attest to its reliability and operational value.

Hotelgest may appeal if you seek AI-driven features and are comfortable with unverified support and limited recent feedback. However, the absence of recent reviews and integrations makes it less trustworthy for active, revenue-generating properties.

Ultimately, if your goal is stability and proven performance, Counter is the safer, smarter choice. For innovative, experimental solutions, Hotelgest might be worth exploring, but with caution.