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.
planet / Hoist 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 planet / Hoist 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
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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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| Boutique ▾ | #31 16 reviews | — |
| Luxury | #44 4 reviews | — |
| Branded / Chain | #43 4 reviews | — |
| Extended Stay ▾ | #32 5 reviews | — |
By Region
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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 hotsoft by planet / Hoist hinges on your property type, operational needs, and the support ecosystem. Counter is a free, specialized PMS for hostels with a proven track record, while planet / Hoist offers a broader enterprise option with limited recent user feedback. Both aim to streamline management but diverge significantly in features, user experience, and market presence. Which product aligns better with your growth plans?
Counter focuses solely on hostels, emphasizing ease of use and automation, while planet / Hoist targets larger hotel operations with more complex needs. Your decision depends on whether you prioritize simplicity and community support or scalable features for bigger properties.
Counter is a free, mobile-friendly PMS designed specifically for hostels, boasting a 4.73/5 overall rating with 54 reviews, mostly recent. Its core strength is its ease of use, with an average ease score of 4.6/5, and customer support rated at 4.96/5, praised for responsiveness and helpfulness.
In contrast, planet / Hoist scores zero across all categories, with no recent reviews or user feedback, making it impossible to assess its current performance. The lack of recent data and user engagement suggests it’s not actively supporting hotels or hostels today.
Both products aim to solve property management challenges—Counter simplifies hostel operations with automation and integrations, while planet / Hoist appears to lack recent updates or a proven track record. Which platform do you trust to meet your needs?
If your hotel is a hostel or small property seeking an intuitive, budget-friendly PMS with strong reviews and active support, go with Counter. Its 54 recent reviews and high satisfaction ratings make it a dependable choice for hostels needing basic to intermediate management features.
If your property operates on a larger scale or requires complex enterprise features, planet / Hoist’s limited evidence and absence of recent reviews suggest it may not meet your expectations. Currently, Counter’s proven reputation makes it the safer, more reliable option for small to medium properties.
Counter scores a 4.6/5 on ease of use, with reviewers highlighting its clean, simple interface that is mobile-friendly and quick to learn. Onboarding is rated at 4.7/5, and staff find it straightforward to adopt, reducing training time.
planet / Hoist scores zero across all usability metrics due to no recent reviews or user feedback, leaving its user experience unverified. Given Counter’s strong ratings and active user base, it clearly maintains a user-friendly environment.
Edge: Counter
Counter offers 19 unique features, including a channel manager, payment processing, booking engine, calendar view, custom rates, and automated night audit—features that are not available in planet / Hoist. It also provides guest CRM, multi-currency, multi-lingual support, and ancillary revenue tracking.
planet / Hoist has no documented features or recent updates, making it difficult to compare or confirm its capabilities. Counter’s extensive feature set tailored for hostel management gives it a decisive edge.
Edge: Counter
Counter’s customer support scores 4.96/5, with reviews praising its quick, helpful responses and dedicated staff like Evelyn and Max. Hoteliers consistently mention their support team’s professionalism as a key strength, although some note slower responses in certain time zones.
There are no recent reviews or support ratings for planet / Hoist, indicating a lack of current user engagement or support activity. With a proven support team actively assisting users, Counter is clearly the stronger choice here.
Edge: Counter
Counter integrates with seven verified partners, including industry leaders like SiteMinder, Cloudbeds, Stripe, and Goki. These integrations facilitate channel management, payment processing, and access control, streamlining operations across platforms.
planet / Hoist supports only two verified integrations, with no shared partners or recent updates. Counter’s broader integration ecosystem makes it more adaptable for varied operational needs.
Edge: Counter
Counter’s 54 reviews in the last six months average 4.73/5, with hostels heavily represented (83%) and positive feedback on its simplicity, support, and automation. Smaller properties like B&Bs and boutique hotels also rate it highly, around 4.75/5.
planet / Hoist has no recent reviews or ratings, leaving its user satisfaction unquantified. Based on current data, Counter’s high, recent ratings make it the preferred choice among small to medium properties.
Edge: Counter
Counter does not publicly list a price but is described as a free PMS. There are no implementation or subscription fees, making it highly accessible for small properties.
planet / Hoist’s pricing details are unavailable, and no trial or demo information is provided. Given the lack of transparent pricing, Counter’s free model offers a significant advantage for budget-conscious hoteliers.
Counter is a specialized PMS for hostels and small properties, offering an intuitive interface, rapid onboarding, and a rich set of automation features. Its high customer satisfaction and active support community make it a safe, reliable choice for budget-conscious or startup hoteliers.
planet / Hoist, despite being a longstanding platform, lacks recent user data and reviews, making its current performance uncertain. It may suit larger, enterprise-level hotels with complex needs, but without current reviews, its suitability remains unverified.
If your hotel values ease of use, active support, and proven features, Counter clearly outperforms. For larger or more complex properties, further investigation into planet / Hoist’s current capabilities is advised—though, based on available data, Counter is the recommended choice.
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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According to HTR's product database, Counter and hotsoft by planet share 0 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
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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 hotsoft by planet share many core Property Management Systems features, but each has unique capabilities. Counter offers 7 verified integration partners, while hotsoft by planet offers 2. 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. hotsoft by planet: 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 planet / Hoist 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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