Counter vs. isystems:
Which Is Right for You?

The Decision

Choosing between Counter by Counter and isystems by isystems largely hinges on your property's needs and your operational priorities. Both systems aim to streamline property management, but Counter specifically targets hostels with a focus on intuitive, easy-to-use features, while isystems is geared toward property managers handling multiple property types with a broader suite of financial and operational tools. Your decision should consider the scale of your property, your team’s tech comfort, and your integration needs.

Counter has established itself as a top-rated PMS for hostels, boasting a high review count and recent positive feedback. Conversely, isystems, despite its comprehensive offering, lacks recent reviews or clear hotel-specific ratings, making Counter the more reliable choice today.

Is Counter or isystems Better for Hotels?

Counter’s primary strength lies in its focus on hostel management, offering features like channel management, booking engine, and housekeeping modules tailored for small to mid-sized hostels. It’s designed for simplicity, with an interface that loads easily on mobile browsers, making it ideal for hostel staff on the go.

isystems, on the other hand, caters to property managers overseeing multiple property types, including long-term rentals and real estate portfolios. Its interface appears less tailored for hospitality and more suited for property management at scale, emphasizing tenant communication and financial reporting.

Given Counter’s high overall rating of 4.73/5 based on 54 recent reviews, and isystems' lack of recent or hotel-focused reviews, Counter clearly holds more current, hotel-specific reputation. Does this mean Counter is better suited for your hotel? Likely, yes, if your focus is on hostel or small property management.

Counter vs isystems: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel is a hostel, boutique inn, or inn, Counter’s specific features like channel management, online booking, and guest CRM make it a natural fit. Its user-friendly design and mobile-friendly interface are ideal if your team values ease of use and quick onboarding, especially with staff who may not be highly tech-savvy.

Conversely, if your property management needs extend beyond front desk operations to include rent collection, tenant communication, maintenance, and financial oversight, isystems may be better suited. It’s designed for property management at a larger scale, with features supporting multi-property portfolios and detailed financial reporting.

For small, guest-focused properties, Counter’s focus on hospitality simplifies daily operations. Larger property portfolios or those requiring extensive financial management will find isystems’ broader management tools more aligned with their needs.

Is Counter or isystems Easier to Use?

Counter’s interface scores a 4.6/5 for ease of use, with reviews praising its simplicity, intuitive layout, and quick staff onboarding. Hoteliers highlight its easy-to-understand calendar and management tools, making training new staff straightforward.

isystems, however, has no recent reviews or specific usability ratings available, which introduces uncertainty about its user experience. Its platform appears more complex, designed for property managers with multiple assets, possibly requiring more training and onboarding.

Edge: Counter.

Which Has Better Features: Counter or isystems?

Counter boasts 19 features exclusive to its platform, including a channel manager, booking engine, payment processing, automated night audit, guest CRM, multi-lingual and multi-currency support, group booking functionality, and ancillary revenue tracking. These features directly support small to mid-sized properties seeking automation and streamlined guest management.

isystems offers a broader suite of property management functions, including tenant communication, rent collection, maintenance requests, and financial reporting. Its feature set is geared toward real estate management, not specifically hospitality, and lacks the hotel-centric tools Counter provides.

Edge: Counter.

Which Has Better Customer Support: Counter or isystems?

Counter’s support rating is outstanding at 4.96/5, with recent reviews emphasizing quick, helpful responses from support staff like Evelyn and Max. Users frequently mention the responsiveness and professionalism of Counter’s team as a key advantage.

isystems provides no recent reviews or ratings, leaving a gap in current customer support assessment. Without recent, hotel-specific feedback, Counter’s support reputation clearly surpasses that of isystems.

Edge: Counter.

Which Has More Integrations: Counter or isystems?

Counter integrates with 7 verified partners, including popular platforms like Stripe, Cloudbeds, SiteMinder, and Goki, facilitating payments, channel management, and access control. These integrations are crucial for smooth operations and revenue flow.

isystems has no verified integrations listed, limiting its ability to connect with third-party tools. For hoteliers seeking a PMS that can fit into an existing tech stack, Counter’s active integrations give it a distinct advantage.

Edge: Counter.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Counter or isystems?

Counter’s reviews, with a score of 4.73/5 and 54 recent reviews, indicate strong satisfaction among hostel and boutique hotel owners, particularly regarding ease of use and support. Hoteliers often cite its simplicity and efficiency as decisive factors.

isystems, lacking recent reviews, offers no current data on user satisfaction. Given the active, positive feedback for Counter, it’s clear hoteliers rate Counter higher.

Edge: Counter.

How Much Do Counter and isystems Cost?

Neither Counter nor isystems disclose specific pricing publicly. They do not offer freemium plans, and no trial information is available, making precise comparisons difficult. Expect pricing to be tailored based on property size and feature requirements.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Counter?

• Hotels that operate as hostels, inns, or boutique properties seeking an easy-to-use, mobile-friendly PMS.
• Teams that prioritize quick onboarding, automation of bookings, and guest management.
• Small to medium-sized properties aiming for an all-in-one solution with channel management and guest CRM.
• Hotels that want integrated POS and revenue tracking features.

Not ideal if:

• Your property is a large hotel chain needing extensive financial reporting.
• You require complex rate management or dynamic pricing.
• Your property relies heavily on long-term rentals or real estate management.

What Type of Hotel Should Use isystems?

• Larger properties or property management companies overseeing multiple assets.
• Teams that need integrated tenant communication, rent collection, and maintenance tracking.
• Property managers looking for detailed financial reporting and automation of routine tasks.
• Hotels or properties with diverse management needs beyond guest services.

Not ideal if:

• You operate a small hotel or hostel requiring straightforward, easy-to-use hospitality tools.
• You need hotel-specific features like channel management, booking engines, or guest CRM.
• Your focus is on guest experience rather than property management at scale.

isystems vs Counter: The Bottom Line for Hotels

Counter’s core strength lies in its targeted design for hostels and small hotels, with a focus on ease of use, automation, and guest management. Its high review count and recent positive feedback make it a reliable choice for properties seeking a straightforward PMS.

If your hotel needs a system that supports multi-property management, extensive financial reporting, and tenant functions, isystems may be suitable. However, its lack of recent reviews and hotel-specific features place it behind Counter in current hotel-focused evaluations.

For most hoteliers today, especially those managing hostels or boutique properties, Counter’s dedicated features, recent high ratings, and active support make it the better choice. Unless your property operates at a scale requiring complex real estate management, Counter is the recommended platform.