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 Mobile App and Ancillary revenue tracking.
ManCloud shines , with exclusive features like Gift Vouchers.
Side-by-side ratings based on 57 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Starting Price | Contact sales | From $700/mo |
| Verified Reviews | 57 | 0 |
After analyzing 57 verified reviews, Counter users most value its user interface and usability, customer support, automated features, while ManCloud 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 the right property management system (PMS) hinges on your hotel’s specific needs, operational scale, and growth plans. Counter by Counter, with its extensive review base and recent performance, stands out in the PMS landscape for hostels and budget hotels. Conversely, Lobbi Hotel Software by ManCloud, despite its limited reviews, aims to serve broader hotel segments but lacks recent user feedback to validate its effectiveness. Are you comfortable choosing a product with proven user satisfaction versus one with minimal recent data?
Counter by Counter is the clear leader based on review volume and recent feedback, boasting a 4.73/5 rating from 54 reviews, including zero in the last six months. Its high customer support score (4.96/5) and ease-of-use rating (4.6/5) make it a trusted choice for hostels. ManCloud’s Lobbi, with no recent reviews and a score of zero, cannot be confidently recommended at this time. For a reliable, tested PMS, Counter is the stronger pick.
Counter is designed primarily for hostels and budget accommodations, emphasizing simplicity and affordability. Its extensive feature set includes a channel manager, booking engine, online support, mobile app, and ancillary revenue tracking, making it suitable for small to medium hostels. ManCloud aims for broader hotel markets with features like guest management and automation but lacks recent user feedback to confirm its performance.
Counter’s reviews highlight its intuitive interface, fast customer support, and automation features, although some users mention bugs and room for reporting improvements. ManCloud’s minimal feedback makes it impossible to gauge its real-world effectiveness or compare the user experience directly. Given this, your choice should lean toward Counter if you need a tested, reliable system for hostel operations.
Edge: Counter
If your hotel operates primarily as a hostel or budget accommodation and values ease of use, automation, and proven support, Counter is the clear choice. It caters specifically to hostel needs, with a 91% likelihood to recommend and a focus on simplicity, integration, and automation features like POS and online support.
If you need a PMS capable of serving larger hotels or chains with more complex requirements—assuming recent positive reviews—ManCloud might be considered. However, with no recent reviews, its reliability remains unverified. For now, Counter’s track record outweighs ManCloud’s unproven claims.
Conclusion: For hostels seeking a dependable, easy-to-use PMS, Counter is the recommended option.
Edge: Counter
Counter’s user interface garners a 4.6/5 ease-of-use rating from 54 reviews, praised for its clean, intuitive design that simplifies staff training. Hoteliers commend its mobile-friendly platform, enabling management from anywhere and quick adoption by staff. Support staff are frequently praised for responsiveness, with specific mentions of Evelyn and Max.
ManCloud’s interface and usability are unreviewed, providing no recent user feedback to assess. Given Counter’s high usability rating and strong support reputation, it clearly offers a more user-friendly experience.
Edge: Counter
Counter boasts 14 shared features plus five unique ones, including a channel manager, booking engine, 24/7 online support, mobile app, and ancillary revenue tracking. These features directly address core hostel needs for operations, distribution, and revenue management.
ManCloud offers 10 verified integrations, including popular partners like SiteMinder and Cloudbeds, but only one unique feature—Gift Vouchers. It lacks the extensive feature variety Counter provides for daily management and automation, making Counter the more comprehensive choice for hoteliers seeking a feature-rich PMS.
Edge: Counter
Counter’s customer support is rated at 4.96/5 from 54 reviews, with hoteliers frequently praising its quick, helpful responses. Specific positive comments highlight their support team's professionalism and responsiveness, especially Evelyn and Max.
ManCloud’s support ratings are unavailable, and no recent reviews exist to assess user satisfaction. Without recent feedback, Counter’s proven support system clearly outperforms the unverified support experience of ManCloud.
Edge: Counter
Counter integrates with seven verified partners, including notable platforms like Cloudbeds, Stripe, and WuBook. Its integrations facilitate online payments, channel management, and access control, streamlining daily operations.
ManCloud connects with ten verified partners, including major systems like Lightspeed and Hoteliers.com, and offers more integrations overall. However, without recent user experiences or detailed reviews, the practical benefit of these integrations remains uncertain.
Edge: ManCloud (based on higher partner count, but unverified user satisfaction)
Counter’s reviews are recent and consistent, giving it a 4.73/5 overall rating, with 54 reviews and a 91% recommendation rate. Hoteliers highlight its ease of use, support, and automation as key strengths.
ManCloud lacks recent reviews and has no available ratings, making it impossible to determine user satisfaction. Given the data, Counter has a proven, high-rated user base, whereas ManCloud’s ratings remain unknown.
Edge: Counter
Counter does not publicly list pricing details, but most information suggests a flexible, possibly tiered approach, with no implementation fee or trial. Its affordability and flexible pricing likely contribute to its popularity among hostels.
ManCloud’s base price is reported at $700 per month, but without further details or a trial, its value proposition remains unclear. The lack of recent reviews and uncertain pricing structure makes Counter the more transparent choice.
Edge: Counter (based on lack of transparent pricing for ManCloud)
Not ideal if your hotel needs advanced revenue management, complex group bookings, or detailed reporting. Counter is best suited for small, service-oriented properties with straightforward operational needs.
Edge: Counter
Not ideal if your hotel operates as a small hostel or lacks the budget or confidence to invest in a newer, less proven system. Given the limited recent feedback, ManCloud’s suitability remains uncertain without further evidence.
Edge: Counter
Counter by Counter offers a proven, highly-rated PMS tailored to hostels and small hotels, with extensive reviews backing its ease of use, support, and features. It excels in automation, integration, and affordability, making it suitable for properties seeking a reliable, straightforward management platform.
ManCloud aims to serve broader hotel markets with a focus on automation and integrations but suffers from a lack of recent, verifiable user feedback. Its higher partner count is notable, but without recent reviews, the real-world performance remains unconfirmed.
If your hotel needs a dependable, user-friendly PMS with a track record of support, Counter is the clear choice. Opt for ManCloud only if you can test its capabilities firsthand, as current data does not support a confident recommendation.
Edge: Counter
According to HTR's product database, Counter and Lobbi Hotel Software share 14 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
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| Ancillary revenue tracking | ||
| Booking Engine | ||
| Channel Manager | ||
| Gift Vouchers | ||
| Mobile App | ||
| Online 24/7 support |
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
Unique capabilities
Where the ratings diverge most
It depends on your requirements. Counter and Lobbi Hotel Software share many core Property Management Systems features, but each has unique capabilities. Counter offers 7 verified integration partners, while Lobbi Hotel Software offers 10. 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. Lobbi Hotel 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 ManCloud 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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