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.
Megasys shines .
Side-by-side ratings based on 57 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Ease of Use |
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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 Megasys 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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Megasys |
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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
| Segment |
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Megasys |
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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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Megasys |
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| North America ▾ | #25 8 reviews | — |
| Europe ▾ | #20 25 reviews | — |
| Asia Pacific | #16 4 reviews | — |
| Middle East | #11 2 reviews | — |
Choosing a property management system (PMS) is crucial for your hotel’s daily operations, guest satisfaction, and revenue. Both Counter by Counter and Portfolio HMS by Megasys aim to streamline hotel management, but they diverge significantly in terms of user base, features, and market presence. Counter is a newer system designed specifically for hostels, with a strong focus on ease of use, automation, and integration, while Megasys offers a broader hotel management package with extensive capabilities but lacks recent review data. Which one aligns better with your hotel’s needs?
Counter’s more established presence, with 54 recent reviews and a high overall rating, makes it a more reliable choice for hoteliers seeking proven user satisfaction. Megasys, with no recent reviews or ratings, provides little current feedback, raising questions about ongoing support and feature relevance. Are you prioritizing a system with proven performance and active customer feedback?
Counter and Megasys serve different hotel segments, though Counter’s focus on hostels makes it more specialized. Counter simplifies operations with an intuitive interface, automation, and mobile management, which is ideal if your team values ease of use and quick onboarding. Megasys offers a comprehensive hotel management suite, including reservation, front desk, and guest communication tools, but without recent reviews, clarity on its usability is limited.
Counter’s recent reviews praise its straightforward setup, fast customer support, and automation features that reduce manual tasks. In contrast, Megasys’ lack of recent feedback makes it difficult to assess its current performance, support quality, or feature updates. Your decision hinges on whether your property benefits more from Counter’s specialized hostel focus or Megasys’ broader management capabilities.
Are you seeking a dedicated hostel PMS with proven support, or a comprehensive hotel management system that may require more setup and training?
If your property is primarily a hostel, budget boutique, or small hotel needing an easy-to-use, cloud-based PMS, Counter is the clear choice. Its 54 recent reviews, 4.73/5 overall rating, and 91% likelihood to recommend underscore its current relevance and customer satisfaction.
If your hotel requires a more complex management solution with extensive reporting, personalized guest service, and deeper integration, Megasys might seem appealing, but the absence of recent reviews diminishes confidence. For hoteliers prioritizing simplicity, affordability, and active support, Counter clearly outperforms Megasys at this time.
In summary, choose Counter for hostels and smaller properties that value ease of use, automation, and support. Consider Megasys only if you need a broad management system and can evaluate its current capabilities independently.
Counter scores a 4.6/5 for ease of use, with many reviews highlighting its simple, intuitive interface, and quick staff onboarding process. Users report that the platform is friendly for staff and easy to learn, with a clean mobile and desktop experience that supports remote management.
In contrast, Megasys has no recent ratings or reviews available, making it impossible to assess its user-friendliness. The historical complexity of comprehensive hotel management software suggests it may require more extensive training and onboarding, which could slow staff adoption.
Edge: Counter.
Counter boasts 19 unique features including channel management, payment processing, booking engine, calendar view, guest CRM, multi-currency and multi-lingual support, and automated night audit. These features are tailored toward simplifying hostel operations and enhancing automation, with a focus on online booking and revenue tracking.
Megasys offers no specific features listed in the available data, making it difficult to compare directly. Given Counter’s extensive feature set, especially tailored for hostels, it clearly provides more immediate operational tools for your team.
Edge: Counter.
Counter’s support team receives an impressive 4.96/5 rating, with reviewers praising their quick responsiveness, professionalism, and helpfulness—particularly mentioning staff like Evelyn and Max. Customers say support is “always reachable” and “responds within minutes,” which is vital for daily hotel operations.
There are no recent reviews or support ratings for Megasys, leaving a gap in confidence regarding their customer service. Without recent feedback, it's safer to assume that Counter’s top-rated support is a significant advantage.
Edge: Counter.
Counter integrates with 7 verified partners, including prominent platforms like SiteMinder, Cloudbeds, Stripe, and Goki, facilitating channel management, payment, and access control. These integrations enable smooth workflows and income consolidation for your property.
Megasys does not currently list any verified integrations, limiting its ability to connect with third-party tools and platforms. For operational flexibility and streamlining, Counter’s integrations are a clear advantage.
Edge: Counter.
Counter’s recent reviews reflect a high satisfaction level, with a 4.73/5 overall rating based on 54 reviews and a 91% recommendation rate. Users, mostly hostels, praise its ease of use, support, and automation.
Megasys lacks recent reviews and ratings, making it impossible to gauge current user sentiment. Given the data, Counter is the preferred choice for hoteliers seeking proven user satisfaction.
Edge: Counter.
Counter does not specify a pricing model or fee structure, but its free and easy-to-use nature suggests affordability for small properties. Megasys also does not list specific prices, but as a broader hotel management system, it may involve higher costs or complex pricing models.
Without concrete pricing details, your best approach is to contact vendors directly for quotes, especially if budget considerations are critical.
Not ideal if:
Not ideal if:
Counter excels as a dedicated, user-friendly PMS designed for hostels and small hotels, with a robust feature set and proven support, supported by recent reviews and high ratings. Megasys offers a broader management system but lacks recent feedback, making it uncertain whether it currently meets modern hotel needs.
Choose Counter if you prioritize ease of use, automation, active support, and proven performance in the hostel segment. Opt for Megasys only if your hotel requires extensive management capabilities and you can verify its current feature set and support levels through direct engagement.
In conclusion, Counter stands out as the more reliable and tested solution for your hotel, especially if operational simplicity and support are top priorities.
According to HTR's product database, Counter and Portfolio HMS share 0 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
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Megasys |
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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 Portfolio HMS share many core Property Management Systems features, but each has unique capabilities. Counter offers 7 verified integration partners, while Portfolio HMS 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. Portfolio HMS: 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 Megasys 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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