Counter vs. Guestline (Rezlynx PMS):
Which Is Right for You?

The Decision

Choosing between Counter by Counter and Guestline (Rezlynx PMS) hinges on your hotel’s specific needs, operational scale, and growth ambitions. Both products aim to streamline property management, but they diverge significantly in scope, functionality, and user experience. Counter caters primarily to hostels and small properties seeking simplicity, while Guestline serves a broader market, including larger hotels and chains looking for advanced features and integrations. Which solution aligns best with your priorities?

Counter offers a straightforward, free solution tailored for hostels and small properties, emphasizing ease of use and quick deployment. Guestline provides a more comprehensive, cloud-hosted suite with extensive features suitable for hotels aiming to scale or optimize revenue. Are you prioritizing simplicity or a broader feature set?

Is Counter or Guestline Better for Hotels?

Both Counter and Guestline address core property management functions—guest bookings, check-ins, invoicing, and reporting—but they do so with very different approaches. Counter’s focus is on a minimalist, user-friendly interface optimized for hostels, mainly in Europe and the Americas, with no extra modules or integrations. Conversely, Guestline offers a multi-functional platform with modules for revenue management, CRM, EPoS, and extensive third-party integrations.

Counter’s reviews highlight its ease of use, especially for hostel staff, with a 4.73/5 overall rating and high support ratings of 4.96/5. It excels at automation and quick onboarding but faces criticism for bugs and limited reporting. Guestline, with a 4.53/5 rating, is praised for its reliability and depth but sometimes struggles with system complexity and support response times. Which aspect matters more: simplicity or versatility?

Counter vs Guestline: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel is a small hostel or boutique property seeking a cost-effective, intuitive PMS, go with Counter. Its mobile-friendly design, straightforward interface, and excellent support suit properties with minimal operational complexity. If your property requires advanced revenue management, extensive integrations, or handles larger groups and events, Guestline is the better fit, especially given its ability to manage complex operations through modules like CRM, EPoS, and digital marketing.

Counter is ideal if you want an easy-to-learn, affordable system that meets your basic needs. Meanwhile, Guestline’s modular platform suits hotels aiming for operational expansion or revenue maximization. Consider your growth plans and operational complexity when making your choice.

Is Counter or Guestline Easier to Use?

Counter scores higher in ease of use, with a 4.6/5 rating and positive reviews emphasizing its simplicity and intuitive interface. Hoteliers find it easy to onboard staff and manage operations remotely, often remarking on its quick learning curve and user-friendly calendar. Support responsiveness further enhances usability, with staff mentioning fast, helpful assistance.

Guestline, rated at 4.47/5, is generally reliable but can be more complex, especially for new users. Its extensive features may require more training and initial setup time, although support staff are praised for thorough training. Edge: Counter.

Which Has Better Features: Counter or Guestline?

Counter’s features are limited to core PMS functions, with all essential tools included—guest management, reservations, billing, and basic reporting. It lacks advanced modules, integrations, or automation options, focusing on simplicity. Conversely, Guestline offers 32 features exclusive to its platform, including revenue management, CRM, digital registration, online check-in, guest messaging, and real-time reporting.

Guestline’s broader feature set supports complex operations like conference management and multi-channel distribution, giving it a distinct advantage for larger properties. If your needs are basic, Counter’s feature list suffices; for in-depth operational control, Guestline’s advanced features are unmatched. Edge: Guestline.

Which Has Better Customer Support: Counter or Guestline?

Counter’s customer support is rated 4.96/5, with reviews highlighting their quick, polite, and effective responses. Clients appreciate the dedicated support team, with mentions of staff like Evelyn and Max providing fast resolutions and ongoing improvements, despite some issues with bugs.

Guestline’s support, rated at 4.41/5, is generally helpful but sometimes inconsistent, with reports of slow responses and system bugs affecting user confidence. Many users commend its thorough onboarding but note that ongoing support can be less responsive. Edge: Counter.

Which Has More Integrations: Counter or Guestline?

Guestline boasts 95 verified integrations, including popular platforms like OTAs, EPOS, and payment gateways, facilitating seamless data flow across systems. Shared integrations with Counter include Goki, SiteMinder, and Stripe, but Guestline’s extensive partner network offers more options for complex setups.

Counter’s limited integrations make it suitable for properties with straightforward needs, while Guestline’s extensive ecosystem benefits larger hotels requiring diverse connectivity. For maximum system flexibility, Edge: Guestline.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Counter or Guestline?

Counter’s reviews are recent and plentiful, with a 4.73/5 overall rating and a 91% likelihood to recommend, especially among hostels and small hotels. Users praise its simplicity, support, and automation, though some note bugs affecting core functions.

Guestline, rated 4.53/5, has a broader user base, including independent and branded hotels. Its ratings are slightly lower, often citing system complexity and support delays. Given more recent reviews and a higher overall rating, Edge: Counter.

How Much Do Counter and Guestline Cost?

Counter is a free platform with no implementation or subscription fees, making it highly affordable for small properties. Guestline does not publish explicit pricing but is generally a paid, subscription-based service with varying modules, often costing more depending on features and property size.

Cost considerations favor Counter for small hotels and hostels, while larger operations should budget for Guestline’s comprehensive suite.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Counter?

• Hotels that primarily operate as hostels or budget accommodations, focusing on simple, fast management.
• Teams that prioritize ease of onboarding and quick staff training.
• Properties with limited operational complexity, such as small inns or boutique hotels.
• Hotels that rely mainly on direct bookings and basic channel management.

Not ideal if your property:

• Needs advanced revenue management or dynamic pricing.
• Handles large groups, conferences, or event management.
• Requires extensive third-party integrations beyond basic channel managers.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Guestline?

• Hotels seeking a comprehensive management system with integrated CRM, EPoS, and revenue modules.
• Properties aiming to automate and optimize revenue through sophisticated pricing tools and dynamic rates.
• Larger hotels or chains with multiple outlets needing centralized control.
• Hotels that want extensive third-party integrations, marketing tools, and reporting features.

Not ideal if your hotel:

• Operates as a small hostel or boutique with minimal operational complexity.
• Prefers a free, lightweight solution without extensive modules.
• Has limited technical resources to manage a complex system.

Guestline (Rezlynx PMS) vs Counter: The Bottom Line for Hotels

The core difference is scope: Counter is a straightforward, hostel-focused PMS that emphasizes ease of use and affordability, while Guestline offers a feature-rich platform designed for larger properties with complex needs. Counter’s simplicity makes it an excellent choice for small, budget-conscious hostels that prioritize quick deployment and support. Guestline’s extensive modules and integrations benefit hotels with growth ambitions and operational complexity.

Choose Counter if your priorities are a low-cost, easy-to-learn system with high support quality. Opt for Guestline if your hotel requires a robust, scalable platform capable of managing diverse revenue streams and multi-property operations.

In conclusion, your decision depends heavily on your hotel’s size, operational complexity, and growth strategy. For small properties and hostels, Counter’s ease and support make it the better pick. For larger hotels or those aiming to expand, Guestline’s feature set and integrations provide the tools needed to succeed.