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 232 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:
Crave Interactive shines when it comes to customer service — especially for brand properties (5.0/5) , with exclusive features like Credit Card Payments and Payments Integrations.
Guestnet shines when it comes to user-friendly interface , with exclusive features like Guest Profiles and Mobile Checkin.
Side-by-side ratings based on 232 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Starting Price | From $400/mo | From $500/mo |
| Verified Reviews | 67 | 165 |
After analyzing 232 verified reviews, Crave Interactive users most value its customer service, user interface, customization, while Guestnet users highlight user-friendly interface, seamless information dissemination, positive guest experience. Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
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Customer service
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User-Friendly Interface
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User interface
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Seamless Information Dissemination
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Customization
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Positive Guest Experience
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Guest communication
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Customization and Flexibility
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Hardware issues
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Technical Issues and Performance
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Seamless system integration
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Integration with External Systems
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Back-end system
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Push Notifications and Alerts
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How each product ranks among Hotel Guest Apps 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) ▾ | #6 13 reviews | #2 56 reviews |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | #9 26 reviews | #2 85 reviews |
| Large (75-199 rooms) ▾ | #4 14 reviews | #17 2 reviews |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) ▾ | #5 7 reviews | #23 0 reviews |
By Property Type
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| Boutique ▾ | #6 26 reviews | #3 52 reviews |
| Luxury ▾ | #5 31 reviews | #3 66 reviews |
| Branded / Chain ▾ | #4 27 reviews | #7 18 reviews |
| Extended Stay ▾ | #10 2 reviews | #3 14 reviews |
By Region
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| North America ▾ | #4 26 reviews | #13 3 reviews |
| Europe ▾ | #8 31 reviews | #2 158 reviews |
| Asia Pacific | #8 2 reviews | #16 0 reviews |
| Middle East | #8 1 reviews | — |
Choosing between Crave Mobile Platform and Guestnet hinges on your hotel’s specific needs and operational priorities. Both products aim to enhance guest engagement, streamline communication, and improve service delivery, but they approach these goals differently. Crave offers a primarily app-based, service-oriented platform with extensive feature options, while Guestnet emphasizes a fully customizable web-app with strong integrations. How do these differences align with your hotel’s goals?
Crave’s platform is well-suited for hotels that want a dedicated, app-based solution for mobile ordering, guest interaction, and service automation, especially if they value detailed analytics and a broad feature set. Guestnet, on the other hand, is better if seamless integration, flexible content management, and a no-installation experience are priorities. Which approach best fits your operational model?
Both platforms seek to elevate guest experiences but focus on different strengths. Crave provides a mobile app that guests access via QR codes and offers multiple contactless payment options, making it ideal for hotels prioritizing direct service automation and in-venue ordering. Guestnet excels with its web-based approach, allowing guests to engage without downloading an app, which can improve adoption rates and simplify updates.
Crave’s heavy feature set, including NFC, contactless payments, and in-venue ordering, makes it a strong choice for hotels seeking advanced service automation. Guestnet’s strengths lie in its full customization, strong PMS integrations, and ability to operate across multiple channels—web, print, TV, without requiring app downloads. Do you prefer a dedicated app experience or a flexible, browser-based solution?
If your hotel needs a comprehensive, app-based guest engagement platform with advanced ordering and payment features, Crave is the clear winner. Its 16 unique features—like NFC, QR codes, and multi-menu ordering—are ideal for properties aiming to maximize on-site service automation and guest interaction.
If your hotel prioritizes seamless integration with existing systems, a fully customizable interface, and no app download barrier, Guestnet is the better fit. With more recent reviews and 152 total, its user-friendly web-app supports personalized content, real-time updates, and powerful PMS integrations—making it suitable for upscale and independent hotels.
Edge: Guestnet.
Crave’s interface is praised for its simplicity—reviewers highlight that it is “super customizable” yet very intuitive, with a user rating of 4.61/5. The onboarding process is well-rated at 4.57/5, and support is considered prompt and helpful, but some found menu creation a bit complex.
Guestnet’s platform scores slightly higher for ease of use, at 4.74/5, with reviewers emphasizing its intuitive design and straightforward setup. Support and onboarding are also rated highly (4.82/5 and 4.66/5 respectively), and users appreciate how quickly staff and guests adapt to the web-based interface.
Edge: Guestnet.
Crave offers 16 features exclusive to its platform, including Apple Pay, Google Pay, in-venue ordering, contactless ordering, POS, and NFC. These advanced features facilitate a highly automated, contactless guest experience and are particularly useful during health-conscious moments or for luxury services.
Guestnet provides 3 unique features—guest profiles, mobile check-in, and app download—focusing on seamless communication and digital guest management. While its feature count is lower, its strong PMS integration and customization options enable tailored communication and operational flexibility.
Edge: Crave.
Both products receive near-perfect ratings for support, with Crave at 4.79/5 and Guestnet at 4.82/5. Crave’s reviews praise its quick response times and helpful staff, with comments like “their service team addressed my questions at any time of day or night,” indicating high reliability.
Guestnet’s customer support is also highly regarded, with many users noting their team’s availability and helpfulness. One review states, “Guestnet’s support team is always available and helpful,” making it a strong choice for hotels seeking ongoing assistance.
Edge: Guestnet.
Guestnet experiences more recent reviews and has a higher overall rating (96.36) compared to Crave’s 75.16 on the HT Score. Its total review count (152) surpasses Crave’s 48, with recent feedback highlighting ease of use, customization, and support.
Crave’s ratings are slightly lower, mainly due to older reviews and fewer recent reviews, which reduces confidence in current performance. Hotels that value the latest feedback and higher overall ratings will find Guestnet more appealing.
Edge: Guestnet.
Crave’s base price is $400 per month, with no freemium or trial options, making it a predictable investment for hotels seeking a comprehensive platform. Guestnet’s base fee is $500 per month, also without trial or freemium options, slightly higher but justified by its broader integrations and customization.
Pricing reflects the scope of features; Crave’s extensive functionalities might justify its slightly lower price point for hotels prioritizing automation. Both are subscription models with no implementation fees disclosed, so consider your budget and required features.
Not ideal if your hotel prefers a browser-based solution or less reliance on mobile apps, or if you need a more straightforward, less feature-rich system.
Not ideal if: Your hotel prefers a minimal setup, or if staff and guests are less tech-savvy and resistant to app-based interfaces.
Not ideal if your hotel requires a simple, out-of-the-box solution without extensive setup, or if your focus is on in-venue ordering and contactless payments.
Not ideal if: Your hotel has limited IT support or prefers a less customizable, more straightforward system.
Crave offers a robust, feature-rich platform designed for large, service-oriented hotels that want a dedicated app with extensive automation options. Its strengths lie in in-venue ordering, contactless payments, and detailed data insights, making it ideal for luxury or high-volume properties.
Guestnet provides a highly adaptable, web-based guest experience platform with superior recent reviews and high satisfaction scores. It’s best suited for hotels seeking seamless integrations, customization, and a no-download approach that appeals to a broad range of property types.
For hotels prioritizing advanced service automation and a wide feature set, Crave is the choice. If ease of use, recent high ratings, and integrated communication matter most, Guestnet should be your preferred solution.
Edge: Guestnet.
Hotel Guest Apps 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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| Starting Price | From $400/mo | From $500/mo |
According to HTR's product database, Crave Mobile Platform and Guestnet share 9 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
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| App download | ||
| Apple Pay | ||
| Credit Card Payments | ||
| Digital Menu | ||
| Guest Profiles | ||
| In-Venue Ordering | ||
| Mobile Checkin | ||
| QR Codes | ||
| Web Based (Appless) |
Showing top differences. 7 more features differ between these products.
We analyzed 7 verified case studies to compare what hotels actually achieve with each platform across four key business objectives.
No published case study for this goal yet.
"The tools allow us to reduce paper and manual workflows. At the same time, the optimized communication saves time that we can now invest directly in our guests."
No published case study for this goal yet.
"Guestnet allows us to provide guests with all important information 24/7, which significantly increases satisfaction. At the same time, the platform reduces our team’s workload thr..."
What hoteliers love
Crave Interactive provides exceptional customer service with quick response times and helpful support staff. Hoteliers appreciate the efficient and pr... Crave Interactive provides exceptional customer service with quick response times and helpful support staff. Hoteliers appreciate the efficient and proactive support, which helps in resolving issues promptly.
While the user interface is appreciated for being user-friendly and intuitive for guests, some feedback suggests it could be more modern and customiza... While the user interface is appreciated for being user-friendly and intuitive for guests, some feedback suggests it could be more modern and customizable to better fit individual hotel needs.
Customization options, especially for menu updates and guest interfaces, are limited and often require support from Crave Interactive's team. Users ex... Customization options, especially for menu updates and guest interfaces, are limited and often require support from Crave Interactive's team. Users express a desire for more control over customizations.
Where hoteliers push back
Several reviews mentioned concerns with the hardware, specifically tablet durability and charging difficulties. These issues can affect overall effici... Several reviews mentioned concerns with the hardware, specifically tablet durability and charging difficulties. These issues can affect overall efficiency and guest satisfaction when using the system.
The system's integration with other hotel management systems, such as Simphony and PMS, is highlighted for making operations smoother and reducing man... The system's integration with other hotel management systems, such as Simphony and PMS, is highlighted for making operations smoother and reducing manual entry. This has been particularly beneficial during large events and for managing room services efficiently.
Ranks higher for
Unique capabilities
What hoteliers love
Customers consistently praise Guestnet for its intuitive and user-friendly design that makes information easily accessible for both guests and hotel s... Customers consistently praise Guestnet for its intuitive and user-friendly design that makes information easily accessible for both guests and hotel staff. This feature is crucial for fast adoption and smooth operation, minimizing training time and error occurrence.
Reviews highlight that Guestnet effectively allows hotels to provide guests with all needed information, including local activities and accommodations... Reviews highlight that Guestnet effectively allows hotels to provide guests with all needed information, including local activities and accommodations, without the need for paper-based resources, enhancing operational efficiency.
Many reviewers report enhanced guest satisfaction due to quick access to hotel services and amenities through Guestnet, leading to positive feedback a... Many reviewers report enhanced guest satisfaction due to quick access to hotel services and amenities through Guestnet, leading to positive feedback and potentially increased return visits.
Where hoteliers push back
While generally reliable, several users pointed out occasional technical performance issues such as slow loading times when used by multiple users, wh... While generally reliable, several users pointed out occasional technical performance issues such as slow loading times when used by multiple users, which could be improved for a better experience.
Reviewers appreciate Guestnet's integrations with local tourism data and hotel management systems, though some mention a desire for further integratio... Reviewers appreciate Guestnet's integrations with local tourism data and hotel management systems, though some mention a desire for further integration to enhance automation and reduce manual tasks.
Ranks higher for
Unique capabilities
Where the ratings diverge most
It depends on your requirements. Crave Mobile Platform and Guestnet share many core Hotel Guest Apps features, but each has unique capabilities. Crave Mobile Platform offers 17 verified integration partners, while Guestnet offers 20. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.
Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. Guestnet leads in ease of use at 4.7/5 vs 4.6/5. 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.
Crave Mobile Platform: No. Guestnet: No. Neither product currently offers a free tier. Most Hotel Guest Apps 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. Crave Interactive has an HT Score of 75 and Guestnet has 96. 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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