Criton vs. STAY Guest App:
Which Is Right for You?

The Decision

Choosing between Criton and STAY Guest App hinges on your hotel’s specific needs for guest engagement and operational efficiency. Both platforms aim to enhance guest experiences through digital tools, but they differ significantly in features, market presence, and recent user feedback. Your choice should align with your hotel’s size, target segment, and digital goals.

Criton, with its focus on branded apps and contactless services, offers a customizable platform mainly used by boutique and independent hotels. STAY, meanwhile, boasts a broader global reach and higher review volume, making it a more reliable choice for hotels seeking a comprehensive guest experience OS.

Is Criton or STAY Better for Hotels?

Criton excels at providing a customizable, all-in-one mobile app that replaces printed materials and supports mobile check-in and digital door keys. Its recent reviews emphasize its ease of use and quick support, but its smaller review base (21 reviews) makes its ratings less current and less robust.

STAY, on the other hand, with over 200 reviews and 20 verified integration partners, leads in recent feedback and market reach. It is praised for reducing queues, streamlining staff workflows, and increasing guest satisfaction, especially in large resorts and chains. Do your priorities lean toward customization or operational scalability?

Criton vs STAY: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel is a boutique or independent property seeking a branded app with flexible content management and contactless features, Criton is the better fit. Its strengths lie in delivering customizable guest-facing apps with features like mobile check-in and in-app messaging, suitable for hotels prioritizing branding and guest engagement.

Conversely, if you operate a large hotel chain or resort aiming to digitize a wide array of services, STAY’s extensive integrations, automation options, and proven impact on operational efficiency make it the superior choice. Its larger, more recent review base offers a clearer picture of performance at scale.

Is Criton or STAY Easier to Use?

Criton’s platform scores 4.5/5 for ease of use, with reviews highlighting its user-friendly backend and simple app design. Users appreciate how easily they can create and update content, though some wish for more templates and customization options.

STAY edges slightly ahead with a 4.78/5 rating, with reviewers describing its interface as intuitive and straightforward. Its CMS is praised for quick content updates and minimal training needs. When considering onboarding and daily use, STAY’s platform appears more streamlined.

Edge: STAY

Which Has Better Features: Criton or STAY?

Criton offers 8 shared features with STAY but also provides two exclusive features: mobile check-in and payments. These are critical for contactless guest experiences, especially in the current digital-first environment.

STAY distinguishes itself with 6 unique features including a chatbot, automated replies, message routing, a web app, and multilingual support. These features facilitate automation and guest communication at scale.

While Criton’s focus on mobile check-in and payments is crucial, STAY’s broader suite of automation and communication tools grants it a significant advantage in managing guest interactions efficiently.

Edge: STAY

Which Has Better Customer Support: Criton or STAY?

Criton’s reviews indicate a support rating of 4.62/5, with comments noting quick responses and a dedicated team. However, Criton’s smaller user base means less recent feedback to gauge ongoing support quality.

STAY’s support rating of 4.83/5 is driven by high satisfaction and recent positive reviews, with users citing timely help and proactive service. Its larger customer base provides a more recent and reliable gauge of support quality.

Edge: STAY

Which Has More Integrations: Criton or STAY?

Criton integrates with 16 verified partners, including notable names like Net Affinity and Maestro PMS, but STAY boasts 20 verified partners and more extensive integration options, covering a broader range of systems.

Shared partners include Oracle Hospitality and Mews, but STAY’s additional integrations with hotelkit, SiteMinder, and Amadeus give it an edge for hotels seeking a connected tech ecosystem. This flexibility is vital for large or complex operations.

Edge: STAY

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Criton or STAY?

Criton’s ratings are high at 4.71/5, with most reviews praising simplicity and support, but the limited review count (21 reviews) means less recent feedback.

STAY’s rating of 3/5 from over 200 reviews reflects mixed experiences, with recent reviews highlighting operational gains but also noting some issues with reporting and language options. The larger, more recent data favors STAY’s reliability at scale.

Edge: Criton

How Much Do Criton and STAY Cost?

Criton’s pricing details are not publicly available, indicating a custom quote approach, often typical for bespoke app solutions.

STAY charges a flat $300 monthly fee, with no implementation or setup costs. For transparency and simplicity, STAY’s straightforward pricing offers better value to hotels evaluating total costs.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Criton?

• Hotels that prioritize branding and customization in their guest experience.
• Independent boutique hotels seeking a flexible mobile app solution.
• Properties aiming for contactless check-in, digital keys, and in-app messaging.
• Hotels that want to replace printed materials with digital content.

Not ideal if:

• You require extensive automation or multi-lingual support.
• Your property is a large chain needing broad system integrations.
• You prefer a plug-and-play solution without significant customization.

What Type of Hotel Should Use STAY?

• Large hotel chains or resorts aiming for operational digitization.
• Hotels looking to reduce guest queues and increase service upselling.
• Properties wanting extensive integrations with PMS, CRM, and other systems.
• Hotels seeking automation features like chatbots, message routing, and multilingual support.

Not ideal if:

• You operate a small boutique hotel with minimal automation needs.
• Your focus is solely on branded apps or custom design over automation.
• You need multilingual support in languages not offered by STAY.

The Bottom Line for Hotels

Criton is a strong choice for boutique hotels that want a customizable branded app with mobile check-in and in-app payments. Its positive reviews highlight ease of use and personalized support, making it ideal for properties that value branding and flexibility.

STAY is better suited for larger hotels and chains that need a scalable, integrated guest experience platform with automation, extensive partner integrations, and proven operational results. Its larger review volume and recent feedback make it the safer, more reliable option for high-volume properties.

If your hotel needs a straightforward, well-supported platform with proven results at scale, STAY is the clear winner. For properties emphasizing branded, customizable guest apps, Criton remains a compelling choice.