DIRS21 One vs. Vertical Booking (Booking Engine):
Which Is Right for You?

The Decision

When choosing a booking engine, your hotel needs a platform that increases direct bookings, streamlines operations, and integrates well with your existing systems. DIRS21 by TourOnline AG and Vertical Booking aim to serve these needs but differ significantly in their approach, features, and market presence. While DIRS21 offers extensive customization and is primarily used in Europe, Vertical Booking has a broader global reach with more recent reviews and a higher user satisfaction score.

The critical question is which platform can best support your hotel’s growth and operational needs. Do you prioritize a highly customizable system deeply embedded in European markets, or does a proven, user-friendly platform with extensive integrations and recent positive reviews better fit your hotel?

Is DIRS21 or Vertical Booking Better for Hotels?

DIRS21 and Vertical Booking both address online reservation management, but their core strengths vary. DIRS21 emphasizes modularity, customization, and a wide array of features specifically tailored to European hotels, with 33 unique features but a lack of recent reviews and a zero star rating, raising questions about current support and user feedback. Conversely, Vertical Booking has a well-established global presence, with 37 recent reviews, a 4.64/5 overall rating, and a 92% likelihood to recommend, indicating strong recent user satisfaction.

Vertical Booking’s recent reviews highlight its user-friendly interface, excellent support, and high conversion rates, whereas DIRS21’s lack of recent feedback limits confidence. Do you want a platform with proven recent performance or one still establishing its reputation?

Vertical Booking vs DIRS21: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel needs a straightforward, intuitive booking engine with proven results, go with Vertical Booking. Its high customer satisfaction, recent reviews emphasizing support and usability, and extensive integrations make it ideal for hotels seeking reliable, scalable online reservation management.

If your hotel prefers a highly customizable, European-focused system capable of supporting complex offerings through numerous features and multi-lingual options, DIRS21 might suit your needs. However, its lack of recent reviews and a zero-star rating indicate uncertain ongoing support and performance.

For most hotels looking for current, positive feedback, Vertical Booking is the safer, more proven choice.

Is DIRS21 or Vertical Booking Easier to Use?

Vertical Booking receives a 4.49/5 ease of use rating, with reviews praising its intuitive interface and quick setup. Customers describe it as "very user-friendly" and appreciate its support, calling the system "easy to carry out work in a short time."

DIRS21, on the other hand, has a 0/5 rating for ease of use, with no recent feedback to assess its current usability or onboarding experience. The lack of recent reviews makes it impossible to determine if DIRS21 has improved in this area.

Edge: Vertical Booking.

Which Has Better Features: DIRS21 or Vertical Booking?

DIRS21 offers 33 features, including multi-lingual support, special offers, multi-currency, Google Hotel Ads bookings, loyalty programs, and more. Its feature set caters to hotels requiring extensive customization and integration capabilities.

Vertical Booking’s platform, by contrast, does not list specific features but emphasizes its comprehensive booking engine, upselling tools, and dynamic packaging, with a focus on high conversion rates. It lacks the depth of feature customization seen in DIRS21 but provides essential tools proven to increase direct bookings.

Edge: DIRS21, for its extensive feature set.

Which Has Better Customer Support: DIRS21 or Vertical Booking?

Vertical Booking has a 4.57/5 customer support rating, with recent reviews praising its quick responses, helpfulness, and local support. Users describe support as "responsive" and "immediate," citing high satisfaction with support staff.

DIRS21’s support rating is not available, and no recent reviews impede assessment. Its zero-star rating suggests support quality may be uncertain or diminished.

Edge: Vertical Booking.

Which Has More Integrations: DIRS21 or Vertical Booking?

Vertical Booking boasts 69 verified integrations, including major partners like OTAs, GDS, and PMS systems, with 10 shared partners with DIRS21 such as Mews and Oracle Hospitality. Its broader partner network supports seamless multi-platform management.

DIRS21 has 31 verified partners, primarily in Europe, with some overlap. While its integrations are substantial, the more extensive network of Vertical Booking enhances its flexibility for hotels operating across multiple channels.

Edge: Vertical Booking.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: DIRS21 or Vertical Booking?

Vertical Booking’s recent reviews and high overall rating of 4.64/5 make it clearly favored by hoteliers, especially in North America and Europe. Hotels in various segments, including boutique and resort hotels, praise its usability and support.

DIRS21’s reviews are unavailable, and its zero-star rating indicates it’s not currently rated or actively used by hoteliers. The recent positive feedback for Vertical Booking strongly suggests it’s the preferred choice now.

Edge: Vertical Booking.

How Much Do DIRS21 and Vertical Booking Cost?

Both products do not publish explicit pricing details publicly. They likely offer custom quotes based on hotel size and needs, which is typical for enterprise booking solutions.

Your team should contact sales for tailored pricing, but given Vertical Booking’s overall value score and proven recent performance, it may offer more cost-effective options for hotels seeking ROI.

What Type of Hotel Should Use DIRS21?

• Hotels that require extensive customization and multi-lingual support.
• Hotels operating primarily in Europe, particularly those with complex rate plans.
• Teams that need a modular system capable of tailored integrations.
• Hotels with dedicated IT resources to handle setup and ongoing adjustments.

Not ideal if your hotel values recent support feedback or operates outside Europe, given the lack of recent reviews and support data.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Vertical Booking?

• Hotels seeking a straightforward, user-friendly booking engine.
• Properties that prioritize high conversion rates and direct booking growth.
• Hotels with a need for extensive integrations and multi-channel management.
• Hotels in North America or seeking a globally tested platform.

Not ideal if your hotel requires highly specialized features not covered in typical booking engines or prefers a system with deep European customization.

Vertical Booking vs DIRS21: The Bottom Line for Hotels

Vertical Booking and DIRS21 serve distinct hotel needs. Vertical Booking excels in ease of use, recent positive reviews, and a broad integration network, making it the clear choice for most hotels today.

DIRS21’s extensive feature list and Europe-centric design may appeal to hotels with complex requirements but lack recent user feedback, making it a less reliable option at this moment.

If your priority is proven performance, support, and user satisfaction, Vertical Booking should be your choice. If your hotel requires a highly customizable, feature-rich system tailored to European markets and you have the technical capacity to manage it, DIRS21 might still be relevant.

In conclusion, for current, satisfied users and a platform that actively supports hotel growth, Vertical Booking stands out as the stronger option.