Exely Booking Engine vs. GuestCentric (Booking Engine):
Which Is Right for You?

The Decision

Choosing a booking engine is critical for your hotel's direct revenue and guest experience. Both Exely Booking Engine and GuestCentric aim to streamline reservations, but they approach this goal differently. Exely is a newer platform with a focus on flexibility and integrations, while GuestCentric has a longer track record and a broader feature set. Which one best aligns with your hotel’s needs?

Is Exely Booking Engine or GuestCentric Better for Hotels?

Exely offers a comprehensive suite of features in a streamlined, user-friendly package, with a focus on increasing direct bookings through marketing tools and channel management. GuestCentric emphasizes an intuitive guest experience, with a rich set of marketing and promotional features designed to maximize revenue. Their differing strengths highlight the importance of your hotel’s priorities — is it more about robust integrations or guest journey?

While Exely has a higher recent review count and a significantly higher overall rating (144 reviews and 0/5 overall, but 92+ HT Score), GuestCentric’s 62 reviews and 4.78/5 rating show sustained satisfaction, especially among independent and boutique hotels. Exely tends to cater more to properties seeking advanced customization and multi-channel connectivity; GuestCentric aims for ease of use with marketing automation. Do you prioritize sophisticated features or a simplified booking journey?

Exely Booking Engine vs GuestCentric: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel needs a flexible, feature-rich booking engine capable of handling multi-room bookings, custom add-ons, GDPR compliance, and detailed conversion reports, Exely is the clear choice. Its lower price point ($200/month) combined with a strong feature set appeals to independent hotels and boutique properties looking for value.

If your hotel prioritizes an engaging, fast-to-implement platform with strong digital marketing tools, instant promotion updates, and a focus on maximizing direct revenue, GuestCentric is preferable. Its higher price ($600/month) reflects its broader integrations and marketing capabilities, making it ideal for hotels seeking to boost digital visibility and guest engagement.

For properties with complex booking requirements and tech-savvy teams, Exely offers advanced options. Conversely, if your hotel values sleek design and marketing automation above all, GuestCentric provides a compelling solution.

Is Exely Booking Engine or GuestCentric Easier to Use?

Exely scores a 4.91/5 for ease of use, with a straightforward interface praised for managing rates, availability, and reservations efficiently. Users report that onboarding is quick, often within days, and staff adoption is smooth, thanks to clear navigation and support.

GuestCentric also boasts a high ease-of-use rating (4.55/5) with positive reviews about its intuitive interface and minimal clicks needed for booking. However, some users mention that the mobile version requires improvements to match the desktop experience.

Edge: Exely. Its higher ease-of-use rating and more recent positive reviews suggest a better experience for staff onboarding and daily operations.

Which Has Better Features: Exely or GuestCentric?

Exely offers 17 exclusive features like multi-room bookings, room substitutions, conversion reports, GDPR compliance, and integrations with TripAdvisor bookings and Facebook conversion tracking. GuestCentric provides 11 unique features, including pooled inventory, loyalty programs, gift vouchers, and social media booking, but lacks some of Exely's advanced booking and customization tools.

Exely’s extensive feature set is tailored for flexible, complex booking scenarios, while GuestCentric emphasizes marketing and promotional tools to boost conversions. If advanced booking customization is your priority, Exely leads.

Edge: Exely. Its higher feature count and specialized options give it an edge for hotels needing detailed control and integrations.

Which Has Better Customer Support: Exely or GuestCentric?

Exely’s support scores a 4.96/5, with reviewers praising prompt, friendly responses and ongoing assistance that resolves issues efficiently. Users highlight that Exely’s team is proactive and solution-oriented, making onboarding and troubleshooting straightforward.

GuestCentric also earns high marks (4.76/5), with reviews emphasizing quick responses and dedicated account management. Users say, “The team is amazing and always ready to help,” but some mention occasional delays in resolving complex issues.

Edge: Exely. Its slightly higher support score and recent reviews confirm a more responsive and reliable customer service experience.

Which Has More Integrations: Exely or GuestCentric?

GuestCentric’s 44 verified integrations far outpace Exely’s 8, including notable partners like Omnibees, Cendyn, and WebRezPro. Meanwhile, Exely’s integrations include Hotellab, Booking.com, Mews, and Oracle Hospitality, but fewer third-party systems overall.

If your hotel depends on extensive third-party integrations, especially with PMS or marketing tools, GuestCentric is the better choice. For straightforward connectivity needs, Exely’s integration count suffices.

Edge: GuestCentric. Its broader integration ecosystem enhances flexibility for larger or more complex hotel operations.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Exely or GuestCentric?

Exely’s reviews, though fewer in number, are highly recent and positive, with a 98% likelihood to recommend and an overall rating of 0/5 (likely a rating anomaly but high HT Score). Users praise its flexibility, prompt support, and direct booking improvements, especially among boutique and resort hotels.

GuestCentric consistently receives a 4.78/5 rating, with independent hoteliers particularly appreciating its ease of use and marketing features. Its reviews are recent and reflect satisfaction across segments like boutique and resort hotels.

Given the higher recent review count and HT Score, GuestCentric's reputation is more robust.

Edge: GuestCentric. Its higher overall and recent ratings demonstrate stronger, more consistent user satisfaction.

How Much Do Exely and GuestCentric Cost?

Exely charges a $200/month base fee with no additional implementation or trial costs, offering a straightforward pricing model. GuestCentric’s price is $600/month, reflecting its broader feature set and integrations, with no mention of setup fees or trials.

If budget is a concern, Exely provides a more affordable, predictable option. Larger hotels seeking extensive marketing and integration capabilities might consider GuestCentric’s higher investment justified.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Exely Booking Engine?

Hotels that should consider Exely include:

• Independent boutique hotels seeking customizable booking options and detailed reporting
• Hotels with complex booking needs, such as multi-room or package deals
• Properties that want to lower dependence on OTAs
• Hotels looking for affordable, scalable solutions with strong support
• Hotels in markets where GDPR compliance is necessary

Not ideal if your hotel relies heavily on social media promotions or needs a built-in loyalty program.

What Type of Hotel Should Use GuestCentric?

Hotels that would benefit from GuestCentric include:

• Boutique and resort hotels prioritizing guest engagement and marketing automation
• Properties seeking a seamless online shopping experience with instant promotions
• Hotels that want to increase direct bookings through digital marketing
• Hotels with multiple properties needing a unified booking platform
• Hotels looking for extensive third-party integrations and marketing tools

Not ideal if your hotel has very complex booking scenarios requiring deep customization or if budget constraints are tight.

Exely vs GuestCentric: The Bottom Line for Hotels

Exely offers a feature-rich, affordable booking engine ideal for independent, boutique, and small chains seeking control over operations and direct bookings. Its strengths lie in customization, integrations, and support, making it suitable for tech-savvy teams.

GuestCentric excels at delivering an easy-to-use, marketing-driven platform that increases direct bookings and enhances the guest experience, especially for boutique and resort hotels focused on digital visibility and automation.

If your hotel needs detailed control and affordability, choose Exely; for a strong marketing and guest journey platform, go with GuestCentric. Each has its place depending on your hotel’s specific priorities and budget.