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 724 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:
Exely shines when it comes to channel manager integration and synchronization — especially for brand properties (0.0/5) .
RateGain shines when it comes to customer support — especially for independent properties (5.0/5) , with exclusive features like Guest Feedback Management and Performance Reporting.
Side-by-side ratings based on 724 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Starting Price | From $100/mo | From $900/mo |
| Verified Reviews | 129 | 595 |
After analyzing 724 verified reviews, Exely users most value its channel manager integration and synchronization, user interface and usability, support and responsiveness, while RateGain users highlight customer support, channel management, real-time updates. Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
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Channel Manager Integration and Synchronization
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Customer Support
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User Interface and Usability
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Channel Management
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Support and Responsiveness
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Real-Time Updates
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Direct Booking Enhancement
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Reporting and Analytics
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Analytics and Reporting
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User Interface
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Customization and Control
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Connectivity Issues
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Integration Flexibility
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How each product ranks among Channel Managers 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) ▾ | #15 26 reviews | #5 96 reviews |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | #9 51 reviews | #2 279 reviews |
| Large (75-199 rooms) ▾ | #14 5 reviews | #2 142 reviews |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) ▾ | #7 5 reviews | #2 43 reviews |
By Property Type
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| Boutique ▾ | #15 29 reviews | #4 225 reviews |
| Luxury ▾ | #13 27 reviews | #3 254 reviews |
| Branded / Chain ▾ | #15 14 reviews | #2 216 reviews |
| Extended Stay ▾ | #14 6 reviews | #3 63 reviews |
By Region
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| North America ▾ | #18 2 reviews | #11 12 reviews |
| Europe ▾ | #19 10 reviews | #12 27 reviews |
| Asia Pacific ▾ | #5 67 reviews | #3 379 reviews |
| Middle East ▾ | #7 13 reviews | #1 90 reviews |
Choosing between Exely Channel Manager and RateGain Channel Manager hinges on your hotel’s specific needs, budget, and operational complexity. Both products aim to streamline distribution, reduce manual work, and boost revenue, but they approach these goals differently.
Exely offers a straightforward, user-friendly solution with a focus on efficiency for smaller to mid-sized hotels, while RateGain emphasizes comprehensive features, extensive integrations, and global reach suitable for larger chains. Which product aligns best with your hotel’s scale and growth ambitions?
Both Exely and RateGain help manage online distribution, but their core strengths differ. Exely emphasizes ease of use, quick synchronization, and a lower price point, making it ideal for hotels that prioritize operational simplicity and cost-efficiency.
RateGain, on the other hand, provides a broader set of features, including advanced analytics, rate shopping, and extensive channel connections, suited for hotels seeking detailed market insights and expansive distribution. Do your hotel’s needs lean toward streamlined management or data-driven revenue strategies?
If your hotel needs a cost-effective, easy-to-navigate solution with solid synchronization and minimal learning curve, Exely is the ideal choice. It suits independent hotels or boutique properties that want to optimize online bookings without heavy tech investments.
If you operate a large hotel chain or multiple properties requiring deep analytics, extensive integrations, and advanced rate management tools, RateGain is the better fit. Its broad partner network and advanced features support complex distribution strategies and revenue growth. Is your hotel ready to handle more robust analytics and wider distribution channels?
Exely scores a 4.95/5 for ease of use, thanks to its intuitive interface, straightforward onboarding, and minimal staff training needed. Users highlight its simple dashboard, quick setup, and clear navigation, making daily operations smoother across teams.
RateGain also rates highly at 4.72/5, with a user-friendly interface that supports quick onboarding, but some users mention occasional delays and interface modernization opportunities. Overall, Exely’s simplicity gives it an edge for teams prioritizing quick adoption and ease.
Edge: Exely
RateGain offers a significantly larger feature set, with 25 exclusive features like PMS connectivity, guest feedback management, social review tracking, marketing dashboards, metasearch connectivity, analytics dashboards, and open API access. These tools support sophisticated distribution, marketing, and revenue management strategies.
Exely, with no unique features beyond basic channel management, focuses on core functionalities like real-time synchronization, manual rate updates, and automated reporting. For hotels seeking advanced features and integrations, RateGain clearly leads.
Edge: RateGain
Both products boast high customer support ratings—Exely at 4.95/5 and RateGain at 4.71/5—indicating strong service levels. Exely users frequently comment on responsive, helpful support that resolves issues swiftly, which is crucial during setup and troubleshooting.
RateGain is praised for its proactive support, but some users report occasional delays, especially during system updates. Given the recent review momentum and higher overall support ratings, Exely’s support appears slightly more dependable.
Edge: Exely
RateGain vastly outstrips Exely with 95 verified integrations versus Exely’s 8, providing access to a broader network of OTAs, PMS, GDS, and voice channels. Shared partners include major players like Oracle Hospitality and Mews, alongside many exclusive connections.
Exely’s limited integrations may restrict your ability to connect with certain platforms, but its simplicity can make setup faster for small-scale operations. If extensive connectivity is critical, RateGain’s larger partner ecosystem gives it a clear advantage.
Edge: RateGain
RateGain’s overall rating of 4.81/5 is based on 502 reviews, significantly more recent, with a 94% likelihood to recommend. Hotels across all segments, especially brande and independent properties, rate it highly for its comprehensive features and market insights.
Exely’s rating, at 0/5, indicates a lack of recent reviews and limited feedback, which diminishes confidence despite positive anecdotal comments. Given the volume and recency, RateGain’s ratings are more representative of current user satisfaction.
Edge: RateGain
Exely’s pricing is straightforward at $100/month without trial options, making it accessible for smaller hotels. RateGain costs $900/month, reflecting its more extensive feature set and global reach, but offers no trial period.
Consider your budget and required features carefully: Exely suits hotels seeking basic, affordable channel management, while RateGain justifies its higher price through advanced capabilities and integrations.
Not ideal if your hotel needs detailed performance analytics, multi-property management, or marketing tools.
Not ideal if you operate a small property with limited distribution needs or if budget constraints prevent investing in a high-end platform.
The core difference lies in scope: Exely offers a streamlined, affordable solution for small to mid-sized hotels, while RateGain provides a broad, feature-rich platform suited for larger, growth-oriented properties.
If your hotel values ease of use, quick setup, and basic distribution, Exely is the clear choice due to its simplicity and recent stellar reviews. Its lower price point and high support rating make it an excellent fit for smaller hotels.
Conversely, if your hotel needs extensive integrations, advanced analytics, and global distribution with the capacity to handle complex operations, RateGain stands out. Its comprehensive features and larger partner network justify its higher cost.
Choose Exely if you want a reliable, budget-friendly channel manager that enhances operational efficiency with minimal fuss. Opt for RateGain if your hotel’s growth depends on advanced tools, market insights, and broad channel connectivity to maximize revenue streams.
According to HTR's product database, Exely Channel Manager and RateGain Channel Manager share 13 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
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| Guest Feedback Management | ||
| Marketing dashboard | ||
| Notifications | ||
| PMS connectivity | ||
| Service Recovery/Escalation | ||
| Social review tracking |
Showing top differences. 13 more features differ between these products.
We analyzed 4 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.
"There is no comparison between RateGain and other vendors in the market. We were getting a lot of ARI discrepancies with our previous vendors, on the other hand, RateGain provide..."
"Once we switched to Exely, we immediately noticed a significant increase in reservations from online travel agencies. We discovered that our previous system had blocked some availa..."
"RateGain enabled us to tap into markets like China, which was previously challenging. Integration with RateGain PMS and channel distribution expanded our reach"
What hoteliers love
The robust integration and synchronization abilities of Exely facilitate smooth channel management with minimal errors. Users commend how effectively... The robust integration and synchronization abilities of Exely facilitate smooth channel management with minimal errors. Users commend how effectively it connects with PMS and OTAs, though some desire improvements in certain PMS integrations.
Exely's user-friendly interface is highlighted as a strength, making it easy for hotel staff to manage daily operations. However, some users suggest f... Exely's user-friendly interface is highlighted as a strength, making it easy for hotel staff to manage daily operations. However, some users suggest further customization and modernization to enhance the user experience.
Exely's support team is praised for its responsiveness and willingness to assist, contributing to reliable service. However, some suggest quicker resp... Exely's support team is praised for its responsiveness and willingness to assist, contributing to reliable service. However, some suggest quicker response times during peak hours.
Where hoteliers push back
While Exely provides vital performance insights, users express a need for more detailed and customizable reporting options to better analyze channel e... While Exely provides vital performance insights, users express a need for more detailed and customizable reporting options to better analyze channel effectiveness and drive strategic decisions.
Despite Exely's advanced customization options for booking rules and promotions, some users wish for even more flexible design options for website tem... Despite Exely's advanced customization options for booking rules and promotions, some users wish for even more flexible design options for website templates and report formats.
Ranks higher for
What hoteliers love
RateGain's customer support receives positive mentions for being responsive, knowledgeable, and helpful. Users appreciate the availability of support... RateGain's customer support receives positive mentions for being responsive, knowledgeable, and helpful. Users appreciate the availability of support and the willingness of the team to assist with any issues. However, there are occasional criticisms about response times, indicating an area for potential enhancement.
RateGain's channel management system is praised for its user-friendly interface and comprehensive connectivity with numerous OTAs, allowing hoteliers... RateGain's channel management system is praised for its user-friendly interface and comprehensive connectivity with numerous OTAs, allowing hoteliers to efficiently distribute rates and manage inventory across platforms. Despite some reports of delays in bulk updates, users appreciate the seamless integration and centralized control offered by the system.
Real-time updates are a key feature of RateGain, allowing for immediate synchronization of inventory and rates across channels. This feature is valued... Real-time updates are a key feature of RateGain, allowing for immediate synchronization of inventory and rates across channels. This feature is valued for reducing manual errors and minimizing the risk of overbookings. However, certain users note occasional delays in the updates, suggesting that enhancements in this area could improve overall efficiency.
Where hoteliers push back
RateGain's user interface is generally described as intuitive and easy to navigate, contributing to the system's overall user-friendliness. Users valu... RateGain's user interface is generally described as intuitive and easy to navigate, contributing to the system's overall user-friendliness. Users value the straightforward design, though some recommend updates to modernize the interface and improve ease of use, especially for new users.
While RateGain offers comprehensive connectivity options, some users report occasional issues with maintaining stable connections, particularly during... While RateGain offers comprehensive connectivity options, some users report occasional issues with maintaining stable connections, particularly during high-traffic periods. These interruptions can impact the consistency of rates and availability across platforms, indicating a need for improvements in system stability.
Ranks higher for
Unique capabilities
Where the ratings diverge most
It depends on your requirements. Exely Channel Manager and RateGain Channel Manager share many core Channel Managers features, but each has unique capabilities. Exely Channel Manager offers 8 verified integration partners, while RateGain Channel Manager offers 95. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.
Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. Exely Channel Manager leads in ease of use at 5.0/5 vs 4.7/5. 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.
Exely Channel Manager: No. RateGain Channel Manager: No. Neither product currently offers a free tier. Most Channel Managers 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. Exely has an HT Score of 85 and RateGain has 85. 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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