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 129 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 in ease of use and customer support — especially for brand properties (0.0/5) , with exclusive features like Integrated Payment Processing and Booking Performance and Pace Reporting.
Shiji Group shines , with exclusive features like Yield Rules.
Side-by-side ratings based on 129 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Starting Price | From $100/mo | Contact sales |
| Verified Reviews | 129 | 0 |
After analyzing 129 verified reviews, Exely users most value its channel manager integration and synchronization, user interface and usability, support and responsiveness, while Shiji Group users highlight . Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
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Channel Manager Integration and Synchronization
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User Interface and Usability
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Support and Responsiveness
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Direct Booking Enhancement
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Analytics and Reporting
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Customization and Control
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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 | — |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | #9 51 reviews | #35 0 reviews |
| Large (75-199 rooms) ▾ | #14 5 reviews | #32 0 reviews |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) ▾ | #7 5 reviews | — |
By Property Type
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| Boutique ▾ | #15 29 reviews | #37 0 reviews |
| Luxury ▾ | #13 27 reviews | #37 0 reviews |
| Branded / Chain ▾ | #15 14 reviews | #38 0 reviews |
| Extended Stay ▾ | #14 6 reviews | — |
By Region
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| North America | #18 2 reviews | #23 0 reviews |
| Europe ▾ | #19 10 reviews | #34 0 reviews |
| Asia Pacific ▾ | #5 67 reviews | — |
| Middle East ▾ | #7 13 reviews | — |
Choosing the right channel management software is critical for your hotel’s online distribution, operational efficiency, and revenue growth. Exely Channel Manager by Exely and Shiji Horizon Distribution by Shiji Group aim to streamline your rate updates, sync bookings, and expand your market reach. But their approaches, features, and overall user experiences differ significantly. Your decision hinges on your hotel’s size, regional focus, and specific distribution needs.
Both products aim to simplify hotel distribution, but they diverge in regional presence, feature scope, and user feedback. Exely emphasizes ease of use, real-time synchronization, and a strong user base in North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific, with over 102 reviews—most recent reviews praise its intuitiveness and customer support. Shiji, meanwhile, boasts a vast partner network of 64 integrations, including global GDSs and Chinese platforms, but has no available user reviews or recent feedback, making its actual user experience less clear.
Exely’s higher review count and recent feedback suggest a more established, user-validated product. Shiji’s broad integration list hints at extensive connectivity but lacks recent reviews to confirm its current reliability or usability. Given this, which solution truly meets your hotel’s regional reach and operational demands?
If your hotel values ease of use, quick onboarding, and a strong track record of customer support, Exely is the clear choice. Its high ratings—4.95/5 for ease of use and customer support—along with over 102 reviews, demonstrate a satisfied user base, especially for hotels in North America and Europe seeking efficient online distribution.
Conversely, if your hotel operates across multiple global markets, particularly in China or regions where extensive partner networks are critical, Shiji’s 64 integrations and broad partner ecosystem might appeal. However, the absence of recent reviews makes it hard to gauge real-world performance. For most hotels prioritizing proven, user-rated solutions, Exely offers a more reliable option.
Exely scores 4.95/5 in ease of use, with recent reviews emphasizing its intuitive interface and streamlined workflows. Users report that the platform simplifies updating rates and managing bookings from one dashboard, reducing manual effort significantly.
Shiji offers no recent user ratings or reviews, making its ease of use unclear. Its extensive partner network suggests complex integrations that could require a steeper learning curve or specialized training, but without current user feedback, this remains speculative.
Edge: Exely.
Exely boasts seven exclusive features, including support for weekly and monthly rates, bulk updates, multi-currency support, integrated payment processing, and centralized role management. These features directly address operational flexibility and financial management, giving your team more control.
Shiji offers only one unique feature—Yield Rules—mainly relevant for dynamic revenue management but less comprehensive overall.
Given the feature count and recent reviews highlighting Exely’s robust capabilities, it clearly provides a richer feature set tailored for day-to-day hotel operations.
Edge: Exely.
Exely’s customer support scores 4.95/5 with reviews praising its responsiveness and professionalism. Hotels report quick issue resolution and support that feels genuinely helpful, especially during onboarding.
Shiji, on the other hand, has no recent reviews or ratings available, making it impossible to assess support quality. Its extensive global presence suggests 24/7 support, but without customer feedback, confidence is lower.
Edge: Exely.
Shiji’s platform integrates with 64 partners, including major OTAs, GDSs, and Chinese channels, offering broad global reach. This extensive network allows access to diverse markets and distribution channels.
Exely has 8 verified partners, including top OTAs and industry leaders, but with fewer overall connections. For hotels focused on North American or European markets, this might suffice; for those needing Chinese or GDS integrations, Shiji’s broader network could be advantageous.
Edge: Shiji.
Exely’s reviews, totaling over 102 in the last six months, are highly positive. Hotels praise its ease of use, customer support, and impact on revenue, with a 98% likelihood to recommend.
Shiji has no available reviews or recent feedback, so hotel ratings and satisfaction levels remain unknown. This lack of recent data makes it difficult to determine which platform is preferred by similar hotels.
Edge: Exely.
Exely charges a straightforward $100 monthly flat fee, with no implementation or trial fees, providing transparent pricing. Shiji does not publicly disclose its pricing, which may require direct contact for a quote.
If budget certainty and simplicity matter, Exely offers clear pricing that can fit most hotel budgets. Shiji’s opaque pricing model may be less attractive unless its extensive features justify higher costs.
Not ideal if:
Not ideal if:
The core difference lies in user validation and feature completeness. Exely, with its high recent review count and superior ease of use, is a proven platform favored by hotels in North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific.
Choose Exely if your hotel needs a straightforward, dependable channel manager that improves operational efficiency and customer support. Opt for Shiji if your hotel’s strategy hinges on extensive global integrations, especially in China or other markets where their partner network is essential—though you’ll need to verify its current performance due to the lack of recent reviews.
In summary, for most hotels seeking a reliable, easy-to-use solution backed by user feedback, Exely remains the better choice. Shiji offers broader connectivity but lacks recent validation, so it suits hotels with complex international needs willing to manage potential uncertainties.
Channel Managers 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 $100/mo | — |
According to HTR's product database, Exely Channel Manager and Shiji Horizon Distribution share 6 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
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| 2-way real time integrations | ||
| Bulk Updates & Multiple Restrictions | ||
| Centralized user & role management | ||
| Integrated Payment Processing | ||
| Multi-Currency Support | ||
| Support for Weekly & Monthly Rates | ||
| Yield Rules |
We analyzed 1 verified case studies to compare what hotels actually achieve with each platform across four key business objectives.
"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..."
No published case study for this goal yet.
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
Unique capabilities
Unique capabilities
Where the ratings diverge most
It depends on your requirements. Exely Channel Manager and Shiji Horizon Distribution share many core Channel Managers features, but each has unique capabilities. Exely Channel Manager offers 8 verified integration partners, while Shiji Horizon Distribution offers 64. 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 0.0/5. 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. Shiji Horizon Distribution: 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 Shiji Group has 0. 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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