Feratel Booking Engine (IBE) vs. Simplotel Booking Engine:
Which Is Right for You?

The Decision

Choosing a booking engine for your hotel involves comparing features, ease of use, support, and cost. While feratel's Booking Engine (IBE) is a much older, less reviewed product with limited recent feedback, Simplotel’s platform boasts strong, up-to-date reviews and a broad feature set. Your decision hinges on whether you prioritize proven popularity and recent user satisfaction or specific feature offerings and regional presence.

Both products aim to simplify direct bookings and reduce reliance on OTAs, but their market reach and support differ significantly. Which platform aligns better with your operational needs and growth plans?

Is feratel Booking Engine or Simplotel Better for Hotels?

feratel's Booking Engine, part of a longstanding European company founded in 1978, offers a straightforward widget designed mainly for partner hotels within feratel’s tourism ecosystem. Its core features focus on a responsive display, automatic price calculations, and multilingual support, making it suitable for hotels that need a simple, reliable direct booking solution.

In contrast, Simplotel, founded in 2013 and serving over 3,000 hotels across 26 countries, combines an easy-to-customize website interface with a rich suite of features aimed at boosting direct bookings. It supports a wide array of marketing and analytics tools, appealing to hotels seeking a more comprehensive online presence. Do you need a simple widget or an integrated web and booking platform?

feratel's product lacks extensive recent reviews, and its overall rating stands at zero, indicating limited recent customer feedback. Simplotel, with nearly 300 reviews and a high average rating of 4.75/5, demonstrates active user engagement and a track record of recent positive experiences. Which of these reputations more confidently supports your decision?

feratel Booking Engine vs Simplotel: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel needs an embedded, straightforward booking widget integrated into a tourism-focused ecosystem, feratel could be enough—especially if your operations are already tied to feratel’s Destination Management System (Deskline 3.0). Its basic offering is suitable for small to mid-sized hotels that want minimal complexity.

However, if your hotel aims to increase direct bookings with a flexible, feature-rich platform, Simplotel’s extensive capabilities make it the clear choice. Its support for multi-currency, loyalty integrations, abandoned cart recovery, and detailed analytics cater to hotels looking for growth and data-driven insights.

For properties seeking a simple integration within a European tourism network, feratel’s IBE might suffice. But for hotels aiming to scale globally with advanced marketing tools, Simplotel offers a more comprehensive solution worth the higher investment.

Is feratel Booking Engine or Simplotel Easier to Use?

Based on recent reviews, Simplotel enjoys an average ease-of-use rating of 4.65/5, with many users praising its intuitive interface, customization options, and straightforward setup process. Customers mention that staff adoption is quick, and onboarding is smooth, with some noting that the platform feels modern and user-friendly.

In contrast, feratel’s platform has no recent reviews or ratings, making it hard to assess its usability today. Given its age and limited recent feedback, it’s reasonable to assume it doesn’t match Simplotel’s modern, streamlined design.

Edge: Simplotel.

Which Has Better Features: feratel Booking Engine or Simplotel?

Simplotel significantly outpaces feratel in features, offering 28 unique capabilities such as tariffs, urgency messaging, pooled inventory, automated reporting, pre- and post-stay emails, loyalty program integration, multi-currency support, gift vouchers, ADA and PCI compliance, social media integration, room substitutions, wedding and corporate modules, A/B testing, and detailed analytics.

feratel has only one exclusive feature—meal plans—and shares nine features with Simplotel, including multi-language support and availability calendars. For hotels looking for a broad, modern feature set to maximize conversions and marketing, Simplotel is the clear winner.

Edge: Simplotel.

Which Has Better Customer Support: feratel Booking Engine or Simplotel?

Simplotel’s recent review scores (4.69/5) reflect strong support, with many users citing prompt, helpful responses and proactive onboarding assistance. Customers appreciate the ongoing training materials, although some suggest more regular check-ins could improve experience.

feratel’s support ratings are unavailable, and with no recent reviews, it’s difficult to gauge current customer service quality. Given the active user feedback for Simplotel, it’s reasonable to conclude it provides better support today.

Edge: Simplotel.

Which Has More Integrations: feratel Booking Engine or Simplotel?

Simplotel integrates with 22 verified partners, including prominent PMS systems like Cloudbeds, STAAH, and RateGain, along with social media, payment gateways, and analytics tools. This broad ecosystem supports advanced functionality and flexibility.

feratel offers only 13 verified integrations, primarily focused on European tourism and booking platforms, with some notable exclusions like Cloudbeds. For hotels seeking extensive system connectivity, Simplotel’s partner network is superior.

Edge: Simplotel.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: feratel Booking Engine or Simplotel?

Simplotel’s user feedback consistently highlights satisfaction with its ease of use, support, and feature set, contributing to a high NPS score of 9.24/10. Hotels across diverse segments—from boutique to resort properties—commend its flexibility and performance.

There are no recent reviews for feratel to gauge current hotel sentiment. Its older reputation and lack of recent feedback suggest a lower confidence level compared to Simplotel.

Edge: Simplotel.

How Much Do feratel Booking Engine and Simplotel Cost?

feratel’s pricing is listed at a fixed $100 per month, with no free plan, trial, or detailed tier options. This simplicity might attract smaller hotels with limited budgets but offers limited flexibility.

Simplotel charges $500 per month, with no free tier or trial, positioning itself as a premium solution. Its higher price reflects its broader feature set and capabilities, which are suited to hotels investing in growth.

What Type of Hotel Should Use feratel Booking Engine?

• Hotels that need a basic, reliable booking widget integrated into feratel’s tourism ecosystem.
• Small or regional hotels primarily targeting European markets.
• Properties with limited digital marketing needs seeking a straightforward, low-cost solution.
• Hotels that prioritize GDPR compliance and multilingual support without complex marketing features.

Not ideal if your hotel seeks advanced marketing, automation, or integrations with global PMS systems.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Simplotel?

• Hotels of all sizes wanting to increase direct bookings and reduce OTA dependency.
• Properties seeking detailed analytics, abandoned cart recovery, and multichannel marketing tools.
• Hotels looking for a customizable website that aligns with their branding.
• Hotels aiming for global reach with multi-currency and multi-language support.

Not ideal if your hotel prefers a minimal, no-frills booking widget or has a very tight budget.

Simplotel vs feratel: The Bottom Line for Hotels

The core difference is that Simplotel offers a comprehensive, feature-packed platform backed by active customer reviews, while feratel provides a simple widget with limited recent feedback. For hotels seeking growth and modern tools, Simplotel stands out as the more capable choice.

Choose feratel if you need a low-cost, straightforward booking widget embedded within a European tourism system, and your operational needs are minimal. Its limited features and lack of recent reviews make it less suitable for hotels aiming for aggressive growth or advanced marketing.

Opt for Simplotel if your hotel values a scalable, versatile platform that enhances direct bookings, integrates with multiple systems, and offers detailed analytics. Its broad support, high user ratings, and active support make it the better long-term investment for most hotels looking to modernize their online booking experience.