Gastfreund | Hotelcore vs. Guest Services by SmartStay: Which Is Right for You?

Updated May 16, 2026  ·  18 verified reviews analyzed

TLDR

We analyzed 18 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:

Gastfreund | Hotelcore shines , with exclusive features like Guest Messaging and Mobile Checkin.

Liverton shines in ease of use and ROI , with exclusive features like Hotel Website Check-in Portal and Lobby Kiosk.

See the full breakdown below ↓

How Does Gastfreund | Hotelcore Compare to Guest Services by SmartStay?

Side-by-side ratings based on 18 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.

HTScore
0
0
Likelihood to Recommend
90%
93%
Ease of Use
4.3/5
4.6/5
Customer Support
4.3/5
4.3/5
Value for Money
3.7/5
4.3/5
Starting Price From $400/mo From $500/mo
Verified Reviews 11 7

Gastfreund | Hotelcore vs Liverton: Rankings by Hotel Segment

How each product ranks among Hotel Guest Apps vendors for different property sizes, types, and regions — based on verified reviews from hoteliers in each segment.

By Hotel Size

Segment Gastfreund | Hotelcore Gastfreund | Hotelcore Liverton Liverton
Small (10-24 rooms) #25 1 reviews
Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) #20 5 reviews #22 4 reviews
Large (75-199 rooms) #24 1 reviews #15 2 reviews
X-Large (200+ rooms) #14 1 reviews

By Property Type

Segment Gastfreund | Hotelcore Gastfreund | Hotelcore Liverton Liverton
Boutique #23 3 reviews #24 2 reviews
Luxury #30 1 reviews #19 3 reviews
Branded / Chain #18 3 reviews #19 2 reviews
Extended Stay #15 1 reviews

By Region

Segment Gastfreund | Hotelcore Gastfreund | Hotelcore Liverton Liverton
North America #21 0 reviews
Europe #14 9 reviews

How Much Do Gastfreund | Hotelcore and Guest Services by SmartStay Cost?

Hotel Guest Apps 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.

Gastfreund | Hotelcore Gastfreund | Hotelcore Liverton Liverton
Starting Price From $400/mo From $500/mo

Which Features Does Gastfreund | Hotelcore Have That Guest Services by SmartStay Doesn't (and Vice Versa)?

According to HTR's product database, Gastfreund | Hotelcore and Guest Services by SmartStay share 0 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.

Feature Gastfreund | Hotelcore Gastfreund | Hotelcore Liverton Liverton
App download
Device Agnostic
Easy Room Selection
Guest Messaging
Hotel Directory
Hotel Website Check-in Portal
Lobby Kiosk
Local Recommendations
Request Management
Room Service Ordering
Self Service Checkin
Self Service Checkout

Showing top differences. 19 more features differ between these products.

Gastfreund | Hotelcore vs Liverton: The Bottom Line

Gastfreund | Hotelcore
Gastfreund | Hotelcore
4.5/5 from 11 reviews

Ranks higher for

Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) #20 vs #22
Limited Service & Budget Hotels #18 vs #31
Resorts #17 vs #27

Unique capabilities

Request Management Room Service Ordering Guest Messaging Hotel Directory Local Recommendations
4.3/5 ease of use 4.3/5 support 13 integrations
Visit Profile
Liverton
Liverton
4.7/5 from 7 reviews

Ranks higher for

Large (75-199 rooms) #15 vs #24
Airport/Conference Hotels #18 vs #34
Luxury #19 vs #30
Other #18 vs #23

Unique capabilities

Hotel Website Check-in Portal Lobby Kiosk Self Service Checkin Self Service Checkout Device Agnostic
4.6/5 ease of use 4.3/5 support 8 integrations
Visit Profile

Where the ratings diverge most

Ease of Use Liverton 4.6 vs 4.3 (+0.3)
Value for Money Liverton 4.3 vs 3.7 (+0.6)

Frequently Asked Questions About Gastfreund | Hotelcore vs Guest Services by SmartStay

Can Gastfreund | Hotelcore replace Guest Services by SmartStay?

It depends on your requirements. Gastfreund | Hotelcore and Guest Services by SmartStay share many core Hotel Guest Apps features, but each has unique capabilities. Gastfreund | Hotelcore offers 13 verified integration partners, while Guest Services by SmartStay offers 8. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.

Which is better for small or independent hotels?

Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. Guest Services by SmartStay leads in ease of use at 4.6/5 vs 4.3/5. 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.

Do Gastfreund | Hotelcore or Guest Services by SmartStay offer a free plan?

Gastfreund | Hotelcore: No. Guest Services by SmartStay: No. Neither product currently offers a free tier. Most Hotel Guest Apps vendors offer demos or trials — request one from each to evaluate before committing.

How Does HTR Evaluate and Rank Gastfreund | Hotelcore and Guest Services by SmartStay?

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. Gastfreund | Hotelcore has an HT Score of 0 and Liverton has 0. Here is how the score is calculated.

Criteria Group Weight What It Measures
Customer Ratings & Reviews

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

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

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

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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