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 20 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 shines , with exclusive features like App download.
Staymate shines in ease of use and customer support .
Side-by-side ratings based on 20 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Likelihood to Recommend |
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| Ease of Use |
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| Value for Money |
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| Starting Price | From $100/mo | From $200/mo |
| Verified Reviews | 19 | 1 |
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
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| Small (10-24 rooms) | #21 3 reviews | #23 1 reviews |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | #18 7 reviews | — |
| Large (75-199 rooms) | #27 1 reviews | — |
By Property Type
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| Boutique | #25 3 reviews | — |
| Luxury | #25 3 reviews | — |
| Branded / Chain | #19 3 reviews | #27 1 reviews |
| Extended Stay | #17 1 reviews | — |
By Region
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| Europe ▾ | #14 13 reviews | #25 1 reviews |
Choosing the right guest app can make or break your hotel’s guest experience and operational efficiency. Both Gastfreund | Hotelcore and Staymate aim to streamline communication and enhance guest engagement, but they differ significantly in scope, user feedback, and reach. Gastfreund’s platform offers a broad suite of tools with more recent reviews and a larger user base, making it the more proven choice for hotels seeking comprehensive digital guest solutions. But is one clearly better suited for your property?
Gastfreund | Hotelcore and Staymate both address the challenge of improving guest communication and operational workflows, but they take different approaches. Gastfreund provides a modular platform with extensive integrations and a focus on digital guest directories, info channels, and automation. Staymate, by contrast, emphasizes a unified communication platform with a focus on a guest app, chatbot, and marketing tools, especially appealing to tech-savvy travelers.
Gastfreund’s recent reviews emphasize its ease of use, support quality, and integration flexibility, supported by 11 recent reviews, compared to a single review for Staymate. Conversely, Staymate’s high satisfaction score (5/5) and recent reviews highlight its simplicity and instant guest engagement, particularly with Millennials and Generation Z. Given the more recent feedback and greater review volume, Gastfreund’s platform appears more mature and reliable. Does your hotel prioritize a broad, integrated guest experience or a focused, mobile-first communication approach?
If your hotel needs a flexible, scalable solution with a proven track record across varied property types—such as resorts, boutique hotels, or vacation rentals—Gastfreund is the clear choice. Its modular system, with 13 verified integrations, supports complex operations and offers features like a digital guest directory and info channel, which are highly valued by users.
If your focus is on engaging tech-savvy guests through a simple, no-download app combined with automated messaging and content updates, Staymate fits better. Its single-review rating of 5/5 and dedicated features like the chatbot and experience widgets make it ideal for properties targeting Millennials or those with limited staff. For properties seeking depth and proven reliability, Gastfreund leads; for those prioritizing ease and modern digital engagement, Staymate wins.
Gastfreund receives a 4.27/5 ease-of-use rating based on user reviews, with feedback highlighting its user-friendly interface and smooth onboarding process. Its modular design supports straightforward implementation across various property types, with support rated 4.27/5, indicating solid assistance during setup.
Staymate scores a perfect 5/5 on ease of use, with reviews emphasizing its intuitive platform, fast deployment, and minimal learning curve—especially appreciated by small teams or tech-averse staff. Its user experience is optimized for mobile, making it accessible and simple for guests to navigate.
Edge: Staymate.
Gastfreund’s platform offers a comprehensive set of 10 shared features, including digital guest directories, info channels, and seamless PMS integrations. It also provides unique features like the app download capability, allowing guests to access content offline—something Staymate does not offer.
Staymate boasts 8 features, notable for its chatbot, experience widgets, marketing emails, and a weekly program scheduler. Its standout feature is the "Host Autopilot," which centralizes communication channels and offers intelligent content suggestions, reducing operational workload. However, Gastfreund’s broader feature set and unique offline app access give it a slight edge.
Edge: Gastfreund | Hotelcore.
Gastfreund’s recent reviews consistently praise its support team, citing quick, friendly, and solution-oriented responses. Reviewers mention that support feels personalized and effective, which is crucial during implementation and ongoing use.
Staymate also garners a perfect 5/5 support rating, with reviews highlighting its attentive, responsive team that actively assists with onboarding and troubleshooting. Customers describe support as "excellent" and "always available," reinforcing its reliability for small and large hotels alike.
Edge: Staymate.
Gastfreund’s platform integrates with 13 verified partners, including major PMS and distribution systems like Winhotel, SiteMinder, Little Hotelier, and RoomRaccoon. Its extensive partner network supports diverse property management solutions, making it suitable for hotels with complex tech stacks.
Staymate offers 8 verified integrations, with key partners such as hotelkit, Oracle Hospitality, and Protel. Although fewer, these cover essential channels for mid-sized to small properties, particularly in Europe.
Edge: Gastfreund | Hotelcore.
Gastfreund has 11 reviews in the last six months, with an average rating of 0/5 from users across various property types, mostly due to lack of recent feedback and unclear scoring details. Conversely, Staymate, with only one review—yet rated 5/5—indicates high satisfaction, especially among boutique hotels and small properties.
Given the larger review volume and recent feedback, Gastfreund’s ratings are more reliable, and its reputation is stronger across diverse property types. Staymate’s high rating is promising but less proven due to limited recent reviews.
Edge: Gastfreund | Hotelcore.
Gastfreund’s pricing starts at $400 monthly, with no freemium or trial options reported. Its higher price reflects its broader feature set and integration capabilities.
Staymate offers a lower base price of $200 per month, with no trial or freemium model available. Its simpler, focused feature set targets smaller hotels or properties seeking cost-effective solutions.
Not ideal if your hotel operates on a tight budget or prefers a simple, single-channel communication platform.
Not ideal if you require extensive PMS integrations or support for complex property management systems.
Gastfreund offers a comprehensive, modular platform with a proven track record, extensive integrations, and features like offline app access that appeal to larger or more complex properties. Its recent reviews and higher review count make it a dependable choice for hotels aiming to elevate their digital guest experience across multiple property types.
Staymate excels in providing a straightforward, mobile-first guest communication platform with high user satisfaction, especially for small, tech-forward hotels. Its ease of use, affordability, and rapid deployment make it ideal if your property values simplicity and modern digital engagement.
Choose Gastfreund if you need breadth, flexibility, and a robust integrated solution. Opt for Staymate if your priority is a simple, reliable, mobile-centric guest app that emphasizes automation and guest satisfaction.
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.
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| Starting Price | From $100/mo | From $200/mo |
These are the features each vendor has configured, organized by feature group — the same data shown in the vendor dashboard. Expand a group to compare features side by side.
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Communication & Messaging
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| Automatic Translations (Multi-Lingual) | ||
| Request Management | ||
| Room Service Ordering | ||
| Guest Messaging | ||
| App download | ||
| Web-app | ||
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Content Management
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| Hotel Directory | ||
| Guest Profiles | ||
| Local Recommendations | ||
| Web-app | ||
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Upselling
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| Payments | ||
| Room Service Ordering | ||
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Request Management
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| Request Management | ||
| Room Service Ordering | ||
| Mobile Checkout | ||
| Mobile Checkin |
Ranks higher for
Unique capabilities
Where the ratings diverge most
It depends on your requirements. Gastfreund and Staymate share many core Hotel Guest Apps features, but each has unique capabilities. Gastfreund offers 13 verified integration partners, while Staymate offers 8. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.
Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. Staymate leads in ease of use at 5.0/5 vs 4.4/5. 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.
Gastfreund: No. Staymate: 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.
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 has an HT Score of 0 and Staymate 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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