Gearco - True Extended Stay vs. protel PMS (by Planet):
Which Is Right for You?

The Decision

Choosing between Gearco - True Extended Stay and protel PMS by Planet can seem daunting, especially when both promise to streamline hotel management. Gearco specializes in long-term stays, automating complex billing and availability management, while Planet offers a broad, flexible PMS with extensive integrations and features suitable for a wide range of hotel types. Your decision hinges on whether your hotel prioritizes long-term guest management or needs a versatile, scalable PMS.

Gearco aims to optimize operations for extended stay properties, reducing manual errors and enhancing revenue control. Conversely, Planet targets hotels seeking a comprehensive platform that supports growth through automation, integration, and multi-property management. Can one system meet all your hotel’s current and future needs?

Is Gearco or Planet Better for Hotels?

Gearco is designed for hotels focused exclusively on long-term stays, offering features like automated night audits, DNR procedures, and stay tax calculations. Planet, by contrast, caters to diverse hotel segments, from boutique to large resorts, with features like multi-currency, guest CRM, and a vast ecosystem of integrations.

Gearco's minimalist approach means it excels in its niche, with high ease of use and strong support for long-term stay operations. Planet’s broader scope provides more features—over 32 unique tools—covering many aspects of hotel management, but this can introduce complexity. Which approach aligns better with your hotel’s operational focus?

Which Should Your Hotel Choose: Gearco or Planet?

If your hotel primarily offers extended stays and needs dedicated tools for long-term guest management, Gearco is the clear choice. Its features like LOS protection, multi-property DNR checks, and automation are tailored for this niche, and it boasts a perfect 5/5 review score from the sole user.

If your hotel needs a versatile PMS supporting multiple segments, extensive integrations, and sophisticated automation across properties, Planet is more suitable. Its 105 reviews, with a 4.11/5 rating, reflect a mature ecosystem, broad functionality, and a focus on scalability. For multi-property chains or mixed-use hotels, Planet offers a more comprehensive solution.

Is Gearco or Planet Easier to Use?

Gearco earns a perfect 5/5 rating for ease of use, with users praising its intuitive interface, quick onboarding, and straightforward processes. It is described as “easy to teach” and “very reliable,” making staff adoption smooth even for smaller teams.

Planet, with a 4.12/5 rating, is also user-friendly but has occasional complaints about more complex features causing some learning curves. Its broader feature set and integration complexity can require more training, especially for multi-property setups. Edge: Gearco.

Which Has Better Features: Gearco or Planet?

Gearco offers 3 unique features—channel management, EPoS, and automated night audits—designed explicitly for long-term stays. Planet provides 32 features, including multi-lingual support, guest CRM, gift vouchers, digital registration, and real-time reporting.

While Planet’s features support a wide variety of hotel needs, Gearco’s targeted tools for long-term stays make it more specialized. If your focus is on automated occupancy management and revenue control for extended stays, Gearco’s focused feature set is advantageous. Edge: Planet.

Which Has Better Customer Support: Gearco or Planet?

Gearco scores a solid 4/5 for customer support, with reviewers citing “support being quite solid” and “easy to teach” staff. Its small size and niche focus mean dedicated, responsive assistance tailored to extended stay properties.

Planet’s customer support is rated slightly lower at 3.95/5, with reviews mentioning longer response times and some difficulty resolving complex issues. However, its global presence and extensive onboarding resources benefit larger hotels or multi-property operators. Edge: Gearco.

Which Has More Integrations: Gearco or Planet?

Planet boasts 195 verified integrations, including popular partners like Innspire, RevControl, and Bookboost, creating a vast ecosystem suitable for complex hotel operations. Gearco has 5 verified integrations, including channel managers and EPoS systems, mainly supporting niche functionalities.

The sheer number of integrations makes Planet more adaptable for hotels needing diverse system connections, especially across multiple systems or markets. Gearco’s limited integrations focus on core needs for extended stay management. Edge: Planet.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Gearco or Planet?

Gearco’s single review gives it a perfect score, emphasizing its comprehensive feature set and ease of use for independent and extended stay hotels. Planet’s 105 reviews average 4.11/5, with many users appreciating its flexibility but noting some support and complexity concerns.

For boutique or independent hotels emphasizing long-term stays, Gearco’s higher review score indicates stronger satisfaction. Larger hotels or chains valuing extensive features and integrations may prefer Planet, but overall, Gearco’s recent reviews and higher ratings make it the more favored option. Edge: Gearco.

How Much Do Gearco and Planet Cost?

Gearco does not publicly list its pricing, but it is positioned as a value-focused subscription service, emphasizing straightforward, no-hidden-fee pricing. Planet charges a base fee of $500/month, with no mention of additional costs, but reviews suggest that initial integration and setup can be lengthy and potentially expensive.

If budget transparency and simplicity are priorities, Gearco’s lack of published pricing might be a challenge, but its value is underscored by high satisfaction and ROI ratings. Planet’s cost structure is more transparent but can involve extra expenses for complex integrations or customizations.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Gearco?

• Hotels that primarily offer long-term stays, such as serviced apartments, extended stay properties, or motels.
• Teams focused on automating check-in/out, reducing manual billing errors, and managing multi-property DNR procedures.
• Hotels needing automated night audits and stay-specific tax calculations.
• Properties with a smaller team seeking a straightforward, easy-to-learn system.

Not ideal if your hotel:

• Operates mainly short-term, transient bookings.
• Requires extensive multi-property management with complex integrations.
• Needs multi-currency or guest CRM features.

Edge: Gearco.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Planet?

• Hotels of all sizes seeking a scalable, fully integrated PMS with multi-currency, multi-lingual support.
• Chains or properties aiming for extensive automation and broad system integrations.
• Hotels wanting to enhance guest engagement via CRM, email marketing, and digital registration.
• Properties looking for a cloud-native platform with ongoing updates and a large partner ecosystem.

Not ideal if your hotel:

• Primarily manages long-term stays without needing extensive integrations.
• Prefers a highly simplified, niche-specific system.
• Is a very small property with minimal automation needs.

Edge: Planet.

The Bottom Line for Hotels

Gearco targets a niche — long-term stay properties — with features that streamline extended occupancy management, reduce errors, and improve revenue control. Its simple, intuitive interface and high support ratings make it ideal for independent hotels focused on this segment.

Planet, by contrast, offers a broad, feature-rich platform designed to support diverse hotel types, including chains and resorts, with extensive integrations and automation options. It’s suited for hotels seeking a future-proof system that can scale and adapt.

If your hotel is an independent, extended stay property prioritizing ease and specialized features, Gearco is the clear choice. For larger, multi-property hotels or those needing a flexible, scalable PMS with massive integration support, Planet is better suited.

In summary: Choose Gearco if your hotel focuses on long-term stays and needs a simple, reliable system. Opt for Planet if you require a comprehensive, scalable platform with extensive integration capabilities and broad hotel management features.