LIKE MAGIC (Check-in) vs. Straiv:
Which Is Right for You?

Is LIKE MAGIC or Straiv Better for Hotels?

LIKE MAGIC and Straiv both target contactless check-in, reducing front desk workload while enhancing guest convenience through mobile-first self-service. They streamline arrival and departure workflows, eliminate queues, and integrate guest communications to improve overall stay experiences.

The products diverge in operational focus and market fit. LIKE MAGIC emphasizes deep automation and integration of guest management with operations and analytics in a single platform, fitting properties aiming to reduce staff and automate routine tasks comprehensively. Straiv offers broader guest journey features beyond check-in, including guest messaging, upselling, and digital concierge, suited for hotels seeking a multipurpose platform with extensive PMS integrations.

Both solve the same core problem: making hotel arrivals contactless and efficient while freeing staff to focus on higher-value interactions. The choice hinges on whether a property prioritizes operational automation and scalability (LIKE MAGIC) or a multi-channel guest journey with broad integrations (Straiv).

LIKE MAGIC vs Straiv: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If you run an extended stay or serviced apartment property in Europe or Asia Pacific, LIKE MAGIC is a strong fit, with 28% of its users in this segment and a perfect 5/5 rating from 12 reviews. Its automation of check-in, housekeeping, and payments saves staff time and supports lean operations, validated by case studies reporting up to 80% staff reductions in 168-room hotels.

If your hotel is a boutique or branded property in Europe, Straiv is compelling, rated 4.9/5 by 33 boutique and 22 branded hotel reviewers. Straiv’s broader feature set—including guest messaging, payments, and digital concierge—supports diverse guest needs and upselling opportunities. Its 38 verified integrations, including major PMS like protel and Oracle, suit hotels requiring deep system connectivity.

For limited service or budget hotels, data is thin for LIKE MAGIC (7% user base) but Straiv has 26 reviews rating it 4.8/5, indicating solid performance. Straiv’s mobile checkout and payment features may improve operational simplicity here.

If your property requires multi-lingual support and document scanning at check-in, LIKE MAGIC offers unique features like passport scanning and registration card e-signature, which Straiv lacks. Conversely, if your focus includes digital concierge and local recommendations, Straiv’s exclusive features better serve those workflows.

Is LIKE MAGIC or Straiv Easier to Use?

LIKE MAGIC scores 4.9/5 for ease of use and 4.8/5 for onboarding across 29 reviews, compared to Straiv’s 4.6/5 ease of use and 4.6/5 onboarding from 105 reviews, with 23 recent. Reviewers praise LIKE MAGIC’s intuitive browser-based platform that requires no guest app download and reduces training to as little as 1.5 days. Straiv users note straightforward guest access and time-saving for front office teams but mention backend complexity and some confusion in setup, especially for multilingual content.

Staff adoption tends to be faster with LIKE MAGIC due to its seamless integration and automation, reducing manual steps. Straiv’s multiple modules and customization options provide flexibility but require more administrative effort to maintain.

Edge: LIKE MAGIC.

Which Has Better Features: LIKE MAGIC or Straiv?

LIKE MAGIC offers nine unique features not found in Straiv, including a hotel website check-in portal, custom questions, terms & conditions signing, marketing opt-ins, document and passport scanning, multi-lingual support, deposit collection, and registration card e-signature. These features streamline legal compliance, guest identification, and pre-registration tasks, reducing front desk workload and improving data accuracy.

Straiv provides 11 distinct features, such as mobile check-in and checkout, local recommendations, a web-app, room service ordering, hotel directory, request management, payments, guest messaging, guest profiles, and PMS integration. These capabilities extend the guest journey beyond arrival, enhancing guest engagement and offering additional revenue streams through upselling and service requests.

Both share eight core features, including digital key support and contactless check-in. Straiv’s broader guest communication and payment tools support hotels aiming for a fully digital guest experience, while LIKE MAGIC’s focus on compliance and automation benefits properties prioritizing operational efficiency.

Edge: Straiv.

Which Has Better Customer Support: LIKE MAGIC or Straiv?

LIKE MAGIC and Straiv have comparable support ratings: LIKE MAGIC scores 4.8/5 customer support and 4.8/5 onboarding, Straiv 4.7/5 and 4.6/5 respectively. Reviewers of LIKE MAGIC commend generally quick response times and helpful assistance but note occasional variability in support employee familiarity with specific processes. Straiv users emphasize fast and uncomplicated support with continuous product improvements, though some backend training demands are noted.

Neither product shows a clear advantage in support quality based on ratings and review comments.

Edge: Even.

Which Has More Integrations: LIKE MAGIC or Straiv?

LIKE MAGIC has 11 verified integrations, including apaleo GmbH, Oracle Hospitality, Mews, SALTO Systems, Adyen, and MARA Solutions. Unique partners include 4SUITES, Triptease, and TrustYou.

Straiv leads with 38 verified partners, sharing six common integrations with LIKE MAGIC but adding key systems like FLEXIPASS Keyless Mobile Access, Profitroom, Bookboost, hotelkit, protel, Infor, Access Hospitality, Cloudbeds, and Vingcard. This broader ecosystem supports deeper PMS connectivity and operational workflows.

Hotels relying on protel or Cloudbeds will find Straiv’s integrations essential, while LIKE MAGIC supports properties using 4SUITES or TrustYou.

Edge: Straiv.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: LIKE MAGIC or Straiv?

LIKE MAGIC holds a perfect 5/5 overall rating from 29 reviews, with no recent reviews in the last six months, so current ratings might not reflect recent product updates. Straiv’s overall rating is 4.7/5 across 105 reviews, with a recent 4.6/5 over 23 reviews in the last six months, indicating consistent satisfaction.

Segment ratings favor LIKE MAGIC in extended stay & serviced apartments (5/5 vs 4.8/5) and boutique hotels (4.8/5 vs 4.9/5, close). Straiv scores higher or equal in branded hotels (4.9/5 vs 5/5 but with fewer LIKE MAGIC reviews), limited service hotels (4.8/5 vs 4.9/5), city center hotels (4.8/5 vs 4.8/5), and airport/conference hotels (4.9/5 vs 5/5).

Straiv’s recent review volume is higher, providing a more current picture of user satisfaction. LIKE MAGIC’s perfect scores reflect strong historic satisfaction but absence of recent reviews warrants cautious interpretation.

Edge: LIKE MAGIC.

How Much Do LIKE MAGIC and Straiv Cost?

LIKE MAGIC charges a base price of $700 with no freemium, no monthly fees, and no implementation fee publicly listed. Straiv’s base price is $500, also without freemium, monthly fees, or implementation charges disclosed. Neither product offers a free trial.

Straiv’s lower base price may appeal to budget-conscious properties, though total cost depends on customization and integration needs. LIKE MAGIC’s pricing suggests a premium positioning reflecting its operational automation depth.

What Type of Hotel Should Use LIKE MAGIC?

• Hotels that rely on extended stay or serviced apartment formats, supported by 28% user base and perfect 5/5 segment ratings.
• Teams aiming to automate routine tasks like check-in, housekeeping, and payment processing to reduce staff and increase efficiency.
• Properties needing GDPR-compliant, mobile-first contactless check-in with document and passport scanning for regulatory compliance.
• Operators seeking seamless integration with existing PMS and digital key systems to streamline workflows and reduce manual errors.
• Hotels targeting high guest satisfaction through self-service options with minimal training time for staff.

Not ideal if:

• Your property requires extensive guest messaging, room service ordering, or digital concierge features not yet covered.
• You need a broad PMS integration portfolio beyond 11 verified partners.
• Your hotel prioritizes local recommendations and upselling workflows integrated in the guest journey.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Straiv?

• Hotels in Europe with boutique or branded formats, as evidenced by high ratings (4.9/5) and strong user presence.
• Properties seeking an end-to-end guest journey platform including online check-in/out, payments, guest messaging, and digital concierge.
• Hotels requiring deep PMS integration, with 38 verified partners including protel and Oracle, facilitating seamless operational data flow.
• Teams wanting flexible module customization to tailor guest communication, upselling, and request management workflows.
• Hotels prioritizing mobile checkout and local recommendation features to enhance guest convenience and ancillary revenue.

Not ideal if:

• Your focus is on automating operational back-office tasks like housekeeping and payment processing beyond digital check-in.
• You prefer a simpler backend interface with minimal setup complexity.
• Your property requires document scanning or pre-registration collections not available in Straiv.

LIKE MAGIC vs Straiv: The Bottom Line for Hotels

The core difference between LIKE MAGIC and Straiv lies in operational focus and feature scope. LIKE MAGIC centers on automating hotel workflows—check-in, housekeeping, payments—within a tightly integrated platform, optimizing staff efficiency. Straiv offers a broader guest journey solution, extending contactless check-in to digital concierge, guest messaging, and payments, supported by a larger integration ecosystem.

Choose LIKE MAGIC if your property is an extended stay or serviced apartment aiming to minimize staffing through automation, supported by its perfect 5/5 segment ratings and case studies showing up to 80% staff reduction. Its unique features like document scanning and registration card e-signing enhance compliance and pre-arrival efficiency.

Choose Straiv if your hotel is a boutique or branded property in Europe that values a comprehensive guest journey platform with extensive PMS integrations and features like mobile checkout, guest messaging, and upselling. Straiv’s broader feature set and 38 verified integrations support diverse operational needs and guest engagement strategies.