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 215 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:
moonshiner shines .
STAY shines in ease of use and customer support — especially for brand properties (0.0/5) , with exclusive features like Mobile App and Guest Messaging.
Side-by-side ratings based on 215 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Starting Price | Contact sales | From $300/mo |
| Verified Reviews | 0 | 215 |
After analyzing 215 verified reviews, moonshiner users most value its , while STAY users highlight guest experience optimization, mobile and user experience, operational efficiency. Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
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Guest Experience Optimization
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Mobile and User Experience
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Operational Efficiency
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Support and Service
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CMS and Customization
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Integration Capabilities
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Analytics and Reporting
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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 | moonshiner |
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|---|---|---|
| Small (10-24 rooms) ▾ | — | #9 10 reviews |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | — | #4 83 reviews |
| Large (75-199 rooms) ▾ | — | #2 89 reviews |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) ▾ | — | #2 24 reviews |
By Property Type
| Segment | moonshiner |
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|---|---|---|
| Boutique ▾ | — | #2 77 reviews |
| Luxury ▾ | — | #2 88 reviews |
| Branded / Chain ▾ | — | #3 91 reviews |
| Extended Stay ▾ | — | #6 7 reviews |
By Region
| Segment | moonshiner |
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|---|---|---|
| North America ▾ | — | #5 27 reviews |
| Europe ▾ | — | #3 112 reviews |
| Asia Pacific | — | #6 3 reviews |
| Middle East | — | #7 2 reviews |
Choosing the right hotel guest app is crucial for enhancing guest satisfaction, streamlining operations, and boosting revenue. Both Moonshiner by Moonshiner and STAY Guest App aim to digitize guest interactions but diverge significantly in features, market presence, and user feedback. Your team needs to weigh which platform aligns best with your hotel’s size, location, and strategic goals—so which one truly fits your needs?
Moonshiner offers a very limited presence, with zero reviews, a minimal feature set, and no recent data to evaluate. Its main problem is the lack of proven market traction, reviews, or a broad feature set, making it difficult to determine if it can fulfill your hotel’s needs.
In contrast, STAY Guest App boasts over 200 recent reviews, a high user rating of 3/5 overall and an impressive NPS of 9.59, indicating strong customer satisfaction. It provides 14 distinct features, from mobile ordering to multi-lingual support, tailored for large hotel chains and independent properties alike.
Your decision hinges on whether you prefer a platform with a proven track record, active user feedback, and a broad feature set, or a solution with no reviews and unverified claims. Do you want a tested product or are you willing to explore an unproven platform?
If your hotel needs a robust, feature-rich guest engagement platform with proven user satisfaction and a global presence, go with STAY Guest App. It’s ideal for properties seeking to digitize multiple guest services, from messaging to room service ordering, and benefit from integrations with over 20 partners.
If your hotel is very small, in a niche market, or simply looking for a minimal, unreviewed solution, Moonshiner might be enough—though its lack of recent feedback makes it risky. For most hotels aiming for operational improvement, STAY is the clearly superior choice, especially with its extensive feature set and positive reviews.
In summary, choose STAY if you prioritize proven success, a broad feature library, and strong support, while Moonshiner is better suited for very small or experimental hotels willing to accept risk.
Moonshiner provides no publicly available ratings, reviews, or onboarding details, so assessing ease of use is impossible. Its absence from recent review data suggests minimal market adoption, which may hint at an untested user interface or onboarding process.
STAY Guest App, on the other hand, boasts a user rating of 4.78/5, with many reviews praising its intuitive interface and straightforward onboarding—hotels find staff adoption quick and simple. Its mobile app and web interface receive consistent praise for ease of navigation, content management, and real-time updates.
Edge: STAY Guest App.
Moonshiner offers no features listed publicly or in reviews, indicating it may have a minimal or undeveloped feature set at this stage.
STAY Guest App provides 14 features, including guest messaging, chatbots, request management, room service ordering, local recommendations, app download, multilingual support, mobile checkout, and guest profiles. These features directly enhance operational efficiency and guest satisfaction.
Given the extensive feature list, STAY clearly outperforms Moonshiner, especially in delivering a comprehensive guest experience platform.
Edge: STAY Guest App.
Moonshiner's support ratings are unavailable, and given its lack of reviews, it’s difficult to gauge customer service quality.
STAY Guest App, with a 4.83/5 customer support rating from over 200 recent reviews, consistently receives praise for its quick, helpful, and accessible support. Many users mention the support team’s responsiveness and proactive assistance, critical for onboarding and troubleshooting.
Edge: STAY Guest App.
Moonshiner appears to have no verified integrations listed publicly or in reviews, likely limiting its ability to connect with other hotel systems.
STAY Guest App has 20 verified partners, including key PMS, CRM, and channel management systems such as Hotelkit, Apaleo, SiteMinder, Oracle Hospitality, and Mews. This wide range of integrations facilitates smooth data flow and operational harmony.
Edge: STAY Guest App.
Moonshiner has no reviews, making it impossible to assess hotel satisfaction or segment-specific ratings.
STAY Guest App has a 3/5 overall rating from over 200 reviews, with luxury and branded hotels providing particularly positive feedback, emphasizing ease of use and service improvements. Recent reviews highlight high satisfaction, with an NPS of 9.59, signaling strong recommendation levels.
Edge: STAY Guest App.
Moonshiner’s pricing details are unavailable, and it offers no free trial or clear cost structure.
STAY Guest App costs $300 per month with no implementation fee or trial, making it transparent and predictable in expense. Its pricing model is straightforward, suitable for hotels ready to invest in a comprehensive guest app.
Not ideal if:
Not ideal if:
The core difference is clear: STAY Guest App provides a well-supported, feature-rich platform with proven user satisfaction and broad market presence, whereas Moonshiner offers no recent reviews, features, or integrations, making its value uncertain.
If your hotel needs a reliable, scalable solution backed by positive reviews and extensive features, STAY is the obvious choice. Its high user ratings and international reach make it suitable for most mid-sized to large hotels, resorts, and chains.
Conversely, Moonshiner might attract very small, experimental properties willing to risk unproven technology, but it’s not recommended for hotels seeking certainty or proven results. For the majority of hotels aiming to enhance guest experience and operational efficiency, STAY Guest App will deliver superior value and peace of mind.
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.
| moonshiner |
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| Starting Price | — | From $300/mo |
According to HTR's product database, Moonshiner and STAY Guest App share 0 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
| Feature | moonshiner |
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| Automated Replies | ||
| Chatbot | ||
| Guest Messaging | ||
| Message Routing | ||
| Mobile App | ||
| Web-app |
Showing top differences. 2 more features differ between these products.
We analyzed 8 verified case studies to compare what hotels actually achieve with each platform across four key business objectives.
No published case study for this goal yet.
"Thanks to STAY, we offer our guests an interaction tool with our staff. We can make real-time decisions with it. This simplifies our staff's duties at the same time. The guest expe..."
No published case study for this goal yet.
"Implementing STAY contributed to a significant increase in our revenue and customer satisfaction. The app pays for itself. We have seen significant increases in consumption for all..."
What hoteliers love
Multiple reviews highlight how STAY dramatically enhances guest experience by providing digital and sustainable ways for guests to access information... Multiple reviews highlight how STAY dramatically enhances guest experience by providing digital and sustainable ways for guests to access information and services. Features like real-time updates, mobile service ordering, and the ability to make restaurant reservations reduce wait times and provide convenience.
The app's user interface and mobile experience are lauded for being intuitive and easy to navigate. Users find it simple to update information and man... The app's user interface and mobile experience are lauded for being intuitive and easy to navigate. Users find it simple to update information and manage content, whether they are hotel staff or guests.
STAY aids in improving hotel operational efficiency by allowing quicker handling of guest requests, optimized internal processes, and reduced front de... STAY aids in improving hotel operational efficiency by allowing quicker handling of guest requests, optimized internal processes, and reduced front desk lines. The tool facilitates sustainable practices by digitizing traditional paper-based services, aiding hotels in their sustainability goals.
Where hoteliers push back
The CMS is highlighted for its ease of use and customization capabilities, though users have indicated some areas for improvement, particularly more f... The CMS is highlighted for its ease of use and customization capabilities, though users have indicated some areas for improvement, particularly more flexibility in design and functionality.
Users appreciate STAY's robust integration capabilities with various internal applications and systems, including PMS and CRM systems. These integrati... Users appreciate STAY's robust integration capabilities with various internal applications and systems, including PMS and CRM systems. These integrations streamline data management and help provide a seamless experience for both staff and guests.
Unique capabilities
Where the ratings diverge most
It depends on your requirements. Moonshiner and STAY Guest App share many core Hotel Guest Apps features, but each has unique capabilities. Moonshiner offers 0 verified integration partners, while STAY Guest App offers 20. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.
Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. STAY Guest App leads in ease of use at 4.8/5 vs 0.0/5. 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.
Moonshiner: No. STAY Guest App: 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. moonshiner has an HT Score of 0 and STAY has 47. 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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