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 1,397 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:
Canary Technologies shines when it comes to upselling effectiveness — especially for brand properties (5.0/5) , with exclusive features like Digital Acceptance & Payment Capture.
Oaky by Plusgrade shines when it comes to upselling efficiency — especially for brand properties (5.0/5) .
Side-by-side ratings based on 1,397 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Starting Price | From $300/mo | From $300/mo |
| Verified Reviews | 869 | 528 |
After analyzing 1,397 verified reviews, Canary Technologies users most value its upselling effectiveness, guest messaging, contactless check-in, while Oaky by Plusgrade users highlight upselling efficiency, user interface and system usability, customer support experience. Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
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Upselling Effectiveness
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Upselling Efficiency
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Guest Messaging
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User Interface and System Usability
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Contactless Check-In
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Customer Support Experience
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Digital Tipping
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Personalization and Targeted Promotions
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Customization Options
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Reporting System Challenges
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PMS Integration
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Integration with PMS
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AI Functionality
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How each product ranks among Upselling Software 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) ▾ | #1 79 reviews | #5 42 reviews |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | #1 584 reviews | #2 263 reviews |
| Large (75-199 rooms) ▾ | #2 129 reviews | #1 141 reviews |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) ▾ | #1 60 reviews | #2 57 reviews |
By Property Type
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| Boutique ▾ | #1 406 reviews | #2 216 reviews |
| Luxury ▾ | #1 325 reviews | #2 278 reviews |
| Branded / Chain ▾ | #1 397 reviews | #2 208 reviews |
| Extended Stay ▾ | #1 69 reviews | #3 33 reviews |
By Region
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| North America ▾ | #1 733 reviews | #7 29 reviews |
| Europe ▾ | #6 42 reviews | #1 315 reviews |
| Asia Pacific ▾ | #4 18 reviews | #2 81 reviews |
| Middle East ▾ | #5 10 reviews | #2 52 reviews |
Choosing between Canary Upsells and Oaky involves weighing their strengths and weaknesses in boosting revenue and enhancing guest experience. Both platforms aim to maximize upselling opportunities, but their core functionalities and strategic approaches differ. Canary focuses on comprehensive contactless check-in, digital payments, and operational integrations, while Oaky emphasizes automated, personalized upsell offers driven by segmentation and dynamic pricing. Which aligns better with your hotel’s priorities?
Both products are designed to increase ancillary revenue and streamline guest interactions, yet their unique features and deployment models can influence your decision. Are you seeking a platform with a broader suite of guest management tools, or a specialized upselling system?
Canary Upsells and Oaky serve the common goal of increasing revenue through targeted upselling, but their scope and focus vary. Canary offers a full guest management platform, including contactless check-in, payment capture, and guest messaging, alongside upselling. Oaky, meanwhile, concentrates solely on automating and personalizing upsell offers throughout the guest journey.
Where Canary excels is its ability to reduce friction at check-in through digital operations, making it a fit for hotels prioritizing operational efficiency alongside upselling. Conversely, Oaky’s strength lies in its sophisticated segmentation, dynamic pricing, and automation, which are ideal for hotels aiming to maximize revenue per guest with personalized offers.
Do your operational needs extend beyond upselling, or are you primarily focused on boosting ancillary revenue through targeted promotions?
If your hotel needs a comprehensive guest engagement platform that integrates check-in, messaging, and upselling, Canary is the better fit. Its recent review count (794) and high ratings (4.8/5 overall) demonstrate strong confidence and recent adoption, especially among boutique and branded hotels.
If your priority is a dedicated upselling solution that enhances revenue through automation and segmentation, Oaky is the clear leader. With 443 reviews and a 4.84/5 rating, it has proven its effectiveness in increasing ancillary revenue, especially in mid-sized and large hotels seeking targeted, personalized offers.
For hotels seeking broad guest management, Canary is the choice; for those focused solely on upselling, Oaky is more suitable. Which goal aligns closer with your hotel’s strategic priorities?
Canary’s user interface is highly rated at 4.85/5, praised for its intuitive design, quick onboarding, and minimal staff training needs. The platform’s setup and integration are generally straightforward, with users noting its ease of use and quick adoption, especially when integrated with PMS systems.
Oaky also scores impressively at 4.84/5, with review highlights emphasizing its straightforward management and rapid setup. Users describe it as "super easy to manage" and "intuitive," with a gentle learning curve for front desk teams.
Edge: Canary. While both are highly rated, Canary’s broader suite of features makes its user experience more comprehensive and easier to navigate for multi-functional hotel teams.
Canary offers 14 shared features with its platform plus two unique additions: digital acceptance & payment capture, and gift vouchers & prepaid experiences. These features expand its utility beyond upselling to digital payments and contactless guest services.
Oaky’s core strengths lie in automation, segmentation, dynamic pricing, and proactive communication, with a focus on personalized upsell offers. It boasts extensive customization options and innovative features such as gamification and detailed analytics, though it doesn’t include digital payment features.
Edge: Canary. Its additional features for contactless payments and vouchers add value for hotels seeking a full guest management ecosystem alongside upselling.
Canary’s support ratings sit at 4.71/5, with reviews praising their responsiveness and ease of integration. Users mention that Canary’s customer support helps resolve issues quickly, making the onboarding process smoother.
Oaky leads slightly with a 4.87/5 support rating, with reviewers highlighting friendly, knowledgeable staff who actively seek feedback and ongoing improvements. Many describe Oaky’s support as proactive and personalized, especially during implementation.
Edge: Oaky. Its higher support score and positive recent reviews suggest a slightly better support experience, particularly for onboarding and ongoing assistance.
Canary’s overall rating of 4.8/5, based on 794 reviews, indicates strong satisfaction, especially from boutique and branded hotels. Recency of reviews (190 in the last 6 months) affirms sustained positive feedback.
Oaky’s rating of 4.84/5, from 443 reviews, reflects similar high satisfaction, particularly among independent and large hotels. Its recent reviews underscore its effectiveness in boosting revenue and guest engagement.
Both products are rated highly, but Canary’s larger review base and recent review activity give it a slight edge in confidence and current hotel sentiment. Which property type do you operate, and which platform’s user feedback resonates more?
Both platforms are priced at a base fee of $300. Canary does not specify additional costs for implementation or monthly fees, implying a straightforward, flat-rate model. Oaky’s pricing is similarly listed at $300, with no mention of ongoing fees or implementation costs.
Since both are similarly priced, your decision may hinge on the value derived from features and support rather than cost differences. Are you seeking a more comprehensive platform, or a focused upsell tool?
Not ideal if your hotel only needs straightforward upselling without broader guest management features, or if your staff prefers dedicated upsell software without extra operational tools.
Not ideal if your hotel prefers a broader guest management platform or if your property size makes advanced segmentation and automation less impactful.
Canary provides a comprehensive guest management platform with a strong upselling component, ideal for hotels seeking operational efficiency alongside revenue growth. Oaky is a specialized upselling tool, excelling in automation, personalization, and revenue maximization through targeted offers.
Choose Canary if you want an all-in-one system that enhances check-in, messaging, and guest engagement. Opt for Oaky if your primary goal is to focus on incremental revenue through tailored, automated upselling.
In hotels where operational integration and guest safety are priorities, Canary’s broader features serve well. For properties aiming to optimize revenue from each guest with minimal manual effort, Oaky’s automation and segmentation are more compelling.
Final recommendation: If your hotel values recent reviews, extensive features, and a proven track record with a larger user base, Canary Upsells is the stronger choice. If targeted, data-driven upselling with personalized offers is your focus, then Oaky remains an excellent partner.
Upselling Software 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 $300/mo | From $300/mo |
According to HTR's product database, Canary Upsells and Oaky by Plusgrade share 12 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
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| Digital Acceptance & Payment Capture | ||
| Gift Vouchers & Prepaid Experiences |
We analyzed 16 verified case studies to compare what hotels actually achieve with each platform across four key business objectives.
"In short, we’ve been able to improve the guest experience, eliminate fraud, and drive incremental revenue from upsells."
"With Oaky, guests can clearly see what extra services or products we have to offer. By looking through all our services they can choose to add things they did not even know they wa..."
"Anytime a software works well and makes my life easier, I like it and Canary has done exactly that. I absolutely recommend the platform to all other hotel operators."
"Oaky allows us to be creative and feature relevant and exciting offers to our guests. The solution is extremely flexible and easy to use, helping our teams to offer unique services..."
What hoteliers love
Many reviews mention that Canary's upselling features have been instrumental in increasing revenue through room upgrades, early check-in, and other ad... Many reviews mention that Canary's upselling features have been instrumental in increasing revenue through room upgrades, early check-in, and other add-ons. The automated system assists in capturing additional revenue by pushing relevant offers to guests at optimal times during their stay.
Reviewers appreciate Canary's guest messaging feature for improving communication efficiency. It enables hotels to address guest inquiries quickly, re... Reviewers appreciate Canary's guest messaging feature for improving communication efficiency. It enables hotels to address guest inquiries quickly, reducing the burden on front desk staff and enhancing guest satisfaction. The integration of AI for automated responses has been beneficial but requires careful tuning to avoid generic interactions.
Canary's contactless check-in feature has been highlighted for improving the check-in experience, making it faster and more convenient for both guests... Canary's contactless check-in feature has been highlighted for improving the check-in experience, making it faster and more convenient for both guests and staff. This functionality is especially appreciated during high-volume periods, allowing smoother operations and enhancing guest arrivals.
Where hoteliers push back
Customization is frequently mentioned as an area for improvement. Users desire more flexibility in customizing automated messages, upselling templates... Customization is frequently mentioned as an area for improvement. Users desire more flexibility in customizing automated messages, upselling templates, and guest communication to better align with their brand and enhance guest personalization.
Several reviews emphasize the smooth integration between Canary and the hotel's PMS, which facilitates real-time data synchronization and reduces manu... Several reviews emphasize the smooth integration between Canary and the hotel's PMS, which facilitates real-time data synchronization and reduces manual errors. However, some users note challenges with initial setup and suggest improvements for deeper system integration.
Ranks higher for
Unique capabilities
What hoteliers love
Reviewers consistently commend Oaky's ability to streamline and enhance the upselling process, making it easier to generate additional revenue. Users... Reviewers consistently commend Oaky's ability to streamline and enhance the upselling process, making it easier to generate additional revenue. Users appreciate the ease of promoting room upgrades and packages, contributing significantly to boosting hotel revenue.
The platform's user-friendly design is repeatedly praised, allowing both new and experienced users to engage effectively with the software. This acces... The platform's user-friendly design is repeatedly praised, allowing both new and experienced users to engage effectively with the software. This accessibility helps hotels employ upselling strategies without extensive training.
Oaky's customer support is largely praised for its efficiency and knowledge, with special mention of certain team members who consistently ensure a po... Oaky's customer support is largely praised for its efficiency and knowledge, with special mention of certain team members who consistently ensure a positive experience. Prompt assistance is highlighted as a particular strength.
Where hoteliers push back
Several reviews identify challenges with Oaky's reporting system, noting a need for improvements in clarity and integration with existing hotel system... Several reviews identify challenges with Oaky's reporting system, noting a need for improvements in clarity and integration with existing hotel systems. Users express difficulty in accessing comprehensive data on upselling activities.
Oaky offers seamless integration with many hotel property management systems, enhancing real-time data synchronization. Issues do exist, however, as s... Oaky offers seamless integration with many hotel property management systems, enhancing real-time data synchronization. Issues do exist, however, as some users encounter complications requiring manual input, specifically when tracking upselling offers.
Ranks higher for
It depends on your requirements. Canary Upsells and Oaky by Plusgrade share many core Upselling Software features, but each has unique capabilities. Canary Upsells offers 54 verified integration partners, while Oaky by Plusgrade offers 54. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.
Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. Canary Upsells leads in ease of use at 4.9/5 vs 4.8/5. 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.
Canary Upsells: No. Oaky by Plusgrade: No. Neither product currently offers a free tier. Most Upselling Software 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. Canary Technologies has an HT Score of 100 and Oaky by Plusgrade has 96. 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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