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 58 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:
PayPal shines .
Zil Money shines in ease of use and customer support , with exclusive features like Recurring Payments and Mail Order Telephone Order (MOTO) Payments.
Side-by-side ratings based on 58 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Starting Price | Contact sales | From $400/mo |
| Verified Reviews | 0 | 58 |
After analyzing 58 verified reviews, PayPal users most value its , while Zil Money users highlight user-friendly interface, customer experience enhancements, payment processing speed. Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
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User-Friendly Interface
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Customer Experience Enhancements
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Payment Processing Speed
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Customer Support
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Integration Capabilities
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Third-Party Integrations
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Approval Process
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How each product ranks among Payments Processing Software vendors for different property sizes, types, and regions — based on verified reviews from hoteliers in each segment.
By Hotel Size
| Segment | PayPal |
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|---|---|---|
| Small (10-24 rooms) ▾ | — | #1 9 reviews |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | — | #2 27 reviews |
| Large (75-199 rooms) ▾ | — | #3 12 reviews |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) | — | #3 2 reviews |
By Property Type
| Segment | PayPal |
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|---|---|---|
| Boutique ▾ | — | #3 17 reviews |
| Luxury ▾ | — | #3 15 reviews |
| Branded / Chain ▾ | — | #3 25 reviews |
| Extended Stay ▾ | — | #1 9 reviews |
By Region
| Segment | PayPal |
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| North America ▾ | — | #3 51 reviews |
| Asia Pacific | — | #3 0 reviews |
| Middle East | — | #2 1 reviews |
When it comes to choosing a payments processing solution for your hotel, the decision often hinges on reliability, ease of use, and feature set. PayPal, a household name in online payments, offers a simple, widely recognized platform but lacks recent reviews and a clear hotel-centric focus. Zil Money, on the other hand, boasts a dedicated suite of financial tools tailored for business operations, with more recent, detailed reviews and a stronger hotel industry presence. Are you ready to see which suits your needs better?
PayPal has long been a go-to for online transactions thanks to its vast user base and ease of integration with various eCommerce platforms. However, its limited features specifically tailored for hotel payment processes and zero recent reviews make it less attractive for hotel-specific needs.
Zil Money, by contrast, is a newer platform with a focus on business financial management, including invoicing, expense tracking, and automated payments. It has received recent reviews highlighting its user-friendly interface, multiple payment options, and strong security. Given that PayPal has no recent reviews and zero verified integrations, Zil Money’s active review base and hotel-friendly features make it the clearer choice.
If your hotel needs a comprehensive financial platform that manages invoicing, automates payments, and integrates with multiple accounting tools, Zil Money is the better fit. It’s especially suitable for hotels that handle multiple entities or require diverse payment methods like ACH, wire, or international payments.
If your team only needs a straightforward, widely accepted online payment solution without advanced financial management features, PayPal might suffice. But keep in mind, PayPal’s poor review score and lack of recent hotel-related feedback make it less reliable for ongoing hotel operations.
PayPal scores a 0/5 in ease of use, indicating almost no recent reviews or user feedback on its usability—likely reflecting limited hotel-specific features. Its interface and onboarding processes are not documented for hotel users, suggesting it isn’t tailored for such environments.
Zil Money, with a 4.5/5 user rating and an average onboarding score of 4.16/5, receives consistent praise for its intuitive, straightforward platform. Users mention that it simplifies complex payment workflows and reduces onboarding times, making it easy for hotel teams to adopt.
Edge: Zil Money.
PayPal offers no unique features tailored for hotels or business payments, limiting it to basic online payment acceptance and transfers. Its feature set is minimal, and it lacks specialized tools like recurring payments, multi-currency settlements, or contactless payment options.
Zil Money provides 15 distinct features crucial for hotel financial operations, including Pay by Link, Recurring Payments, Multi-Currency Settlements, Contactless Payments, Payment Splitting, and Pre-Authorizations. These tools empower hotels to manage complex transactions, support international guests, and streamline payment workflows efficiently.
Edge: Zil Money.
PayPal has no recent reviews or ratings for support, leaving uncertainty around its responsiveness and quality. The lack of feedback suggests limited hotel-focused support or recent improvements in customer service.
Zil Money enjoys a 4.5/5 customer support rating, with reviews highlighting its quick response times and helpful staff. Hotels appreciate their ability to resolve issues promptly, which is critical when managing payments and financial data.
Edge: Zil Money.
PayPal offers a single verified integration with Yanolja Cloud Solution, limiting its compatibility with hotel management systems. This restricts seamless financial workflows for hotels relying on integrated platforms.
Zil Money’s API and diverse integrations allow it to connect with numerous accounting and financial tools, although the total verified partners are not explicitly detailed. Its ability to support multiple software environments and payment methods provides flexible options for hotel finance teams.
Edge: Zil Money.
PayPal has no recent reviews in the hotel industry, making it impossible to gauge hotel satisfaction. Its overall rating is 0/5, reflecting its general online payment use rather than hotel-specific feedback.
Zil Money boasts a recent review count of 54, with hotelers rating it at 62.92/100. The reviews cite user-friendliness, reliability, and value for money, with an 87% likelihood of recommendation—making it the preferred choice among hotels.
Edge: Zil Money.
PayPal does not publicly disclose its pricing structure, but generally, it charges transaction fees based on volume and type of transaction, with no monthly flat fee. Its freemium model often involves a percentage fee per transaction.
Zil Money requires a $400 base price, with no ongoing monthly or per-room fees. Its pricing applies to access its full suite of features, making it predictable and potentially more cost-effective for hotels with steady payment volumes.
Edge: Zil Money.
Not ideal if your hotel requires advanced financial management features, multi-entity support, or international payment options.
Not ideal if your hotel prefers a free, no-cost solution or only needs basic online payment acceptance without broader financial tools.
PayPal is a familiar, straightforward payment platform best suited for small-scale or simple online transactions. However, its lack of recent hotel-specific reviews and features limits its effectiveness as a comprehensive payments solution for hotels.
Zil Money, with a recent review count of 54 and a high user rating, offers a tailored suite of financial tools designed specifically for business and hotel needs. Its extensive features, positive hotel reviews, and active development make it the better choice for most hotels seeking reliable, feature-rich payment processing.
If your hotel requires simple online payments and global recognition, PayPal may suffice. But for broader financial management, automation, and international flexibility, Zil Money is the recommended platform.
Final recommendation: For hotels prioritizing recent feedback, active support, and feature depth, Zil Money stands out as the superior choice.
According to HTR's product database, PayPal and Zil Money share 0 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
| Feature | PayPal |
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| Authorization Adjustments | ||
| Gratuity Function | ||
| Multi-Currency Settlements | ||
| Partial Capture | ||
| Pay by Link | ||
| Recurring Payments |
Showing top differences. 3 more features differ between these products.
What hoteliers love
Users frequently praise Zil Money for its intuitive and straightforward interface that simplifies invoicing, expense tracking, and other financial tas... Users frequently praise Zil Money for its intuitive and straightforward interface that simplifies invoicing, expense tracking, and other financial tasks. The platform’s ease of use reduces the onboarding time and enhances operational efficiency.
Several reviews indicate that minor improvements in customer experience, such as easing the verification process and reducing the time taken for setup... Several reviews indicate that minor improvements in customer experience, such as easing the verification process and reducing the time taken for setup, could make the platform even more efficient and user-friendly.
Several users highlight the speed and reliability of Zil Money's payment processing feature, which ensures timely transactions and supports the hotels... Several users highlight the speed and reliability of Zil Money's payment processing feature, which ensures timely transactions and supports the hotels' cash flow management.
Where hoteliers push back
Users value Zil Money's ability to integrate seamlessly with various accounting and financial software, which helps consolidate financial operations a... Users value Zil Money's ability to integrate seamlessly with various accounting and financial software, which helps consolidate financial operations and enhances efficiency.
Expanding integrations with more third-party applications is suggested by users, which would offer more flexibility and customization, catering to var... Expanding integrations with more third-party applications is suggested by users, which would offer more flexibility and customization, catering to varying business needs.
Unique capabilities
Where the ratings diverge most
It depends on your requirements. PayPal and Zil Money share many core Payments Processing Software features, but each has unique capabilities. PayPal offers 1 verified integration partners, while Zil Money offers 0. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.
Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. Zil Money leads in ease of use at 4.5/5 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.
PayPal: No. Zil Money: No. Neither product currently offers a free tier. Most Payments Processing 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. PayPal has an HT Score of 0 and Zil Money has 63. 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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