Preno vs. protel PMS (by Planet):
Which Is Right for You?

Is Preno or protel PMS (by Planet) Better for Hotels?

Preno and protel PMS (by Planet) serve distinct hotel segments with some overlap. Preno targets independent properties such as boutique hotels, motels, B&Bs, and pubs with rooms, emphasizing ease of use, streamlined multi-property management, and integration with Xero accounting. Its interface is designed for smaller teams needing rapid staff onboarding and simple operations. In contrast, protel PMS (by Planet) aims at a broader market—including individual hotels, chains, and resorts—offering extensive feature depth, on-premise and cloud options, and one of the largest integration ecosystems in hospitality.

Both products address core challenges of property management systems—reservation handling, guest communication, channel management, and reporting—while striving to reduce administrative overhead. Preno’s strength lies in simplifying operations for smaller, independent hotels, while protel excels in providing a highly customizable and scalable platform for larger or more complex properties.

Preno vs protel PMS (by Planet): Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If you operate a small to medium independent property under 50 rooms, especially boutique hotels, motels, or B&Bs primarily in Australia, New Zealand, or regions where Preno has a strong presence, Preno’s streamlined interface, native Xero integration, and simplified multi-property management are preferable. This is supported by 170 reviews including 68 for boutique hotels averaging 4.8/5, indicating strong satisfaction in this segment.

If your hotel is part of a chain, a resort, or requires extensive multi-currency, multi-lingual support, or you want an on-premise PMS option, protel PMS by Planet fits better. With 128 reviews including 51 from boutique hotels and 37 from luxury hotels, protel’s broader functionality and 196 integrations cater to diverse operational requirements. However, note that protel’s recent 20 reviews maintain a 4/5 rating, while Preno’s recent review volume has sharply dropped, limiting recent reliability data.

For multi-property setups, Preno’s centralized dashboard excels in simplicity, but protel offers more customization and scalability despite some reported bugs and slower support. Large properties needing advanced rate management and integrated payment terminals would benefit from protel’s extensive feature set.

Is Preno or protel PMS (by Planet) Easier to Use?

Preno leads in ease of use with a 4.8/5 rating versus protel’s 4.2/5, based on 170 and 128 reviews respectively. Preno’s reviewers consistently praise its intuitive layout, drag-and-drop room management, and rapid staff onboarding—even for teams with varied tech skills. One noted, “New staff can be trained on it very quickly,” reflecting operational efficiency in front desk workflows.

Protel users appreciate its intuitive interface as well, especially protel Air, but some reviews mention recent updates that complicate previously straightforward tasks. Training and onboarding received a 3.8/5 for protel compared to Preno’s 4.7/5, with multiple reviewers suggesting protel’s onboarding resources are insufficient or hard to navigate.

Edge: Preno.

Which Has Better Features: Preno or protel PMS (by Planet)?

Protel offers 21 unique hotel-relevant features Preno lacks, including multi-currency, multi-lingual support, guest CRM, gift vouchers, digital registration, SMS guest communication, shift planning, advanced rate management, task management, integrated ID scanning, payment terminals, SOC2 compliance, and tax configuration. These features support complex operations in chain hotels or resorts requiring granular guest profiling, compliance, and diverse payment options.

Preno provides five exclusive features: automated night audit, mobile app, EPoS integration, its own channel manager, and automated room assignments. The mobile app enables management from any device—a significant operational advantage for small teams on the move. Its built-in channel manager and Xero integration reduce dependency on third-party tools, streamlining daily workflows.

Preno’s automated night audit reduces night shift manual tasks, while protel’s advanced rate management and rules-based room assignments enable sophisticated pricing strategies and operational flexibility.

Edge: protel PMS.

Which Has Better Customer Support: Preno or protel PMS (by Planet)?

Preno scores 4.8/5 on customer support and onboarding versus protel’s 4/5 and 3.8/5 respectively, from substantial review counts. Preno users frequently praise prompt, helpful support with real people answering calls and smooth onboarding transitions. One wrote, “The support team took the PDF of 2 years before and after transition date and imported for the hotel no fuss.”

Protel users report reliable support in some cases but also highlight slow response times, difficulty reaching phone support, and occasional unresponsiveness, especially following the Planet acquisition. Complaints about delays and poor technical support appear in multiple reviews.

Edge: Preno.

Which Has More Integrations: Preno or protel PMS (by Planet)?

Protel vastly outnumbers Preno in integrations with 196 verified partners compared to Preno’s 17, sharing 9 common integrations such as SiteMinder, TrustYou, and STAAH. Protel’s ecosystem includes RMS, CRM, BI tools, payment processors, and guest engagement platforms, important for hotels needing extensive technology stacks or advanced analytics.

Preno covers core needs with integrations like Xero, GuestTraction, and HelloShift suitable for independent hotels focused on streamlined accounting and guest communication.

Hotels requiring broad third-party connectivity and flexibility, especially chains and resorts, will find protel’s integration ecosystem more adaptable. Smaller properties valuing simplicity may prefer Preno’s focused integrations.

Edge: protel PMS.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Preno or protel PMS (by Planet)?

Preno achieves a 4.8/5 overall rating from 170 reviews, significantly higher than protel’s 4/5 from 128 reviews. Preno’s average rating for boutique hotels is 4.8/5 (68 reviews), luxury hotels 4.8/5 (54 reviews), and motels 4.8/5 (55 reviews). Protel’s highest segment ratings include motels at 5/5 (3 reviews) but boutique hotels average 3.9/5 (51 reviews), luxury hotels 4.1/5 (37 reviews), and branded hotels 4.3/5 (39 reviews).

Recent reviews show a sharp drop in Preno’s review volume—3 in the last 6 months versus 23.3 per 6 months historically—limiting confidence in its current rating. Protel maintained 20 reviews in the last 6 months, holding steady at 4/5.

Edge: Preno.

How Much Do Preno and protel PMS (by Planet) Cost?

Both Preno and protel PMS list a base price of $500.00. Neither offers a freemium model, monthly flat fee, nor per-room pricing publicly. Preno provides a 30-day trial; protel does not provide trial information.

Without per-room or usage-based pricing, cost comparison depends on negotiation and feature needs. Preno’s no implementation fees and transparent pricing suit smaller independents, whereas protel’s scalable modules and extensive integrations may incur additional costs.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Preno?

• Hotels that operate as independent boutique hotels, motels, B&Bs, or pubs with rooms, based on strong segment reviews (e.g., 4.8/5 average in boutique hotels, 170 total reviews).
• Teams requiring rapid staff onboarding and ease of daily operations, supported by a 4.8/5 ease of use rating and positive training feedback.
• Properties needing native integration with Xero accounting software to streamline invoicing and financial reconciliation.
• Multi-property operators seeking a simple centralized dashboard to manage bookings and availability across locations.
• Hotels valuing direct support access with responsive, helpful customer service.

Not ideal if:

• You require advanced rate management, multi-currency or multi-lingual capabilities, as Preno’s features in these areas are basic or absent.
• Your property demands extensive integrations beyond core systems like accounting and channel management.
• You need on-premise PMS deployment options rather than cloud-only.
• You require comprehensive guest CRM or digital registration features.

What Type of Hotel Should Use protel PMS (by Planet)?

• Hotels that are part of chains, resorts, or large independent properties requiring sophisticated, customizable PMS solutions.
• Properties with complex operations needing multi-currency, multi-lingual support, advanced rate management, and integrated payment terminals.
• Teams that benefit from extensive third-party integrations to build a best-of-breed technology stack.
• Hotels seeking both cloud and on-premise deployment options for operational flexibility.
• Properties requiring comprehensive guest profiles, CRM functionality, and digital guest registration workflows.

Not ideal if:

• Your team values simplicity and rapid onboarding over feature depth and customization.
• You require highly responsive customer support; protel has mixed reviews on support timeliness.
• Your operation is a small independent hotel with basic needs; protel’s complexity may be overwhelming.
• You need a mobile app with offline functionality; protel’s mobile features are less emphasized.

Preno vs protel PMS (by Planet): The Bottom Line for Hotels

Preno and protel PMS by Planet differ primarily in their target markets and feature depth. Preno focuses on independent hotels emphasizing ease of use, quick onboarding, and streamlined multi-property management, integrating tightly with Xero and offering a built-in channel manager and mobile app. Protel serves a broader client base including chains and resorts, providing an extensive feature set, multi-currency and multi-lingual support, integrated payments, and one of hospitality’s largest integration ecosystems.

Choose Preno if your hotel is a small to medium independent property prioritizing operational simplicity, rapid staff training, and native accounting integration. Preno’s 4.8/5 rating across 170 reviews, especially in boutique hotels, and highly rated customer support (4.8/5) underscore its suitability. However, note Preno’s review activity has dropped sharply recently, from 23.3 to 3 reviews per six months, which may affect confidence in current product or support status.

Choose protel PMS if your property requires extensive customization, advanced rate and guest management, multi-property scalability, and robust integration options. Protel’s 196 integrations and features like digital registration, payment terminals, and guest CRM support complex hotels. Its 4/5 rating from 128 reviews, with steady recent reviews, reflects ongoing reliability despite some support challenges. Protel is better suited for larger hotels or chains that can invest in training and system configuration.

In summary, Preno fits independent hotels needing simplicity and fast deployment, while protel PMS fits larger, complex operations demanding flexibility and comprehensive functionality.