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 430 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:
Planet shines when it comes to functionality and features — especially for brand properties (5.0/5) , with exclusive features like Drag-n-Drop Tapechart.
RMS shines in customer support and ROI — especially for brand properties (5.0/5) , with exclusive features like Housekeeping and Guest Feedback Management.
Side-by-side ratings based on 430 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Starting Price | From $500/mo | From $800/mo |
| Verified Reviews | 108 | 322 |
After analyzing 430 verified reviews, Planet users most value its functionality and features, ease of use, multi-property management, while RMS users highlight technical support and learning resources, scalability and feature depth, trust accounting support. Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
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Functionality and Features
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Technical Support and Learning Resources
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Ease of Use
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Scalability and Feature Depth
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Multi-property Management
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Trust Accounting Support
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Online Channel Management
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Support Issues
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Booking Engine and Mobile Interface
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Customization and Flexibility
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Report Writer Flexibility
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System Performance and Reliability
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POS System Integration
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How each product ranks among Property Management Systems vendors for different property sizes, types, and regions — based on verified reviews from hoteliers in each segment.
By Hotel Size
| Segment |
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| Small (10-24 rooms) ▾ | #27 32 reviews | #7 147 reviews |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | #15 50 reviews | #8 102 reviews |
| Large (75-199 rooms) ▾ | #15 10 reviews | #8 14 reviews |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) ▾ | #17 3 reviews | #7 8 reviews |
By Property Type
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| Boutique ▾ | #21 42 reviews | #11 100 reviews |
| Luxury ▾ | #21 34 reviews | #13 57 reviews |
| Branded / Chain ▾ | #17 33 reviews | #9 50 reviews |
| Extended Stay ▾ | #20 9 reviews | #3 65 reviews |
By Region
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| North America ▾ | #29 6 reviews | #11 63 reviews |
| Europe ▾ | #10 79 reviews | #23 20 reviews |
| Asia Pacific ▾ | — | #12 10 reviews |
| Middle East ▾ | #15 2 reviews | #8 7 reviews |
Choosing the right property management system can transform your hotel's operations, guest satisfaction, and revenue. Both Protel PMS by Planet and RMS aim to streamline your workflows, but their approaches, features, and support vary significantly. Your decision hinges on your hotel's size, complexity, and specific needs—so which system aligns best with your goals?
Protel PMS offers a broad set of functionalities rooted in extensive integrations and customization. RMS emphasizes automation, real-time insights, and ease of use, especially for multi-property and complex setups. Are you looking for a versatile, highly configurable platform or a straightforward, automation-focused solution?
Protel PMS and RMS both target the core needs of hotel management but diverge in their strengths. Protel, built for a wide variety of hotels, offers a comprehensive yet sometimes fragmented feature set with over 1,200 integrations. Its cloud-native platform supports both cloud and on-premise deployments but faces criticism for slow support responses, especially for complex multi-property setups.
RMS, with a much higher review count and more recent feedback, boasts a user-friendly interface and strong automation capabilities, making it popular among hotels seeking efficiency and scalability. RMS’s focus on automation and guest engagement tools simplifies daily tasks, reducing manual work and increasing guest satisfaction. Do you prioritize extensive integrations and customization or ease of use and automation?
If your hotel needs a flexible, highly customizable PMS that integrates with a vast ecosystem of third-party systems, Protel PMS is the better fit. It supports complex on-premise and cloud configurations, and its detailed reporting and extensive features cater well to independent and boutique hotels seeking control over their operations.
If your hotel values quick onboarding, automation, and real-time guest interactions, RMS is your answer. Its high user ratings—4.56/5 overall and 4.28/5 for ease of use—reflect a tool that simplifies complex workflows, supports multi-property management, and keeps staff focused on guest experiences rather than paperwork.
Protel’s interface is generally praised for being intuitive, especially for users familiar with hotel operations, earning a 4.12/5 ease of use rating. However, some reviews highlight that its complexity can be daunting for new users, particularly during customization and multi-property management. Onboarding is rated at 3.79/5, suggesting room for improvement in training materials.
RMS scores slightly higher in ease of use at 4.28/5, with users describing it as "very user-friendly" and noting rapid onboarding, often within a week. Support interactions are highly rated, with helpful, timely responses that reduce staff frustration. Edge: RMS.
Protel boasts 45 shared features with RMS but offers only 1 feature unique to itself: the drag-and-drop Tapechart, which simplifies room management. Its strengths include extensive integration options, detailed reporting, and customizable messaging.
RMS has a broader set of exclusive features—29 in total—covering automated night audits, a booking engine, guest messaging, online check-in, and a native guest app. These features are designed to boost automation, guest engagement, and revenue. When it comes to feature depth, RMS’s focus on automation and guest interaction tools gives it an edge.
Edge: RMS.
Customer support ratings favor RMS at 4.48/5, with reviewers praising its proactive, knowledgeable team and quick resolution times. Many mention that RMS support responds promptly and effectively, even for complex issues, which enhances user confidence.
Protel’s support rating is lower at 3.95/5. Users report long response times, especially post-Planet acquisition, and frustrations with support availability and responsiveness. Several reviews mention support delays disrupting operations, which can be costly for hoteliers. Edge: RMS.
Protel leads with 195 verified partners, including notable integrations like Innspire, Omnibees, and RevControl. Its ecosystem covers a wide range of hotel systems, from revenue management to booking engines, making it highly adaptable.
RMS offers 112 verified partners, including popular integrations like Right Revenue and Fairmas. While fewer, RMS’s integrations focus on automation, guest engagement, and operational tools. For hotels prioritizing extensive third-party connectivity, Protel has a slight edge, but RMS’s core integrations are robust.
Edge: Protel.
RMS enjoys a higher overall rating of 4.56/5 and 86% likelihood to recommend, supported by 293 reviews—more recent and diverse. Hoteliers in RV parks, boutique hotels, and chain brands praise RMS for its automation, ease of use, and scalability.
Protel’s rating stands at 4.11/5 with 105 reviews, predominantly from independent and boutique hotels. Its older reviews highlight reliability but also frustration with support and complexity. For recent user satisfaction, RMS is the clear winner.
Edge: RMS.
Protel’s pricing starts at $500/month, with no free trial or implementation fees disclosed. Its cost reflects the extensive customization and integrations it offers.
RMS’s base price is $800/month, also without a free trial, but many users find the value justified by features and support quality. RMS’s higher price point may be offset by its ease of use, automation, and rapid onboarding—especially for multi-property portfolios.
Not ideal if your hotel needs quick deployment, rapid support, or simpler daily operations.
Not ideal if your hotel requires highly customized integrations beyond standard tools or complex on-premise deployment.
RMS is a more recent, highly-rated system with strong automation, excellent support, and a focus on guest experience. It’s especially suited for hotels that need quick deployment, scalability, and ease of use.
Protel offers a flexible, extensive integration ecosystem and detailed customization, making it ideal for hotels with complex needs or those wanting a hybrid cloud/on-premise setup. However, support delays and system complexity can pose challenges.
Choose RMS if your priority is efficiency, guest engagement, and fast onboarding; opt for Protel if you need extensive integrations, customization, and a versatile platform capable of handling complex environments.
According to HTR's product database, protel PMS (by Planet) and RMS share 45 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
| Feature |
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| Automated night audit | ||
| Booking Engine | ||
| Channel Manager | ||
| Drag-n-Drop Tapechart | ||
| EPoS | ||
| Point of Sale | ||
| Property Management System |
Showing top differences. 18 more features differ between these products.
We analyzed 7 verified case studies to compare what hotels actually achieve with each platform across four key business objectives.
"It feels like a partnership, not a product. Our feedback is always heard and acted on. We’re working together for the shared goal of great guest service."
"When you manage 26 properties, speed and control are everything. With RMS, I can update rates, policies, or form letters instantly across the group. That kind of centralization let..."
No published case study for this goal yet.
"RMS has helped us strengthen what makes The Nare special: our connection with guests. It gives our team the knowledge they need to offer a genuinely personal experience, and we see..."
What hoteliers love
Users appreciate Protel's extensive features for managing single properties, with comprehensive tools for reporting, room plans, and rate management.... Users appreciate Protel's extensive features for managing single properties, with comprehensive tools for reporting, room plans, and rate management. However, many reviews expressed disappointment that a lot of these functionalities are incomplete, buggy, or missing entirely when dealing with more complex setups or multi-property environments. Custom reports and seamless integration with other tools are also highlighted as beneficial.
The user interface is generally praised for being intuitive and easy to navigate. Many users found Protel Air particularly user-friendly and noted the... The user interface is generally praised for being intuitive and easy to navigate. Many users found Protel Air particularly user-friendly and noted the efficiency in managing daily operations. However, certain updates have made certain functions more complex and less intuitive than before.
Protel's performance in catering to multi-property environments received mixed feedback. While some users praised its organizational tools and interfa... Protel's performance in catering to multi-property environments received mixed feedback. While some users praised its organizational tools and interfaces, many found the system frustratingly limited for multi-location setups, highlighting significant bugs and reduced functionalities.
Where hoteliers push back
Customer support is a consistent area of concern. Reviews mentioned long waiting times for support requests, lack of phone availability, and poor resp... Customer support is a consistent area of concern. Reviews mentioned long waiting times for support requests, lack of phone availability, and poor response times after the acquisition by Planet. Users recommend improving the speed and reliability of customer service.
Users are generally happy with the level of customization available in Protel, allowing them to adapt the system to better fit their specific needs. H... Users are generally happy with the level of customization available in Protel, allowing them to adapt the system to better fit their specific needs. However, this flexibility often comes at a high cost, and some required features are only available through paid custom development.
Ranks higher for
Unique capabilities
What hoteliers love
RMS's support team is frequently praised for its proactive and knowledgeable assistance. However, users have expressed a need for more digital learnin... RMS's support team is frequently praised for its proactive and knowledgeable assistance. However, users have expressed a need for more digital learning resources and video tutorials to aid in system navigation and maximize the utility of available features.
RMS is praised for its ability to support growing businesses, especially RV resorts requiring complex operational support. Users commend the scalabili... RMS is praised for its ability to support growing businesses, especially RV resorts requiring complex operational support. Users commend the scalability and the rich feature set, including reservation management, reporting, and housekeeping, available out of the box. Such comprehensiveness allows properties to streamline varied operations effectively.
Users appreciate RMS for its exceptional trust accounting support, citing reliable and speedy assistance with accounting issues. The system's updates... Users appreciate RMS for its exceptional trust accounting support, citing reliable and speedy assistance with accounting issues. The system's updates enhance its capability to manage property trust accounting efficiently, with many noting that this feature significantly reduces operational complexity, thus allowing property managers to focus on other critical tasks.
Where hoteliers push back
The booking engine receives mixed reviews, with calls for enhancement in sophistication and mobile friendliness. Suggestions include making the bookin... The booking engine receives mixed reviews, with calls for enhancement in sophistication and mobile friendliness. Suggestions include making the booking process easier and potentially cost-free for returning guests, which could encourage loyalty and repeat business.
While RMS offers a robust report writing tool, customers have called for more customization options. Suggestions included editable fields and optional... While RMS offers a robust report writing tool, customers have called for more customization options. Suggestions included editable fields and optional columns to allow faster and more flexible report generation, aiding daily decision-making without needing to reconstruct reports from scratch.
Ranks higher for
Unique capabilities
Where the ratings diverge most
It depends on your requirements. protel PMS (by Planet) and RMS share many core Property Management Systems features, but each has unique capabilities. protel PMS (by Planet) offers 194 verified integration partners, while RMS offers 112. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.
Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. RMS leads in ease of use at 4.3/5 vs 4.1/5. 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.
protel PMS (by Planet): No. RMS: No. Neither product currently offers a free tier. Most Property Management Systems 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. Planet has an HT Score of 33 and RMS has 91. 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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