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

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

protel PMS by Planet and RMS are both cloud-based property management systems designed to streamline hotel operations, yet they diverge sharply in their target clientele and operational scope. protel PMS excels in versatility and integration breadth, fitting well with individual hotels, small chains, and resorts that require in-depth customization and multi-currency support. RMS, by contrast, offers a more comprehensive feature set tailored for a broad range of accommodation types, including motels, RV parks, and serviced apartments, with a particular strength in multi-property scalability and operational automation.

Both systems address core PMS challenges: managing reservations, guest communications, housekeeping, and payment processing. They enable hotels to reduce manual tasks and improve guest experience through automation and integrated workflows. However, protel PMS focuses on modular adaptability and extensive integration options, while RMS emphasizes an all-in-one platform with built-in channel management, guest portals, and reporting designed to support rapid growth and diverse property types.

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

If your property is a small to medium-sized independent hotel or a resort seeking a PMS with robust customization, multi-currency payment processing, and access to one of the largest integration ecosystems (196 verified partners), you should consider protel PMS. Its 128 reviews, including 20 in the last 6 months with a stable 4.0 overall rating, support its reliability in such settings. protel’s strengths in detailed reporting and tailored workflows also benefit luxury and branded hotels, which rate it 4.1 and 4.3 respectively.

If you operate a mixed portfolio that includes motels (20% of RMS users), RV parks (6%), or serviced apartments (7%), or if you require a system that scales efficiently across multiple properties, RMS is a stronger choice. RMS has 326 total reviews with consistently high ratings around 4.2 overall, including segment-specific ratings above 4.2 for motels, resorts, and city center hotels. RMS’s integrated channel management and built-in booking engine help hotels maximize direct bookings and OTA connectivity. However, its recent review volume has dropped sharply—7 in the last 6 months versus an average of 15.3 in prior periods—so recent product stability should be verified.

Data for very small budget hotels and hostels is limited for both products, but RMS’s broader feature set and user base suggest it is better suited for properties with complex inventory or outdoor accommodations. For boutique hotels and bed & breakfasts, protel’s integration flexibility and customization may offer more tailored control despite slightly lower segment ratings.

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

protel PMS scores 4.2/5 in ease of use with onboarding at 3.8/5, while RMS scores slightly higher at 4.3/5 ease of use and 4.1/5 onboarding. Reviewers of protel praise its intuitive interface and streamlined guest management workflows, but note that some updates have complicated certain functions and that training resources could be improved. RMS users highlight its logical workflows and ease of training staff, with onboarding often described as straightforward even for multi-property setups.

Both systems face criticisms: protel’s updates sometimes disrupt daily operations, and RMS users request more digital learning aids. The slightly higher ratings for RMS reflect a smoother initial adoption experience and more consistent user satisfaction with system navigation.

Edge: RMS.

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

RMS offers 29 features unique to its platform, including integrated EPoS, automated night audit, native channel manager, booking engine, guest feedback management, centralized messaging, mobile apps, online check-in/out, and specialized modules like spa & wellness. These features reduce the need for third-party tools, enabling front desk teams to manage reservations, payments, and guest communications from one place, improving operational efficiency and guest engagement.

protel PMS’s unique feature is its drag-n-drop tapechart, which front desk and revenue managers use to visualize and adjust room availability quickly. While protel has 45 shared PMS features with RMS, its strength lies in integration capability, enabling customized workflows via 1,200+ third-party integrations, which supports hotels needing tailored solutions.

Given RMS’s broader out-of-the-box functionality that directly changes front desk and housekeeping workflows and guest engagement, it provides a more feature-rich core system. protel’s advantage is its flexibility through integrations and the tapechart tool for inventory management.

Edge: RMS.

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

RMS leads in customer support with a 4.5/5 rating and onboarding at 4.1/5, compared to protel’s 4.0/5 support and 3.8/5 onboarding. RMS reviewers frequently commend the support team’s responsiveness, personalized assistance, and detailed follow-ups, even for complex multi-property setups. For example, a reviewer praised RMS agents for explaining processes clearly and patiently.

protel PMS users report competent and reachable support but also express frustration over long wait times and inconsistent phone support since the Planet acquisition. Some reviewers cite unresolved tickets and slow integration of new products as pain points. Training and onboarding materials are noted as needing improvement to reduce dependence on support calls.

Edge: RMS.

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

protel PMS offers 196 verified third-party integrations, exceeding RMS’s 118. Both share 55 partners, including key hospitality tools such as Right Revenue, Fairmas, and HiJiffy. protel has exclusive integrations with systems like Innspire, Planet Payments, Profitroom, and Bookboost, supporting advanced payment processing and booking engine customization. RMS’s unique integrations include Criton, Sage, STR, and M3, which support accounting and industry benchmarking.

Hotels prioritizing a wide ecosystem to tailor their PMS with niche or emerging technologies will find protel’s 66% larger partner network advantageous. Meanwhile, RMS’s integrations focus on enhancing direct booking, financial reporting, and multi-property management.

Edge: protel PMS (by Planet).

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

Overall ratings are 4.0/5 for protel PMS across 128 reviews and 4.2/5 for RMS across 326 reviews. Both show strong user satisfaction, but RMS’s larger review volume lends more confidence to its rating. However, RMS’s review activity has dropped 54% in the last six months compared to the prior two years, signaling possible recent challenges.

Segment ratings favor RMS in bed & breakfasts (4.3/5 vs 3.7/5), city center hotels (4.3/5 vs 4.1/5), motels (4.2/5 vs 5 reviews for protel), and resorts (4.2/5 vs 4.1/5). protel performs better in branded hotels (4.3/5 vs 4.2/5) and luxury hotels (4.1/5 vs 4.2/5) but with fewer reviews in those segments. Boutique hotels rate RMS higher (4.2/5 vs 3.9/5).

Edge: Even.

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

protel PMS has a base price of $500 with no freemium, per-room, or monthly flat fees published. RMS lists a higher base price at $800, also without freemium or published per-room fees. Neither system charges an implementation fee or offers a trial period. Pricing transparency is limited, so total cost will depend on property size, integrations, and customizations.

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

Hotels that:

• Seek extensive customization to tailor workflows and messaging, supported by 1,200+ integrations.
• Operate international or multi-currency properties requiring integrated payment solutions.
• Value a drag-n-drop tapechart for visual room inventory management.
• Are small to medium independent hotels or resorts with single-property or limited multi-property needs.
• Need a cloud-native PMS with optional on-premise solutions.

Not ideal if:

• You require a broad set of built-in features like channel management, booking engines, or POS out of the box.
• Your property relies heavily on rapid, responsive customer support.
• You manage large multi-property portfolios needing streamlined centralized control.

What Type of Hotel Should Use RMS?

Hotels that:

• Manage diverse portfolios including motels, RV parks, serviced apartments, and holiday parks.
• Require integrated channel management, booking engine, and guest portal to reduce third-party dependencies.
• Need scalable multi-property management with quick onboarding and standardized processes.
• Prioritize real-time insights through advanced reporting and operational automation.
• Value responsive, high-touch customer support during setup and daily operations.

Not ideal if:

• You want the widest integration marketplace to customize niche workflows.
• Your property demands deep multi-currency payment processing integrated at the PMS level.
• You prefer a simpler product without features designed for outdoor or specialty accommodations.

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

protel PMS by Planet and RMS represent two distinct approaches to property management. protel emphasizes flexibility, integration breadth, and payment processing, appealing to hotels seeking a highly customizable platform with a large ecosystem and strong reporting tools. RMS provides a more comprehensive all-in-one solution with numerous built-in features tailored for multi-property scalability and diverse accommodation types, including motels and RV parks.

Choose protel PMS if your hotel values modular adaptability, extensive third-party integrations (196 verified partners), and multi-currency payment options, particularly if you operate in luxury, branded, or boutique segments requiring tailored workflows. protel’s drag-n-drop tapechart and detailed reporting also suit operations focused on precise inventory control and data analysis.

Choose RMS if your property needs an integrated channel manager, booking engine, and guest engagement tools out of the box, combined with strong multi-property support and operational automation. RMS’s larger review base (326) and strong segment ratings in motels, resorts, and serviced apartments reflect its strength in diverse portfolios. However, note RMS’s recent 54% drop in review activity, which may indicate evolving product or support dynamics.

Both platforms rate evenly overall, but RMS edges out protel in ease of use and customer support, while protel leads in integration count. Your choice should hinge on whether you prioritize a versatile, integration-driven system (protel) or a feature-rich, scalable platform with strong multi-property capabilities (RMS).