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

The Decision

Choosing between protel PMS and Softstar hinges on your hotel’s specific needs, operational complexity, and growth plans. While both aim to streamline property management, they serve vastly different markets and hotel profiles. protel PMS is a globally recognized platform with extensive features and a large user base, whereas Softstar targets niche property management, particularly rental and multi-unit operations. Your decision should align with your hotel’s size, growth ambitions, and integration requirements.

Quick Verdict: Why protel PMS is the clear leader for hotels needing proven reliability and extensive functionality

With over 105 recent reviews and a 4.11/5 overall rating, protel PMS is a well-established choice for hotels seeking a comprehensive management system. Softstar, meanwhile, has no reviews on record, making it impossible to gauge its effectiveness or support quality. For hoteliers prioritizing vendor credibility and recent user feedback, protel is the safer, more data-backed option.

Is protel PMS or Softstar Better for Hotels?

protel PMS offers a full-stack, cloud-native platform designed for diverse hotel types, from independent boutique hotels to large resorts. It provides a broad range of features—including integrated payments, multi-currency support, booking engine, and extensive third-party integrations—making it suitable for hotels with complex operational needs.

Softstar, by contrast, is tailored toward rental properties and property managers handling multiple units, focusing on automation and AI-driven insights. However, with no recent reviews or verified customer feedback, assessing its reliability or suitability for larger or multi-faceted hotels is challenging.

protel’s ongoing development and large integration ecosystem—over 1,200 verified partners—make it a choice for hotels emphasizing connectivity and scalability. Softstar’s niche focus on property automation suggests it’s better suited for property managers rather than full-service hotels seeking a comprehensive PMS.

Do you need a flexible, scalable PMS with proven industry success, or a specialized platform for rental management?

protel PMS vs Softstar: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel needs a robust, full-featured PMS that supports multi-property management, extensive integrations, and operational automation, go with protel PMS. It is ideal for hotels that want proven reliability, a large support network, and ongoing feature updates.

If your hotel manages rental units, vacation properties, or smaller operations focused on automation and AI-driven insights, Softstar might be a fit—though the lack of recent reviews makes this uncertain. Its niche orientation could limit scalability for larger hotels or those requiring complex integrations.

For hotels prioritizing a mature, well-reviewed platform with broad industry adoption, protel is the clear choice. For property managers with a focus on automation and tenant tracking, Softstar’s approach could appeal, but more concrete feedback is needed to confirm its value.

Is protel PMS or Softstar Easier to Use?

protel PMS scores a 4.12/5 for ease of use, with many users praising its intuitive interface, streamlined workflows, and straightforward onboarding process. Support reviews mention some delays but overall indicate a user-friendly experience, especially for those familiar with PMS systems.

Softstar, lacking recent reviews and user feedback, offers no clear data on usability or onboarding. Its AI automation features suggest a focus on efficiency, but without verified user experiences, its ease of use remains unverified.

Edge: protel PMS.

Which Has Better Features: protel PMS or Softstar?

protel PMS boasts over 46 exclusive features, including a booking engine, multi-currency management, integrated payment processing, guest profiles, housekeping modules, and real-time reporting. Its extensive integration ecosystem (195 verified partners) further enhances its functionality.

Softstar, by comparison, offers AI-driven property management, tenant tracking, maintenance scheduling, and financial reporting tailored to rental operations. However, it has no verified features or integrations comparable to protel’s expansive suite.

Edge: protel PMS.

Which Has Better Customer Support: protel PMS or Softstar?

protel PMS has a customer support rating of 3.95/5, with reviews noting helpful, friendly support, but also occasional delays in response times. Support availability includes 24/7 assistance and multilingual specialists, which is a significant advantage.

Softstar’s support quality remains unverified, with no recent or detailed reviews to assess responsiveness or overall service quality. This lack of feedback makes it difficult to determine which vendor offers more reliable support.

Edge: protel PMS.

Which Has More Integrations: protel PMS or Softstar?

protel PMS integrates with over 195 verified partners, including major brands like Innspire, Right Revenue, Omnibees, and RevControl. Its broad ecosystem facilitates connecting with revenue management, CRM, channel managers, and payment providers, enabling a connected hotel operation.

Softstar offers no verified integrations or partner list, suggesting limited or no third-party connectivity. For hotels relying on multiple systems, this is a significant shortcoming.

Edge: protel PMS.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: protel PMS or Softstar?

While protel PMS has a substantial review base, Softstar has no reviews to evaluate user satisfaction. Among hotels that have reviewed protel, the average rating is 4.11/5, with independent hotels rating it slightly higher (4.5/5). Recent reviews are positive, emphasizing reliability, feature set, and support.

Without data, Softstar cannot be confidently rated. Hotel ratings are a critical factor in decision-making, favoring protel’s transparent, recent feedback.

Edge: protel PMS.

How Much Do protel PMS and Softstar Cost?

protel PMS charges a base price of $500 per month, with no mention of implementation fees or trial options. It does not offer a freemium model or monthly per-room charges, making its pricing straightforward.

Softstar’s pricing details are unavailable, and no trial information is provided. Its lack of transparency could be a concern for hotels trying to evaluate ROI before committing.

What Type of Hotel Should Use protel PMS?

• Hotels that need a reliable, full-featured PMS capable of managing multiple properties.
• Hotels with complex operational needs—booking, revenue management, integrated payments.
• Hotels seeking extensive third-party integrations and automation.
• Hotels prioritizing ongoing support, updates, and scalability.
• Hotels that appreciate detailed reporting, guest profiles, and flexible customization.

Not ideal if your hotel is very small, has minimal tech needs, or prefers a simple, budget-friendly solution.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Softstar?

• Rental property managers handling multiple units or vacation homes.
• Businesses that prioritize automated tenant tracking, maintenance scheduling, and AI-based insights.
• Teams that need a solution focused on operational automation rather than guest-facing features.
• Property managers wanting detailed performance analytics and smart recommendations.

Not ideal if your hotel requires a full-service PMS with extensive integrations, multi-property management, or complex guest service tools.

The Bottom Line for Hotels

protel PMS stands out as a comprehensive, well-reviewed platform with a proven track record across diverse hotel types. Its vast feature set, extensive integrations, and recent positive feedback make it a clear choice for hotels seeking reliability and scalability.

Softstar offers a specialized solution centered on automation and tenant management, but the absence of recent reviews or verified user feedback makes its effectiveness uncertain. For most hotels, especially those aiming for growth and operational efficiency, protel PMS is the more dependable option.

If your hotel values a tried-and-true PMS capable of handling complex operations and integrating with your existing tech stack, choose protel PMS. Its large support network, ongoing development, and extensive feature list make it the safest, most strategic investment.

However, if your focus is on managing rental units or properties with a primary emphasis on automation, and you can verify Softstar’s capabilities, it may be worth exploring further—though caution is advised due to the lack of recent reviews.