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 109 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 On premise and Revenue management module.
WavePM shines in ease of use and ROI .
Side-by-side ratings based on 109 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Starting Price | From $500/mo | Contact sales |
| Verified Reviews | 108 | 1 |
After analyzing 109 verified reviews, Planet users most value its functionality and features, ease of use, multi-property management, while WavePM users highlight . Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
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Functionality and Features
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Ease of Use
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Multi-property Management
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Support Issues
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Customization and Flexibility
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System Performance and Reliability
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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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WavePM |
|---|---|---|
| Small (10-24 rooms) ▾ | #27 32 reviews | #61 1 reviews |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | #15 50 reviews | — |
| Large (75-199 rooms) ▾ | #15 10 reviews | — |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) | #17 3 reviews | — |
By Property Type
| Segment |
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WavePM |
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| Boutique ▾ | #21 42 reviews | #66 1 reviews |
| Luxury ▾ | #21 34 reviews | — |
| Branded / Chain ▾ | #17 33 reviews | — |
| Extended Stay ▾ | #20 9 reviews | — |
By Region
| Segment |
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WavePM |
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| North America ▾ | #29 6 reviews | #61 1 reviews |
| Europe ▾ | #10 79 reviews | — |
| Middle East | #15 2 reviews | — |
Choosing the right property management system (PMS) for your hotel depends on your specific operational needs, budget, and future growth plans. Protel PMS by Planet offers a broad set of features and extensive integration options, making it suitable for hotels seeking a versatile, scalable solution. WavePM, however, is a newer entrant with a focus on property managers and owners, emphasizing AI-driven insights and ease of use. Both aim to streamline operations but diverge significantly in maturity, support, and market presence.
Protel’s more than 100 reviews, mostly recent, give it a clear edge, especially with a 4.11/5 overall rating. WavePM’s lack of reviews and limited market footprint make it an uncertain choice for hotels prioritizing proven performance and support. Are you ready to rely on a system with a proven track record, or are you open to a newer platform with innovative features but limited data?
Protel PMS is a comprehensive platform designed to handle complex hotel operations, from multi-property management to detailed reporting and extensive integrations. WavePM, by contrast, is a lightweight property management solution that emphasizes AI-driven insights and ease of use. While Protel caters to a broad spectrum of hotel types—luxury, boutique, resorts—WavePM appears to focus solely on motels, with a limited user base and no publicly available data on other hotel segments.
Protel’s strengths lie in its ability to support large, multi-property hotels with advanced modules like revenue management, guest CRM, and integrated booking engines. WavePM touts flexibility and modern design, but without recent reviews or a broad feature set, its suitability for complex operations remains unproven. Which type of hotel do you operate, and how critical is a proven, feature-rich system?
If your hotel needs a mature, globally proven PMS that integrates with a rich ecosystem of third-party systems, go with Protel. Its extensive feature set—including multi-currency, revenue management, and a robust booking engine—makes it suitable for a wide range of property types. If your hotel is a motel or small property seeking a user-friendly platform with AI-driven operational insights, WavePM’s simplified interface could work. But note, WavePM’s lack of reviews and regional presence limit confidence in its scalability.
Hotels with complex needs, multi-property portfolios, and a desire for deep customization will find Protel’s extensive capabilities more aligned. Conversely, if your priority is quick onboarding, straightforward management, and cutting-edge AI features—despite limited proven track records—WavePM might appeal. Which of these profiles best describes your hotel’s priorities?
Protel’s user interface is generally praised for being intuitive, especially in its cloud version, with a 4.12/5 ease-of-use rating from reviews. Its onboarding process, rated 3.79/5, can be somewhat complex given the system’s extensive functionality, but experienced users find it manageable. Support response times have room for improvement, with some users citing delays, especially after Planet’s acquisition.
WavePM, on the other hand, has a perfect 5/5 rating for ease of use, with reviews emphasizing its modern, clean design and simplicity. Though it lacks detailed onboarding feedback, the platform appears straightforward for users familiar with property management. Edge: WavePM.
Protel offers over 46 unique features, including revenue management, multi-lingual support, online booking engine, integrated CRM, digital registration, and extensive reporting tools. WavePM’s feature set is not explicitly listed, but it’s described primarily as a flexible, AI-enabled platform focusing on automated lease management, expense tracking, and tenant communication. It lacks the depth and breadth of Protel’s architecture, especially for hotel-specific needs.
Protel’s suite supports complex operations, third-party integrations, and compliance standards like GDPR and PCI. WavePM’s strengths lie in AI-driven insights and simplified property management, but without detailed feature comparisons, Protel’s richer ecosystem offers a clear edge. Which set of features will most impact your operational efficiency?
Protel boasts a support rating of 3.95/5, with reviews indicating that response times can be lengthy and support is occasionally slow. Hotel managers appreciate the 24/7 multilingual support but note that support sometimes struggles with complex issues, especially post-Planet acquisition. The large customer base and extensive experience lend credibility, but support responsiveness remains a concern for some.
WavePM has a support rating of 4/5, with reviews emphasizing its friendly, responsive service. However, limited reviews and absence of recent customer feedback make it difficult to assess support reliability. Edge: Protel, given its larger user base and more established support infrastructure.
Protel offers over 195 verified integration partners, including prominent systems like Innspire, Right Revenue, and RevControl. These integrations cover revenue management, booking engines, channel managers, and more, allowing hotels to build a tailored, connected tech stack. WavePM, by comparison, has no publicly listed integrations, which limits its potential for complex hotel ecosystems.
Protel’s ecosystem supports extensive customization and automation, critical for larger hotels. WavePM’s lack of integrations suggests it’s better suited for smaller properties or property managers willing to operate with a more isolated system. Which level of connectivity do you require?
Protel’s reviews, totaling 105, are more recent and consistently highlight its reliability, extensive features, and integration capabilities. Its overall rating of 4.11/5, with an 80% likelihood to recommend, reflects solid satisfaction across segments, especially for independent and boutique hotels. Larger hotels value its customization and multi-property support.
WavePM, with only a single review, cannot be meaningfully rated. Its perfect 5/5 ease-of-use score is promising but unverified by wider user feedback. Given the limited data, Protel’s proven reputation makes it the safer choice. Edge: Protel.
Protel PMS has a clear base price of $500 per month, with no additional implementation or setup fees listed. The platform does not offer a free tier or freemium model, making it a predictable investment. Pricing for WavePM is not publicly available, limiting direct cost comparison.
Protel’s pricing reflects its comprehensive nature and extensive features, suited for hotels seeking a full-stack solution. WavePM’s unknown costs might appeal to smaller properties with minimal budgets but lack transparency for larger operations. Which investment aligns with your budget and expectations?
Hotels that benefit from Protel include:
Not ideal if you operate a small motel, boutique, or budget property with minimal tech needs. Also, avoid if you prioritize instant onboarding and straightforward management without the complexity of multi-layered features.
WavePM is suitable for:
Not ideal if your hotel requires extensive integrations, multi-property management, or complex revenue tools. Larger hotels or resorts that depend on advanced features should look elsewhere.
Protel PMS by Planet is a mature, feature-rich platform with proven performance across a broad range of hotel sizes and types. Its extensive integrations, customization options, and global presence make it ideal for hotels aiming for operational depth and scalability. Its recent reviews highlight strong overall satisfaction but note some support delays and a steep learning curve.
WavePM is an emerging system emphasizing AI capabilities, ease of use, and modern design, but its limited reviews, lack of integrations, and focus on smaller properties limit its appeal to larger or more complex hotels. Its simplicity and AI focus could benefit boutique hotels or property managers seeking a lightweight solution.
Choose Protel if you need a reliable, well-supported PMS with extensive features and integrations. Opt for WavePM if your hotel is small, tech-savvy, and willing to accept less proven support in exchange for AI-driven innovation and ease of use. Your decision should align with your hotel’s complexity, growth plans, and operational priorities.
According to HTR's product database, protel PMS (by Planet) and WavePM share 0 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
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WavePM |
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| Booking Engine | ||
| Cloud based | ||
| Multi-currency | ||
| Multi-lingual | ||
| On premise | ||
| Revenue management module |
Showing top differences. 34 more features differ between these products.
We analyzed 4 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."
No published case study for this goal yet.
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
Where the ratings diverge most
It depends on your requirements. protel PMS (by Planet) and WavePM share many core Property Management Systems features, but each has unique capabilities. protel PMS (by Planet) offers 194 verified integration partners, while WavePM offers 0. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.
Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. WavePM leads in ease of use at 5.0/5 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. WavePM: 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 WavePM has 0. 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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