Shift4 (DOLLARS ON THE NET) vs. Zil Money:
Which Is Right for You?

The Decision

Choosing between Shift4 Payments and Zil Money hinges on your hotel’s specific payment processing needs. Shift4, despite its longstanding presence, lacks recent reviews and a strong user base, raising questions about its current reliability and support. Zil Money, with 54 reviews in the last six months and a high user rating, offers a more current and trusted solution. Both aim to facilitate financial transactions, but their approaches and reviews tell a different story. Do you prioritize a solutions provider with proven recent performance or one with a broader feature set and active user feedback?

Quick Verdict

Zil Money is the clear choice for hotels needing reliable, well-reviewed payment management software. Its high review volume and recent positive feedback make it a safer option. Shift4 Payments, with only 2 reviews and no recent feedback, appears less dependable and less supported today. If your hotel is evaluating based on current user experiences, Zil Money stands out.

Is Shift4 Payments or Zil Money Better for Hotels?

Both Shift4 Payments and Zil Money address financial transactions but differ significantly in their maturity and user trust. Shift4 is a comprehensive enterprise payment solution built for omnichannel use, supporting online, POS, and contactless payments, and integrating with numerous hospitality software providers. Conversely, Zil Money offers a broad array of financial tools including invoicing, expense tracking, and multiple payment methods, with a strong emphasis on ease of use and international transactions.

Despite Shift4’s extensive feature list and integrations, it suffers from a lack of recent reviews and poor customer support ratings, with a 1/5 score and a recurring theme of dissatisfaction. Zil Money, however, boasts 54 reviews, all within the last six months, with an 8.57/5 NPS score and 87% likelihood to recommend, indicating widespread satisfaction.

Are you seeking a tried-and-true platform with active user feedback, or are you willing to gamble on an enterprise solution with limited recent validation?

Shift4 Payments vs Zil Money: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

Your choice depends heavily on your hotel’s size, complexity, and priorities. If your hotel needs a broad, enterprise-grade payment system that integrates with existing property management software and supports multiple channels, Shift4’s extensive network and PCI compliance may appeal. It’s suited for large hotels or chains that require sophisticated transaction security and detailed reporting.

If your hotel values simplicity, quick setup, and recent positive reviews, Zil Money is the better fit. It excels in ease of use, offers numerous payment options—including virtual cards, ACH, wire transfers, and international payments—and has a proven track record with hotels of various sizes. For hotels that prioritize current support and straightforward financial management, Zil Money is the clear leader.

In short:

• For complex, multi-channel enterprise needs: Shift4.
• For reliable, user-rated, flexible payment management: Zil Money.

Is Shift4 Payments or Zil Money Easier to Use?

Ease of use is critical for swift staff adoption and hassle-free onboarding. Shift4’s UI scores a 3/5, indicating a moderate learning curve, with some reviews citing difficulties during setup and support issues. Its onboarding process, rated 2/5, suggests that your team might face delays or confusion when implementing the system.

Zil Money, with a 4.5/5 ease of use rating and a 4.16/5 onboarding score, receives praise for its intuitive interface and smooth setup. Users describe it as “simple to use,” with fast onboarding that reduces operational disruption. Given the recent reviews and high support scores, Zil Money’s user experience is better suited for hotels seeking quick results.

Edge: Zil Money.

Which Has Better Features: Shift4 Payments or Zil Money?

Shift4 Payments offers a comprehensive payment platform with features like real-time authorization, fraud controls, gift card solutions, and PCI compliance, but it does not have unique features in the source data. Conversely, Zil Money provides 15 distinct features, including pay-by-link, recurring payments, multi-currency settlements, contactless payments, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, American Express, Visa, and payment splitting.

While Shift4’s features cater to broad enterprise needs, Zil Money’s specialized features—especially its support for contactless payments and multiple currencies—offer more practical flexibility for hotels managing diverse payment channels.

Edge: Zil Money.

Which Has Better Customer Support: Shift4 Payments or Zil Money?

Customer support can make or break your experience. Shift4’s support rating is a dismal 1/5, with reviews mentioning neglect and unfulfilled promises, including ongoing billing issues after contract cancellations. Customers describe their support as “not caring about the product or finishing promises.”

In stark contrast, Zil Money scores 4.5/5 for support, with reviews highlighting reliable, responsive service. Users say, “Customer support is prompt and helpful,” and appreciate the overall support experience. For hotels needing reassurance that help is available, Zil Money’s support quality makes it the better choice.

Edge: Zil Money.

Which Has More Integrations: Shift4 Payments or Zil Money?

Integration breadth is key to seamless operations. Shift4 Payments connects with 10 verified partners, including popular property management and booking systems like WebRezPro, RoomKey PMS, and CMS Hospitality. These integrations support a variety of hospitality-specific workflows.

Zil Money, however, has no listed verified partners, indicating limited integration capabilities out of the box. This could restrict your hotel’s ability to connect with existing systems, potentially increasing manual work or requiring custom development.

Edge: Shift4 Payments.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Shift4 Payments or Zil Money?

User reviews reveal a stark contrast. Shift4 has only 2 reviews, both negative, citing poor support and unfulfilled promises, with a 0/5 overall rating and no recent feedback. Its lack of recent reviews signals limited current user trust or activity.

Zil Money, with 54 reviews in the last six months, boasts a 62.92/100 overall score, a 4.5/5 ease of use score, and an 8.57/5 NPS. Hotels across varied segments praise its reliability and customer service, making it the more trusted platform today.

Edge: Zil Money.

How Much Do Shift4 Payments and Zil Money Cost?

Pricing models are notably different. Shift4 does not publicly list pricing, implying custom quotes based on volume and needs, which often suggests higher costs typical for enterprise solutions. Zil Money charges a fixed $400 setup fee with no mention of ongoing subscription costs, but detailed pricing info is available online.

Since Shift4’s pricing is opaque and designed for larger enterprises, smaller hotels may find Zil Money’s transparent, straightforward fee structure more appealing.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Shift4 Payments?

• Hotels that require a robust, multi-channel payment platform capable of handling large transaction volumes.
• Properties that need enterprise-grade security, fraud controls, and detailed reporting.
• Chain hotels or resorts with complex billing and integration needs.
• Teams that want PCI compliance and support for gift cards and contactless payments.
• Not ideal if your hotel seeks quick setup, low-cost options, or current user support.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Zil Money?

• Hotels that prioritize ease of use and quick onboarding.
• Properties needing flexible payment methods, multi-currency support, and international payments.
• Hotels with limited IT resources that want a straightforward platform.
• Boutique hotels, vacation rentals, inns, and budget hotels.
• Teams that want transparent pricing and active customer support.
• Not ideal if you require deep integrations with existing property management systems or sophisticated enterprise features.

Zil Money vs Shift4 Payments: The Bottom Line for Hotels

The core difference lies in their maturity and support. Shift4 provides a comprehensive, enterprise-focused payment solution with broad integrations but suffers from limited recent reviews and support issues. Zil Money, on the other hand, offers a simple, highly-rated platform with active feedback, making it more reliable for hotels today.

Choose Shift4 if your hotel is large, complex, and needs extensive integration and security features. Opt for Zil Money if you value recent positive experiences, ease of use, and flexible payment options without the complexity of enterprise systems.

In conclusion, Zil Money’s current user satisfaction and active review presence make it the safer, more dependable choice for most hotels. Shift4’s enterprise scope might appeal to large chains but is hampered today by support and validation issues.

This comprehensive comparison guides your hotel in making an informed, confident decision based on current user data, feature sets, and support quality.