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 203 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:
Exely shines when it comes to support and responsiveness — especially for brand properties (0.0/5) .
Simple Booking shines when it comes to user-friendly interface , with exclusive features like Urgency messaging.
Side-by-side ratings based on 203 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
| HTScore |
|
|
| Likelihood to Recommend |
|
|
| Ease of Use |
|
|
| Customer Support |
|
|
| Value for Money |
|
|
| Starting Price | From $200/mo | From $200/mo |
| Verified Reviews | 172 | 31 |
After analyzing 203 verified reviews, Exely users most value its support and responsiveness, booking engine effectiveness, direct booking enhancement, while Simple Booking users highlight user-friendly interface, customer support, increased booking conversions. Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Pros | |
|
+
Support and Responsiveness
▾
|
+
User-friendly Interface
▾
|
|
+
Booking Engine Effectiveness
▾
|
+
Customer Support
▾
|
|
+
Direct Booking Enhancement
▾
|
+
Increased Booking Conversions
▾
|
|
+
Channel Manager Synchronization
▾
|
+
Flexibility and Customization
▾
|
| Cons | |
|
−
Customization and Flexibility
▾
|
−
Advanced Functionalities
▾
|
|
−
Integration and Advanced Features
▾
|
−
Cost-related Issues
▾
|
|
−
Guest Experience Concerns
▾
|
|
How each product ranks among Booking Engine vendors for different property sizes, types, and regions — based on verified reviews from hoteliers in each segment.
By Hotel Size
| Segment |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Small (10-24 rooms) ▾ | #15 34 reviews | #31 6 reviews |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | #11 64 reviews | #21 19 reviews |
| Large (75-199 rooms) ▾ | #22 5 reviews | #24 4 reviews |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) ▾ | #8 6 reviews | #27 1 reviews |
By Property Type
| Segment |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Boutique ▾ | #15 35 reviews | #28 13 reviews |
| Luxury ▾ | #15 28 reviews | #26 12 reviews |
| Branded / Chain ▾ | #16 17 reviews | #26 7 reviews |
| Extended Stay ▾ | #16 9 reviews | #27 3 reviews |
By Region
| Segment |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| North America | #24 2 reviews | — |
| Europe ▾ | #25 11 reviews | #11 25 reviews |
| Asia Pacific ▾ | #4 79 reviews | #22 2 reviews |
| Middle East ▾ | #2 17 reviews | #12 4 reviews |
Choosing the right booking engine for your hotel depends on your specific needs, preferences, and operational goals. Both Exely Booking Engine and Simple Booking aim to increase direct bookings and streamline reservations but approach these objectives differently. Exely, with its higher review count and recent positive feedback, offers a more established and well-rated solution. Do you prioritize extensive support and proven performance, or do you need a more flexible platform with advanced marketing features?
Based on the review data, Exely Booking Engine is the stronger choice—its significantly higher review count, more recent feedback, and higher HT Score make it the more reliable option. While Simple Booking provides valuable marketing tools and integrations, its lower ratings and fewer recent reviews suggest less confidence in its current performance. For hotel operators prioritizing stability and proven support, Exely is the clear winner.
Both platforms address core booking needs: showcasing accommodations, managing reservations, and increasing direct bookings. Exely excels at offering a user-friendly interface with a focus on customer support and operational efficiency, while Simple Booking emphasizes marketing tools, metasearch integration, and flexible management.
Exely’s strength lies in its ability to streamline operations while boosting revenue through upselling and re-engagement features. Conversely, Simple Booking provides a broader array of integrations and marketing modules, aiming to maximize visibility and conversion. Do you want a platform optimized for ease of use and support, or one packed with advanced marketing features?
If your hotel primarily needs a reliable, easy-to-navigate booking engine with excellent support, go with Exely. Its high ratings (92.7 HT Score, 144 reviews, 63 in the last 6 months) and top customer support scores make it suitable for hotels prioritizing stability and dedicated assistance.
If your hotel requires extensive marketing tools, metasearch integrations, and customizable modules to drive bookings and revenue, opt for Simple Booking. Its feature-rich platform (15 exclusive features, 56 verified integrations, and a broader global reach) suits hotels looking for a more dynamic, marketing-oriented system.
Exely scores a 4.91/5 for ease of use, with users praising its intuitive dashboard and smooth reservation management. Its onboarding process earns a 4.84/5, with many reviews highlighting rapid setup and responsive support.
Simple Booking also boasts a high usability score of 4.79/5, with users appreciating its straightforward interface and effective back-office management. However, some recent reviews mention difficulties in support accessibility, slightly tarnishing its user experience.
Edge: Exely.
Exely offers a core set of 29 shared features, focusing on reservation management, channel synchronization, and guest engagement. Its unique features include automatic reconnects with potential guests and marketing tools that promote direct bookings.
Simple Booking, with 15 exclusive features like urgency messaging, gift vouchers, social media integration, and advanced analytics, provides more marketing and promotional options. Its additional modules, such as loyalty programs and ADA compliance, extend functionality beyond basic booking.
Edge: Simple Booking.
Exely’s customer support is highly rated at 4.96/5, with reviews emphasizing prompt, friendly, and effective assistance. Many users note that support staff resolve issues swiftly, contributing to overall satisfaction.
Simple Booking’s support scores 4.76/5, with some recent feedback indicating challenges in reaching support and longer resolution times. While generally helpful, the more recent reviews suggest room for improvement.
Edge: Exely.
Simple Booking provides 56 verified integrations, including major PMS systems, metasearch engines, and payment gateways, making it highly versatile. Shared integrations with Exely include Oracle Hospitality and Mews, but Simple Booking adds many more options like AdsHotel, Lybra Tech, and Sojern.
Exely’s 8 verified partners significantly lag behind, limiting its ability to connect with various third-party systems. For hotels needing extensive integration options, Simple Booking clearly leads.
Edge: Simple Booking.
Exely’s reviews are more recent, with 63 in the last 6 months, and a high NPS score of 9.73/5. Hoteliers rated Exely particularly well for support, ease of use, and overall satisfaction across various property types, especially city center hotels and resorts.
Simple Booking’s reviews, primarily older and fewer in number, reflect a generally positive impression but with some recent concerns about support accessibility. Its ratings are lower overall.
Edge: Exely.
Both products are priced at $200 per month, with no setup fees or trial options indicated. This parity makes choosing based on features, support, and reputation even more critical.
Not ideal if you require extensive marketing modules or advanced analytics.
Not ideal if your focus is on straightforward operations and reliable support without extensive customization.
Exely is a well-rated, support-centric booking engine suitable for hotels seeking reliability, ease of use, and strong operational support. Its recent reviews and high ratings make it the safer choice for most hoteliers looking for a proven platform.
Simple Booking offers a feature-rich alternative with extensive integrations and marketing modules, ideal for hotels that want to expand their online presence and maximize revenue streams. Its lower recent ratings and review count suggest it may not provide the same level of confidence or stability.
For most hotels, especially those valuing support and ease of use, Exely is the recommended platform. If your hotel’s growth strategy depends heavily on marketing and broad integrations, consider Simple Booking—but be aware of its current feedback limitations.
Booking Engine pricing is rarely straightforward. Here is what we know from each vendor's public pricing data. Always request a custom quote for your property size.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | From $200/mo | From $200/mo |
According to HTR's product database, Exely Booking Engine and Simple Booking (Reservations System) share 29 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
| Feature |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| A/B testing & optimization | ||
| Alternative accommodation recommendations (when no availability) | ||
| Gift Vouchers | ||
| Price comparison widget | ||
| Social Media Integration/Bookings | ||
| Urgency messaging |
Showing top differences. 3 more features differ between these products.
We analyzed 2 verified case studies to compare what hotels actually achieve with each platform across four key business objectives.
"We took a proactive approach and collaborated with Exely, implementing various strategies, such as a loyalty program. The outcome has been outstanding — not only have we been able..."
No published case study for this goal yet.
"Once we switched to Exely, we immediately noticed a significant increase in reservations from online travel agencies. We discovered that our previous system had blocked some availa..."
No published case study for this goal yet.
What hoteliers love
Exely's support is lauded for its rapid response times and solution-oriented approach, contributing to an improved user experience. This is seen as a... Exely's support is lauded for its rapid response times and solution-oriented approach, contributing to an improved user experience. This is seen as a considerable strength of the product.
Exely's booking engine is frequently praised for its user-friendliness, fast operation, and ability to enhance direct bookings significantly, thus con... Exely's booking engine is frequently praised for its user-friendliness, fast operation, and ability to enhance direct bookings significantly, thus contributing to revenue growth. It is deemed to have a powerful positive impact on the guest experience and conversion rates.
The software is commended for increasing direct bookings and lowering reliance on OTAs. This positively impacts hotel revenue by lowering third-party... The software is commended for increasing direct bookings and lowering reliance on OTAs. This positively impacts hotel revenue by lowering third-party fees and providing a return on investment through efficient booking management.
Where hoteliers push back
A recurring critical point among users is the limited customization options available, particularly in reporting and website design. Users seek more f... A recurring critical point among users is the limited customization options available, particularly in reporting and website design. Users seek more flexibility to adapt templates and reports to their needs.
Users would like to see improvements in integration capabilities with other hotel management systems. Current integration limitations are seen as a do... Users would like to see improvements in integration capabilities with other hotel management systems. Current integration limitations are seen as a downside restricting the platform's full potential.
Ranks higher for
What hoteliers love
The software's intuitive and easy-to-use interface is frequently praised, allowing both hotel staff and guests to navigate and manage bookings effortl... The software's intuitive and easy-to-use interface is frequently praised, allowing both hotel staff and guests to navigate and manage bookings effortlessly. This ease of use promotes higher conversion rates and a better overall user experience.
While customer support is generally praised for being responsive and helpful, some users note a decline in its quality, finding it cumbersome and diff... While customer support is generally praised for being responsive and helpful, some users note a decline in its quality, finding it cumbersome and difficult to reach lately. Continuous improvement in this area is crucial for maintaining user satisfaction.
Many hoteliers report a noticeable increase in their booking conversions since implementing SimpleBooking. Features such as the rate match tool, optim... Many hoteliers report a noticeable increase in their booking conversions since implementing SimpleBooking. Features such as the rate match tool, optimized user experience, and persuasive booking options contribute significantly to this improvement.
Where hoteliers push back
Hoteliers are impressed by the system's advanced functionalities, such as automated rate and availability management, customizable templates, and mult... Hoteliers are impressed by the system's advanced functionalities, such as automated rate and availability management, customizable templates, and multi-language support. These features enhance the booking process, making it more efficient and user-centric.
Several reviews highlight cost-related concerns, particularly the high prices for specific features like custom URLs and payment provider options. Use... Several reviews highlight cost-related concerns, particularly the high prices for specific features like custom URLs and payment provider options. Users feel that these charges are not justified and suggest more reasonable pricing.
Ranks higher for
Unique capabilities
It depends on your requirements. Exely Booking Engine and Simple Booking (Reservations System) share many core Booking Engine features, but each has unique capabilities. Exely Booking Engine offers 8 verified integration partners, while Simple Booking (Reservations System) offers 56. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.
Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. Exely Booking Engine leads in ease of use at 4.9/5 vs 4.8/5. 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.
Exely Booking Engine: No. Simple Booking (Reservations System): No. Neither product currently offers a free tier. Most Booking Engine 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. Exely has an HT Score of 93 and Simple Booking has 68. Here is how the score is calculated.
| Criteria Group | Weight | What It Measures |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Ratings & Reviews |
|
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 |
|
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 |
|
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 |
|
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 →
Product recommendations advisor