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 332 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:
Simplotel shines in ease of use and customer support — especially for brand properties (5.0/5) , with exclusive features like Mobile optimized/responsive and Urgency messaging.
thebuking shines .
Side-by-side ratings based on 332 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
| HTScore |
|
|
| Likelihood to Recommend |
|
|
| Ease of Use |
|
|
| Customer Support |
|
|
| Value for Money |
|
|
| Starting Price | From $500/mo | Contact sales |
| Verified Reviews | 332 | 0 |
After analyzing 332 verified reviews, Simplotel users most value its service and support, user-friendly interface and design, customer experience enhancement, while thebuking users highlight . Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
|
|
thebuking |
|---|---|
| Pros | |
|
+
Service and Support
▾
|
|
|
+
User-friendly interface and design
▾
|
|
|
+
Customer experience enhancement
▾
|
|
|
+
Integration and Optimization
▾
|
|
| Cons | |
|
−
Customization and Flexibility
▾
|
|
|
−
Analytics and Reporting
▾
|
|
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 |
|
thebuking |
|---|---|---|
| Small (10-24 rooms) ▾ | #5 127 reviews | — |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | #6 163 reviews | — |
| Large (75-199 rooms) ▾ | #9 20 reviews | — |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) | #14 3 reviews | — |
By Property Type
| Segment |
|
thebuking |
|---|---|---|
| Boutique ▾ | #6 139 reviews | — |
| Luxury ▾ | #4 187 reviews | — |
| Branded / Chain ▾ | #4 101 reviews | — |
| Extended Stay ▾ | #9 15 reviews | — |
By Region
| Segment |
|
thebuking |
|---|---|---|
| North America ▾ | #13 11 reviews | — |
| Europe | #35 2 reviews | — |
| Asia Pacific ▾ | #2 307 reviews | — |
| Middle East | #15 3 reviews | — |
Choosing the right booking engine is crucial for your hotel’s direct booking strategy and overall revenue. Simplotel Booking Engine and thebuking both aim to streamline online reservations, but they differ vastly in maturity, features, and market presence. With Simplotel’s extensive reviews and recent feedback, it’s clear which product currently holds the edge in reliability and usability.
Simplotel’s booking engine is a well-established platform trusted by over 3,000 hotels across 26 countries, evidenced by its high review count and recent user feedback. thebuking, on the other hand, currently has no publicly available reviews or verified user feedback, making it difficult to assess its performance or suitability for your hotel.
Simplotel’s primarily focus is on increasing direct bookings through a comprehensive, feature-rich booking engine that integrates with your website and existing hotel management systems. Its strength lies in its proven track record, with nearly 300 reviews and a 4.75/5 overall rating, reflecting strong user satisfaction. Meanwhile, thebuking offers a review-less platform, which raises questions about its actual performance, support, and user experience.
Simplotel’s recent reviews highlight its ease of use, excellent support, and ability to convert visitors into guests, making it a trusted solution for many hoteliers. thebuking, lacking verified reviews, cannot currently match this credibility or market presence. Are you comfortable choosing a platform with no recent user feedback?
If your hotel needs a reliable, feature-rich booking engine with proven results and strong support, go with Simplotel. It suits hotels of all sizes looking to boost direct bookings, particularly those seeking integrations with PMS and marketing tools. If your hotel prioritizes an AI-driven review management system to analyze customer feedback and enhance service, thebuking might be worth exploring, though its lack of reviews makes it a risky choice.
For hotels seeking a platform with a solid reputation, recent positive feedback, and a broad regional presence, Simplotel is the clear choice. Conversely, if your focus is on review analytics and you prefer a newer, less proven solution, you might consider thebuking — but beware of limited evidence supporting its capabilities.
Simplotel scores highly on ease of use, with a 4.65/5 rating based on nearly 300 reviews. Users praise its intuitive interface, straightforward onboarding, and minimal staff training requirements. Support responsiveness is also highly rated, with clients noting prompt, helpful service.
thebuking, with no available reviews or ratings, remains an unknown quantity in usability. Without user feedback, it’s impossible to accurately assess its interface or onboarding experience. Edge: Simplotel.
Simplotel’s booking engine offers 37 unique features, including mobile responsiveness, multi-currency support, loyalty program integration, social media booking, and advanced analytics. These features support dynamic rates, abandoned cart recovery, and multi-room bookings — capabilities that are absent from thebuking, which currently offers no comparable features.
While thebuking may focus on review management, Simplotel’s broader feature set directly enhances your booking process and guest engagement. Given the extensive feature count, Simplotel’s platform is more versatile and ready to grow with your hotel. Edge: Simplotel.
Simplotel boasts a customer support rating of 4.69/5, with reviews praising its prompt, friendly, and effective assistance. Hoteliers mention that the support team is proactive, often providing timely guidance during onboarding and system updates.
Thebuking has no publicly available support ratings or testimonials, leaving its support quality uncertain. Without verified feedback, you can’t confidently expect the level of service that Simplotel consistently delivers. Edge: Simplotel.
Simplotel integrates with 22 verified partners, including major PMS, channel managers, and marketing platforms like SiteMinder, Triptease, and Google Hotel Ads. These integrations facilitate seamless operations and marketing efforts.
thebuking provides no publicly verified integrations, limiting its ability to connect with your existing systems. Without integrations, managing reservations and guest data becomes more manual and inefficient. Edge: Simplotel.
Simplotel’s users, predominantly hoteliers across various segments, rate the platform at 4.75/5, with recent reviews being highly positive. Hotels in luxury, boutique, and resort segments report increased direct bookings and improved guest experiences.
thebuking has no available ratings or recent reviews, making it impossible to determine user satisfaction. The absence of feedback suggests a lack of proven performance or market trust. Edge: Simplotel.
Simplotel’s pricing starts at $500 per month, with no freemium or trial options publicly listed. This transparent flat fee covers a comprehensive feature set suitable for most hotel sizes.
thebuking’s pricing information is unavailable, which could mean hidden costs or less transparent billing. Lack of pricing transparency makes it harder to evaluate value for money. Edge: Simplotel.
Not ideal if your hotel is a very small property with minimal online booking needs or if you seek a solution with minimal setup.
Not ideal if your goal is a comprehensive booking engine or your hotel requires proven, broad-based features.
Simplotel offers a thoroughly tested, feature-rich booking engine with a broad market presence, especially in regions like Europe, Asia Pacific, and North America. Its strong reviews, high usability, and extensive integrations make it a safe and scalable choice for hotels aiming to increase direct bookings.
thebuking, with no reviews or verified data, remains a less certain option, particularly for hotels that prioritize proven support and proven features. Its potential value might lie in review management rather than booking conversion, but without user feedback, its real-world effectiveness is unverified.
In summary, if you want a reliable platform that will likely deliver measurable results, go with Simplotel. If your focus is on review analytics and you’re willing to take a risk on a less proven platform, thebuking could be an option — but proceed with caution.
According to HTR's product database, Simplotel Booking Engine and thebuking share 0 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
| Feature |
|
thebuking |
|---|---|---|
| Automated reporting | ||
| Mobile optimized/responsive | ||
| Pooled inventory | ||
| Pre-stay emails | ||
| Tariffs | ||
| Urgency messaging |
Showing top differences. 25 more features differ between these products.
What hoteliers love
Although customer support is generally rated as responsive and helpful, there are calls for more proactive communication. Monthly check-ins and traini... Although customer support is generally rated as responsive and helpful, there are calls for more proactive communication. Monthly check-ins and training materials are suggested for enhanced service.
Simplotel's booking engine stands out for its intuitive and user-friendly design, simplifying navigation for guests and hoteliers. Reviews consistentl... Simplotel's booking engine stands out for its intuitive and user-friendly design, simplifying navigation for guests and hoteliers. Reviews consistently mention improved booking experience and engagement, translating to increased bookings and customer satisfaction.
The platform enhances guest experiences by streamlining booking processes and supporting upselling and cross-selling services. This feature is cited f... The platform enhances guest experiences by streamlining booking processes and supporting upselling and cross-selling services. This feature is cited for adding value and contributing to increased revenue.
Where hoteliers push back
Many users appreciate the potential for customizing brand-specific templates and designs but express a demand for more flexibility. There is feedback... Many users appreciate the potential for customizing brand-specific templates and designs but express a demand for more flexibility. There is feedback on limited options for personalizing website layouts and dynamic content.
Simplotel provides robust analytics and reporting features aiding in data-driven decision-making and marketing strategies. Users find these insights b... Simplotel provides robust analytics and reporting features aiding in data-driven decision-making and marketing strategies. Users find these insights beneficial for optimizing bookings, although some suggest further advancements in analytics tools.
Unique capabilities
Where the ratings diverge most
It depends on your requirements. Simplotel Booking Engine and thebuking share many core Booking Engine features, but each has unique capabilities. Simplotel Booking Engine offers 22 verified integration partners, while thebuking offers 0. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.
Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. Simplotel Booking Engine leads in ease of use at 4.7/5 vs 0.0/5. 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.
Simplotel Booking Engine: No. thebuking: 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. Simplotel has an HT Score of 90 and thebuking has 0. 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