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 212 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 in ease of use and customer support — especially for brand properties (0.0/5) , with exclusive features like Mobile optimized/responsive and Post-stay emails.
Vertical Booking shines when it comes to customer service .
Side-by-side ratings based on 212 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Starting Price | From $200/mo | Contact sales |
| Verified Reviews | 172 | 40 |
After analyzing 212 verified reviews, Exely users most value its support and responsiveness, booking engine effectiveness, direct booking enhancement, while Vertical Booking users highlight customer service, channel management, ease of use. Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
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Support and Responsiveness
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Customer service
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Booking Engine Effectiveness
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Channel management
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Direct Booking Enhancement
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Ease of use
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Channel Manager Synchronization
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Integrations and connectivity
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Customization and Flexibility
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Customization
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Integration and Advanced Features
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Synchronization issues
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Guest Experience Concerns
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Database search functionality
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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
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| Small (10-24 rooms) ▾ | #15 34 reviews | #23 11 reviews |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | #11 64 reviews | #28 14 reviews |
| Large (75-199 rooms) ▾ | #22 5 reviews | #18 7 reviews |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) ▾ | #8 6 reviews | #28 1 reviews |
By Property Type
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| Boutique ▾ | #15 35 reviews | #22 20 reviews |
| Luxury ▾ | #15 28 reviews | #25 15 reviews |
| Branded / Chain ▾ | #16 17 reviews | #30 6 reviews |
| Extended Stay ▾ | #16 9 reviews | #20 5 reviews |
By Region
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| North America ▾ | #24 2 reviews | #12 23 reviews |
| Europe ▾ | #25 11 reviews | #27 7 reviews |
| Asia Pacific ▾ | #4 79 reviews | #28 1 reviews |
| Middle East ▾ | #2 17 reviews | #8 8 reviews |
Choosing between Exely Booking Engine by Exely and Vertical Booking by Vertical Booking hinges on your hotel’s specific needs. Both solutions aim to simplify reservations and boost direct bookings, but they diverge significantly in features, support, and market focus. Your team must evaluate whether you prioritize advanced customization, ease of use, or integration capabilities to make the right call.
Exely’s broad feature set and recent reviews make it a standout, especially for hotels seeking a user-friendly experience. But does Vertical Booking’s extensive integrations and proven track record better fit your hotel’s operational complexity?
Exely offers a feature-rich platform with 29 unique features like multi-lingual support, flexible rates, and automated marketing tools aimed at increasing direct bookings. Its user interface is highly rated at 4.91/5, praised for its intuitiveness, especially by hotels that value straightforward management of rates, availability, and guest communication.
Vertical Booking’s strength lies in its multi-channel management, with a focus on increasing booking conversion rates. Its interface scores slightly lower at 4.49/5 but remains highly rated for ease of use. The platform’s core advantage is its seamless integration with CRS, GDS, and OTAs, making it ideal for larger hotels or chains managing multiple sales channels.
Which platform aligns with your operational goals: a feature-rich, marketing-oriented engine or a multi-channel powerhouse?
If your hotel needs a straightforward, highly rated booking engine with built-in marketing tools and a focus on direct bookings, go with Exely. Its extensive feature set, recent positive reviews, and high customer support ratings (4.96/5) make it ideal for independent hotels, boutique properties, and resorts aiming to improve conversion rates and guest experience.
If your hotel requires comprehensive channel management, multi-platform synchronization, and robust connectivity with PMS and OTAs, Vertical Booking is the better choice. Its integration with 69 partners, including major OTAs and CRS systems, makes it well-suited for larger properties or hotel groups focused on multi-channel distribution and revenue management.
Your decision should hinge on whether your priority is marketing and guest experience or operational breadth and connectivity.
Exely’s UI is rated at 4.91/5, praised for its clean design, simple navigation, and quick onboarding experience. Users highlight its intuitive dashboard, which simplifies management of rates, availability, and guest communications.
Vertical Booking’s interface scores 4.49/5, with users describing it as user-friendly but noting a slight learning curve in certain advanced functions like rate setup and PMS synchronization. Customer support responsiveness in both platforms helps mitigate usability concerns, but Exely’s recent reviews emphasize its smoother onboarding.
Edge: Exely.
Exely offers 29 unique features, including multi-lingual support, multi-currency handling, automated emails (pre, during, post-stay), booking abandonment recapture, and website integration. Its features target increased direct bookings, flexible rate plans, and detailed analytics, giving hotels more control over their online presence.
Vertical Booking’s core strength is its extensive connectivity with 69 verified partners, including CRS, GDS, and OTA channels. While it offers essential booking and channel management features, it lacks the depth of marketing tools or multi-lingual support found in Exely.
For hotels prioritizing marketing and guest engagement, Exely’s feature set wins. For those focused on channel management and multi-platform control, Vertical Booking holds an edge.
Edge: Exely.
Exely’s customer support scores 4.96/5, with recent reviews emphasizing prompt, friendly, and proactive assistance. Clients appreciate the quick responses, especially when resolving technical issues or onboarding new properties, enhancing overall satisfaction.
Vertical Booking’s support scores 4.57/5, with users noting friendly, helpful service but mentioning occasional delays due to time zone challenges. While support is generally rated well, Exely’s recent reviews highlight a slight advantage in responsiveness and customer experience.
Edge: Exely.
Vertical Booking leads significantly with 69 verified partners, including extensive PMS, CRS, and OTA integrations. Its ability to connect with a broad range of third-party systems reduces manual work and improves data accuracy, especially vital for larger hotel chains.
Exely offers 8 verified partners, including some key integrations like Facebook, TripAdvisor, and PayPal, but its ecosystem is smaller. The limited integration options may restrict customization or automation for hotels with complex tech stacks.
Edge: Vertical Booking.
Exely, with over 144 reviews and a recent 63 in the last six months, scores a 0/5 overall rating but an impressive NPS of 9.73/5 and 98% likelihood to recommend. The overwhelmingly positive recent reviews praise its ease of use, customer support, and marketing features.
Vertical Booking’s 37 reviews yield a 4.64/5 rating, with users appreciating its reliability, support, and multi-channel management. Hotel segments like resorts and boutique hotels particularly rate it highly.
Overall, Exely’s recent review volume and scores make it the more favorably rated option.
Edge: Exely.
Exely pricing starts at a flat $200/month without a trial or freemium option, offering transparency but no free tier. Its price aligns with its feature set, making it suitable for hotels willing to invest in a comprehensive solution.
Vertical Booking does not publicly list prices, likely tailored to hotel size and needs. Its higher integration count and multi-channel capabilities suggest a potentially higher or customized cost, which may be justified for larger hotels or chains.
Your hotel’s budget and required features will determine which is more cost-effective.
Not ideal if your hotel heavily depends on multi-channel distribution without a significant focus on marketing tools or advanced integrations.
Not ideal if your hotel’s primary focus is on marketing features, guest engagement, or highly customized booking interfaces.
Exely and Vertical Booking serve different hotel needs. Exely excels in direct booking optimization, marketing automation, and ease of use, making it ideal for independent and boutique hotels focused on guest experience and revenue growth.
Vertical Booking shines in multi-channel management, integrations, and scalability, suited for larger properties or hotel groups with complex distribution needs. Its extensive partner network and proven reliability make it a strong choice for hotels seeking operational control.
Choose Exely if your hotel prioritizes marketing, simplicity, and recent positive reviews. Opt for Vertical Booking if channel management, integrations, and automation are your main concerns.
In summary, for most hoteliers looking for a modern, user-friendly booking engine with excellent support and recent reviews, Exely is the more dependable choice. However, if your hotel needs extensive multi-channel management and connectivity, Vertical Booking offers a robust, proven solution.
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.
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| Starting Price | From $200/mo | — |
According to HTR's product database, Exely Booking Engine and Vertical Booking (Booking Engine) share 0 features. Here are the key differences — features one has that the other lacks.
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| Conversion rate reports | ||
| Flexible dates | ||
| Mobile optimized/responsive | ||
| Multi-lingual | ||
| Multi-room bookings | ||
| Room substitutions |
Showing top differences. 17 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
Unique capabilities
What hoteliers love
While customer service is largely appreciated for its responsiveness and solution-oriented approach, a few reviews note room for improvement in areas... While customer service is largely appreciated for its responsiveness and solution-oriented approach, a few reviews note room for improvement in areas like resolution times and accuracy of responses. Overall, users find the support team friendly and helpful.
Vertical Booking's channel management functionality is praised for allowing hoteliers to control multiple online sales channels from one platform, the... Vertical Booking's channel management functionality is praised for allowing hoteliers to control multiple online sales channels from one platform, thereby reducing confusion and saving time. Users also appreciate its ability to equalize prices across different channels and manage advantageous rates easily.
Many reviews mention the ease of use and intuitive nature of Vertical Booking's system. Hoteliers find the interface user-friendly and appreciate havi... Many reviews mention the ease of use and intuitive nature of Vertical Booking's system. Hoteliers find the interface user-friendly and appreciate having all functionalities in a single platform. However, some suggest the need for better documentation and more intuitive design in certain technical areas.
Where hoteliers push back
Users appreciate the customization options in Vertical Booking's booking engine and channel manager, enabling them to tailor the solution to their spe... Users appreciate the customization options in Vertical Booking's booking engine and channel manager, enabling them to tailor the solution to their specific needs. However, several reviews indicate a need for more robust design customization options and user access to change interface elements like colors and fonts.
A few reviews point out synchronization delays between Vertical Booking's channel manager and their PMS, affecting real-time updates of availability a... A few reviews point out synchronization delays between Vertical Booking's channel manager and their PMS, affecting real-time updates of availability and rates. Faster synchronization is suggested to improve overall efficiency.
Ranks higher for
Where the ratings diverge most
It depends on your requirements. Exely Booking Engine and Vertical Booking (Booking Engine) share many core Booking Engine features, but each has unique capabilities. Exely Booking Engine offers 8 verified integration partners, while Vertical Booking (Booking Engine) offers 69. 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 4.5/5. 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. Vertical Booking (Booking Engine): 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 Vertical Booking has 17. 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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