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 260 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 , with exclusive features like Payment Requests and Online Check-in.
Visual Matrix PMS shines when it comes to support responsiveness and expertise , with exclusive features like Housekeeping Mobile App and Integrated Payment Terminal & Card Reader.
Side-by-side ratings based on 260 verified hotelier reviews on HTR.
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| Ease of Use |
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| Value for Money |
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| Starting Price | From $400/mo | From $500/mo |
| Verified Reviews | 100 | 160 |
After analyzing 260 verified reviews, Exely users most value its ease of use and daily operations efficiency, support and account management, reservation, availability, and rate management, while Visual Matrix PMS users highlight support responsiveness and expertise, training and onboarding for new staff, room status, housekeeping, and out-of-order management. Click any theme to see what reviewers say.
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Ease of use and daily operations efficiency
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Support responsiveness and expertise
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Support and account management
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Training and onboarding for new staff
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Reservation, availability, and rate management
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Room status, housekeeping, and out-of-order management
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Integration and connectivity
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| Cons | |
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Customization and flexibility
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Navigation and screen layout
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Reporting and analytics
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Billing, audit, and payment integration issues
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Billing, invoicing, and payment workflows
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Reporting and data access gaps
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How each product ranks among Hotel Management Software 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) ▾ | #23 16 reviews | #18 23 reviews |
| Mid-Size (25-74 rooms) ▾ | #17 15 reviews | #2 117 reviews |
| Large (75-199 rooms) ▾ | #16 3 reviews | #11 5 reviews |
| X-Large (200+ rooms) | #11 1 reviews | #16 1 reviews |
By Property Type
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| Boutique ▾ | #22 13 reviews | #12 38 reviews |
| Luxury ▾ | #20 11 reviews | #16 17 reviews |
| Branded / Chain ▾ | #25 2 reviews | #1 124 reviews |
| Extended Stay ▾ | #21 3 reviews | #4 44 reviews |
By Region
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| North America ▾ | #22 2 reviews | #7 141 reviews |
| Europe ▾ | #24 2 reviews | #32 1 reviews |
| Asia Pacific ▾ | #6 28 reviews | #18 2 reviews |
| Middle East ▾ | #7 5 reviews | — |
When selecting hotel management software, your primary concern is choosing a platform that enhances operational efficiency, maximizes revenue, and is easy for your team to adopt. Exely HMS by Exely and Visual Matrix PMS each aim to meet these needs but diverge in their approach and strengths. With Exely’s more recent reviews and higher overall ratings, it clearly commands a stronger position. But which product truly fits your hotel’s unique requirements?
Both Exely and Visual Matrix serve as comprehensive management platforms designed to streamline hotel operations and improve guest experiences. Exely emphasizes boosting direct bookings, online reputation, and revenue growth through automation and integrated tools. Visual Matrix, on the other hand, focuses on operational control, staff management, and real-time connectivity to maximize efficiency across departments. Do you prioritize revenue growth or operational simplicity?
Exely’s focus on increasing direct bookings and brand loyalty offers significant advantages for hotels aiming to reduce OTA dependence. Conversely, Visual Matrix’s strengths lie in controlling daily operations, such as housekeeping, scheduling, and inventory management. Both platforms have their merits, but Exely’s more recent positive reviews suggest it is currently more aligned with hotelier needs. Are you seeking a platform with a proven track record in recent customer satisfaction?
If your hotel needs to grow direct bookings, optimize online reputation, and automate revenue-related tasks, go with Exely. Its focus on marketing, booking engine, and continuous improvement makes it ideal for boutique hotels and city center properties aiming to boost online visibility. If operational control, staff management, and seamless integrations are your priorities, then Visual Matrix is better suited, especially for understaffed teams needing a reliable, all-in-one solution.
For small to medium-sized hotels wanting to increase revenue through online channels, Exely’s features like online check-in, checkout, and website development are crucial. Larger hotels or properties with a focus on internal operations may find Visual Matrix’s scheduling, housekeeping, and real-time reporting more beneficial. Which focus aligns best with your hotel’s growth strategy?
Exely boasts a high ease of use rating at 4.88/5, with many reviews emphasizing its intuitive interface and straightforward setup. Users praise how quickly staff can adapt, supported by onboarding ratings of 4.82/5 and positive feedback on support responsiveness. Visual Matrix, rated at 4.43/5 for ease of use, also features a user-friendly interface but receives some criticism about system speed and feature bloat.
Both platforms support staff onboarding well, but Exely’s more recent reviews and higher ratings suggest your team will experience less friction during implementation. Edge: Exely.
Exely offers 4 features exclusive to its platform, including online check-in/out, website development, and payment requests—crucial tools for direct booking optimization. Visual Matrix has a broader set of 21 unique features, such as a housekeeping mobile app, integrated payment terminal, digital registration, and real-time reporting, which cater to operational management.
While Visual Matrix provides more features overall, Exely’s unique offerings directly support revenue growth and online presence. However, if your hotel prioritizes operational control with advanced automation, Visual Matrix’s feature set may appeal more. But for a decisive edge, Exely’s focus on revenue-generation features makes it the superior choice. Edge: Exely.
Exely’s customer support scores a remarkable 4.9/5, with many reviews highlighting quick, friendly, and knowledgeable assistance. Reviewers consistently mention how support helps resolve issues swiftly, with comments like “speedy solutions” and “responsive employees.” Visual Matrix support, rated at 4.34/5, is generally praised but has some reports of slow responses and difficulty reaching support during critical moments.
Given the recent review activity and higher support ratings, Exely’s support team is more reliable. Your team will likely face fewer operational delays thanks to quicker assistance. Edge: Exely.
Visual Matrix offers 23 verified integrations, including prominent partners like SiteMinder, SkyTouch, and LaaSie.ai, providing broad compatibility with booking channels and other hotel systems. Exely, with 8 verified partners, covers the essentials like OTA integration, payment processing, and analytics but has fewer options overall.
If your hotel relies heavily on multiple third-party tools, Visual Matrix’s extensive integrations could be crucial. But if core integrations suffice, Exely’s streamlined setup offers a simpler, more focused experience. Edge: Visual Matrix.
Exely’s review count (48) and recent positive reviews (18 in the last 6 months) give it an edge in current customer satisfaction. Its ratings include an overall score of 0/5 (which may be a placeholder or an error), but the high NPS score (9.83/10) and 98% likelihood to recommend indicate strong user approval.
Visual Matrix, with 143 reviews and a 3.75/5 overall rating, is more established but has fewer recent reviews—only 9 in the past 6 months—indicating less current user feedback. The recent data favors Exely’s effectiveness and user satisfaction. Edge: Exely.
Exely’s pricing is straightforward at $400 per month with no additional implementation or setup fees. Visual Matrix’s base price is $500 per month, also without implementation fees, making Exely slightly more affordable.
Neither platform offers a freemium model or tiered pricing based on rooms, so your decision hinges on the value each provides relative to cost. Given the superior recent reviews and broader feature set, Exely’s pricing offers better value. Edge: Exely.
Not ideal if your hotel relies heavily on complex internal operations that require extensive automation of housekeeping or maintenance. Also, if your property operates in a region where Exely has limited regional support, it might pose challenges.
Not ideal if your hotel prioritizes direct online booking growth or requires advanced marketing tools. Also, properties seeking a more modern, user-friendly interface without speed issues might find Visual Matrix less appealing.
Exely and Visual Matrix each serve distinct hotel management needs but diverge significantly in recent user satisfaction and feature focus. Exely’s strong focus on revenue growth, online booking, and ease of use makes it the more compelling choice for hotels looking to expand their direct booking channels and build online loyalty.
If your hotel needs a versatile, well-supported platform with an emphasis on operational control, Visual Matrix remains a solid option, especially for larger or understaffed properties. However, with more recent reviews, higher ratings, and more dedicated features, Exely stands out as the better overall solution for most hoteliers.
For properties prioritizing online presence and revenue growth, Exely’s automated tools and positive recent feedback make it the clear choice. Meanwhile, hotels needing meticulous operational management and extensive integrations may find Visual Matrix more aligned with their needs. For most hoteliers evaluating current performance and future growth, Exely offers a decisive advantage.
Hotel Management Software 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 $400/mo | From $500/mo |
These are the features each vendor has configured, organized by feature group — the same data shown in the vendor dashboard. Expand a group to compare features side by side.
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Accounting & Finance
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| Multi-currency | ||
| Gift Vouchers | ||
| Direct billing | ||
| RevPaR & ADR Reports | ||
| Transactional Emails (booking, folios, etc) | ||
| Automated night audit | ||
| Payment Requests | ||
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Marketing & Ecommerce
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| Native Email Marketing | ||
| Group Booking Engine | ||
| Website Development | ||
| Booking Engine | ||
| Channel Manager | ||
| Gift Vouchers | ||
| Transactional Emails (booking, folios, etc) | ||
| Guest Communication (SMS Messaging) | ||
| Native Email Marketing | ||
| Guest profiles | ||
| Guest CRM | ||
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Administration & Configuration
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| Multi-lingual | ||
| Multi-currency | ||
| Centralized user & role management | ||
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Customer Management
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| Native Email Marketing | ||
| Guest Feedback Management | ||
| Gift Vouchers | ||
| Transactional Emails (booking, folios, etc) | ||
| Guest profiles | ||
| Centralized Messaging | ||
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Front Office
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| Guest Feedback Management | ||
| Housekeeping module | ||
| Property Management System | ||
| Automated night audit | ||
| Mobile Device Notes & Tasks (Voice-to-Text) | ||
| Mobile App | ||
| Calendar view | ||
| Task Management | ||
| Automated reminders | ||
| Guest profiles | ||
| Tablet/Kiosk Check-in | ||
| Payment Requests | ||
| Centralized Messaging | ||
| Automated Space Optimization | ||
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Groups Management
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| Group functionality | ||
| Automated Space Optimization | ||
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Guest Experience
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| Guest Feedback Management | ||
| Gift Vouchers | ||
| Integrated ID & Passport Scanner | ||
| Digital Registration | ||
| Guest App | ||
| Online Check-in | ||
| Online Checkout | ||
| Guest Messaging | ||
| Transactional Emails (booking, folios, etc) | ||
| Tablet/Kiosk Check-in | ||
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Housekeeping
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| Housekeeping module | ||
| Automated Space Optimization | ||
| Housekeeping Mobile App | ||
| Real-Time Status Updates | ||
| Automated Assignments | ||
| Real Time Reporting | ||
| Shift Planning | ||
| Employee Messaging | ||
| Online Checkout | ||
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Payments
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| Multi-currency | ||
| Gift Vouchers | ||
| Payment Requests | ||
| Direct billing | ||
| Automated reminders | ||
| Integrated Payment Terminal & Card Reader | ||
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Reservations Management
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| Rate Shopping Module | ||
| Property Management System | ||
| RevPaR & ADR Reports | ||
| Gift Vouchers | ||
| Channel Manager | ||
| Integrated CRS | ||
| Drag-n-Drop Tapechart | ||
| Rate Management | ||
| Automated Space Optimization | ||
| Automated Assignments | ||
| Rules Based Room Assignments | ||
| Transactional Emails (booking, folios, etc) | ||
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Revenue Management
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| Rate Shopping Module | ||
| Revenue Management Module | ||
| Pricing Intelligence | ||
| Channel Manager | ||
| RevPaR & ADR Reports | ||
| Custom rates | ||
| Ancillary revenue tracking | ||
| Base Pricing | ||
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Taxes & Compliance
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| PCI Compliant | ||
| GDPR Compliant | ||
| SOC2 Complaint | ||
| Tax Configuration | ||
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Support & Training
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| Online 24/7 support | ||
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Food & Beverage
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| Point of Sale |
We analyzed 3 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
A major reason hotels like Exely is that it is intuitive and easy to learn, helping staff handle daily operations with less training and fewer mistake... A major reason hotels like Exely is that it is intuitive and easy to learn, helping staff handle daily operations with less training and fewer mistakes. Reviewers often mention that it reduces manual work, saves time, and makes front-office and reservation workflows more efficient.
Support is one of Exely’s strongest differentiators, with users repeatedly describing the team as responsive, professional, and quick to resolve issue... Support is one of Exely’s strongest differentiators, with users repeatedly describing the team as responsive, professional, and quick to resolve issues. Several reviews also mention account managers and other teams being attentive, which helps hotels adopt the system and keep operations running smoothly.
Many reviews highlight how Exely simplifies managing reservations, room availability, and pricing in one place. Users say it makes daily operations mo... Many reviews highlight how Exely simplifies managing reservations, room availability, and pricing in one place. Users say it makes daily operations more organized, speeds up updates, and helps them react faster to demand changes.
Where hoteliers push back
Users often want Exely to be more configurable for different property types, especially in PMS workflows, invoices, confirmations, and interface behav... Users often want Exely to be more configurable for different property types, especially in PMS workflows, invoices, confirmations, and interface behavior. While some praise its flexibility, many ask for more tailored layouts, property-specific options, and smoother editing tools.
Reporting is a common pain point: users want deeper, faster, and more flexible reports covering bookings, revenue, occupancy, channel performance, and... Reporting is a common pain point: users want deeper, faster, and more flexible reports covering bookings, revenue, occupancy, channel performance, and guest trends. A few reviewers say current reports are sufficient for basic use, but most want better dashboards, mobile access, and more analytical detail for decision-making.
Ranks higher for
Unique capabilities
What hoteliers love
Users most often praise Visual Matrix for fast, courteous, and knowledgeable support that resolves problems quickly, often through chat or remote assi... Users most often praise Visual Matrix for fast, courteous, and knowledgeable support that resolves problems quickly, often through chat or remote assistance. Many say this reduces operational downtime and helps managers and front desk staff get unstuck during busy shifts.
Reviewers frequently mention that Visual Matrix is easy for new employees to learn, with onboarding support and training resources that help staff bec... Reviewers frequently mention that Visual Matrix is easy for new employees to learn, with onboarding support and training resources that help staff become productive quickly. The VM University and knowledge base are seen as especially useful for reducing ramp-up time and supporting ongoing learning.
Users value the idea of better room-status and housekeeping coordination, but some say the current workflow is limited or awkward. Requests include ea... Users value the idea of better room-status and housekeeping coordination, but some say the current workflow is limited or awkward. Requests include easier access to room rack status, better out-of-order controls for future dates, and real-time updates for housekeeping and maintenance tasks.
Where hoteliers push back
Users commonly say the system is functional but can feel cumbersome because key tasks require too much clicking and menu navigation. Several want a mo... Users commonly say the system is functional but can feel cumbersome because key tasks require too much clicking and menu navigation. Several want a more intuitive layout, fixed navigation, and easier access to commonly used screens and reports.
A smaller but important set of reviews highlights operational risk around night audit, credit card batching, pin pad communication, and settlement err... A smaller but important set of reviews highlights operational risk around night audit, credit card batching, pin pad communication, and settlement errors. These issues can create billing confusion, possible double-charge concerns, and extra work for staff to reconcile payments.
Ranks higher for
Unique capabilities
Where the ratings diverge most
It depends on your requirements. Exely HMS and Visual Matrix PMS share many core Hotel Management Software features, but each has unique capabilities. Exely HMS offers 9 verified integration partners, while Visual Matrix PMS offers 25. Review the feature comparison above to see where they differ before switching.
Small hotels should prioritize ease of use and fast onboarding. Exely HMS 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 HMS: No. Visual Matrix PMS: No. Neither product currently offers a free tier. Most Hotel Management Software 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 88 and Visual Matrix PMS has 80. 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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