Shiji Astral Payments vs. Zil Money:
Which Is Right for You?

Is Shiji Astral Payments or Zil Money Better for Hotels?

Shiji Astral Payments and Zil Money both target payments processing for hospitality, but they serve very different operational needs and hotel types. Shiji Astral Payments is a cloud-based, fully integrated payment platform designed specifically for hotels, supporting multiple payment methods including local and international cards and alternative payments like AliPay and WeChatPay. It natively integrates with Shiji’s Daylight PMS and Infrasys POS, simplifying payment workflows at the front desk, restaurants, and online.

Zil Money, by contrast, is a broader financial operations platform with a strong focus on payroll processing, ACH, wire transfers, and virtual cards. It is not hotel-specific and lacks dedicated PMS integrations but excels at managing online financial transactions and cash flow. While Shiji Astral Payments streamlines daily guest-facing payment operations for hotels of various sizes, Zil Money supports back-office financial management for hotels looking to optimize payroll and payment flexibility. Both products aim to reduce payment friction, but Shiji focuses on guest payments and operational unification, whereas Zil Money emphasizes financial management and cash flow.

Shiji Astral Payments vs Zil Money: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel operates a mid-sized or large portfolio and requires integrated payment processing that works seamlessly with PMS and POS systems, Shiji Astral Payments is the better fit. Its 72 verified integrations including SiteMinder, Revinate, and Amadeus support hotels operating globally with complex payment needs, multiple currencies, and alternative payment methods such as AliPay and WeChatPay. For hotels aiming to reduce administrative workload—as TIME Hotels did with a 30% reduction after rolling out Shiji’s Daylight PMS and Astral Payments—Shiji offers operational depth and scale.

If your property is smaller or lacks a complex tech stack but needs flexible payroll funding options, multiple financial transaction types, and cash flow management, Zil Money is a strong candidate. It scores a 4.4/5 overall from 58 reviews praising ease of use and comprehensive financial features, particularly in North American independent hotels, motels, and boutique properties. However, Zil Money’s review volume has dropped sharply to zero in the past six months from an average of 14.5 per six months previously, so its current performance should be monitored before committing. For hotels that prioritize back-office financial management over integrated guest-facing payments, Zil Money offers cost-effective solutions.

Is Shiji Astral Payments or Zil Money Easier to Use?

Zil Money holds an ease-of-use rating of 4.5/5 from 58 reviews, with users highlighting its intuitive interface that simplifies invoicing, payments, and expense tracking. Reviewers mention minimal onboarding friction and a straightforward user experience, which accelerates staff adoption for front-line accounting and finance teams. Shiji Astral Payments has no publicly available ease-of-use ratings or reviews on Hotel Tech Report, limiting direct comparison.

Despite the absence of Shiji Astral Payments user feedback, Zil Money’s consistent positive comments on simplicity and usability indicate it is easy for hotel finance teams to operate. However, the onboarding rating for Zil Money is 4.2/5, with some users requesting faster verification and setup processes. Without Shiji ratings, the edge on usability remains balanced since Shiji’s integrated PMS and POS workflows are designed for front desk and restaurant users, potentially reducing user complexity in those areas.

Edge: Even.

Which Has Better Features: Shiji Astral Payments or Zil Money?

Shiji Astral Payments offers 13 unique hotel-specific features absent in Zil Money that materially affect hotel payment operations. These include Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC), refund and chargeback management, payment tokenization, PCI compliance, and acceptance of global payment methods such as Mastercard, AliPay, WeChatPay, and Diners Club. Shiji also processes credit cards through multiple gateways—Elavon, TSYS, and GlobalPayments—enabling hotels to choose preferred processors and maintain compliance with regional standards.

These features streamline front desk and online payments, reduce risk of fraud, and improve reconciliation efficiency. For example, DCC allows guests to pay in their home currency, improving satisfaction and reducing disputes. Chargeback management protects revenue, while tokenization enhances data security.

Zil Money does not offer any unique hotel-specific payment features but focuses on financial operations such as payroll by credit card, ACH, wire transfers, eChecks, virtual cards, and printable checks. While useful for back-office workflows, these do not replace front desk, POS, or guest-facing payment needs.

Edge: Shiji Astral Payments.

Which Has Better Customer Support: Shiji Astral Payments or Zil Money?

Zil Money rates customer support at 4.5/5 from 58 reviews, with onboarding rated 4.2/5. Users commend responsive and helpful support that resolves issues promptly, though some have requested faster responses and more proactive communication. The lack of recent reviews—none in the last six months—raises uncertainty about current support levels.

Shiji Astral Payments has no available customer support ratings or reviews on Hotel Tech Report, making it impossible to gauge user satisfaction or responsiveness. Given Shiji Group’s size and global presence, their 24/7 support claim likely benefits larger hotel portfolios, but this is unverified by users.

Because support ratings exist only for Zil Money and Shiji’s are unknown, this comparison cannot favor either.

Edge: Even.

Which Has More Integrations: Shiji Astral Payments or Zil Money?

Shiji Astral Payments connects with 72 verified partners including major hotel technology providers like SiteMinder, Revinate, IDeaS, Duetto, Amadeus, and Mews. Its integrations with Daylight PMS and Infrasys POS from Shiji Group itself enable seamless payment processing across hotel departments. These partners cover distribution, revenue management, guest engagement, and property management, supporting operational consistency for multi-property portfolios worldwide.

Zil Money has no verified integrations listed on Hotel Tech Report. Its platform focuses on standalone financial operations without direct PMS or POS connections, limiting automation and real-time data sharing with hotel systems.

For hotels with complex tech stacks or regional payment requirements, Shiji’s extensive integration ecosystem enables unified workflows and reduces manual tasks. Hotels without existing PMS integrations or with simpler financial needs may find Zil Money’s standalone approach sufficient.

Edge: Shiji Astral Payments.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Shiji Astral Payments or Zil Money?

Shiji Astral Payments has no ratings or reviews on Hotel Tech Report, so no direct hotelier satisfaction data exists. Zil Money holds a 4.4/5 overall rating from 58 reviews, with 87% likelihood to recommend. Ratings break down as follows: boutique hotels and city center hotels rate it 4.5/5; branded hotels rate it 4/5; motels 3.8/5; extended stay 3.8/5; and casinos 3.1/5. These ratings indicate Zil Money performs best in boutique and independent upscale segments, with more mixed feedback in budget and extended stay properties.

However, Zil Money has received no reviews in the last six months after averaging 14.5 reviews per six months previously, a 100% drop in review activity. This suggests Zil Money’s all-time ratings may not reflect recent changes or issues, and buyers should consider this risk.

Edge: Even.

How Much Do Shiji Astral Payments and Zil Money Cost?

Shiji Astral Payments charges a base price of $200.00 with no implementation fee, no monthly flat or per-room fees, and no free trial.

Zil Money’s base price is $400.00, also with no implementation fee, no monthly flat or per-room fees, and no free trial. However, Zil Money’s website offers a 15-day free trial for its platform, which may aid evaluation.

With both products lacking transparent monthly or transaction-based pricing and Shiji Astral Payments priced at half of Zil Money’s base fee, hotels should request detailed quotes based on transaction volumes and service levels. Neither product publishes a fully transparent pricing model on Hotel Tech Report.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Shiji Astral Payments?

• Hotels that operate multiple properties or regions requiring consistent payment processing across PMS and POS systems.
• Hotels that accept a wide range of payment methods including Mastercard, AliPay, WeChatPay, and Diners Club.
• Teams that need integrated chargeback management and refund workflows to reduce revenue loss.
• Hotels aiming to improve guest satisfaction through Dynamic Currency Conversion to enable payments in guest home currencies.
• Properties that prioritize PCI compliance and payment tokenization for enhanced security.

Not ideal if:

• Your property lacks existing Shiji PMS or POS systems, as integration benefits may be limited.
• You require flexible financial operations beyond guest payments, such as payroll or expense management.
• Your hotel operates on a tight budget given the $200 base fee without clear volume-based pricing.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Zil Money?

• Independent hotels, boutique properties, motels, and vacation rentals focused on simple, user-friendly financial management.
• Businesses seeking flexible payroll funding options including payroll by credit card with tax advantages.
• Hotels that need to manage multiple entity accounts or financial transactions beyond guest payments.
• Finance teams that prioritize ease of use and straightforward invoicing, expense tracking, and payment processing.
• Properties that can tolerate limited or no PMS/POS integration and prefer standalone financial software.

Not ideal if:

• You require hotel-specific payment features like Dynamic Currency Conversion or chargeback management.
• Your hotel depends on a unified tech stack connecting PMS, POS, and payments.
• You need recent, active user support and ongoing product updates given the recent drop in Zil Money reviews.

Shiji Astral Payments vs Zil Money: The Bottom Line for Hotels

Shiji Astral Payments and Zil Money serve distinct needs within hotel payment and financial operations. The core difference is that Shiji Astral Payments focuses on integrated, hotel-specific payment processing with extensive PMS and POS connections and support for global payment methods. Zil Money concentrates on flexible financial operations, payroll funding, and payment processing outside of guest-centric workflows.

Choose Shiji Astral Payments if your hotel prioritizes robust payment features—Dynamic Currency Conversion, chargeback management, tokenization—and an integrated payment experience tied to your PMS and POS. Shiji’s 72 integrations and support for multiple payment processors enable operational scale, as demonstrated by TIME Hotels’ 30% reduction in administrative workload. Its $200 base price is competitive given the integration depth.

Choose Zil Money if your hotel values ease of use in financial management, requires payroll by credit card, or manages complex financial entities without an integrated hotel tech stack. Zil Money’s 4.4/5 rating from 58 mostly positive reviews highlights user satisfaction with its interface and payment flexibility. However, the sharp drop to zero reviews in the last six months signals caution; the product’s current performance and support responsiveness may have changed.

Given the lack of Shiji Astral Payments reviews and the recent decline in Zil Money’s review activity, hotels should validate current support and product status before purchasing. Operationally, Shiji excels in guest payment workflows and integration, while Zil Money fits back-office financial flexibility. Your property’s tech environment and payment priorities will determine the better choice.