Crave Mobile Platform (acq by HCN) vs. Criton:
Lequel vous convient le mieux ?

The Decision

Both Crave Mobile Platform by Crave Interactive and Criton by Criton aim to elevate the guest experience through digital engagement, but they cater to different needs and hotel profiles. Crave focuses on comprehensive, app-less mobile solutions with extensive features for food and service ordering, while Criton emphasizes branded, customizable apps with contactless check-in, messaging, and guest data management. Choosing between them hinges on your hotel's priorities: operational automation or guest personalization.

Crave boasts a higher review count (48 vs. 21) and more recent reviews, making its user feedback more robust and current. Its overall rating of 4.75/5 surpasses Criton’s 4.71/5, indicating stronger hotel satisfaction. Are you looking for a more feature-rich, proven platform, or a flexible, branding-driven solution?

Is Crave or Criton Better for Hotels?

Crave offers a broad suite of features primarily designed for hotel operations, including multi-lingual support, QR codes, digital menus, in-venue ordering, contactless payments, upselling, and NFC capabilities. Its strength lies in streamlining service delivery, especially for properties that benefit from automated ordering and in-venue sales. Criton, on the other hand, provides fewer features—mainly mobile check-in, guest profiles, and app download capabilities—focusing on digital guest communication and branding.

Your choice depends on your hotel’s operational complexity. If you need to optimize service efficiency and increase in-venue revenue, Crave’s extensive features make it the better fit. For hotels prioritizing branded guest apps and seamless digital check-in, Criton’s lightweight, customizable platform may suffice. Do you need a feature-rich system with automation or a simple branded app for communication?

Crave vs Criton: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel needs a comprehensive mobile engagement platform that enhances service automation, go with Crave. Its wide array of 18 unique features, including in-venue ordering, NFC, and payment integrations, makes it ideal for hotels looking to modernize their service operations and boost ancillary sales.

If your hotel focuses on branding, guest communication, and contactless check-in, Criton is preferable. Its three unique features—mobile check-in, guest profiles, and app download—support a personalized, branded digital experience, especially for independent or boutique hotels seeking to reduce printed materials and drive direct bookings.

Is Crave or Criton Easier to Use?

Crave’s user interface is rated 4.61/5, with reviews praising its simplicity and customer support. Users highlight that Crave’s setup process is straightforward, and their staff find the system easy to navigate, although menu updates can be somewhat cumbersome. Its onboarding score of 4.57/5 reflects a generally smooth experience, with support praised for quick and helpful responses.

Criton’s interface, rated 4.5/5, is also considered user-friendly, with reviews emphasizing its ease for both staff and guests. Users note that creating and updating content is simple, and the onboarding process is solid at 4.36/5. However, some users wish for more customization options to better reflect their brand identity.

Edge: Crave.

Which Has Better Features: Crave or Criton?

Crave’s 18 features include digital menus, multi-lingual support, QR codes, contactless ordering, Apple Pay, Google Pay, POS integration, curbside pickup, upselling, and NFC, among others. These enable a hotel to automate multiple service touchpoints and generate new revenue streams.

Criton provides three core features—mobile check-in, guest profiles, and app download—focused on simplifying guest communication and branding. While highly effective for personalized engagement, it lacks the extensive operational features Crave offers.

Edge: Crave.

Which Has Better Customer Support: Crave or Criton?

Crave’s customer support is rated 4.79/5, with reviews highlighting rapid response times and proactive assistance. Guests appreciate that issues, such as menu changes or technical glitches, are addressed promptly, and the support team is described as helpful and knowledgeable.

Criton’s support, rated 4.62/5, is also well-regarded, with reviewers noting quick responses and a committed team. However, some mention that feature development and integrations can be slow, which may impact hotels needing rapid customization.

Edge: Crave.

Which Has More Integrations: Crave or Criton?

Crave boasts 17 verified partners, including notable integrations like Oracle Hospitality, Infor, Amadeus, and POS systems such as Book4Time and Quore. Its extensive partner network supports a wide range of hotel management and service systems, facilitating smoother operations.

Criton has 16 verified partners, including Oracle Hospitality, Mews, RMS, and guest engagement tools like Benbria and GuestRevu. Its integrations primarily focus on PMS, CRM, and guest messaging platforms.

Shared partner: Oracle Hospitality.

Crave’s larger ecosystem makes it more adaptable for hotels with complex system landscapes.

Edge: Crave.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Crave or Criton?

Crave’s overall rating of 4.75/5 is driven by 48 reviews, with recent feedback emphasizing its reliability and feature set. Hotels in various segments—from luxury to resorts—rate it highly, with some describing it as “a well thought-out kit” and “great service.”

Criton’s 4.71/5 rating is based on 21 reviews, mostly from boutique and independent hotels. While praised for ease of use and support, hotelier feedback suggests it’s more suitable for smaller properties seeking branding and guest engagement rather than complex operations.

Edge: Crave.

How Much Do Crave and Criton Cost?

Crave’s pricing starts at a base fee of $400, with no mention of additional implementation or monthly charges, indicating a straightforward fee structure. Its pricing model appears transparent, but detailed quotes may depend on specific hotel needs.

Criton does not publicly specify pricing; its model is likely customized based on hotel size and feature requirements. The absence of public pricing suggests it may be more suitable for hotels seeking a tailored, scalable solution.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Crave?

• Hotels that want to automate food and beverage ordering, including in-room dining or venue services.
• Hotels seeking multi-lingual support and extensive in-venue payment options.
• Properties with complex operations that benefit from advanced integrations and upselling.
• Hotels aiming to increase sales through contactless, QR code, and NFC ordering.
• Hotels planning to enhance operational efficiency and guest engagement simultaneously.

Not ideal if:

• Your property is small with minimal F&B service.
• You prefer a simple, branded app without extensive operational features.
• Your team is less comfortable with technical integrations and hardware management.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Criton?

• Boutique hotels, independents, and serviced apartments wanting a branded, customizable guest app.
• Hotels prioritizing contactless check-in, digital keys, and guest profiles.
• Properties aiming to replace printed materials and drive direct bookings.
• Hotels focused on enhancing guest engagement through in-room messaging and location-based push notifications.
• Hotels seeking a flexible, content-update-friendly platform without complex operational features.

Not ideal if:

• You need a system with extensive in-venue ordering or payment features.
• Your hotel requires deep integration with multiple management systems.
• You prefer out-of-the-box automation for food and beverage services.

Crave vs Criton: The Bottom Line for Hotels

Crave’s core advantage is its rich feature set tailored to automating hotel services, with proven integration and extensive hotel support. Its recent reviews and higher review count reinforce its reliability for hotels seeking operational automation, especially in F&B and service delivery.

Criton excels in branding, guest communication, and contactless check-in, making it ideal for boutique, independent, or smaller hotels that prioritize guest personalization over operational automation. Its customizable app and seamless content management support hotels aiming for a distinctive digital guest experience.

If your hotel needs a feature-heavy, established platform with broad integration, go with Crave. For a flexible, branded app that enhances guest interaction and reduces printed materials, Criton is the better choice.

Final verdict: For most hotels seeking a trusted, well-reviewed, and feature-rich guest app platform, Crave is the clear leader. Its larger review base and recent positive feedback make it the more dependable option, especially when operational automation and integrations are priorities.