The criteria we compared
We only chose features that can be verified on the vendors’ websites and that matter in daily operations for a hotel with 5 to 80 rooms. A criterion only counts as met if the vendor clearly states it on its website. If nothing is said there, or it remains unclear, it does not count, even if the vendor might be able to offer it in a sales conversation.
We did not rate features for chains, GDS distribution to travel agents or several hundred rooms. Nor did we score how many OTAs a vendor connects to: for most small and mid-sized properties, what counts is Booking.com and Expedia plus two or three regional OTAs, not hundreds.
| Criterion | Why it matters for small and mid-sized hotels |
|---|---|
| Channel manager included in the PMS at no extra cost | One room inventory, one rate list, one contract. No interface between two systems that can fail. |
| Price published | You know the rough cost before the first sales call. |
| Booking.com and Expedia connectable | The two OTAs through which most properties in the DACH region sell. |
| Booking engine included in the price | Direct bookings on your own website without a second product, from the same inventory. |
| Offer available in German | German-language website and materials for the team and the decision. |
| Free trial without a set-up fee | You test the solution with your own processes without committing money or a long contract term first. |
| Vendor | Included in PMS | Price published | Booking.com and Expedia | Booking engine in price | German | Trial without set-up fee | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 STRYK | Yes, in the core price | yes | yes | Yes, in the core price | yes | Yes, 14 days | |
| DIRS21 | No, standalone | On request | Yes | Separate product, package not stated | Yes | 4-week trial, set-up not stated | |
| Hotel-Spider | No, standalone | On request | Yes | Not clearly stated | Yes | Trial offered, length not stated | |
| Little Hotelier | Yes, according to the pricing page | Only via calculator by room count | Yes | Yes, according to the pricing page | Yes | Yes, 30 days | |
| RoomRaccoon | Yes, in all packages | Yes, “from” prices per package | Yes | Yes, in all packages | Yes | No, demo | |
| seekda | No, PMS separate or via interface | Yes, “from” prices | Yes | Yes, in all packages | Yes | No, set-up fee | |
| SiteMinder | No, standalone | By room count, amount via sales | Yes | Only in the “SiteMinder Plus” plan | Yes | 14-day trial, set-up costs depend on configuration | |
| Smoobu | Yes (software for holiday rentals) | Yes | Yes | Yes, booking system | Yes | Yes, 14 days |
The vendors in detail
Vendors are listed with STRYK first. We deliberately do not rank them: which system fits depends on how you weight the criteria for your property. The table above shows how many criteria each vendor meets; that is no verdict on whether a system is good or bad.
Channel managers for small and mid-sized hotels in the DACH region
- For properties with 5 to 80 roomsSTRYK Hotel Management
Cloud PMS from Salzburg, built for small and mid-sized hotels, guesthouses and aparthotels.
- Best for
- Hotels and guesthouses with 5 to 80 rooms that want everything in one system at a clear price.
- Pricing
- €59 plus €6 per room per month, net, billed annually (25 rooms: €209)
Strengths
- Modern, clear interface: edit calendar bookings, check room status and open guest details directly
- Connect Booking.com, Expedia, Airbnb and other channels to STRYK. Manage rates and availability centrally and handle OTA reservations in the calendar.
- Booking engine and gift voucher sales in the core price; online check-in and self check-in kiosk as separate modules included in the core price
- Published price: €59 plus €6 per room per month, excl. VAT, billed annually, no set-up fee, unlimited users
Limits
- The channel manager is part of the STRYK PMS; it is not offered as a standalone connection for another PMS.
- Direct sales with vouchers
DIRS21
Direct booking and channel management solutions, active in hotels and restaurants for more than 25 years.
- Best for
- Hotels in the DACH region that want to keep their PMS and expand direct sales, including voucher sales.
- Pricing
- On request
Facts from: dirs21.de/channelmanagementStrengths
- Channel manager for OTAs; Booking.com and Expedia, among others, are shown on the website
- Direct booking and a voucher shop from one provider
- 4-week trial without obligation
Limits
- No PMS; your hotel software is connected
- No prices on the website
- Best for
- Hotels that want to keep their PMS and also reach travel agents via GDS.
- Pricing
- On request, three plans (Light, Standard, Premium)
Facts from: hotel-spider.com/channel-managerStrengths
- According to the vendor, more than 450 booking channels, including Booking.com and Expedia
- Two-way PMS interface in all plans, GDS connection available according to the website
- Unlimited user profiles
Limits
- Only five OTA connections in the “Light” plan
- No prices and no trial length on the website
- Quick start for B&Bs
Little Hotelier
Software from SiteMinder for small properties with 1 to 30 rooms.
- Best for
- Very small hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs that want to get started quickly on their own.
- Pricing
- Depends on the number of rooms; amount via the calculator on the pricing page
Facts from: littlehotelier.com/de/preiseStrengths
- Channel manager, booking engine, calendar and app as core features according to the pricing page
- According to the vendor, more than 450 booking channels, including Booking.com and Expedia
- 30-day free trial, no set-up fee for self-onboarding, mobile app
Limits
- According to the vendor, specialised in properties with 1 to 30 rooms
- According to the pricing page, a booking fee of 1% on the booking value is added
- All-in package with revenue tools
RoomRaccoon
Hotel software with PMS, channel manager, booking engine and payment processing in every package.
- Best for
- Independent hotels looking for a comprehensive package with revenue features.
- Pricing
- “Entry” package €130 or €156 per month according to the pricing page, depending on billing; final price via the price calculator
Facts from: roomraccoon.de/preiseStrengths
- Channel manager and booking engine included in all four packages
- According to the vendor, more than 200 distribution channels, including Booking.com and Expedia
- Published “from” prices per package, German-language website with an address in Berlin
Limits
- No free trial mentioned, only a demo
- Final price via the price calculator based on rooms and beds
- Online distribution from Austria
seekda
Distribution platform from Vienna with booking engine, channel manager and payments.
- Best for
- Hotels in Austria that want to bundle their online distribution with one provider and connect a PMS.
- Pricing
- From €67 per month (“Light” package), annual fee depending on room rate, number of rooms and operating days
Facts from: seekda.com/pricingStrengths
- Booking engine, channel manager and payment solution in all packages
- Connection to Booking.com, Expedia, HRS and other OTAs
- Published “from” prices and a vendor based in Vienna
Limits
- One-off set-up fee and a two-year minimum term according to the pricing page
- Annual fee is charged once a year in advance; transaction-based costs come on top
- Many channels for your own PMS
SiteMinder
International hotel distribution platform with a channel manager and an optional direct booking package.
- Best for
- Hotels that want to keep an existing PMS and serve a very large number of channels.
- Pricing
- Depends on the number of rooms; quote via the sales team
Facts from: siteminder.com/de/preiseStrengths
- According to the vendor, more than 500 distribution channels including GDS and more than 350 connections to PMS and RMS systems
- 24/7 support and payment processing according to the pricing page
- 14-day free trial; according to the pricing page, cancellable monthly with 30 days’ notice
Limits
- Booking engine and website only in the “SiteMinder Plus” plan
- Price depends on room count and products; the sales team quotes the exact amount
- Holiday rentals without a reception
Smoobu
Rental software for holiday homes with a channel manager and booking system.
- Best for
- Holiday apartments, holiday homes, chalets and small B&Bs without a traditional reception.
- Pricing
- According to the pricing page from €29 per month (Professional Flex, plus a 0.9% booking fee); per the FAQ €28 for the first and €9.60 for each further unit, net
Facts from: smoobu.com/de/preiseStrengths
- Channel manager and booking system already in the cheapest plan
- Connection to Booking.com, Expedia and, according to the vendor, more than 100 other OTAs
- Clear prices per unit, 14-day trial without a credit card, no set-up fee
Limits
- According to its own website, aimed at holiday rentals rather than hotels
- The “Professional Flex” plan charges a booking fee of 0.9%
What a 20-room hotel pays
A direct price comparison is only possible where vendors publish amounts. The table shows what can be verified publicly. Bear in mind that a standalone channel manager comes on top of your PMS, whereas with RoomRaccoon or Little Hotelier the PMS is already included.
With every vendor, you keep paying the OTAs their commission, often 15 to 25% of the booking value depending on the OTA and contract. Some solutions add their own booking fees, and online payments carry the payment provider’s charges.
| Vendor | Amount according to vendor | What is included | Also note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little Hotelier | Via calculator by number of rooms | PMS features, channel manager, booking engine | 1% booking fee according to the pricing page |
| RoomRaccoon | €130 or €156 per month depending on billing (“Entry” package) | PMS, channel manager, booking engine, payment processing | Final price via the price calculator |
| seekda | From €67 per month | Booking engine, channel manager, payment solution; PMS separate | Set-up fee, two-year minimum term, transaction-based costs |
| Smoobu | From €29 for one unit, each additional unit €9.60 | Software for holiday rentals with channel manager and booking system | 0.9% booking fee in the “Professional Flex” plan |
| DIRS21, SiteMinder, Hotel-Spider | On request | Channel manager, booking engine depending on package | Cost of your existing PMS comes on top |
When another solution fits better
If you are happy with your PMS and do not want to change it, a standalone channel manager is the right route. Then DIRS21, SiteMinder and Hotel-Spider belong on your list, as does CultSwitch from Berlin, which according to its own website charges 1% of the net booking value, at least €79 and at most €399 a month. Above all, check whether your PMS has a certified connection to the channel manager and who is responsible when something goes wrong.
If you only rent out holiday apartments without a reception, Smoobu is a very good choice by our criteria. If you are looking for a PMS with a built-in channel manager, you will find further systems such as Cloudbeds and HotelFriend in our hotel PMS comparison. According to its pricing page, Cloudbeds includes a channel manager and booking engine from the “One” plan; HotelFriend states an entry price from €156 a month for the FLEX package.
How to make your decision
First answer the basic question: are you keeping your PMS, or can it be a new system with a built-in channel manager? After that, two or three candidates usually remain. Test each one with the same tasks and pay particular attention to the Saturday-evening case: what happens when the last room is sold through two channels almost simultaneously?
Questions to ask every vendor
- Is the channel manager included in the price, or is it a separate product with its own contract?
- Are Booking.com, Expedia and the OTAs that matter in your region connected, and who sets up the mapping?
- Are minimum stay, closed-to-arrival and closed-to-departure restrictions and channel mark-ups transmitted?
- How does the system check inventory when two bookings arrive almost simultaneously?
- Are there booking fees, a set-up fee or a minimum term?
- Who helps if an OTA booking does not arrive, and in which language?
