How Much Does it Cost to Use a Hotel Channel Manager?

Just like there is a cost attached to any service that you use, a Channel Manager too comes with a fee attached. In this article, we’ll take a look at the average Channel Manager software cost for small, mid-size, and large hotels, as well as any additional integrations that might be required for hotels, hostels, and vacation rentals.

A Channel Management system is associated with an annual or monthly fee, just like any third-party service that you might use. Therefore, before you decide to integrate it with your existing technology stack, you should do your research and keep an eye out for the overall costs. This way, you will be able to get the whole package without any unexpected charges.

When you’re trying to find out any Channel Manager software cost, you should look for one that offers a transparent pricing plan. If the service provider mentions any extra service charges for non-core products, you should ask them to list those down. If not, you may end up paying a lot extra for hidden charges for currency exchange, payment processing, additional channel integration, and more.

Keep in mind that to integrate Property Management Systems (PMS), Channel Managers or other third-party solutions into your business, you may have to pay a once-off additional charge or a recurring fee. In this article, we’ll take a look at the average cost of a Channel Manager software and provide relevant information.

Is there any Free Channel Manager Software?

Unfortunately, you won’t find a fully-functional and feature-rich Channel Management system for free. In case you do find someone advertising a free solution, it will only come bundled with another paid solution or service.

Besides, if you’re thinking of using a Channel Manager for your property, the investment will be worth it!

Channel Manager Software Cost

Most Channel Manager vendors offer a flat fee pricing depending on the number of rooms available at the hotel. For a small hotel, the monthly fee can be as low as €9.99. The price tends to go up as the number of rooms increases. In addition to this, Channel Managers often provide bundled services like website creation for the hotel and integration of a direct booking engine. Additional services often cost extra.

It can be advantageous to ask your Channel Manager vendor about yearly pricing: most will be willing to heavily discount pricing for the assurance of long-term deals. Of course, you should only go that route once you have trialled the Channel Manager in production and that you’re happy with it!

What is the Cost of a Channel Manager for a Small Hotel (less than 30 rooms)?

The most affordable Channel Manager on HotelMinder Marketplace starts at around €10 per month only for a few units. Of course, Hotel Channel Manager prices scale upward based on occupancy and/or the number of rooms.

Example - WuBook Channel Manager starts at 6€ per channel connection for a month.

What is the Cost of a Channel Manager for a Mid-Size Hotel (from 30 to 100 rooms)?

For a mid-size hotel with fewer than 100 rooms, a hotel Channel Manager will cost between €79 (on the very low end and for the most basic functions and features) to up to €500 per month. That's for the Channel Manager solution on its own of course. Additional modules and integrations to third-party applications will make your budget substantially higher.

Example - RoomCloud Channel Manager can cost as little as €1000 yearly for a mid-size property.

What is the Cost of a Channel Manager for a Large Hotel (over 100 rooms)?

An enterprise-level Channel Manager software cost falls in the expensive range and often includes a licensing fee. If you have a large hotel, you will have to consider several options, including third-party integrations, legal requirements, accounting, business intelligence systems, and self-hosting of your property’s data for security’s sake.

Example - SiteMinder Channel Manager pricing will start at only €161 monthly for a 100 rooms hotel and for the standalone Channel Manager.

What is the Cost of a Channel Manager for a Hostel?

These days most hostels use all-in-one management solutions. These hostel management systems include everything a hostel needs, including a Channel Manager.

What is the Cost of a Channel Manager for a Short-Term Rental?

Short-term vacation rental owners and management agencies don’t really use standalone Channel Manager solutions. Instead, they use bundled software, more adapted to the needs of those types of accommodation. You can read more about those here.

To find the best Channel Manager for your accommodation business, browse our curated, regularly updated List of the Top 10 Best Channel Manager Software.