Choose a hotel channel manager by where room inventory is controlled and how the distribution bill grows. SiteMinder separates core distribution from a broader direct-booking package. Cloudbeds makes its own distribution part of a wider PMS choice. Beds24 prices room-type channel links as well as the account. Sirvoy places OTA connectivity in Pro. HotelRunner offers distribution inside plans with minimum fees and revenue-based monthly pricing. The cheapest starting subscription is not necessarily the cheapest way to distribute your actual room types and bookings.
Define the purchase before comparing plans
A channel manager connects rates, availability and reservations with sales channels. The property’s operational record, housekeeping and guest billing belong in the wider hotel PMS decision. When direct bookings are part of the proposal, also decide how website analytics will distinguish direct demand from channel referrals. Neither a channel connection nor an analytics label establishes that a booking is incremental.
| Platform | Useful starting point | Cost boundary | Question that changes the offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| SiteMinder | Distribution beside an existing PMS | Property/room quote; selected transaction charges | Do you need distribution only or direct-booking tools? |
| Cloudbeds | Distribution with a Cloudbeds platform choice | Flex versus One and selected additions | Are you keeping or replacing the operational system? |
| Beds24 | Configurable PMS and channel connectivity | Account, rooms and room-type/channel links | How many billable links does your inventory require? |
| Sirvoy | Hotel system with OTA connections in Pro | Room-count/currency plan; external charges separate | Does Pro cover each required channel connection? |
| HotelRunner | Distribution inside Essential Sell or Complete | Monthly minimum versus realized-booking-revenue rate | What revenue enters the billing base? |
SiteMinder
SiteMinder’s current pricing separates the base distribution plan from Plus, which adds direct-booking tools, website and metasearch scope. PMS connection is included as standard, with certain premium integrations carrying additional fees. Starting amounts are for a five-room property and exclude tax; the actual subscription depends on rooms and products. Some services have transaction or completed-stay commission charges. Official product and plan details.
Shortlist SiteMinder when the existing PMS should remain and distribution needs its own owner. Ask for the actual room count, premium connector, direct-booking components and usage charges in the offer. The published month-to-month option has notice requirements; a discounted fixed-term agreement is a different commitment. Do not copy a small-property starting amount into a larger hotel’s budget. Source and qualifications.
Cloudbeds
Cloudbeds’ pricing distinguishes Flex, allowing a preferred external distribution partner, from One, which includes Cloudbeds distribution with its PMS, payments and marketplace foundation. Its channel-manager page describes centralized rates, availability and reservation management across connected channels. This is not simply the same purchase as a standalone connector beside an unrelated hotel system. Official product and plan details.
Consider Cloudbeds when distribution and hotel operations are being selected together. If only the channel layer needs replacing, first establish the available configuration and migration responsibilities. The observed pricing page requests a quote; platform descriptions do not settle third-party OTA commissions, payment costs or every integration. Confirm which system controls inventory when more than one distribution partner is involved. Source and qualifications.
Beds24
Beds24 lists a pay-as-you-go account starting from €15.50/month, with channel-manager links at €0.55/month each. A link is one category or room type connected to one channel, potentially representing several physical rooms. Additional users, private labeling and services can add cost. It says it does not charge booking commissions, but OTA accounts may carry their own commissions or fees. Official product and plan details.
The important budget input is the inventory mapping, not merely the number of booking websites. Ask how your room types and properties translate into billable links, then include users, SMS and onboarding as required. The published euro pricing and VAT rules need to be applied to the buyer’s location. A configurable fee model is useful only when someone owns that configuration and its ongoing channel mapping. Source and qualifications.
Sirvoy
Sirvoy’s current pricing places channel management in Pro, while Free and Starter focus on direct reservations and operational scope. Pro pricing depends on room count, billing cadence and currency; the visible lowest configuration is not a quote for every property. Its help distinguishes direct booking-site connections from iCal synchronization, which should not be treated as the same integration depth. Official product and plan details.
Shortlist Sirvoy when a property wants a hotel system with channel connections included at the appropriate tier. Identify the precise channels, supported connection type, property count and payment arrangements. Its help also describes separate SMS and Google Hotel Ads charges. The relevant comparison is a fully configured Pro offer, not a free direct-booking website placed beside a distribution subscription. Source and qualifications.
HotelRunner
HotelRunner Essential Sell lists channel management, a central reservation system, booking engine, website and related distribution tools. Its monthly pricing is 1.25% with a USD29.95 minimum; Essential Complete combines operational and sales scope at 1% with a USD39.95 minimum. The FAQ defines the percentage against realized monthly booking revenue from all channels, not just bookings the channel manager is presumed to have created. Official product and plan details.
That billing base can change the result for a property with strong direct demand. Request the treatment of cancellations, taxes, refunds and realized stays in the contract. HotelRunner also describes flat-fee annual options through sales and Advanced packages requiring an eligible Essential plan. Compare the same booking-revenue base and required operational scope before judging a percentage plan against a fixed monthly subscription. Source and qualifications.
Make the decision on comparable terms
Start with inventory ownership, then calculate the commercial scope from actual room types, channel links and realized revenue. A distribution-only purchase and a PMS bundle can both fit, but they solve different migration problems. Commission-free vendor software still leaves OTA, payment and selected marketing charges to evaluate.
Ask each finalist to document room and rate mapping, restriction support, reservation changes, cancellations and responsibility for a failed update. Separate the system subscription from sales-channel contracts and payment processing. Do not choose from the number of advertised connections alone: the required channel and exact fields must be supported for your property configuration.
By Toolverly Editorial, with AI-assisted research and drafting. Official sources checked November 7, 2026.
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