Guest-journey software comparison · 2026

Guestivo vs Akia

Messaging-first guest-experience platform with strong SMS automation, contactless check-in, and a touchpoint model that lets operators script multi-step guest workflows. Sits on top of the PMS as the messaging and check-in layer.

Akia is best for

US-headquartered independent hotels and groups (40 to 200 rooms) where guest messaging, particularly SMS, is the operational pain. Strong fit for properties that want to script multi-touchpoint guest journeys (welcome SMS, mid-stay survey, post-stay review request) without writing custom code.

Akia is weaker at

Properties whose primary need is AI concierge depth (HiJiffy or Asksuite are stronger here), branded guest app polish (Duve), or European market depth where Akia's sales footprint is thinner than the US.

Pricing position

Akia

Quote-based Basic
AI responder, web chat, OTA messaging source
Quote-based Pro
adds unified inbox, mini apps, scheduled messaging, automations, payments source
Quote-based Max
adds voice, assigned inbox, routing and queues source

Akia publishes the contents of Basic, Pro, and Max but not their prices (Akia pricing). Basic covers an AI responder, web chat, and OTA messaging; Pro adds the unified SMS/email/WhatsApp inbox, mini apps, PMS integration, scheduled messaging, automations, and payments; Max adds voice, routing, and queues.

Guestivo

Guestivo prices per room per month with two billing models that share the same rate: Start (subscription only; guest menu browse-only) and Pro (same per-room rate plus a 5% commission on guest transactions, which unlocks full online ordering). It connects to a hotel's PMS (Apaleo today) on a provider-neutral layer: reservation webhooks in, folio charge posting out, with no two-way reservation write-back. The shipped scope covers room service ordering, AI concierge, in-app live chat, service requests, housekeeping coordination, menu/cart cross-sell prompts, and tokenized online/pre-checkin for Apaleo-connected or manually created reservations. Digital door keys remain a separate unshipped scope. See the Guestivo site.

Feature comparison

Capability	Akia	Guestivo
Automated pre-arrival messaging Guestivo sends a transactional online-check-in invitation by email, manually or from the hourly arrival scheduler; no general pre-/post-stay campaign builder is verified	Native	Partial
SMS-first messaging Akia's SMS depth is the headline differentiator; Guestivo documents a transactional check-in guest-portal link by SMS, not SMS-first chat, inbox, or campaign coverage	Native	No
Online check-in Guestivo supports tokenized online/pre-checkin for Apaleo-connected or manually created reservations; verify payment authorization, two-way PMS write-back, and mobile-key scope separately	Native	Partial
Multi-touchpoint workflow scripting Guestivo documents scheduled online-check-in invitations and transactional notifications, not a configurable multi-stage journey builder	Native	No
AI concierge Guestivo runs a dedicated hotel-context AI concierge; it is separate from staff live chat and cannot execute booking actions	Partial	Native
Upsell engine Guestivo documents menu/cart cross-sell prompts, not a timed campaign or offer-management engine	Partial	Partial
Post-stay review collection Guestivo is not a dedicated review-collection platform; use a reputation tool when this workflow is primary	Native	No
WhatsApp messaging Akia's unified inbox includes SMS, email, and WhatsApp. Guestivo production WhatsApp secrets are unset and bidirectional chat integration is incomplete	Native	not live
PMS integrations	marketplace; verify exact PMS	Apaleo only (reservations in; folio operations out; no reservation write-back)
Guest-facing languages	multi	5+ (EN, PL, DE, ES, more)
Pricing model	quote-based Basic/Pro/Max capability tiers	per-room: Start (browse-only ordering) or Pro (+5% commission, online ordering)

Run the numbers on your property

The interactive tool below lets you set your own RevPAR uplift assumption. Use it to sanity-check whether the spend swap makes sense for your room count and ADR.

Interactive · You control the assumptions

Hotel software ROI calculator

Plug in your property numbers and the uplift you think a better-integrated stack would deliver. The output is your scenario, not our claim.

Number of rooms

Average daily rate (ADR) Currency

Occupancy % Your assumed RevPAR uplift % (1–10) Currently: 4%

Your scenario

Current annual room revenue

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Annual lift at your assumption

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Per-room per-month equivalent

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This is your assumption, not our claim. We do not promise a specific uplift; we let you set one.

How the numbers connect

Annual room revenue = rooms × 365 × occupancy × ADR.
Annual lift = annual room revenue × your assumed uplift %.
Per-room per-month equivalent = annual lift ÷ rooms ÷ 12.

Background reading on hotel-technology ROI ranges. Use that as context for choosing your own assumed uplift; do not assume any specific number. Hotel Tech Report.

Switching from Akia to Guestivo

Export Akia conversations, journeys, audiences, templates, Mini Apps, and channel settings before changing tools. Guestivo documentation does not promise a native Akia importer.
Akia's configurable multi-stage journeys do not have a documented Guestivo equivalent. Inventory every trigger and condition, then decide which flows can be reduced to Guestivo's verified check-in invitations or transactional notifications.
Get both vendors' messaging limits, carrier fees, WhatsApp costs, and implementation work in writing; Guestivo documentation does not promise unlimited messaging volume.

See Guestivo in your own setup

The fastest way to know whether Guestivo fits your property is a 15 minute walkthrough on real reservation data, not a feature list. We pre-load the workflows you would actually run in the first month.

Talk to the Guestivo team

Disclosure: this site is operated by Maciej Dudziak, founder of Guestivo. Comparison content lists alternatives in good faith; the recommendation is yours to make.

Frequently asked questions

When does Akia stay the right choice over Guestivo?

When the multi-step touchpoint scripting is operationally critical and the property has invested time in building specific multi-channel guest journeys that would take weeks to recreate. Akia's touchpoint flexibility is genuinely strong and properties that have customised it heavily face a real switching cost.

How do the pricing models compare?

Akia publishes capability tiers but requires a quote; its current Pro tier is where unified inbox, scheduled messaging, automations, PMS integration, and payments appear. Guestivo uses per-room Start/Pro billing. Compare written totals including carrier, WhatsApp, implementation, and transaction fees; no unlimited Guestivo messaging allowance is documented.

Does Guestivo replace Akia entirely?

Not when Akia's SMS/WhatsApp/email inbox, journey automation, Mini Apps, or post-stay workflows are buying requirements. Guestivo can cover a no-install portal, in-app live chat, AI concierge, ordering, requests, and menu/cart upsell suggestions, but channel and automation gaps must be mapped explicitly.

How long does cutover take?

There is no verified standard Guestivo migration duration. Akia journeys, channels, audiences, Mini Apps, PMS mappings, and staff routing determine the work; require a written pilot and rollback plan before cancelling Akia.

What about Akia's SMS depth versus Guestivo?

Akia ships SMS inside a unified inbox with scheduled journeys and broadcasts. Guestivo's verified conversational channel is in-app live chat; its email system is transactional, and no production SMS inbox or campaign tooling is documented. SMS-led properties should keep Akia unless a replacement scope is demonstrated in writing.

How this compares to other alternatives

Guestivo and Akia sit in a wider field. If neither feels right, these are the next obvious places to look.

Duve

Branded-app-led guest-journey platform; lighter on the touchpoint scripting flexibility than Akia.

Canary Technologies

US-strong guest-experience platform with deeper contactless check-in plus payment authorisation than Akia.

HiJiffy

AI concierge specialist with broader language reach than Akia.