Reservation & booking systems
Checkfront
Checkfront is cloud-based booking management software for schedule-based businesses that sell their services in daily, nightly or hourly allotments: activities, tours, accommodation, events and rentals, including outdoor hospitality operators. It provides a back office for reservations, customers and resources, plus booking widgets that run on the operator's own website.
Bookings can be daily, multi-day, timeslot or flextime, with a real-time availability calendar that removes the risk of double booking, scheduled email and text notifications, deposits and buy-now-pay-later, waivers, and payment by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, iDEAL or Alipay. Resource management shares vehicles, equipment or rooms automatically across experiences. Distribution runs through OTAs and resellers including Google Things to Do, Viator and GetYourGuide, and an API connects custom applications and automation tools. There is nothing to install: Checkfront hosts the application and handles updates, hourly backups and security.
Checkfront launched in June 2010, its product team is based in Victoria, British Columbia and its workforce is spread across Canada. The company says it processes over 5.1 billion USD in bookings annually for businesses in 128 countries, reports a 98% customer satisfaction score, and publishes support lines including 1 (800) 559-0985 with support available 24/5 and limited weekend hours.
Pricing is a single plan: $99 per month plus a 3% online booking fee that the operator can absorb or pass to guests, with no fee on offline bookings and no setup fees, though the company notes prices may vary by region and currency. API-generated bookings and reseller-only channels can carry up to a 2% fee, so check which channels your bookings will actually come through.
Best for
Campground, glamping, rental and activity operators selling timed or multi-day inventory who want their own booking widget plus OTA distribution; not built for shipping physical goods or personal appointment scheduling.
What they do
- Online booking engine and website widgets
- Real-time availability calendar
- Multi-day, timeslot and flextime bookings
- Automated email and text notifications
- Deposits and buy-now-pay-later payments
- Digital waivers
- OTA and reseller channel distribution
- Resource and inventory management
- Booking API and integrations
Details
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2010 |
| Offices | Victoria, BC |
| How they charge | $99 per month plus a 3% fee on online bookings, which can be absorbed or passed to guests; no fee on offline bookings and no setup fees. API-generated and reseller-only bookings can add up to 2%. |
What stands out
- Launched in June 2010, with its product team in Victoria, British Columbia.
- Says it processes over 5.1 billion USD in bookings annually.
- Serves businesses in 128 countries.
- Reports a 98% customer satisfaction score, with support available 24/5 and limited weekend hours.
- One published plan: $99 per month plus a 3% online booking fee, with no fee on offline bookings.
Common questions
- Which businesses is Checkfront built for?
- Checkfront is built for schedule-based businesses that sell services in daily, nightly or hourly allotments, including activities, tours, accommodation, events and rentals. It suits operations with recurring inventory rather than one-off events, and the company says it is not a shopping cart for shippable goods or a personal appointment scheduler.
- Is there software to install?
- No. Checkfront runs online, so there is nothing to install or maintain. The company hosts the software and manages updates, hourly backups and security, and provides add-ons that let operators take self-service bookings from their own website and social pages.
- How does Checkfront pricing work?
- Checkfront has one plan for all customers: a monthly subscription of $99 plus a 3% online booking fee charged at the time of booking, which the operator can absorb or pass on to guests. There are no setup fees or hidden charges and offline bookings carry no fee, though pricing may vary by region and currency.