How does Firefly bill for reservations?

After the trial ends you enter payment details and pick a plan, then are billed at the end of each billing period for reservation fees. Long-term reservations are billed only when they are a month or longer and span a majority of the billing period. Reservation fee rules can pass the fee on to the guest.

Are there any contracts?

No. The company says there are no contracts and a subscription can be cancelled at any time, and that it sees no need to lock customers in.

Are there fees to process credit cards?

Yes. All credit card companies charge a transaction fee, and the amount depends on which payment processor the park integrates with. If the park is connected to Stripe, the reservation fee for bookings made through the reservation portal is taken as part of the payment rather than billed separately.

Reservation & booking systems

Firefly Reservations

Firefly Reservations is reservation and management software for campgrounds and RV parks, built by a campground owner. It integrates with a park's website so guests can see live availability and book at any hour, pick a site from an interactive map, and manage their own reservations, payments and requests through a self-service portal. The company also names boat marinas, storage units and other outdoor hospitality businesses as users.

The platform automates monthly charges, payment processing, recurring utility payments and email reminders for long-term stays, and includes a point-of-sale system for a camp store and add-on items such as golf cart rentals and firewood. Listing integrations cover Airbnb, Hipcamp, VRBO and ReserveAmerica. Paid add-ons cover smart-meter utility tracking through a Wild Energy integration at $25 a month, Inex Tech gate automation at $15 a month, and SMS messaging plans at $5, $25 or $40 a month plus a per-message rate. Onboarding specialists help with setup at no charge, and support is based in the US and Canada.

The company's own history is on the site: the founder and his brother started a 10-site campground in 2017, he began building Firefly in 2018 after finding existing systems outdated and expensive, and the software was released in 2020. In 2021 Firefly joined with ReserveAmerica.com and RVParky.com and became the upgraded software for Astra Campground Manager. It now supports campgrounds across North America.

Pricing is per reservation rather than a flat subscription: $3.50 per unit when a new booking is confirmed, and $3.50 per month for each long-term reservation that spans a majority of the billing period, with no monthly fee on reservations shorter than a month. There are no contracts or start-up fees, billing does not begin until the first guest transaction, and a 14-day trial needs no credit card. Reservation fee rules can pass the fee to the guest. Credit card processing fees are separate and depend on the payment processor.

Best for

Campground and RV park owners who want online booking, monthly and long-term guest billing and metered utility charges without a contract, and who would rather pay per reservation than a flat monthly subscription. Marinas and storage operators are also named as users.

What they do

Online reservations with live availability
Interactive site map booking
Long-term and monthly reservation billing
Automated payment processing and recurring charges
Metered utility billing via smart meter integration
Guest self-service portal
Automated pre-arrival and post-stay messaging
SMS guest messaging
Point-of-sale for camp stores and add-ons
Gate access automation
Listing integrations with Airbnb, Hipcamp, VRBO and ReserveAmerica

Details

Attribute	Value
How they charge	$3.50 per unit when a booking is confirmed and $3.50 per month per long-term reservation; no setup fees or contracts, and the fee can be passed to the guest.

What stands out

Charges $3.50 per unit when a new reservation is confirmed and $3.50 a month per long-term reservation, with no contracts or start-up fees.
A 14-day trial requires no credit card, and billing starts only after the first guest transaction.
Add-ons are priced at $25 a month for smart-meter utility tracking and $15 a month for gate integration.
Released in 2020, after the founder began building it in 2018 for the 10-site campground he and his brother started in 2017.
Joined with ReserveAmerica.com and RVParky.com in 2021 and became the upgraded software for Astra Campground Manager.

Common questions

How does Firefly bill for reservations?: After the trial ends you enter payment details and pick a plan, then are billed at the end of each billing period for reservation fees. Long-term reservations are billed only when they are a month or longer and span a majority of the billing period. Reservation fee rules can pass the fee on to the guest.
Are there any contracts?: No. The company says there are no contracts and a subscription can be cancelled at any time, and that it sees no need to lock customers in.
Are there fees to process credit cards?: Yes. All credit card companies charge a transaction fee, and the amount depends on which payment processor the park integrates with. If the park is connected to Stripe, the reservation fee for bookings made through the reservation portal is taken as part of the payment rather than billed separately.