Checkfront review
Bottom line
Checkfront is a cloud booking and resource management system for tour, activity, rental, and accommodation operators. Its clearest strength is its fee structure: a flat monthly subscription with no setup fees, a 3% fee only on online bookings, and no added fees on bookings from partner channels or API-generated bookings. The main cost to watch is the 3% online fee if it is not passed to guests, plus extra charges for some third-party waiver apps. It suits operators who sell online and share equipment or rooms across several experiences.
What is Checkfront?
Checkfront is a cloud-based booking platform for businesses that sell time-based experiences such as tours, activities, equipment rentals, and accommodation. It takes over reservations, tracks availability, and collects payment, so operators spend less time on administration and more time with guests. Its core job is preventing double-bookings across every way a business sells, from a single kayak or ATV to a shared boat or room.
Staff set up each experience with a booking type such as daily, multi-day, timeslot, or flextime, then attach the vehicles, seats, equipment, or rooms it uses. Availability updates automatically across all experiences that share those assets. Customers book through a widget embedded on a website, a hosted booking page, or an online travel agency listing, and can pay by credit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, iDEAL, or Alipay. Scheduled email and text notifications handle confirmations and reminders, and digital waivers collect liability and safety forms before the visit. Staff can manage bookings and check guests in from a mobile app.
Freelancers, small businesses, mid-sized businesses, and enterprises all use the platform. Pricing is one subscription for all customers at $99 per month, plus a 3% fee on online bookings charged at the time of booking. There are no setup fees and no fee on offline bookings. The operator can absorb the 3% fee or pass it on to guests. Payments follow a rolling schedule with payouts in 2 to 7 days.
What sets Checkfront apart is its focus on shared resources and fee structure. Bookings made through supported online travel agencies carry no added fee beyond the agency's commission, and API-generated bookings carry no additional fee. Four booking widgets are available, including a React widget that the company says loads faster than iframes. Operators can create public and private versions of an experience with one click, and they can export their data in XML, CSV, or Excel at any time.
Who it's for
- Tour and activity operators
- Equipment and vehicle rental businesses
- Accommodation and escape room operators
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers who need a free plan
- Businesses with no bookable time slots or shared resources
- Operators who want to avoid any transaction fee on online sales
Typical uses
- Selling tours with daily, multi-day, or timeslot availability
- Managing shared kayaks, ATVs, or boats across several experiences
- Taking deposits and buy now, pay later payments
- Sending automated reminders and collecting digital waivers
- Selling through Viator, GetYourGuide, and Expedia
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