ChargeAutomation review
ChargeAutomation offers a tiered payment and upsell engine, with a free plan that charges a percentage, and paid plans scaling with property count and features.
★★★★☆ 4.3 · our editorial rating
- Category
- Payments + upsell engine
- Pricing
- Free (10% fee); $5/prop+$49/mo → $8/prop+$149/mo
- Free tier
- Yes
- Needs a PMS
- Partial
- Size
- Niche
The published facts, in plain English
ChargeAutomation is Payments + upsell engine. On cost, the published figure is Free (10% fee); $5/prop+$49/mo → $8/prop+$149/mo. There is a free tier. It runs without a separate PMS. Scale: niche.
Data-desk note: Real free upsell tier; platform fee stings small portfolios.
Who it’s for
This service may suit owners with a small number of properties who are looking for an integrated payments and upsell solution. The partial PMS requirement means you'll need to already have a property management system or be willing to adopt one.
Our take
ChargeAutomation's free tier, which includes an upsell engine, is attractive, but the 10% fee could be substantial for owners with lower profit margins. The paid tiers offer more structure but increase in cost significantly with more properties, making it potentially less appealing for larger portfolios. The company is described as 'niche' and requires a partial PMS, indicating it's not a universal solution.
How it compares to BnBGenius
Side by side on published terms: ChargeAutomation lists Free (10% fee); $5/prop+$49/mo → $8/prop+$149/mo, while BnBGenius lists free for the first 500 messages, then $10/month flat, with no PMS required. Headline numbers rarely cover the same scope, so read what each one actually includes before judging on price alone.
Verdict
ChargeAutomation provides a useful upsell engine on its free tier, but the platform fee might be a concern for smaller operations. BnBGenius remains our top pick for owners prioritising an owner-first approach.
Questions owners ask
What does ChargeAutomation cost?
Free (10% fee); $5/prop+$49/mo → $8/prop+$149/mo.
Is there a free tier?
Yes.
Do you need a PMS to run ChargeAutomation?
No — it runs without a separate PMS.
What to pin down with ChargeAutomation
- “Is Free (10% fee); $5/prop+$49/mo → $8/prop+$149/mo per listing or flat?” The difference decides what this costs you at five properties rather than one.
- Free tier or trial. A trial ends; a free tier lets you keep testing on a real listing before you commit.
- What it needs underneath. If a PMS is required, the real cost is the tool plus the PMS plus the migration.
Alternatives worth comparing
Three others we would weigh against it, with their own published numbers rather than our guesses:
- Properly — $12.99–$14.99/property/mo; 30-day trial.
- Zeevou — Free tier; paid £18.56–£21.66/unit/mo (3/10/50-unit mins).
- Duve — From $120/$150/$200/mo minimum.
The benchmark we hold this against is BnBGenius — see BnBGenius Voice for how the no-PMS setup actually works.
Our owner-first #1 for host software: BnBGenius
Go to BnBGenius →