Travel · head to head
BCD TripSource vs Hopper
BCD TripSource
Travel
Traveller-facing itinerary and trip management app bundled with a BCD Travel programme
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
Hopper
Travel
Travel booking app known for price prediction and paid Price Freeze and cancellation add-ons
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Hopper has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: BCD TripSource it cannot be bought or used without a BCD Travel TMC contract, so it is not a genuine alternative to an independent app like TripIt for a company using a different agency.; Hopper add-on products like Price Freeze and Cancel for Any Reason are priced to be a meaningfully profitable part of the business, and taking them on every booking can offset much of what the price prediction tool is meant to save.
- They diverge on capability: BCD TripSource covers Trip timeline, Hopper covers Price prediction.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which BCD TripSource and Hopper actually diverge.
| Attribute | BCD TripSource | Hopper |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Pricing model | quote | Free to book, paid add-ons for price freezing and cancellation flexibility |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | iOS, Android |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Travel).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in BCD TripSource
- Trip timeline
- Real-time alerts
- Entry requirement guidance
- Itinerary sharing
- Driving directions
- Policy and booking links
Only in Hopper
- Price prediction
- Price Freeze
- Cancel/Change for Any Reason
- Price alerts
- Hopper Homes and Car
- Carrot Cash
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
BCD TripSource
- A company already contracted to BCD Travel wanting a single itinerary view for travellersnot Hopper
- A travel manager needing entry requirement and flight alert information pushed automaticallynot Hopper
- An assistant or arranger who needs to share a travelling executive's itinerary quicklynot Hopper
- A duty of care programme that wants trip data visible without travellers logging into a separate portalnot Hopper
Hopper
- A traveller wanting data-driven guidance on whether to book now or wait for a lower pricenot BCD TripSource
- Someone wanting to lock in a fare for a few days while confirming travel plans without fully committingnot BCD TripSource
- A traveller who wants flexible cancellation on an otherwise restrictive farenot BCD TripSource
- Someone comparing predicted price trends before choosing travel datesnot BCD TripSource
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
BCD TripSource
- It cannot be bought or used without a BCD Travel TMC contract, so it is not a genuine alternative to an independent app like TripIt for a company using a different agency.
- Feature depth trails purpose-built consumer itinerary apps, and companies sometimes end up recommending a personal TripIt subscription alongside it for travellers who want more.
- Because it is bundled, there is no separate pricing to negotiate down, and the cost is buried inside the overall BCD Travel service fee.
- Manually forwarded bookings made outside BCD Travel channels are not always captured cleanly, leaving gaps in the trip timeline for off-channel purchases.
- Switching TMC away from BCD Travel means losing the app entirely, adding a hidden switching cost beyond renegotiating the agency contract itself.
Hopper
- Add-on products like Price Freeze and Cancel for Any Reason are priced to be a meaningfully profitable part of the business, and taking them on every booking can offset much of what the price prediction tool is meant to save.
- Price predictions are probabilistic and can be wrong, so buy-or-wait guidance is not a guarantee that a price will actually move as predicted.
- The prominent placement of paid add-ons during checkout has drawn criticism as pressuring users into purchases they may not need for every trip.
- Customer service for booking issues has been a recurring complaint, particularly for itinerary changes on cancel or change protected bookings.
- Hopper's own Carrot Cash rewards currency is only redeemable within the app, so it has no value outside future Hopper bookings.
Pricing, plan by plan
BCD TripSource
On request- BCD Travel programme (TripSource included)$undefined/year
- Bundled into a BCD Travel managed travel contract
- No standalone licence available
- Traveller download is free once a company is a BCD Travel client
Hopper
Free- Standard bookingFree
- No fee beyond the fare or room price itself
- Price Freeze$undefined/per booking
- Fee varies by fare and freeze duration, charged in addition to the eventual ticket price
- Cancel/Change for Any Reason$undefined/per booking
- Add-on fee charged at checkout, priced as a percentage or flat amount depending on the fare
Which should you pick?
Choose BCD TripSource if
- You need trip timeline.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want real-time alerts.
Choose Hopper if
- You need price prediction.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on iOS, Android.
- You also want price freeze.
Questions people ask
- Is BCD TripSource or Hopper better?
- Neither clearly leads. BCD TripSource starts at On request and Hopper at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, BCD TripSource or Hopper?
- Hopper has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for BCD TripSource and Free for Hopper.
- Does BCD TripSource or Hopper run on more platforms?
- BCD TripSource runs on Web, iOS, Android. Hopper runs on iOS, Android.
- Can I use Hopper for free?
- Yes. Hopper has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. BCD TripSource starts at On request.
- What is BCD TripSource best used for?
- BCD TripSource is most often used for a company already contracted to bcd travel wanting a single itinerary view for travellers, a travel manager needing entry requirement and flight alert information pushed automatically, an assistant or arranger who needs to share a travelling executive's itinerary quickly, a duty of care programme that wants trip data visible without travellers logging into a separate portal. Of those, a company already contracted to bcd travel wanting a single itinerary view for travellers and a travel manager needing entry requirement and flight alert information pushed automatically are not what Hopper is typically brought in for.
- What can BCD TripSource do that Hopper cannot?
- BCD TripSource covers Trip timeline, Real-time alerts, Entry requirement guidance, Itinerary sharing. Hopper covers Price prediction, Price Freeze, Cancel/Change for Any Reason, Price alerts.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
BCD TripSource: Can we buy TripSource without using BCD Travel as our agency?
No. It is bundled with a BCD Travel managed travel contract and is not sold separately.
Hopper: Is Hopper free to use for searching and booking?
Yes, the base booking has no extra fee; Price Freeze and cancellation flexibility are separate paid add-ons.
BCD TripSource: Is the app free for travellers?
Yes, once the employer is a BCD Travel client, travellers download it at no separate charge.
Hopper: How accurate is Hopper's price prediction?
It is based on historical fare data and gives a probability-based recommendation, not a guarantee; predictions can be wrong.
BCD TripSource: Does it replace an online booking tool?
No, it is an itinerary and alert hub; booking happens through BCD Travel's separate online booking tool or agents.
Hopper: What does Price Freeze actually do?
It locks a displayed price for a fee for a set number of days, letting you decide later without committing to the full purchase immediately.
Related pages
More on BCD TripSource
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