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Travel · head to head

BCD TripSource vs Protel

BCD TripSource logo

BCD TripSource

Travel

Traveller-facing itinerary and trip management app bundled with a BCD Travel programme

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Protel logo

Protel

Travel

German hotel property management system, now owned and sold by Planet

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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.; Protel the vendor is now a payments company, so the economics of a deal run through card processing rates as much as software fees, and a hotel with good existing acquiring terms may lose more on processing than it saves on licence.
  • They diverge on capability: BCD TripSource covers Trip timeline, Protel covers Front desk and reservations.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which BCD TripSource and Protel actually diverge.

Attributes where BCD TripSource and Protel differ
AttributeBCD TripSourceProtel
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Windows, iOS, Android

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), 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 Protel

  • Front desk and reservations
  • Conference and banqueting
  • Cloud and on-premise editions
  • Integrated payments
  • Interface catalogue
  • Multi-property operation
  • Night audit and reporting
  • Tax-free shopping links

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 Protel
  • A travel manager needing entry requirement and flight alert information pushed automaticallynot Protel
  • An assistant or arranger who needs to share a travelling executive's itinerary quicklynot Protel
  • A duty of care programme that wants trip data visible without travellers logging into a separate portalnot Protel

Protel

  • A German or Austrian hotel needing fiscal and tax compliance handled natively rather than bolted onnot BCD TripSource
  • A property with substantial conference and banqueting business that a rooms-only PMS cannot handlenot BCD TripSource
  • An existing Protel on-premise site deciding whether to move to the cloud edition or change vendornot BCD TripSource
  • A group wanting PMS and card acquiring from one supplier under a single contractnot 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.

Protel

  • The vendor is now a payments company, so the economics of a deal run through card processing rates as much as software fees, and a hotel with good existing acquiring terms may lose more on processing than it saves on licence.
  • The Protel name persists on the product but the corporate identity has moved to Planet, which makes contract, support and roadmap ownership harder to pin down than it looks from the product page.
  • Hotels on the older on-premise edition face a migration to cloud that is a re-implementation rather than an upgrade, with the data and interface work that implies.
  • Nothing about pricing is published, so a buyer cannot benchmark against Mews or Cloudbeds without a full sales process.
  • Strength is concentrated in German-speaking Europe and the Middle East; support depth and partner ecosystem are noticeably thinner in North America and Asia Pacific.

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

Protel

On request
  • protel PMS by Planet$undefined/year
    • Quoted per property, no published rate card
    • Cloud and on-premise editions priced differently
    • Payment processing rates negotiated alongside the software

Which should you pick?

Choose BCD TripSource if

  • You need trip timeline.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want real-time alerts.
BCD TripSource review

Choose Protel if

  • You need front desk and reservations.
  • You work on Web, Windows, iOS, Android.
  • You also want conference and banqueting.
Protel review

Questions people ask

Is BCD TripSource or Protel better?
Neither clearly leads. BCD TripSource starts at On request and Protel at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, BCD TripSource or Protel?
BCD TripSource starts at On request and Protel at On request.
Does BCD TripSource or Protel run on more platforms?
BCD TripSource runs on Web, iOS, Android. Protel runs on Web, Windows, iOS, Android.
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 Protel is typically brought in for.
What can BCD TripSource do that Protel cannot?
BCD TripSource covers Trip timeline, Real-time alerts, Entry requirement guidance, Itinerary sharing. Protel covers Front desk and reservations, Conference and banqueting, Cloud and on-premise editions, Integrated payments.

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.

Protel: Can you still buy Protel?

Yes. Planet acquired it in December 2021 and continues to sell it as protel PMS, though the corporate branding is Planet.

BCD TripSource: Is the app free for travellers?

Yes, once the employer is a BCD Travel client, travellers download it at no separate charge.

Protel: Why does the payments ownership matter?

Because the vendor earns on your card volume. Evaluate the processing rate alongside the software price rather than treating them as separate decisions.

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.

Protel: Is the on-premise edition still supported?

It remains in the field with a large installed base, but new investment is directed at the cloud edition, so ask for an explicit support horizon in writing.

Protel: Where is Protel strongest?

German-speaking Europe and the Middle East, where its interface catalogue and fiscal compliance are deepest.

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