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Travel · head to head

Bokun vs SiteMinder

Bokun logo

Bokun

Travel

Tour and activity booking platform tied to Viator distribution, from free to $499 a month

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SiteMinder logo

SiteMinder

Travel

Hotel channel manager and distribution platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Bokun has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Bokun viator bookings are exempt from the booking fee while your own direct bookings are not, so the pricing structure rewards selling through the parent marketplace rather than through your own site.; SiteMinder quote-only pricing scaled by rooms and channels, so comparison requires a sales conversation
  • They diverge on capability: Bokun covers Booking widgets, SiteMinder covers Booking engine.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bokun and SiteMinder actually diverge.

Attributes where Bokun and SiteMinder differ
AttributeBokunSiteMinder
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelPer month plus a booking feequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Cloud

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 Bokun

  • Booking widgets
  • Marketplace
  • Product and availability setup
  • Offline bookings
  • Vouchers and redemption

Only in SiteMinder

  • Booking engine
  • Wide channel reach
  • Rate management

Both cover

  • Channel manager

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Bokun

  • An operator already doing significant Viator volume who wants that channel to cost nothing in software feesnot SiteMinder
  • A city tour company reselling partner products and taking commission through the Bokun marketplacenot SiteMinder
  • An operator wanting a fixed monthly subscription rather than a percentage of every booking as FareHarbor chargesnot SiteMinder
  • A business taking most bookings by phone, which incur no Bokun booking fee at allnot SiteMinder

SiteMinder

  • Hotels selling across several OTAs that must not double-booknot Bokun
  • Properties wanting direct bookings alongside OTA distributionnot Bokun
  • Groups managing rates centrally rather than channel by channelnot Bokun

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Bokun

  • Viator bookings are exempt from the booking fee while your own direct bookings are not, so the pricing structure rewards selling through the parent marketplace rather than through your own site.
  • The booking fee sits on top of the monthly subscription, so an operator on Start pays $49 plus 1.5% of direct online revenue and the plan price alone understates the cost.
  • The free plan is limited to a single user and constrained features, so any business with staff has to move to a paid tier almost immediately.
  • Adopting it deepens commercial dependence on Tripadvisor and Viator, which is uncomfortable if your strategy is reducing OTA commission exposure.
  • Reporting and back-office depth are lighter than dedicated operator platforms, so businesses with complex resource scheduling or multi-site operations often need workarounds.

SiteMinder

  • Quote-only pricing scaled by rooms and channels, so comparison requires a sales conversation
  • A channel manager only, so a property management system is still needed alongside it
  • Sync depends on the OTAs at the other end, and their API changes and outages present as your problem
  • Setup and channel mapping is more involved than the marketing suggests

Pricing, plan by plan

Bokun

Free
  • FreeFree
    • One user
    • No monthly fee
    • No Bokun booking fee
  • Start$49/month
    • Up to 5 users
    • 1.5% booking fee on direct online bookings
    • No booking fee on Viator bookings
  • Plus$149/month
    • Up to 10 users
    • 1.25% booking fee on direct online bookings
    • No Bokun fee on Viator bookings
  • Premium$499/month
    • Unlimited users
    • 1% booking fee on direct online bookings
    • No Bokun fee on Viator bookings

SiteMinder

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the SiteMinder review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Bokun if

  • You need booking widgets.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want marketplace.
Bokun review

Choose SiteMinder if

  • You need booking engine.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want wide channel reach.
SiteMinder review

Questions people ask

Is Bokun or SiteMinder better?
Neither clearly leads. Bokun starts at Free and SiteMinder at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bokun or SiteMinder?
Bokun has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Bokun and On request for SiteMinder.
Does Bokun or SiteMinder run on more platforms?
Bokun runs on Web, iOS, Android. SiteMinder runs on Web, Cloud.
Can I use Bokun for free?
Yes. Bokun has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SiteMinder starts at On request.
What is Bokun best used for?
Bokun is most often used for an operator already doing significant viator volume who wants that channel to cost nothing in software fees, a city tour company reselling partner products and taking commission through the bokun marketplace, an operator wanting a fixed monthly subscription rather than a percentage of every booking as fareharbor charges, a business taking most bookings by phone, which incur no bokun booking fee at all. Of those, an operator already doing significant viator volume who wants that channel to cost nothing in software fees and a city tour company reselling partner products and taking commission through the bokun marketplace are not what SiteMinder is typically brought in for.
What can Bokun do that SiteMinder cannot?
Bokun covers Booking widgets, Marketplace, Product and availability setup, Offline bookings. SiteMinder covers Booking engine, Wide channel reach, Rate management. Both handle Channel manager.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bokun: Are Viator bookings really free of Bokun fees?

Yes on the paid plans. Direct online bookings through your own widget carry 1% to 1.5% depending on tier.

SiteMinder: What does SiteMinder cost?

It quotes per property based on rooms and channels and does not publish standard rates.

Bokun: Can I pass the booking fee to customers?

Yes, on the paid plans the fee can be added to the customer price rather than absorbed.

SiteMinder: What does a channel manager actually do?

It keeps rates and availability in step across every booking site, so a room sold on one channel is immediately closed on the others. Without it, double bookings are inevitable.

Bokun: Who owns Bokun?

Viator, which is part of Tripadvisor.

SiteMinder: Is it a full property management system?

No. It handles distribution; reservations, housekeeping and billing still need a PMS.

Bokun: Is the free plan usable in a real business?

Only for a solo operator. It is one user with limited features.

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