Softwr

Accounting · head to head

Invoice2go vs Protel

Invoice2go logo

Invoice2go

Accounting

Mobile-first invoicing app for small businesses and freelancers

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: Invoice2go starter plan caps invoices at just 30 per year, forcing an upgrade for most active businesses.; 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: Invoice2go covers Invoice creation and customization, Protel covers Front desk and reservations.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Invoice2go and Protel actually diverge.

Attributes where Invoice2go and Protel differ
AttributeInvoice2goProtel
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Platformsweb, ios, androidWeb, Windows, iOS, Android
CategoryAccountingTravel

Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Invoice2go

  • Invoice creation and customization
  • Estimates and projects
  • In-app payments
  • Automated reminders
  • Accounting integrations
  • Team member access

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.

Invoice2go

  • Freelancers invoicing clients from a mobile devicenot Protel
  • Small service businesses tracking estimates and projectsnot Protel
  • Businesses wanting integrated card and ACH paymentsnot Protel
  • Businesses syncing invoices with QuickBooks or Xeronot Protel

Protel

  • A German or Austrian hotel needing fiscal and tax compliance handled natively rather than bolted onnot Invoice2go
  • A property with substantial conference and banqueting business that a rooms-only PMS cannot handlenot Invoice2go
  • An existing Protel on-premise site deciding whether to move to the cloud edition or change vendornot Invoice2go
  • A group wanting PMS and card acquiring from one supplier under a single contractnot Invoice2go

Where each one falls short

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

Invoice2go

  • Starter plan caps invoices at just 30 per year, forcing an upgrade for most active businesses.
  • Card processing fees are higher than some dedicated payment processors.
  • Accounting integrations are limited to QuickBooks and Xero, excluding other platforms.
  • Premium plan requires roughly $100k+/year revenue to be cost-effective, per its own positioning.

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

Invoice2go

On request
  • Starter$undefined/month
    • 30 invoices/year
    • 3.5% card payment fee
    • Free ACH bank transfers
  • Professional$undefined/month
    • 100 invoices/year
    • 3% card payment fee
    • QuickBooks/Xero integration
  • Premium$undefined/month
    • Unlimited invoices
    • 2.9% card payment fee
    • Recurring invoices

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 Invoice2go if

  • You need invoice creation and customization.
  • You work on web, ios, android.
  • You also want estimates and projects.
Invoice2go 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 Invoice2go or Protel better?
Neither clearly leads. Invoice2go 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, Invoice2go or Protel?
Invoice2go starts at On request and Protel at On request.
Does Invoice2go or Protel run on more platforms?
Invoice2go runs on web, ios, android. Protel runs on Web, Windows, iOS, Android.
What is Invoice2go best used for?
Invoice2go is most often used for freelancers invoicing clients from a mobile device, small service businesses tracking estimates and projects, businesses wanting integrated card and ach payments, businesses syncing invoices with quickbooks or xero. Of those, freelancers invoicing clients from a mobile device and small service businesses tracking estimates and projects are not what Protel is typically brought in for.
What can Invoice2go do that Protel cannot?
Invoice2go covers Invoice creation and customization, Estimates and projects, In-app payments, Automated reminders. Protel covers Front desk and reservations, Conference and banqueting, Cloud and on-premise editions, Integrated payments.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Invoice2go: What does Invoice2go cost?

Invoice2go offers three tiers - Starter (30 invoices/year), Professional (100 invoices/year), and Premium (unlimited invoices) - distinguished by invoice volume and card processing fees from 3.5% down to 2.9%.

Source
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.

Invoice2go: Is there a free trial?

Yes, Invoice2go offers a 30-day free trial that requires a credit card but includes a 100% money-back guarantee if canceled within 30 days.

Source
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.

Invoice2go: Does Invoice2go integrate with accounting software?

Yes, the Professional and Premium plans include integration with QuickBooks and Xero.

Source
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.

Share

Related pages

More on Invoice2go

More on Protel

Keep looking

Other head to heads