CaptainBook.io
Checkfront
VS.
For over a decade, Checkfront was the scrappy, affordable booking tool that small operators loved. Simple pricing, decent support, reliable platform. Then came the 2023 merger with Rezdy and Regiondo, private equity got involved, and the product started changing, just not in the direction operators wanted.
Quick Comparison: CaptainBook vs Checkfront (2026)
CaptainBook.io
Checkfront
Product release cadence
Weekly
Minor updates only since 2019
Ownership
Founder-led
Private equity (post-merger)
Onboarding
Simple, guided setup
Complex, requires technical knowledge
Mobile experience
Mobile-first design
Desktop-focused, limited mobile
Why Operators Choose CaptainBook Over Checkfront
Founder-led product development: weekly releases, not 7 years of stagnation. We build what operators ask for.
Support that solves problems: fixes, not workarounds. Hours, not weeks.
Simple enough to use, smart enough to scale: clean interface and guided onboarding so you can focus on running your business.
A company that's building, not consolidating: CaptainBook is growing 75% YoY because we focus on the product, not M&A.
1
When Private Equity Takes Over Your Booking Software
This is Checkfront's defining issue in 2026.
The merger with Rezdy brought private equity ownership, and the effects are visible across the product:
Pricing flexibility removed: operators used to choose between a flat fee or percentage model. Now it's both.
Support quality dropped: a 12-year customer waited nearly a week for a reply on a critical API issue (Trustpilot, May 2025)
Product stagnation: "the booking software is still exactly the same as 7 years ago with just minor upgrades" (Capterra)
As one reviewer summarized: "The priority for the company is providing a profit for the investors, so quality is being cut wherever possible." (Trustpilot, Feb 2025)
CaptainBook is built by Jerome (CEO/CTO) and Luca (COO), founders who talk to operators daily. Our product ships weekly because we answer to customers, not a PE board.
2
Support That Can't Actually Fix Things
Checkfront's support issues go beyond slow response times.
Operators report a pattern where support acknowledges bugs but can't (or won't) fix them:
Known issues with no ETA: staff acknowledge problems but say "they'll take a long time to fix"
Workarounds that reduce functionality: instead of fixing features, support suggests disabling them
Critical API issues taking a week+ for any response
This is what happens when engineering resources go toward merger integration instead of product improvement.
CaptainBook's team fixes bugs. We don't ask you to work around them.
"With CaptainBook.io our daily booking operations are easier than ever. Our customers are thrilled when they call us for an experience and we send them the link to make the reservation. We save precious time and our customers are much more happy."
Dreamland
Travel Agency in Corfu, Greece
3
100+ Features, But You'll Need an IT Degree
Checkfront's feature count is impressive on paper.
In practice, operators find the setup overwhelming:
"Incredibly over my head because it was very complicated": a user with no technical background
"With all the features and parameters, there are lots of things that can get out of alignment"
Hours spent troubleshooting configuration issues that turn out to be known limitations
Tour operators aren't IT admins. They're running boats, coordinating guides, and managing walk-ins.
CaptainBook is built for that reality: clean interface, guided onboarding, and smart features that handle the complexity for you.
"The CaptainBook Team are always super fast to respond and to resolve each little issue I have encountered during use. Their responsiveness and high level of customer service is something I noticed since day 1 and they’ve never failed me ever since."
Philema Food Tours
Travel Operator in Naxos Island, Greece
Any further questions?
If you have any further questions or need any more information on CaptainBook.io, contact us! We're a click away
