How a Downtown Host score is made.
What we measure, how much each part counts, and why.
We would rather under-rate a tool than trust its brochure. The test is months of real use, not a walkthrough of the sales deck. Only the results of that testing decide where a tool lands.
Each tool runs on an active portfolio — real guests, real turnovers — for a full season before it earns a rating.
The four things we score
- Transparency — 45%. How much of the real cost is visible before you commit.
- Fit — 25%. Whether adding it means changing anything else you rely on.
- Setup — 20%. Whether onboarding is an afternoon or a project.
- Time saved — 10%. The admin it removes versus running everything yourself.
Scores come from use, not press releases. No cheque moves a tool up this page.