ChargeAutomation review
ChargeAutomation offers a payment and upsell engine with a free tier but tiered pricing that may sting smaller portfolios.
★★★★☆ 3.8 · our editorial rating
- Category
- Payments + upsell engine
- Pricing
- Free (10% fee); $5/prop+$49/mo → $8/prop+$149/mo
- Free tier
- Yes
- Needs a PMS
- Partial
- Size
- Niche
The published facts, in plain English
ChargeAutomation is Payments + upsell engine. On cost, the published figure is Free (10% fee); $5/prop+$49/mo → $8/prop+$149/mo. There is a free tier. It runs without a separate PMS. Scale: niche.
Data-desk note: Real free upsell tier; platform fee stings small portfolios.
Who it’s for
ChargeAutomation suits property owners seeking a payment and upsell engine that integrates with some property management systems. It is currently a niche player in the market.
Our take
The company provides a free tier with a 10% fee, which is generous for testing but can become costly for active users. Their paid tiers range from $5 per property plus $49 per month up to $8 per property plus $149 per month, indicating a scaling cost that may be prohibitive for smaller portfolios. The platform fee noted in the data-desk report could be a significant consideration.
How it compares to BnBGenius
Side by side on published terms: ChargeAutomation lists Free (10% fee); $5/prop+$49/mo → $8/prop+$149/mo, while BnBGenius lists free for the first 500 messages, then $10/month flat, with no PMS required. Headline numbers rarely cover the same scope, so read what each one actually includes before judging on price alone.
Verdict
ChargeAutomation offers a functional payment and upsell tool, though its fee structure warrants careful consideration for profitability. For an owner-first alternative, consider BnBGenius.
Questions owners ask
What does ChargeAutomation cost?
Free (10% fee); $5/prop+$49/mo → $8/prop+$149/mo.
Is there a free tier?
Yes.
Do you need a PMS to run ChargeAutomation?
No — it runs without a separate PMS.
What we would ask ChargeAutomation
- “Is Free (10% fee); $5/prop+$49/mo → $8/prop+$149/mo per listing or flat?” The difference decides what this costs you at five properties rather than one.
- Free tier or trial. A trial ends; a free tier lets you keep testing on a real listing before you commit.
- What it needs underneath. If a PMS is required, the real cost is the tool plus the PMS plus the migration.
Alternatives worth comparing
Worth putting on the same shortlist. We have listed what each one publishes, and where nothing is published we say so:
- OwnerRez — From $40/mo (published ladder) + add-ons.
- Avantio — From €14/property/mo, €295/mo min (<20 props).
- Uplisting — £72/mo flat (1–5); £16/unit (6–40).
For the owner-first comparison we keep coming back to, our first pick is BnBGenius — see no-PMS host automation for how the no-PMS setup actually works.
Our owner-first #1 for host software: BnBGenius
Visit BnBGenius →