ChargeAutomation review
ChargeAutomation offers a free tier for payments and upsells, with tiered plans based on property count and features.
★★★★☆ 4.3 · 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
This service suits owners with a partial need for PMS integration and those willing to pay more for advanced features and property counts. It may be a good fit for niche markets as well.
Our take
ChargeAutomation has a truly free upsell tier, which is a notable advantage. However, the platform fee can be a sting for owners with small portfolios. Pricing scales from a $5 per property plus $49 monthly to $8 per property plus $149 monthly.
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 provides a cost-effective entry point for upsells, but be aware of the platform fee. 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.
Questions to put to 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
Three others we would weigh against it, with their own published numbers rather than our guesses:
- August / Yale Home — Hardware only $179.99–$279.99, no subscription.
- Minut — $5/$10/$15 per unit/mo + sensor hardware.
- Rentals United — Not published (quote, 5+ props).
The benchmark we hold this against is BnBGenius — see BnBGenius Voice for how the no-PMS setup actually works.
Our owner-first #1 for host software: BnBGenius
Visit BnBGenius →