Campground software might sound more boring than the day-to-day excitement of managing a park, but choosing the right one is imperative to its success. From being able to track reservations, to logging your transactions correctly, only means less headache in the long run. Don't believe us? Just ask anyone still using spreadsheets or pen and paper to run their business and they will tell you, it is almost impossible to keep up with everything and more importantly- to do so with accuracy.
So, what should you look for when finding the perfect software for your company? In this blog, we dive into choosing the perfect software for your campground based on size, cost, and more.
The first thing to think about when choosing the right campground software is your size and the types of accommodations offered. If the majority of your campground consists of long-term rentals, then a simple solution like Buildium, where long-term residents can pay their monthly rent online easily, or even automatically might be the right choice for you. However, if you are one of the many parks that allow for short-term rentals, you will need to find software that allows campers to easily book online, pay deposits, and more. There are several companies that allow for this so we will be looking at the top 4 most popular softwares used among campgrounds in the U.S.
Astra, Campground Master, Bonfire, and Campspot are currently the most popular used for short-term stay RV Park and campgrounds. They all have pros and cons.
What they all have in common
All platforms allow guests to book online, track reservations, send emails for receipts and reservation reminders, and save customer information.
Cloud vs. Software
Bonfire, as well as Campspot, keeps everything on the cloud. So, if you have unreliable internet, then Campground Master or Astra, who have the option to send a physical CD to download the software on your computer, might be a better fit.
POS
All companies allow for amenities to be added and tracked but we recommend software that also allows you to tie into your POS system to also track the sales made in your general store, as well as things like kayak or fishing rentals. All softwares allow you to charge for reservations but Bonfire, Astra and Campspot allow you to also charge amenities when booking as well. Bonfire, however, is the only one that allows you to also manage the POS system at your park for items sold in your general store. By keeping all transactions in one place, when tax time rolls around, it will be easier to have everything in one place.
Customer Service
Customer service is another key component when choosing the correct software, after all, when you are using it for things like reservations, every minute the software fails, you are losing money. Bonfire has 24/7 customer service based in the U.S. as does Campspot. Although Astra does not have 24/7 customer service, one benefit of their software is that they can also manage your website. So, if your website has problems, you turn to them instead of yet another company. Campground Master has online support during normal business hours.
Price
Price is always an important piece of the puzzle and some might say the most important one.
Bonfire offers a monthly rate of $150 or $1,500/yr with no cancellation fees when opting into the monthly service. Since their software is 100% online, you never pay for upgrades and any new features are given to you for free. Bonfire does charge a 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction pushed through their POS system both on the site and on the grounds, although this does not have to be used. They also offer a money-back guarantee.
Campground Master charges a one-time fee of $720. The downfall with Campground Master is you have to pay for the most recent software updates if you want to upgrade which is normally about $500/yr. They do not handle POS at your campground so you will have to keep sales at your campground separate.
Campspot is different in that they charge $2 per booking. If you have 35 sites, who are booked 4x a month, then that totals to $1,680 per year in fees. Like Bonfire, since their software is hosted on the cloud, you also will never pay for upgrades or for any new features they roll out. They also offer a money-back guarantee. Campspot does not handle POS at your campground so you will have to keep sales at your campground separate.
Astra charges the most out of everyone, but you do get a website in addition to the software. They charge a one-time setup fee of around $1,000, a monthly fee of $250, and a reservation fee of $5 per reservation. So, using the same math as we did for Campspot, 35 sites booked 4x a month, totals $8,400 per year in fees. They do not handle POS at your campground, so you will have to keep sales at your campground separate.
Platform Ease of Use and Layout:
Bonfire and Campspot are by far the prettiest and most modern. Everything is well laid out and easy to use for both the park owner or manager as well as the consumer.
Astra is well designed but since their software is also used for hotels, it is very robust. Although it allows you to do some pretty cool things, it is easy to get lost in the features. It is designed similar to excel.
Campground Master also is designed similarly to excel. It is pretty straightforward for those with low tech or those who are used to older platforms will find this solution comfortable.
Reviews
Finally, the most important thing you can look at when choosing your software is the reviews. Based on Capterra, a 3rd party software ranker, below are star ratings for each:
Campspot: 4.9/5
Bonfire: 4.8/5
Campground Master: 4.7/5
Astra: 4.4/5
Choosing the right software for your campground will save you time, money, and a headache. There are several things you need to think about when deciding which one is best for you, such as: do you have reliable internet, do you want to pay a monthly fee or per reservation, and what kind of support will your park need. Whichever campground software you chose, we wish you a successful year! If you have any questions about choosing the right software for you, please click here to send us an email. We are happy to talk.
