6 Canary alternatives for hotels in 2026
6 platforms that replace some or all of Canary, compared on what the AI does on the phone, check-in and keys, housekeeping, pricing and more.
Quick verdict
If you’re comparing Canary alternatives, our team of AI agents runs the guest journey from the first call to checkout. Daisy, our voice agent, answers the phone 24/7, books the stay into your PMS and captures the deposit. Alfred handles guest messages across SMS, WhatsApp, email, web chat, Booking.com and Expedia, with check-in by text and digital keys. Manny runs housekeeping, work orders and staff scheduling, Cosmo sends on-brand guest campaigns once you approve them, and our group sales agent answers group inquiries and RFPs. Conduit makes more sense if your guests message you on WhatsApp and OTAs as much as they call, Akia if you want payment taken on calls plus card authorizations for company-paid stays, HelloShift if you want front-desk and back-of-house tools in one app at a published per-room price, and Duve or INTELITY if your stay runs on a branded guest app or in-room tablets.
Key takeaways
Dextr, Conduit, Akia and HelloShift all answer calls with AI. Duve and INTELITY build the stay around a branded guest app and list no agent that answers the phone. On the call, Dextr and Akia take payment. Conduit books, changes stays and resets door codes on the call, and charges early check-in fees in message threads. Canary AI Voice books and changes stays, and Canary collects deposits through Payment Links, a separate product. Every alternative here has its own housekeeping or task tool, and our Manny also schedules staff from occupancy. Canary sends guest requests to partner tools such as Quore and HotSOS. Conduit, HelloShift and Duve publish prices. Canary, Akia and INTELITY quote on request, and we price by usage. Of the six, we are the only one with dedicated campground, RV park and glamping solutions. Conduit, Akia and Duve serve vacation rentals as well as hotels.
Canary alternatives at a glance
| Platform | Best for | Books on the call | Payment on the call | Housekeeping and maintenance | Published price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dextr | Hotels that take bookings by phone | Yes, it can also change and cancel stays | Yes, takes the deposit | Yes, with Manny (Dextr’s operations agent) | No, usage-based |
| Conduit | Guests who message on WhatsApp and OTAs as much as they call | Yes, and changes stays | Not on calls; charges early check-in fees by message | Cleaning, maintenance and inspection tasks in its Full Suite plan | $899 a month on its Startup plan |
| Akia | Payment on calls plus card authorizations | Yes | Yes | Yes, with its Tasks tool | No, quote only |
| HelloShift | Front-desk and back-of-house tools in one app | Yes, built PMS by PMS; texts a card link mid-call | Not listed | Yes, built in | From $1.25 per room a month, billed annually |
| Duve | A branded guest app for the whole stay | Not listed | Not listed | Cleaning tasks built in; guest requests to partners such as HotSOS | From $120 a month |
| INTELITY | In-room tablets and a branded guest app | Not listed | Not listed | Yes, with its own request tracking | No, quote only |
| Canary (for reference) | One platform for the whole guest journey, including AI Voice | Yes, and changes stays | Not listed | Requests to partners such as Quore and HotSOS | No, custom quote |
Key takeaway
Every platform here texts guests and handles check-in, so the phone is where they differ most. Dextr and Akia book and take payment on the call, Conduit and Canary book and change stays, HelloShift books where its PMS connection supports it, and Duve and INTELITY list no agent that answers the phone.
What Canary does, and where the alternatives differ
Canary Technologies is the incumbent for good reason. One platform covers check-in, a lobby kiosk and mobile keys, AI guest messaging, AI Voice, upsells, tipping, card authorizations and payment links.
Here is where the alternatives, ours included, pull away from Canary:
- Deposits on the call. Canary AI Voice books and changes stays, but the deposit happens somewhere else. Payment Links, a separate Canary product, sends a link by text or email, either by hand or triggered by rate code and reservation status. Daisy takes the deposit while the guest is still on the line.
- Housekeeping and maintenance. Canary turns guest messages into requests that staff approve and push to partner tools such as Quore, HotSOS and Flexkeeping. Every platform below runs its own task tool instead.
- Campgrounds and RV parks. Canary is built for hotels, resorts and vacation rentals. We built dedicated campground, RV park and glamping solutions on top of our hotel agents.
- Price. Canary does not publish prices. Its three bundles are quoted, and AI Voice sits outside all three.
6 Canary alternatives for hotels
1. Dextr AI
Best for: hotels where the phone still books rooms, plus campgrounds and RV parks.
Dextr AI provides AI agents for hospitality, each with its own job.
Daisy, our voice agent, answers calls 24/7, checks availability, quotes the rate, books, changes and cancels stays, and takes the deposit during the call.
Alfred answers guest messages across SMS, WhatsApp, email, web chat, Booking.com and Expedia in one inbox, and runs check-in, digital keys, upsells and tipping.
Manny runs the housekeeping board, work orders and staff scheduling, Cosmo writes email campaigns that go out only after your approval, and our group sales agent handles group and event requests, including RFPs. You will see Daisy called Danny in some of our case studies. Same agent, different voice.
- Booking systems: OPERA Cloud, Mews, Cloudbeds, Stayntouch, ResNexus, Hostaway, Guesty, Apaleo and RMS Cloud, plus more than 40 vacation-rental systems through one connection, Calry (integrations).
- Setup: we go live in seven days per property, from kickoff.
- Payments and security: we never store card numbers; your own payment processor tokenizes them. We are PCI DSS self-assessed and working towards SOC 2 Type II, with controls monitored ahead of the independent audit (responsible AI).
- Results: at one family-run RV park, revenue grew 34% year on year and Danny, our voice agent there, took more than $9,474 by phone across 39 bookings. At two properties of a 50-plus property hospitality chain, Daisy added $80,000 in revenue per property in its first two months, measured against each property’s own trend. Your numbers will depend on your call volume and rates.
- Pricing: usage-based and quoted for your property. We start with a pilot on your toughest property, with no lock-in if the numbers don’t hold.
2. Conduit
Best for: properties whose guests message on WhatsApp and OTAs as much as they call.
Conduit runs one AI agent across text, WhatsApp, email, website chat, social media, OTA inboxes such as Airbnb, and the phone. Its voice agent recognizes callers by matching their number to the booking in the PMS, and since June 2026 it books new stays, changes reservations and resets door codes during the call. Conduit Portals, included in its Guest and Full Suite plans, gives each stay one link for check-in, ID checks, payments and upsells, with a mobile key where the locks support it. Its Full Suite plan adds cleaning, maintenance and inspection tasks, and a fuller operations product is on the way.
- Booking systems: OPERA Cloud, Mews, Cloudbeds, Apaleo, RMS Cloud and Stayntouch, plus rental systems such as Guesty, Hostaway and OwnerRez (integrations).
- Payments: guests pay for upgrades and add-ons in the portal, and in a message thread the agent can charge an early check-in fee and take the payment. Payment on a phone call is the gap, so ask to see one taken live in the demo.
- Setup: most teams go live within a week.
- Pricing: $899 a month on its Startup plan, with the full feature set. Larger portfolios start at $18 per unit a month for messaging and voice, $30 with guest portals and upsells, and $48 for the Full Suite with smart locks and operations (pricing).
3. Akia
Best for: hotels and rentals that want payment on calls plus card authorizations.
Akia runs one AI agent across text, WhatsApp, email, web chat, social media, OTA inboxes such as Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com and Expedia, and the phone. On calls, it matches the caller to their reservation in the PMS, books rooms and takes payment during the call. The platform also covers digital check-in with ID checks and door codes, keyless entry through lock integrations, upsells, tipping, card authorizations for stays someone else pays for, a Tasks tool for housekeeping and maintenance, and email and SMS marketing.
- Booking systems: Opera, Mews, Cloudbeds, Stayntouch, Apaleo and Infor HMS, plus rental systems such as Guesty, Hostaway and Escapia (marketplace).
- Setup: Akia can usually port your existing number from your carrier, and each property gets a sandbox number to test the agent on real calls before it goes live.
- Results: at The Chandler Hotel, a boutique hotel in Madison, Indiana, Akia’s AI resolves 90% of guest messages and the 14-room property runs fully remote.
- Pricing: quote only, with AI Voice in the top tier, Max (pricing).
4. HelloShift
Best for: hotels that want guest tools and back-of-house operations in one app.
HelloShift combines guest-facing tools with housekeeping, maintenance and staff tasks. Its AI voice agent answers calls 24/7, checks live rates and availability from your PMS mid-call, walks callers through the booking and texts a secure card link to guarantee it. Voice booking is built out one PMS at a time, so check yours. Guests text by SMS, WhatsApp or web chat, check in from a link with ID checks and e-signature, and get a smart-lock code or digital key, with a kiosk for walk-ins. It also offers digital tipping and card authorization forms.
- Booking systems: more than 40, including OPERA, Mews, Cloudbeds, WebRezPro and roommaster (integrations).
- Setup: most properties are fully running in one to two weeks, depending on complexity, and AI Voice within a few weeks.
- Results: at SoFLA Vacations, a six-property vacation rental and boutique hotel operator, AI Voice handles 85% of guest inquiries.
- Pricing: $1.25 to $4.00 per room a month billed annually, with a 40-room minimum and a 14-day free trial. AI Voice comes in the Guest+ plan, at $2.50 per room, and the Pro plan, at $4.00 per room (pricing).
5. Duve
Best for: hotels and rentals that run the stay through a branded guest app.
Duve runs the stay through a branded web app that guests open without a download. The app handles online check-in with ID scan and e-signature, digital keys that guests keep in their phone wallet or open in Duve’s guest app, upsells such as upgrades and early check-in priced on live availability, digital menus and mobile ordering, and tablet-assisted check-in on site for walk-ups. DuveAI answers guest messages on WhatsApp, SMS, email, in-app chat and OTA inboxes such as Airbnb and Booking.com, with the exact channels depending on your PMS or channel manager.
- Booking systems: 150+ integrations, including Mews, Opera, Cloudbeds, Guesty, Apaleo and Protel (integrations).
- Housekeeping: Duve’s built-in Tasks page creates a cleaning task at each check-out and lets staff assign cleaners. Guest requests can also flow to HotSOS, Alice or Flexkeeping as a paid add-on.
- Setup: live in as little as 10 days.
- Results: at Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour, DuveAI cut average response time from 49 minutes to 28 seconds and handles 67% of messages on its own.
- Pricing: minimum packages of $120 a month for check-in and the guest app, $150 with guest messaging and $200 with upsells (pricing). DuveAI, mobile key connections and SMS and WhatsApp messages cost extra.
6. INTELITY
Best for: hotels, resorts and casinos that want in-room tablets and a branded app.
INTELITY is the pick for in-room hardware at hotels, resorts and casinos. It pairs a branded mobile app with mobile check-in with ID scan, Bluetooth mobile keys that open doors from the guest’s phone, in-room tablets, casting from the guest’s phone to the room TV, and SMS, WhatsApp and in-app messaging in one inbox. Built-in request tracking handles guest requests, work orders and preventive maintenance, and its Nexus AI Concierge answers guest questions and requests 24/7 on mobile, tablet and voice.
- Booking systems: OPERA, Agilysys, Infor HMS, Maestro, Mews and Protel (mobile keys).
- Results: at The Ranch at Laguna Beach, guest phone calls fell by about 70% without hiring more staff.
- Pricing: quote only (contact).
Key takeaway
If the phone books rooms at your property, Dextr and Akia are the two that book and take payment on the same call. If arrival matters most, Duve and INTELITY build the stay around a branded app with mobile keys.
More Canary alternatives to consider
These platforms also replace parts of Canary’s guest journey:
- Cloudbeds Guest Experience: guest messaging with an AI chatbot, digital check-in, a kiosk and request tracking, sold as part of the Cloudbeds platform.
- Revinate: a guest data and marketing platform with email and SMS campaigns, AI chat and review tools. Its RezForce service answers reservation calls with human agents.
- HiJiffy: AI guest messaging across website chat, messaging apps and OTA inboxes, with plans from €99 a month billed yearly. It serves glamping sites as well as hotels.
- Bookboost: a guest database with messaging and an AI agent, priced per room with a €399 monthly minimum.
- LIKE MAGIC: a guest journey and hotel operations platform, covering check-in, messaging, payments and upsells, with wallet keys as an add-on. Core starts at €350 a month.
- Operto: guidebooks, guest verification, mobile keys and contactless check-in for hotels and short-term rentals.
Alternatives to one Canary product
Some hotels keep most of their setup and replace only one piece:
- The phone only: voice agents such as our Daisy, PolyAI and Myma.ai replace AI Voice alone. Daisy and PolyAI take payment during the call.
- Card authorizations and payments: Sertifi by Flywire handles digital credit card authorizations, payments and e-signed contracts.
- Digital tipping: eTip sells QR-code tipping with no app download.
- Upsells: Oaky sells upgrades and add-ons before arrival, at the front desk and during the stay.
- Your PMS’s own guest tools: Mews sells online check-in with ID capture and e-signature, self-service kiosks, digital keys and payments, with AI messaging over WhatsApp and SMS, kiosks and digital keys in its Mews Pro plan. Stayntouch offers digital registration and mobile check-in, a kiosk sold à la carte, and AI guest messaging.
What Canary alternatives cost
Conduit, HelloShift and Duve publish prices. Conduit is $899 a month on its Startup plan, and from $18 per unit a month for larger portfolios. HelloShift is $1.25 to $4.00 per room a month billed annually, with a 40-room minimum, so a 60-room hotel on a plan with AI Voice pays $150 to $240 a month, plus any phone use beyond the plan’s allowance. Duve’s minimum packages start at $120 a month. Canary, Akia and INTELITY quote on request, and we price by usage, quoted for your property.
Key takeaway
Compare the full bill for the modules you use today, not the starting price. Conduit’s portals and operations, HelloShift’s AI Voice and Duve’s DuveAI each sit above the entry price.
Campgrounds, RV parks and glamping
Of the six, we are the only one with dedicated campground, RV park and glamping solutions. Our agents take site reservations, answer camper questions, connect to campground booking systems such as ResNexus and RMS Cloud, and send or resend access codes by call or text through RemoteLock, a door-lock connection.
Outside the six, Mews sells camping and glamping management software, and HiJiffy serves glamping sites.
Questions to ask in any demo
Can your AI book a room on this call, into my PMS, while I watch?
Can it take the deposit before the guest hangs up, and how is the card handled?
What happens when a guest asks for a person, and what does my team see?
Who handles housekeeping and maintenance requests: your tool or a partner’s?
Which of my door locks do your keys support?
What exactly is in the monthly price, and what costs extra?
Which Canary alternative fits your property?
| If you run… | Start your shortlist with |
|---|---|
| A hotel where the phone still books rooms | Dextr, Akia, Conduit, HelloShift |
| A property whose guests message on WhatsApp and OTAs as much as they call | Conduit, Akia, Dextr |
| A hotel that wants front-desk and back-of-house tools at a published per-room price | HelloShift |
| A hotel built around a branded guest app or in-room tablets | Duve, INTELITY |
| A campground, RV park or glamping site | Dextr |
| A vacation-rental portfolio | Dextr, Conduit, Akia, Duve |
| A hotel replacing only Canary AI Voice | Dextr, PolyAI |
| A hotel replacing only card authorizations or tipping | Sertifi, eTip |
Hear Daisy handle your calls
Daisy answers every call, books the stay into your PMS and takes the deposit before the guest hangs up. She goes live in seven days, and our other agents cover texting, check-in, housekeeping, marketing and group sales.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Canary Technologies?
Dextr, if your phone still books rooms. Daisy books the stay and takes the deposit on the call, and our other agents cover texting, check-in, housekeeping, marketing and group sales. Conduit suits properties whose guests message on WhatsApp and OTAs as much as they call, Akia pairs payment on calls with card authorizations, HelloShift puts front-desk and back-of-house tools in one app at a published price, and Duve or INTELITY suit hotels built around a branded guest app.
Who are Canary Technologies’ main competitors?
Platforms that cover much of the same guest journey as Canary include Dextr, Conduit, Akia, HelloShift, Duve and INTELITY. For single products, Sertifi handles card authorizations, eTip tipping and Oaky upsells, and PMS suites such as Mews and Cloudbeds include their own guest tools.
Is there a Canary alternative with an AI phone agent?
Yes. Dextr, Conduit, Akia and HelloShift each have an AI that answers calls. Dextr and Akia take payment during the call, Conduit books, changes stays and resets door codes, and HelloShift books on the call where its PMS connection supports it, texting a card link to secure the stay.
Is OpenKey a Canary alternative?
OpenKey is now part of Canary. Canary bought OpenKey’s assets in February 2026 to extend its own mobile keys (announcement).
Can I keep my phone number if I switch from Canary AI Voice?
In most cases. Conduit ports existing numbers, Akia can usually port yours from your carrier, and we walk through porting for your phone system in the demo.
Does Canary work for campgrounds and RV parks?
Canary is built for hotels, resorts and vacation rentals, with nothing specific to outdoor hospitality. We built dedicated campground, RV park and glamping solutions that connect to ResNexus and RMS Cloud, and the RV park case study above shows what a season looks like with Danny on the phone.
How long does it take to switch from Canary?
We go live in seven days per property, from kickoff. Conduit has most teams live within a week, Duve goes live in as little as 10 days, and HelloShift has most properties running in one to two weeks.