Comparison
PrimeStay vs spreadsheets + WhatsApp
We all start with spreadsheets. But as the portfolio grows, manual tracking consumes more time than it saves. Here's a direct comparison.
Excel + WhatsApp
The traditional way — works until it doesn't.
PrimeStay
One system for the whole team, professional from day one.
| Aspect | Excel + WhatsApp | PrimeStay |
|---|---|---|
| Booking entry | Manual into Excel + WhatsApp post for the team | One form + automatic guest history linking |
| Warning for problem guests | Only if someone remembers from memory | Real-time warning on the booking form (Guest Signal) |
| Per-booking costs | Separate sheet, manually enter commission and fixed fee | Auto-expense — created automatically on booking creation |
| Monthly owner report | Day or two of manual pivot-table work | PDF ready in a minute, with commission and fixed fee |
| Owner access to data | Sending spreadsheets or screenshots | OWNER role — owners log in and see only their own data |
| Multi-device sync | Needs OneDrive / Google Sheets, frequent conflicts | Real-time sync, every device up to date instantly |
| Roles and access rights | Excel has no roles — either everyone sees everything or no one | ADMIN / MANAGER / STAFF / OWNER with granular access |
| Audit and history | Ctrl+Z to some extent | Full audit trail of every change |
| Cost | Free (but you pay in time and mistakes) | From €9.99/month, 14 days free |
| Setup time | Zero — just open Excel | 10–15 minutes at first registration |
Honestly: If you're running 1–2 apartments casually and you're fluent in Excel, PrimeStay is probably overkill. But once you hit 3+ properties or add a team, the time spent on manual tracking outweighs the Pro plan subscription.