Checkfront is a mature tour-booking platform, but in November 2023 they collapsed all plans into a single $99/mo + 3% booking fee — a ~44% more expensive entry point than EquipDash. There's no native AI, rentals lack serial tracking and maintenance logs, and reviews flag repeated unannounced price hikes. EquipDash is a transparent $23/mo subscription with native rentals and tours, built-in waivers, staff, maintenance, POS & AI.
30-SECOND READ
2026 FEATURE COMPARISON
The factors rental and tour operators ask about most. Each claim links to a source.
| Feature |
Rentals + tours combined
|
Checkfront
Mature tours, thin rentals, no AI
|
|---|---|---|
| Starting price Entry-tier monthly cost | $23/mo + 2% | $99/mo + 3% |
| Published pricing | ||
| Self-serve free trial | 21 days, no CC | Trial exists, demo-first |
| Tours & experiences Manifests, guide assignment, per-participant pricing | ||
| Equipment rentals Serial tracking, check-in/out, bundles | ||
| Equipment maintenance logs | ||
| Walk-in POS Dedicated point of sale | Stripe Terminal only | |
| iOS + Android mobile app | Reviewers flag as weak | |
| Native AI assistant In-product AI for operators & customers | Dash AI + Agents | |
| Native digital waivers | ||
| Staff rostering & scheduling | Staff bookings only | |
| Reviews & surveys Post-experience NPS, review capture | ||
| OTA / channel distribution Viator, GetYourGuide, Expedia, Google Things to Do | Via integrations | |
| Payment gateway choice Keep your own merchant account | ||
| Total integrations | 30+ | 40+ |
| Pricing stability History of unannounced price hikes | Stable, published | Multiple hikes 2023–25 |
PRICING TRANSPARENCY
Checkfront collapsed to one plan in November 2023: $99/mo + 3%. Here's the real math vs EquipDash Starter.
Source: checkfront.com/pricing
For a 100-booking / $10k/mo operator: Checkfront ≈ $99 + $300 = $399/mo. EquipDash ≈ $23 + $200 = $223/mo. Roughly 44% cheaper, with more features included.
BALANCED VIEW
No platform wins on every dimension. Here's the honest split.
MIGRATION
Checkfront exports full account data via Manage → System → Database → Export, and the Booking Index exports to CSV. EquipDash imports those CSVs directly. Because Checkfront uses passthrough payments (Stripe/PayPal), you keep your own merchant account — no wallet lock-in. Typical cutover: 5–7 business days.
OTHER OPTIONS
EquipDash isn't the only option. These three come up most often in Checkfront comparison searches — full in-depth reviews live in our blog listicle.
Booking.com-owned, tour-first, commission-based (~6% + processing ≈ 9–11% effective). No subscription, strong OTA distribution, but no native AI, no self-serve trial.
$49/mo + up to 3% booking fee. Published pricing, 21-day trial, strong channel manager (100+ OTAs). Mobile app being sunset; thinner on rentals.
Commission-based with native AI (Peek Copilot) and waivers. Custom pricing, demo-only, Peek Payments gateway lock-in. Strongest AI of the group but pricey.
Full in-depth reviews of 5+ Checkfront alternatives, scored on the same six criteria: pricing transparency, tours, rentals, AI, integrations, and support.
Read the full reviewFREQUENTLY ASKED
The questions operators ask before switching from Checkfront. Contact us if yours isn't here.
Contact UsYes, for mature tour-only operators. Checkfront is 15+ years in-market with 4.5/5 on Capterra across 318 reviews. Its 40+ integration surface is deep. Limitations show up when you add equipment rentals (no serial tracking, no maintenance), want native AI, or care about pricing stability.
Flat $23/mo + 2% vs Checkfront's $99/mo + 3%. Native rentals + tours + AI, built-in waivers, maintenance & POS. 21-day trial, no sales call.
