- Visby for Hotels
- Visby vs Canary Technologies
Visby vs Canary Technologies
Visby vs Canary Technologies: hotel guest app comparison
Canary is the bigger platform: check-in on phone, tablet or kiosk, mobile keys, payments, tipping and AI voice, sold by quote.
Visby for Hotels is for independent hotels that want a branded guest app live today without a sales cycle: free to start, nothing for guests to download, and built around booking and paying for extras.
Side by side
From each company’s own website, checked October 2026. Features change, so confirm anything that decides it for you in a demo.
| Visby for Hotels | Canary Technologies | |
|---|---|---|
| How guests open it | Lobby QR or link opens in the phone browser. No download. | In the browser. No app download. |
| Requests and chat | Requests and guest chat in one team inbox | Guest messaging and webchat |
| Upsells and extras | Spa, dining, late checkout and extras, bookable and paid by card in the app | Upsells, food and drink ordering, tipping |
| Online check-in | Optional online check-in (registration card, card on file for extras) | Mobile check-in, tablet registration and kiosk |
| Digital room keys | No digital keys | Mobile keys |
| AI | AI answers guest questions in your hotel’s voice and hands off to your team | AI for voice calls, webchat and messaging |
| Pricing | Free to start (Visby takes a small share of sales), or a flat monthly plan with no commission | Quote only (Core, Advanced and Pro plans) |
| Best for | Independent and boutique hotels that want a branded guest app live this week | Hotels and groups that want check-in, payments and messaging from one large vendor |
What Canary Technologies is
Canary Technologies calls itself an all-in-one hotel guest experience platform. Guests use it in the browser, with no app download. It covers mobile check-in, tablet registration and kiosks, mobile keys, upsells, messaging, a digital compendium, food and drink ordering, checkout, tipping, payment links and card authorizations, and AI for voice, webchat and messaging. Canary says it serves more than 20,000 hotels, from independents to franchises and groups.
Where each one is stronger
Choose Canary Technologies if
- You want contactless check-in at scale: on the guest’s phone, a tablet or a kiosk.
- You want payment links and card authorizations handled at check-in.
- You want AI that answers phone calls as well as messages.
- You run a franchise or group and want an established vendor.
Choose Visby if
- You want to start today without a sales call: sign up free and set it up yourself.
- You would rather pay a small share of guest sales than a subscription.
- Your priority is selling spa, dining and late checkout that guests book and pay for in a tap.
- You want guests to plan their days in it, with a local guide and a shared trip board.
Sources
Also compared: Visby vs Duve, Visby vs Bookboost, Visby vs STAY, Visby vs Akia. Or see the full roundup.
Questions hotels ask
Straight answers. For anything else, book a 30-minute demo or email hello@visbytravel.com.
Is Visby for Hotels a Canary alternative?
For independent hotels focused on guest requests and selling extras, yes. Canary covers more of the front desk (kiosks, tablet registration, authorizations, AI voice). Visby is free to start and live the same day.
Does Canary need an app download?
No. Canary says no new app downloads are required. Visby for Hotels also opens in the browser from a QR code or link.
How much does Canary cost?
Canary does not publish prices. Its pricing page lists Core, Advanced and Pro plans, each by quote (October 2026).
How much does Visby for Hotels cost?
Two plans. The Performance plan has no upfront or monthly fee: Visby earns a small share of what guests buy through checkout. The Platform plan is a flat monthly fee sized to your room count, with no commission on sales. Standard card processing applies on both.