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# Best Booking Software for Boat Tours in 2026: 9 Platforms Compared

[Bibim Banez](https://www.ticketinghub.com/blog/author/bibim-banez)September 25, 202612 min read

Nine boat tour and charter booking platforms compared on published pricing, an example month's costs and what to test in a demo. Pricing checked October 2026.

[Ask ChatGPT](https://chatgpt.com/?q=Tell%20me%20about%3A%20Best%20Booking%20Software%20for%20Boat%20Tours%20in%202026%3A%209%20Platforms%20Compared) [Ask Perplexity](https://www.perplexity.ai/search?q=Tell%20me%20about%3A%20Best%20Booking%20Software%20for%20Boat%20Tours%20in%202026%3A%209%20Platforms%20Compared) [Ask Claude](https://claude.ai/new?q=Tell%20me%20about%3A%20Best%20Booking%20Software%20for%20Boat%20Tours%20in%202026%3A%209%20Platforms%20Compared) [Ask Gemini](https://gemini.google.com/app?q=Tell%20me%20about%3A%20Best%20Booking%20Software%20for%20Boat%20Tours%20in%202026%3A%209%20Platforms%20Compared) [Ask Grok](https://x.com/i/grok?text=Tell%20me%20about%3A%20Best%20Booking%20Software%20for%20Boat%20Tours%20in%202026%3A%209%20Platforms%20Compared)

A boat tour booking system needs to do more than sell tickets. It needs to keep each vessel within capacity, prevent private charters from clashing with shared trips, and help your team handle weather cancellations.

Whether a guest books on your website, at the dock or through a marketplace, every sale needs to draw from the same availability.

The best choice depends on your fleet, sales channels and daily operations. This guide compares nine platforms, explains their pricing and gives you practical scenarios to test before choosing.

**Disclosure:** We make TicketingHub, one of the nine platforms in this guide. We’ve included alternatives with different pricing models so you can compare them against your own operation.

## What boat tour companies need from booking software

### One capacity limit across every sales channel

Each vessel has a passenger limit. Your booking system needs to enforce it across website, phone, dock and marketplace sales.

If several products use the same boat, test how the software handles overlapping departures. Selling a sightseeing cruise and a private charter separately should never make the same vessel available twice.

### Private charters and shared trips

A private charter needs to reserve the whole boat for its time slot. Shared trips need to sell individual places against the vessel’s capacity.

Check whether you can set separate charter prices, deposits and minimum charges. Ask what happens when someone requests a charter on a departure that already has passengers booked.

### Weather cancellations

Ask the provider to cancel a departure containing both direct and marketplace bookings. Follow the process from start to finish:

- Notify guests.
- Offer alternative departures or refunds.
- Update connected sales channels.
- Track guests who haven’t responded.
- Reconcile refunds and any retained fees.

Identify which steps happen automatically and which your team handles manually.

### Waivers and dock check-in

If you use waivers, check whether guests can sign on their phones before arrival and whether dock staff can see their status.

Your team also needs a fast way to sell walk-up tickets and check passengers in, using the same availability as online sales.

### Crew and equipment

Boats aren’t the only resources that can be double-booked. Captains, crew and equipment may also have limited availability.

Test whether the platform can assign these resources to departures and prevent scheduling conflicts.

### Clear costs throughout the season

Compare subscriptions, booking fees, payment processing and marketplace connection charges separately. Include fees paid by guests at checkout.

Calculate costs for a quiet month, a busy month and the full year.

## Boat tour booking software pricing compared

**Pricing checked on 18 October 2026.** The figures below come from vendor pricing pages where published. FareHarbor and Peek Pro don’t publish a rate card; their **6% customer-paid booking fee** is the rate operators typically see, so confirm it in your quote.

Dollar symbols follow the vendors’ pages. Confirm currency, taxes, regional terms and your written agreement before signing.

| Platform | Subscription and setup | Booking fees and other charges |
| - | - | - |
| Bókun | Paid booking plans: $49 / $149 / $499 a month | 1.5% / 1.25% / 1% on applicable bookings. No Bókun booking fee on Viator or offline bookings under these plans. Its separate Channel Manager charges 0.5–1.5% on Viator. |
| CaptainBook | Starter / Extended / Ultra: €49 / €199 / €349 a month | 0% direct online and offline booking fees. Selected marketplace connections list €14.99 per product per month; other marketplace channels cost 3.5% / 3% / 2.5% by plan. Payment processing is excluded. |
| FareHarbor | Confirm subscription, setup and other charges in your quote | Typically 6%, paid by the end customer; not published, so confirm it in your quote. Processing, marketplace and in-person charges need separate confirmation. |
| Peek Pro | Confirm subscription, setup and other charges in your quote | Typically 6%, paid by the end customer; not published, so confirm it in your quote. Processing, marketplace and in-person charges need separate confirmation. |
| Rezdy | Foundation / Accelerate / Expansion: $49 / $99 / $249 a month | 3% per online booking. Offline or agent bookings cost $1 / $0.85 / $0.70 by plan. Custom high-volume pricing is available. |
| Starboard Suite | $500 USD a month for operators processing under $200,000 a year | Operators processing $200,000–$1 million annually pay 3% of booking revenue processed through the platform. Custom discounted pricing above $1 million. |
| TicketingHub | No monthly or setup fee on pay as you go | 3.5% of each booking on every channel, cash at the till included; 2.75% with a 12-month subscription. Operators can absorb the booking fee or pass it to guests. Payment processing is separate. |
| WaveRez | No monthly subscription. A setup fee applies, but its amount is not published. | 6% per online reservation, usually paid by the customer; operators can absorb it instead. Payments use Stripe. |
| Xola | No subscription | A customer-paid partner fee whose amount is not published. Advertised US card processing is 2.39% + $0.30. No added OTA fees are advertised. |

Sources: [Bókun](https://www.bokun.io/pricing), [CaptainBook](https://www.captainbook.io/pricing), [Rezdy](https://rezdy.com/pricing/), [Starboard Suite](https://www.starboardsuite.com/pricing), [TicketingHub](https://www.ticketinghub.com/en-US/pricing), [WaveRez](https://www.waverez.com/pricing/) and [Xola](https://www.xola.com/pricing/).

A marketplace connection fee is separate from the commission charged by a marketplace such as Viator or GetYourGuide. Likewise, Xola’s advertised card-processing rate is not its software booking fee.

## What an example month could cost

Assume **150 direct online bookings at $60 each: $9,000 in base booking revenue**.

The figures below illustrate the stated fees. They exclude payment processing, taxes, marketplace commissions, setup charges and optional services. Dollar subscription calculations assume USD terms apply; CaptainBook remains in euros without conversion.

| Platform and plan | Illustrated charge | Calculation and fee payer |
| - | - | - |
| Bókun Start | $184 | $49 subscription + $135 booking fees. Booking fees can be absorbed or passed on. |
| CaptainBook Starter | €49 | Subscription only for this direct-booking example; no marketplace connections included. |
| FareHarbor | $540 booking fee | 6% of $9,000 at the typical rate, paid by customers. Other charges remain unconfirmed. |
| Peek Pro | $540 booking fee | 6% of $9,000 at the typical rate, paid by customers. Other charges remain unconfirmed. |
| Rezdy Foundation | $319 | $49 subscription + $270 booking fees. Booking fees can be absorbed or passed on. |
| Starboard Suite | $500 | Monthly service fee, assuming annual bookings remain below $200,000. |
| TicketingHub | $315 | 3.5% of $9,000 on pay as you go, absorbed by the operator or passed to guests. |
| WaveRez | $540 booking fee | 6% of $9,000, usually customer-paid but optionally absorbed. Setup and processing excluded. |
| Xola | Quote required | The unpublished partner fee prevents a comparable total. |

These figures don’t all represent money deducted from the operator’s revenue. A customer-paid fee changes the checkout price instead.

For example, a **6% fee added to a $60 booking is $3.60**, taking the price to **$63.60 before taxes or other charges**. Compare both your business’s cost and what guests ultimately pay.

## Nine boat tour booking platforms to consider

### Bókun

**Worth considering if:** Viator accounts for a substantial share of your bookings. Its paid booking plans exempt Viator reservations from Bókun booking fees.

**Check before choosing:** Calculate fees across your remaining channels and test how products share vessel availability. Distinguish the paid booking plans from the separate Channel Manager, which has different Viator fees. [View Bókun pricing](https://www.bokun.io/pricing).

### CaptainBook

**Worth considering if:** You prefer a subscription with no direct booking commission.

**Check before choosing:** Look beyond the subscription price. Marketplace connections can add per-product monthly charges, and other channels carry percentage fees. For boat operations, plan limits also matter: Starter lists **one resource and no digital waivers**, while Extended lists **five resources and two waivers with unlimited signatures**. [View CaptainBook pricing](https://www.captainbook.io/pricing).

### FareHarbor

**Worth considering if:** You want to evaluate its booking and dock workflows against your fleet.

**Check before choosing:** Use the typical **6% customer-paid fee** when comparing checkout prices, and confirm it in your quote. Request a written breakdown of processing, marketplace, setup and any recurring charges. Test overlapping departures and private charters with your own schedule. [Explore FareHarbor for boat tours](https://marketing.fareharbor.com/solutions/boat-tour/).

### Peek Pro

**Worth considering if:** You want to assess booking, resource management and marketing workflows together.

**Check before choosing:** Use the typical **6% customer-paid fee** as one component of the comparison, and confirm it in your quote. Get processing and other charges in writing, then test vessel scheduling, charters and cancellations. [Explore Peek Pro](https://www.peekpro.com/).

### Rezdy

**Worth considering if:** Agents and resellers are important sales channels, or you’re comparing reservation software and channel management together.

**Check before choosing:** All three published booking plans include unlimited OTA, agent and reseller connections. That doesn’t establish the booking fee for every channel: confirm how your particular bookings are classified and charged. [View Rezdy pricing](https://rezdy.com/pricing/).

*Disclosure: TicketingHub uses Rezdy’s channel manager to reach some marketplaces.*

### Starboard Suite

**Worth considering if:** You run cruises or charters and value hands-on setup and training.

**Check before choosing:** Match the pricing tier to your annual bookings. The **3% tier applies to booking revenue processed through the platform for operators in the $200,000–$1 million annual band**; it is not described as a marginal charge only on revenue above $200,000. Confirm the applicable tier and payment-processing costs in your quote. [View Starboard Suite pricing](https://www.starboardsuite.com/pricing).

### TicketingHub

**Worth considering if:** You prefer a percentage-based fee with no fixed monthly subscription. TicketingHub includes a website booking widget, point of sale and marketplace connections. It connects to Smartwaiver for digital waivers. For weather cancellations, a TicketingHub playbook alerts you and can then message each guest on the departure, asking whether they want to cancel or reschedule.

**Check before choosing:** Ask us to demonstrate shared trips and private charters using the same vessel, plus weather cancellations, waivers and your required sales channels. Compare TicketingHub’s 3.5% on pay as you go, or 2.75% with a subscription, against subscription alternatives using your annual booking mix. [View TicketingHub pricing](https://www.ticketinghub.com/en-US/pricing).

### WaveRez

**Worth considering if:** You run boat tours, charters or water-sports rentals and prefer no monthly subscription.

**Check before choosing:** Its published **6% online fee** can be passed to guests or absorbed. Request the setup amount, Stripe processing terms and charges for phone, dock and reseller bookings. The pricing page also lists digital waivers and no API fees for reseller connections. [View WaveRez pricing](https://www.waverez.com/pricing/).

### Xola

**Worth considering if:** You want to evaluate a subscription-free platform for boat tours or water-sports activities.

**Check before choosing:** Request the customer partner-fee amount before calculating costs. The advertised **2.39% + $0.30** is US card processing, and rates vary outside the US. Review a sample checkout showing every charge. [View Xola pricing](https://www.xola.com/pricing/).

## How to choose your shortlist

Start with your booking mix and operating requirements:

- **Viator-heavy sales:** Include Bókun’s paid booking plans and calculate costs across your other channels.
- **Direct sales with a subscription model:** Include CaptainBook, checking resource limits and connection charges.
- **No fixed monthly subscription:** Compare TicketingHub, WaveRez and Xola, including guest-paid fees and processing.
- **Cruises and charters:** Include Starboard Suite and test its annual-revenue pricing against seasonal demand.
- **Agents and resellers:** Include Rezdy and verify the exact connections and booking charges you need.
- **FareHarbor or Peek Pro on your shortlist:** Compare the typical 6% customer fee alongside a complete written quote.

Then run the same demo scenarios with every provider.

## Six things to test in a demo

1. **Sell the last seat through a marketplace.** Check that the departure closes across your other channels.
2. **Book overlapping products on one vessel.** Confirm the system enforces capacity and prevents scheduling conflicts.
3. **Request a private charter on an existing shared departure.** Test both an empty departure and one with passengers already booked.
4. **Cancel a departure for weather.** Follow notifications, refunds and rebookings for direct and marketplace guests.
5. **Complete a waiver before arrival.** Find the guest’s signed status at dock check-in.
6. **Sell a walk-up ticket.** Confirm online availability updates before another guest can buy the same place.

Also ask how existing bookings, gift vouchers and customer records would move from your current system.

For a broader comparison, see [Best tour booking software in 2026](https://www.ticketinghub.com/blog/how-to-best-online-booking-software-for-tour-operators).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the best booking software for a fishing charter?

Start with the trips you sell: private charters, shared trips or both. Test vessel scheduling, deposits, guest requirements and weather cancellations. Then compare annual costs at your expected booking volume.

### Can boat tour software handle weather cancellations?

Ask each provider to demonstrate the complete process. Check whether cancelling a departure also notifies guests, updates marketplaces and supports refunds or rebooking. Identify any remaining manual steps. In TicketingHub, a cancellation playbook messages each guest and asks whether they want to cancel or reschedule.

### Do I need digital waivers built in?

If your operation uses waivers, both built-in tools and integrations are worth evaluating. The practical test is whether guests can sign before arrival and dock staff can see their status quickly. TicketingHub connects to Smartwaiver.

### How do boat operators sell on Viator without overbooking?

Connect Viator to the availability used by your website and dock. Test how bookings, cancellations and manual changes update capacity, and ask how failed updates are reported. See [how OTA channel managers work](https://www.ticketinghub.com/blog/ota-channel-manager-for-tour-operators).

### Does connecting to a marketplace remove its commission?

No. A connection manages availability and booking information. Marketplace commission remains separate from booking-software and payment-processing charges.

### Does TicketingHub charge a monthly fee?

No. Standard published pricing is **3.5% of each booking on pay as you go, on every channel**, with **no monthly or setup fee**. A 12-month subscription lowers it to 2.75%. Payment processing is separate. [See TicketingHub pricing](https://www.ticketinghub.com/en-US/pricing).

Ready to test your own setup? [Explore TicketingHub for boat tours](https://www.ticketinghub.com/industries/boat-tour-reservation-system) or [book a demo](https://www.ticketinghub.com/book-a-demo) with your most challenging departure, charter or cancellation scenario.

## More articles.

### [Escape room booking software: compare six platforms before you choose](https://www.ticketinghub.com/blog/best-booking-software-for-escape-rooms)

Compare Bookeo, FareHarbor, Peek Pro, Resova, TicketingHub and Xola for escape rooms: published pricing, features, a cost example at 200 games a month and six tests to run in every demo.

Bibim Banez Sep 25, 2026

### [Best Booking Software for Food Tours in 2026: 10 Platforms Compared](https://www.ticketinghub.com/blog/best-booking-software-for-food-tours)

Ten food tour booking platforms compared on published pricing, an example month's costs and what to test in a demo. Pricing checked October 2026.

Bibim Banez Sep 25, 2026

### [Best Booking Software for Walking Tours in 2026: 8 Platforms Compared](https://www.ticketinghub.com/blog/best-booking-software-for-walking-tours)

Eight walking tour booking platforms compared on published pricing, an example month's costs and what to test in a demo. Pricing checked October 2026.

Bibim Banez Sep 25, 2026