Comparison
MyRetreatDesk vs Bookinglayer
Bookinglayer is a full operations system for venues that combine accommodation with activities: surf camps, retreat centers, dive centers. It is priced per business after a demo (its examples start around €260 a month). MyRetreatDesk is lighter and cheaper to start: published plans from free, built for selling a retreat by the room and bed and collecting deposits and installments.
Facts about Bookinglayer checked on from its own website (sources below).
The short version
Bookinglayer is a full operations system for venues open year-round with daily activities, sessions and instructors, priced per business after a demo. MyRetreatDesk is lighter and starts free: it's built for selling programs on set dates by the room and bed, with deposits, installments, group quotes and a live break-even.
Side by side
| Feature | MyRetreatDesk | Bookinglayer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Starter free · Venue $97/mo (+ $297 setup) · Pro $199/mo | One fixed monthly fee, set on a demo call; examples €260/month (1 location, 15 beds) and €410/month (2 locations, 53 beds) |
| Booking fee | 1.5% on Starter and Venue (passed to the guest by default), 0% on Pro. No commission. | None from the subscription; optional Bookinglayer Pay has its own per-transaction fee |
| Payments | Your own Stripe or PayPal account at their standard rates; pass to guests or absorb | Your own gateway or Bookinglayer Pay; deposits and installments |
| Rooms and beds | Room-by-room and bed-by-bed, with room types and shared rooms | Rooms, activities, packages and locations; add-ons for rates and transfers between rooms |
| Groups | Group quotes for 10–50 guests; each attendee pays their own deposit (Venue, Pro) | Private groups; group pricing by age as an add-on |
| Waitlist | Included | Add-on |
| Setup | Self-serve in minutes; done-for-you setup on Venue | Dedicated onboarding, about two weeks |
Which should you choose?
Bookinglayer is the better choice if…
- You run a venue year-round with daily activities, sessions and instructors to schedule.
- You need a channel manager, multiple locations or an API.
MyRetreatDesk is the better choice if…
- You run retreats on set dates rather than a venue open every day.
- You want to start free or at a published price without a sales call.
- You want group quotes with split deposits and a live break-even built in.
What a year costs
| Plan | Small2 retreats × 8 guests × $900 | Medium3 retreats × 12 guests × $1,500 | Large4 retreats × 18 guests × $2,500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookinglayer, example: 1 location, 15 beds (€260/month) | €3,120 | €3,120 | €3,120 |
| Bookinglayer, example: 2 locations, 53 beds (€410/month) | €4,920 | €4,920 | €4,920 |
| MyRetreatDesk Starter (1.5% booking fee, paid by guests by default) | $216 | $810 | $2,700 |
| MyRetreatDesk Pro ($199/month, 0% fee) | $2,388 | $2,388 | $2,388 |
Bookinglayer sets a fixed monthly fee per business on a demo call; its pricing page gives two examples, shown here as yearly totals. Add-ons and Bookinglayer Pay's transaction fee aren't included.
Venue operations vs retreat sales
Bookinglayer combines accommodation with activities: rooms, sessions, packages, private groups and multiple locations in one back office, with add-ons such as a channel manager, session planner, API and webhooks. That depth suits a surf camp or retreat center selling stays every day of the year.
MyRetreatDesk focuses on programs with set dates: a retreat, a training, a workshop. Each has its own rooms, prices, payment plan, waitlist and profit simulator, and Pro adds a calendar of all cohorts with one-click duplication to new dates.
Getting started
Bookinglayer includes dedicated onboarding, described on its pricing page as about two weeks. MyRetreatDesk is self-serve: you can create a retreat from the template and share a booking page the same day, and the Venue plan includes a done-for-you setup.
Moving from Bookinglayer to MyRetreatDesk
- Create your retreat from the template and set up rooms, prices, deposits and your payment schedule.
- Connect your own Stripe or PayPal account so payments go straight to you.
- Add a booking link to your website, newsletter and social profiles; on Pro, embed the booking widget.
- Keep existing bookings where they are until those retreats run; take new bookings on MyRetreatDesk.
- Ask new guests how they found you, so you can see which channel brings whom.
Questions
How much does Bookinglayer cost?
Bookinglayer's pricing page describes one fixed monthly fee worked out on a demo call, with examples of €260 a month for one location with 15 beds and €410 a month for two locations with 53 beds. Annual billing saves 5%.
Sources
Prices and features change. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll correct it. Product names belong to their owners; no endorsement implied.
Other comparisons
BookRetreats
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WeTravel
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Retreat Guru
Retreat Guru runs a curated retreat marketplace with a 14% commission and separate software for retreat centers.
Open bookings for your next retreat this week
Start from our template, set your rooms and prices, and share your booking page. Free on Starter, no card required.