9 best apps for cheap hotels: business and leisure

As both individuals and businesses, we’re all trying to save money and cut costs wherever we can. Thanks to the availability of hotel websites, online travel agencies, and corporate travel management systems, travel accommodation is one aspect of our personal and business lives where saving a few dollars is easier.Most of us have searched for the “best hotel apps to save money” or the “best hotel discount app”. But which is the best app for hotel deals? Which is the best app for cheap hotels? Which app is best for business travel, and which is best for leisure travel?

To help you make the right choice for your next trip, whether you're booking in advance or looking for same-day or last-minute deals, we've rounded up the best apps on iPhone and Android for budget-friendly options for business and leisure travel.

Best apps for cheap hotels: Business travel

Those managing corporate business travel programs have different needs than individual travelers, especially when trying to save money on travel costs. From rewards programs and customer support to price match guarantees and reporting capabilities, we’ll go through the four best hotel apps to save money on business travel.

1. TravelPerk

TravelPerk is a dedicated business travel platform that offers business travelers an industry-leading travel inventory from which to select their hotels and accommodation. As well as drawing hotels from online travel agencies like Booking.com, TravelPerk also integrates with metasearch portals like Airbnb.

Business travelers and travel managers can book accommodation and transportation and manage travel itineraries, costs, and business expenses from within the same platform.

TravelPerk also enables users to collect loyalty points with many hotel partners and offers executive, luxe experience hotels that come with extra perks. Companies also have access to negotiated rates and can save up to 25% of their annual travel budget with TravelPerk’s VAT recovery solution.

On top of this, TravelPerk also enables companies to incorporate their own corporate travel policies into the travel management process, helping them save money on all of their travel business costs.

Key features:

Access to an extensive travel inventory

Proprietary VAT recovery solution

Built-in corporate travel policies

Access to negotiated hotel rates

Ability to manage and book all aspects of business travel from within one platform

Download the TravelPerk app from the Apple Store or Google Play.

Save money on accommodation for business travel today!

2. Kayak for Business

Kayak for Business is a platform for corporate travelers that helps employees plan and manage business travel.

It’s a free platform that operates in the same way as its consumer version, Kayak, and gives travelers a comprehensive overview of all of their travel options. Business travelers can search for more personalized accommodation options, and can use their travel towards the loyalty program of their preferred hotel.

Companies can also bake their travel policies into the hotel search to make sure that employees don’t overspend on accommodation, and can track overall travel spending via reporting features.

Key features:

Access to corporate hotel rates

Integrated travel policies as part of the hotel search

Large hotel inventory

Track travel spend

Streamlined approval process

Download the Kayak app from the Apple Store or Google Play.

3. Airbnb for Work

Similar to the consumer version, Airbnb for Work is a travel marketplace that allows individuals to rent out their properties to business travelers. While you can’t book hotels via the app, it’s an alternative accommodation choice for businesses looking for cheap lodging options.

One of its main draws is that businesses can save money on booking multiple hotel rooms and instead rent a whole property for a cheaper overall price.

Businesses have access to a “smart dashboard” that allows them to manage their trips and also obtain reports on each trip. Features like price alerts and specific payment groups also help businesses reduce accommodation costs.

Key features:

Dashboard helps businesses access travel reports, invoices, and expense reports

Track team spending

Limits can be set on how much an employee can spend per night

Price alerts and payment groups

Traveler safety features such as risk scoring, background checks, and 24/7 global assistance

Download the Airbnb app from the Apple Store or Google Play.

4. Booking.com for Business

Booking.com for Business is an online booking tool for corporate travel that’s geared towards small businesses without managed travel programs.

The app offers access to over 1.2 million properties worldwide, including hotels, B&Bs, homes, and apartments, as well as an itinerary creation feature.

Booking.com for Business also offers a price match guarantee to help businesses secure the best rates, and automatically tracks company travel spend to identify areas where savings can be made.

Key features:

Access to over 1.2 million properties worldwide

Reporting capabilities to help reduce corporate travel spend

Price match guarantee on accommodation

Ability to set corporate budgets

24/7 access to customer support

Download the Booking.com app from the Apple Store or Google Play.

Best apps for cheap hotels: Leisure travel

Individual travelers are constantly seeking the most favorable hotel deals, whether they plan to stay at the Hilton, choose a vacation rental property, or explore destinations like San Francisco, New York, or various locations in Europe.

They're also on the lookout for programs that can help them save money in the future through rewards and points programs, and those that offer free cancelation terms and discounted rates.

Below, we go through five of the best hotel booking apps for leisure travelers looking to book their next getaway.

5. Kayak

Kayak is a metasearch engine for travel deals that scrapes third-party travel sites to show customers the best deals available. The site displays results from over 2 million properties and millions of verified guest reviews, and users can apply various filters and compare the same hotels to get the best hotel deal.

Users can also use Kayak’s map feature to help them select hotels in a specific area, and can set up alerts that notify them of the best hotel prices. Kayak’s “Hacker Stays” enable guests to split bookings between different websites to enjoy cheap hotel deals.

Kayak also offers a points reward program where users can earn between 1,000 and 10,000 points for staying in one of the 400,000 participating hotels.

Key features:

Displays 2 million properties from across hundreds of third-party sites

Millions of verified customer hotel reviews

Points reward scheme

Price alert function

Kayak Hacker stays enable cost savings by splitting hotel bookings

Download the Kayak app from the Apple Store or Google Play.

6. Orbitz

Orbitz is a travel fare aggregator website that offers a generous rewards program and a unique LGBTQ-welcome filter for hotels.

Every time a traveler uses Orbitz’s rewards program they earn “Orbucks”, where one Orbuck is worth $1 and can be redeemed for hotels. Travelers can earn 3% for hotels booked via a desktop, and 5% for bookings made via the Orbitz app.

Orbitz also has its own version of elite status, where guests can earn benefits like breakfast and Wi-Fi. Members can also access Insider Prices, which provide travelers with extra hotel discounts.

Key features:

Rewards program

Save up to 40% on mobile-exclusive hotel deals

Great search functionality to find hotels

Insider Prices

Best price guarantee

Download the Orbitz app from the Apple Store or Google Play.

7. Expedia

Expedia is an online travel agency that offers a rewards program with bonus points, exclusive offers, and no blackout dates for reward redemption. Guests also earn two Expedia points for every dollar spent.

Guests can also benefit from split-rate hotel bookings, which are two separate reservations made at the same hotel that tend to be cheaper. Expedia also offers an extended low-price guarantee whereby guests can submit a claim up to 24 hours before their stay.

When booking via the Expedia app, guests can also obtain double rewards points and save up to 40% with mobile-exclusive hotel deals.

Key features:

Expedia Rewards points

Extended low-price guarantee

Save up to 40% on mobile-exclusive deals

Split-rate hotel bookings

Download the Expedia app from the Apple Store or Google Play.

8. Priceline

Priceline is an online travel agency that helps guests find discounts and cheap hotel deals, with multiple options for booking the lowest price hotels.

One of these options is the Express Deals, where the details of the hotel are kept a secret until the booking is complete. Although the bookings are pre-paid and non-refundable, the best-price guarantee means guests will receive a 100% refund of the price difference if they find a better deal within 24 hours of the reservation.

Another option is Priceline’s Pricebreakers, where guests are presented with three similar hotels with comparable star ratings, all listed under a single price. The catch is, they won't know which specific hotel they'll be assigned until after booking. Pricebreaker prices are guaranteed to be up to half price of published rates on other sites. Once the traveler makes the booking, the “winning” hotel is revealed to them.

Key features:

Best price guarantee

Trip updates and reminders

60% off selected hotels

Pricebreakers

Express Deals

Download the Priceline app from the Apple Store or Google Play.

9. Hotels.com

Hotels.com is a hotel booking site that allows you to plan, book, and manage last-minute hotel stays.

Its best feature is its rewards program: When a guest books 10 nights from the app, they’ll receive the 11th night free. Rewards members can also unlock “Secret Prices'' that are unavailable to non-rewards members.

Key features:

Rewards program

19,000 available locations

Over 325,000 hotels to choose from

Multi-language websites

Download the Hotels.com app from the Apple Store or Google Play.

So, which are the best travel apps for hotel deals for business and leisure?

Everyone’s needs are different. While some leisure travelers might take one trip a year and prefer luxury hotels over basic hostels, others are frequent flyers who want to access special deals and prices.

The latter group might benefit more from an app through which they can earn points and rewards or become members, while the infrequent traveler might browse a combination of mobile apps before finding the best hotel deal for them.

When exploring hotel options for business trips via apps that aren't geared toward corporate travel, users can face several challenges. From invoicing mistakes and out-of-policy bookings to inflexible cancellation policies and a lack of customer support, the mistakes can be extremely costly to businesses.

Using a dedicated corporate travel management app is the best choice for businesses looking not only to save money, but to ensure their travel booking, management and reporting processes help them save time and remain compliant, too.

9 best apps for cheap hotels: business and leisure

Best apps for cheap hotels: Business travel

1. TravelPerk

Key features:

Save money on accommodation for business travel today!

2. Kayak for Business

Key features:

3. Airbnb for Work

Key features:

4. Booking.com for Business

Key features:

Best apps for cheap hotels: Leisure travel

5. Kayak

Key features:

6. Orbitz

Key features:

7. Expedia

Key features:

8. Priceline

Key features:

9. Hotels.com

Key features:

So, which are the best travel apps for hotel deals for business and leisure?

Make business travel simpler. Forever.

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