Agoda vs. Priceline: Features, Prices, and Best Choice for 2023

One of the best ways to streamline travel planning (and save money) is by using a travel website to find good deals for flights, lodging, and activities. Travel sites like Agoda and Priceline offer competitive prices and a range of features, helping you find the best value for your budget.

In this article, we will compare the features and prices of Agoda vs. Priceline for 2023 and recommend which site is the best choice for your travel needs.

Agoda Vs. Priceline: A Summary

Both Agoda and Priceline are great travel websites for finding flights and hotels. Depending on your destination and budget, you can also book rental cars, cruises, and tourist activities on both platforms. Agoda and Priceline are sister companies, with Priceline acquiring Agoda in 2007. However, their features remain distinct, and they continue to offer specialized deals and promotions for travelers of different budgets.

» Unsure about these platforms? Consider Booking.com and Hotels.com instead

Agoda: Key Features and Pros & Cons

Agoda is well-known in Asia and continues to be a leading online hotel reservation service in the region. The website is trusted by many travelers looking for a wide range of flight options and accommodations to suit every budget, from luxury villas and hotels to budget hotels, apartments, and homes for rent. Its services remain focused on offering the lowest available hotel prices, and its hotel network includes more than 40,000 properties.

Pricing and Fees

Regarding pricing and fees, Agoda offers many coupons and insider deals to help travelers save money, such as 15% off during special occasions (holidays, summer, Valentine's, etc.). Agoda also has a VIP membership package that interested customers can sign up for, with the following benefits:

• Up to 25% VIP discount
• Agoda's Best Price Guarantee on bookings
• Exclusive perks on select properties
• Access to insider deals and VIP discounts
• Earn and redeem AgodaCash, the platform's loyalty rewards program

Agoda also accepts payments via PayPal and all major credit cards, including Master Card, AMEX, Visa, JCB, and Carte Bleue. Payment information is also securely saved on the user's account for easier checkouts in the future. However, an additional 10% to 25% for taxes and service charges may be added to the total booking cost, so keep that in mind when budgeting for your trip.

Customer Service

Agoda offers customer support in multiple languages, with a customer support team available via phone, email, and chat. Agoda's dedicated customer support team is trained to assist guests in finding the best deals and offer help in changing or canceling bookings.

» Get up to 4% cashback from Agoda

Priceline: Key Features and Pros & Cons

Priceline was founded in 1997 and has since provided travelers with access to deals for hotel rooms, airline tickets, cruises, and vacation packages. Priceline has access to over 600,000 properties across various locations and offers customers affordable accommodations via their Best Price Guarantee.

Pricing and Fees

Priceline's multi-tiered VIP membership program offers members additional ways to save and score good deals. The first tier grants VIP status upon sign-up and offers benefits such as:

• Priceline's Best Price Guarantee
• Hotel savings of up to 10%
• VIP rental car discount of up to 10%
• Add-on deals of up to 50% off on hotels and 20% on cars for add-ons to existing trips
• 5% extra deals coupons

Members advance in tier after completing a certain number of trips, with savings and deals increasing as they go up each level:

• VIP Blue: 2 completed trips
• VIP Gold: 5 completed trips
• VIP Platinum: 25 completed trips

Priceline accepts payments via Visa, MasterCard, AMEX, and Discover.

Customer Service

Priceline's VIP Gold and VIP Platinum members enjoy Priority and First Priority status on all customer service concerns. Priceline's customer support team is available via chat, SMS, call, or WhatsApp to assist customers with reservation concerns, cancelations, booking inquiries, and more.

» Don't overpay for your stay: our tips for cheaper hotel bookings

Final Verdict: Which Is Best?

While both websites offer customers a wide variety of deals for international travel needs, Agoda offers a smoother customer experience with its modern and responsive desktop, tablet, and mobile sites, allowing for quick and powerful searches every time.

One of the cons that most users identify with Priceline is that its website and app are not user-friendly, with users needing to go through many steps and filter quite a bit of information before getting the deals they need.

With that in mind, it's clear that the winner is Agoda due to its extensive list of pros that far outweigh its cons and even the pros of Priceline.