A Side-by-Side Comparison of WP Travel and WP Travel Engine
The decision to start your travel business can be challenging. But, it’s an important one. The right plugin for your site will impact how successful you are as a business owner and how fast you grow.
WordPress travel and tour plugins are available in different versions. This means that there are a few things you need to consider if you want to choose the best one.
However, choosing the right travel agency WordPress theme and plugins can be overwhelming. The purpose of this article is to compare two of the most popular travel plugins for WordPress (WP Travel and WP Travel Engine) and highlight some factors that you should consider when deciding which one is best for your business.
When it comes to choosing a WordPress travel plugin, there aren’t just two options. You have a lot of choices to make. The right option will reflect your business needs as well as the type of website you want to build.
We are sure you’re already reading this article because you have a WordPress website, and you want to start your own travel business. You have several options, but first, you need to understand that your WordPress travel plugin is not just about the features and design of your site. It will also impact how you set up your site, manage and make it grow.
What is A WordPress Plugin and how does it work?
A plugin is a piece of software that extends the capabilities of its host application. Most plugins are associated with a particular website or web application, whereas others may be available for multiple sites. A plugin may also be a standalone program that runs outside of the context of a server.
The term “plugin” does not necessarily refer to an extension for WordPress. It can also refer to any type of software that can be installed on a system. In this case, there is nothing special about WordPress in terms of its usage of plugins.
A plugin enables customization and customization allows you to create your own unique website with new features and functionality. If you want to take your blog to the next level, you should consider installing some plugins into it.
The most common way for plugins to extend the capabilities of a WordPress site is by adding new features to existing pages and posts. For example, if you wanted to create a page for your business that would display weather data for your location, you could use a plugin to add weather information from Yahoo! and other sources.
Importance of using Travel Plugins in a WordPress Travel Business
WordPress is a great platform for blogging, but it can be a bit limiting if you want to do more than just write your posts. The travel plugin gives you the ability to create itineraries, book hotels, and even manage your trip in one place, which makes planning easier.
The plugin is a must-have if you have a WordPress site. If you want to make your website more attractive, then it is essential to use plugins. There are many plugins available in the market, but not all of them are created equal. It’s important to choose the right plugin for your website.
The best travel plugins for WordPress help you in making your website more attractive and easy to use. You can also easily create customized pages for each section of your website with these plugins. So, if you want to make your website more attractive and easier to use, then these travel plugins should be used by you.
However, if you want to use WordPress for your business, there are some things that you need to be aware of. The good news is that there are plenty of plugins available that can help you get the job done.
The benefits of using a travel plugin for WordPress are many, and they include:
- The ability to easily create itineraries.
- The ability to create travel guides.
- The ability to easily manage your reservations.
- The ability to customize your site’s look and feel.
- Provides a centralized place to manage your travel information.
- Allows you to add new locations to your WordPress site in one central location.
- Allows you to easily import your existing Google Maps data into your WordPress site.
- Helps you manage various tools like TripAdvisor and Yelp.
- Allows you to easily create custom rates and packages for hotels, tours, transportation, etc.
- Provides the ability to add additional information (e.g., hotel names) that isn’t available through the WordPress default system.
- You can create unique and user-friendly travel content that is easy to manage and update.
Therefore, businesses can create a travel website with ease by using a WordPress travel booking plugin that includes these features.
There is another way that you can develop your travel website without using a travel plugin. To do this, you need to invest a lot of money and wait a few months before launching your site. In addition, you need to pay for site maintenance which may carry an extra cost.
To simplify the process, you should use a WordPress plugin such as WP Travel or WP Travel Engine. These plugins handle all the heavy lifting for you, so you can focus on your business. In addition, the plugins come with clear documentation to make it easy to build your travel site. Furthermore, these plugins are easy to install and come with good instructions, allowing you to create your travel website quickly and easily.
Identifying the Needs of Travel Business Websites
Travel websites are an essential part of online businesses. You need to consider many aspects when building a travel website, including how it will be used, how people will interact with it, and even how it will look.
When building a travel site, you will need to consider a number of factors. The most important things to consider when building a travel site are:
- Your target audience
- The purpose of your site
- The features you want to include in your site
- How much money you want to spend on it?
- What information do they already have available on other sites?
- How will you get their attention?
- Designing an Easy-to-Navigate Travel Site
- Choosing the Right Features for a Travel Site
- How to Optimize a Travel Site for Mobile Devices
- Integrating Social Media on a Travel Site
- Setting Up Secure Payment Processing for a Travel Site
- Tips for Writing Engaging Content for a Travel Site
- Enhancing the User Experience on a Travel Site
- Measuring the Success of a Travel Site
Introduction to WP Travel? Popular WordPress Travel Plugin
WP Travel is one of the popular WordPress travel plugin which is existing in the market for more than 4+ years. There are over 10k+ travel agencies that use WP Travel to boost their travel WordPress Business site.
WP Travel allows you to create itineraries and manage them from within the admin panel. The plugin also allows you to create itineraries for multiple destinations, which is ideal for those who own multiple locations.
The plugin comes with some pre-built templates that can be used to get started quickly. The templates are designed by professional designers and they look very professional. However, if you are looking for something more customizable and flexible then WP Travel might be a better fit for you!
The plugin was developed by a team of developers who are experts in this field. They have been working on this plugin for over two years now and it has been getting better every day. It has become one of the best travel plugins out there thanks to its easy-to-use interface and high level of functionality.
The free version of this plugin is fully functional, but it doesn’t have some features that are available in the premium version. For example, if you want to have access to a premium support team, then you need to upgrade to the paid version.
The premium version also includes 20 add-ons that allow users to add new features when needed. These include things like customized payment methods and custom fields that allow users to create their own itineraries and bookings.
WP Travel is a premium WordPress plugin that allows you to create and manage your travel blogs in minutes. The plugin offers the following features:
- Front-end design and development of travel themes.
- The ability to easily add posts, pages, categories, tags, and custom taxonomies.
- A powerful admin panel with powerful customization options.
- A fully customizable editor with support for multiple languages.
- Customizable navigation menus that can be displayed across multiple pages or posts.
- Real-time pricing, inventory, and availability for Tours.
- Great Customer Support.
- Better Payment Integration.
- Implements the Schema markup standard to make sure your data is structured correctly and search engines can understand it.
- Full support for booking agencies
- Google Maps API integration
- Google Analytics integration
- Advanced Search
- Full Data Reporting
Finally, if you want the most out of WP Travel, you can check out the free demo version. Currently, the company which has developed WP Travel is offering 20+ travel agency WordPress theme which is available in both paid and free versions.
Introduction to WP Travel Engine
WP Travel Engine is a powerful WordPress plugin that helps you create a travel booking site in minutes. The plugin is easy to install, but also has some advanced features you can use to tailor your booking site.
The plugin was released in the year 2017 with the motive to provide the best feature to support the travel WordPress site.
WP Travel Engine has a beautiful design and a smooth user interface that makes it easy to use for both beginners and experts alike. You can easily change the layout, colors, and content of your website with just a few clicks.
The theme comes with advanced features such as Woo Commerce support, custom widgets and shortcodes, advanced typography options, custom post types, and much more!
Additionally, the plugin’s front-end UI is not very modern and may not meet the design expectations of some users. WP Travel Engine does not seamlessly integrate with other popular booking and payment plugins, which can lead to a lack of compatibility with other features on the website.
WP Travel Engine does provide a number of useful features for creating and managing travel itineraries, tour packages, and bookings, its limited customization options, lack of integration and mixed reviews are major drawbacks that users should consider before using the plugin.
The following are some of the excellent features of WP Travel Engine:
- Ability to create unlimited itineraries, destinations, and prices
- Elementor and Gutenberg support
- Payment processing supported
- Translation ready
- Multiple prices and dates
- Trip fact
- Progress booking bar
- Translation-ready
Comparing the Core Features of WP Travel and WP Travel Engine
| WP Travel | WP Travel Engine | |
| Website URL | https://wptravel.io/ | https://wptravelengine.com/ |
| Release Date | September 2017 | April 2017 |
| Average Ratings | 4.6 | 4.7 |
| Active Install | 6000+ | 8000+ |
| Facebook community | Yes | No |
| Support Email | Yes | No |
| Number of themes | 20+ Themes | 10 Themes |
| Payment gateways | 12 payment gateway available via Pro add-on | 9 payment gateways + Woo Commerce payment |
| Unlimited trip | Available | Available |
| Pricing Category | Available | Available |
| Trip facts | Available | Available |
| Email notification | Available | Available |
| Inquiry Form | Available | Available |
| Custom search | Available | Available |
| Google Map | Available | Available |
| Advance search | Available | Available |
| Activities Types | Available | Available |
| Trip Highlights | Yes | No |
| Rich Schema Test result | Pass | Fail |
| Schema Markup Validator Test | Pass | Fail |
| Trip Review | Available in Pro Version | Not available |
| Group discount | Available in Pro Version | Not available |
| Extra services | Available in Pro Version | Yes, available in Pro |
| Elementor and Gutenberg Support | Yes | Yes |
| Partial payment | Requires Pro version | Requires Pro version |
| Itinerary downloader | Requires Pro version | Requires Pro version |
| Coupon code | Yes | No |
| User History | Yes | Yes |
| Form editor | Requires Pro version | Yes |
| Current converter | Requires Pro version | Requires Pro version |
| File download | Requires Pro version | Requires Pro version |
| Trip Types | Available in Free Version | Requires Pro version |
| Custom Filter | Requires Pro version | Yes |
| Trip Code | Requires Pro version | Yes |
| Social Proof | Yes | No |
| Advance gallery | Requires Pro version | Requires Pro version |
| Additional Tabs | Requires Pro Version | Requires Pro version |
| Destination | Available in Free Version | Available in Free Version |
| Cut-off time | Requires Pro version | Requires Pro version |
| Tour Guide | Requires Pro version | No |
| Wishlist | Requires Pro version | No |
| Import/Export | Requires Pro version | No |
| MailChimp | Requires Pro version | No |
| Recurring date | Requires Pro version | No |
| Exclude date | Requires Pro version | No |
| Time | Requires Pro version | No |
WP Travel vs WP Travel Engine: An In-Depth Feature Comparison
WP Travel and WP Travel Engine are two of the most popular WordPress plugins available today. Both have been downloaded and they both have a lot of features that make them great travel management tools. If you’re looking for a plugin that can help you manage your business travel, then you should check out these two plugins.
It’s important for you to know that both the WP Travel and WP Travel Engine have their own set of features and capabilities. These two WordPress plugins are very similar, but they also differ in terms of their functionality.
So, comparing these two plugins is one of the most difficult tasks due to their similarities and features, but we have successfully managed to go through each of them and give you a detailed comparison on each of these plugins through the following categories.
- Ease of installation
- Onboarding
- User Experience
- Automation
- Community
- Theme Support
- Search Engine Optimization
- Payment Gateways
- Conversions
- Marketing
- Gutenberg and Elementor Support
- Upsell and Cross Sell
- Advanced Search
- Documentation
- Support
- Pricing
- Google Map Integration:
- Support for Coupons and Discounts
- Email Notification
- Trip Facts
1. Ease of installation:
Both WP Travel and WP Travel Engine are easy to install, but if you’re looking to try both the plugins for the very first time then, you need to go to their WordPress plugin’s page and download the plugin.
WP Travel is the easiest WordPress travel plugin to install and set up. It comes with a help file that walks you through the process. You don’t even have to register the plugin or download any files – all you need is a live WordPress site with a working theme and this plugin installed.
You can also add the plugin by searching it through the dashboard. To do so, go to the WordPress site’s dashboard, and then click Plugins >> Add new >> Upload.
If you are using WP Travel, navigate to Admin Panel> WP Travel > Settings > License.
WP Travel Engine has slightly more bells and whistles than its counterpart, but it still has a simple installation process. Just like its competitor, it also comes with an extensive set of documentation that walks you through setting up your site on your own.
You must activate your license if you’re using WP Travel Engine or WP Travel Pro. If you are using the free version, you need to download the Pro version from their official site before putting in the license key.
In order to get a license for WP Travel Engine, go to WP Travel Engine > Plugin License and click the Get Now button.
When you purchase the Pro version of WP Travel or WP Travel Engine, you get access to all features and add-ons.
Winner: The installation process for both WP Travel and WP Travel Engine is straight forward and does not require any complicated steps. It functions like any other WordPress plugin and activating the PRO license key is also relatively simple.
Results: WP Travel: 1, WP Travel Engine: 1
2. Onboarding the Plugins:
When you install the WP Travel plugin, you’ll be pleased to know that the onboarding process is smooth and efficient. Once the plugin is installed, the onboarding process begins right away. During this process, you can easily set your preferred currency, configure your email settings, and create important pages such as the checkout page, thank you page, terms and conditions page, confirmation page, user dashboard page, and trip search results page.
The payment gateway setting is also simple to use, allowing you to quickly enable options like “Book Now Pay Later” and PayPal, and even recommends a premium gateway.
Unlike WP Travel Engine, the process of setting up and configuring the plugin may require more effort as there is no onboarding process provided. This means that after installation, users will have to manually configure the settings and options of the plugin by following the guidelines and instructions provided in the official documentation.
This could be a time-consuming task, and may require some technical knowledge to get things set up correctly. However, this approach also gives users more control and flexibility over the configuration of the plugin.
Winner: When it comes to the setup and onboarding process, WP Travel has an advantage over WP Travel Engine. The WP Travel plugin provides a clear and easy-to-follow onboarding process that guides users through the initial setup of key elements of a travel website, allowing them to quickly get up and running.
This is a convenient feature for new users who may not be familiar with the plugin’s settings and options. However, WP Travel Engine does not have this feature, which means that users will have to manually set up the plugin by following the official documentation. So, WP Travel is the clear winner.
Results: WP Travel: 2, WP Travel Engine: 1
3. User Experience
When it comes to selecting a plugin for travel-related businesses, both WP Travel and WP Travel Engine are great options that offer exceptional user experiences. These experiences are made possible by a variety of features that are designed to make the process of planning and booking a trip as smooth as possible for the user.
Let’s check out the following features which create a great impact on user experience:
User Dashboard
WP Travel and WP Travel Engine both have a user dashboard, which is a convenient feature that allows users to manage their bookings and other travel-related information. However, only WP Travel offers social login, which allows users to log in to the website using their existing social media accounts, making the process of creating an account and logging in more convenient for users.
Create Unlimited Trip
Both the plugins allow users to create an unlimited number of trips, which is perfect for businesses that offer a wide range of travel options. Additionally, both options also allow users to set fixed departure dates, which helps to convey important information to users and make the booking process more efficient.
Currency Converter
Another important feature that both options offer is a currency converter, which is essential for businesses that want to serve a wider audience. This feature allows users to easily convert the currency of the prices displayed on the website, making it more accessible to users from different countries.
Form Editor
Both options also come with a form editor, which allows users to customize the forms on the website to suit their specific needs. This feature is particularly useful for businesses that want to gather specific information from their users.
Weather Forecast
Another important feature that both options offer is a weather forecast, which helps users plan their trips and make informed decisions. This feature is especially useful for businesses that operate in areas where the weather can be unpredictable.
The WP Travel and WP Travel Engine are two different options for creating travel-related websites. A major difference between the two is that WP Travel includes an advanced itinerary builder, allowing users to generate detailed itineraries that include information such as accommodations, trip duration, meals, galleries, and altitude charts. On the other hand, WP Travel Engine does not have this feature, which may present challenges for site owners in creating comprehensive itineraries and delivering a high-quality user experience on their website.
Winner: It can be said that WP Travel offers an exceptional user experience, thanks in large part to its advanced itinerary builder feature. This feature allows site owners to create detailed and customized itineraries, adding valuable information such as accommodation, duration, meals, gallery, attitude chart, etc. This makes it easier for users to plan and book their trips, and it sets WP Travel apart from other options like WP Travel Engine. Overall, it is the advanced itinerary builder feature that gives WP Travel Engine the edge in terms of user experience.
Results: WP Travel: 3, WP Travel Engine: 1
4. Automation
If you’re looking to automate certain processes on your travel website, one option you can consider is using Zapier. This automation platform is supported by both WP Travel Engine and WP Travel, which means that you can use it with either plugin.
Zapier allows you to connect your travel website to a variety of third-party platforms and services, which can save you a lot of time and effort when it comes to managing your website.
For example, you can use Zapier to automatically send booking confirmations to customers, update your calendar with new bookings, or even post updates on your social media accounts when new trips are added to your website.
The possibilities are endless when it comes to using Zapier with your travel website. It’s a great way to automate repetitive tasks and streamline your workflow, which can ultimately help you save time and focus on growing your business. Additionally, it also helps to improve the user experience by providing instant updates and confirmation to the users.
Overall, if you’re looking to automate certain processes on your travel website, using Zapier is a great option that can help you save time and improve the overall functionality of your website.
Winner: It’s a Draw.
Results: WP Travel: 4, WP Travel Engine: 2
5. Community
When using a service or product, having access to a community can be incredibly valuable. In this regard, WP Travel stands out as it offers access to a Facebook group where users can ask questions, share information, and get help from other members of the community. The group is open to anyone, so users can ask for assistance or help others with their own knowledge.
Additionally, the core plugin development team is also active in the group and will respond to technical questions, providing users with the support they need.
Another great feature offered by WP Travel is a clear roadmap, which allows customers to request and vote for new features they would like to see implemented in the plugin. This gives users a sense of control and helps to ensure that the plugin is continually improving to meet their needs.
On the other hand, WP Travel Engine does not have a community or roadmap, but it does offer the ability to request a payment gateway directly from their plugin. This feature can be useful for businesses that require a specific payment gateway.
Overall, WP Travel excels in the community and roadmap category, as it offers a Facebook group where users can ask questions, get help and support, and also has a clear roadmap feature. While WP Travel Engine does not offer these features, it does have a direct payment gateway request feature.
Winners: Based on the comparison, it can be concluded that WP Travel Engine is the clear winner in the category of community and roadmap. The plugin offers access to a Facebook group where users can ask questions, share information, and get help from other members of the community, as well as core plugin development team.
Results: WP Travel: 5, WP Travel Engine: 2
6. Theme Support
When building a travel website, it is crucial to choose a plugin that is compatible with the website’s theme. Both WP Travel Engine and WP Travel are designed to be compatible with most WordPress themes, with minimal adjustments needed. To ensure the best possible compatibility, both plugins come with their own set of native themes that are specifically created to work seamlessly with the plugin.
WP Travel offers access to over 20 native themes, which are developed by the parent company WEN Solutions. However, not all of these themes are widely used among users. On the other hand, WP Travel Engine provides access to 10 themes, which are more popular among users. For instance, the Travel Agency theme from WP Travel Engine has over 8,000 active installations and an excellent five-star rating, while themes from WP Travel tend to have also 6000 active installations.
In summary, both plugins offer native themes to ensure better compatibility, but WP Travel themes are more popular and widely used among users.
Winner: When evaluating the number of native themes offered, WP Travel appears to have an advantage with its 20+ themes. However, when it comes to the number of downloads and popularity, only with a small amount of margin WP Travel Engine comes out on top. But we cannot deny the fact that they both are same when it comes to quality and number of users.
Therefore, taking into account the different aspects of native themes, it would be reasonable to say that both WP Travel Engine and WP Travel are in a tie, each receiving 1 point.
Results: WP Travel: 6, WP Travel Engine: 3
7. Search Engine Optimization
It’s essential to reach their audience in a natural and organic way for any for any Travel business. Connecting with your target audience in this way is crucial for building trust and relationships with potential customers.
To evaluate how well both WP Travel and WP Travel Engine perform in this aspect, we will conduct two tests: the Rich Schema Test and the Schema Markup Validator Test. The tests will be run on the Single Trip page of WP Travel Engine and the demo page of WP Travel to determine how well these plugins can help businesses connect with their target audience.
These tests will help to assess how well both plugins can help business to structure and mark up their website data in a way that search engines can understand and use to improve the visibility of the website.
Rich Schema Test:
The search engine results pages (SERPs) of Google can display additional rich results such as images, carousels, and non-textual elements as websites provide more detailed information. To check if a plugin or theme is compatible with this feature, the Rich Schema Test can be run.
The results of the test indicate that WP Travel and WP Travel Engine both have successfully passed the test. The images provided can further demonstrate the difference in compatibility.
Rich schema helps search engines to understand the content of a webpage, and display it more prominently in the SERP, including the rich snippets, which can increase the click-through rate and drive more traffic to the website.
The image to check the Rich Schema Test for WP Travel is here:
The Rich Schema Test for WP Travel Engine can be found here:
The success of both the plugins in this test means that it may be able to provide rich snippets and also able to drive as much organic traffic to the website. This could increase the visibility of the website in search engine results, which could ultimately increase the traffic of your business.
Schema Markup Validator Test:
Schema Markup is a type of structured data that helps search engines like Google to understand and display more detailed information about a website. This can result in displaying rich results that provide useful information for users. In this test, both WP Travel Engine and WP Travel passed the test, as demonstrated by the images provided.
The screenshots provided below show the difference in the level of detail between the schema of WP Travel and WP Travel Engine.
A more detailed schema can help search engines to understand the content of a webpage more accurately and display it more prominently in the SERP, which can increase the visibility of the website and drive more organic traffic to the website.
Winner: It is clear that both WP Travel and WP Travel Engine are well-optimized in terms of SEO features. Both plugins have passed the Rich Schema test and have a more detailed schema, making them both strong contenders in this category. As a result, it would be fair to award both plugins one point each for their strong performance in SEO optimization.
Results: WP Travel: 7, WP Travel Engine: 4
8. Payment Gateways
Both WP Travel and WP Travel Engine have a lot of options for accepting payments on a travel website. WP Travel has 12 payment options through its Pro add-on, which include popular choices like PayPal, Stripe, and Square. This makes it easy for customers to pay and it helps the website to get more sales.
The process of setting up payment on WP Travel is straightforward. To get started, navigate to the WP Travel > Settings > Payment section of the plugin. Once there, you will find the option to add PayPal and Bank Deposit as payment options for your customers.
If you wish to have access to more payment gateways, you will need to upgrade to the PRO version of the plugin. This will give you access to all available payment gateways. Additionally, the PRO version also allows you to enable partial payments and tax for trips, giving you more flexibility and control over your payment options.
When comparing the options for payment gateways, WP Travel Engine supports a total of 9 gateways, including well-known options such as Stripe, PayPal Express Checkout, PayU Money, and Midtrans.
Additionally, it also offers an add-on that integrates with WooCommerce, which expands the available options to a wide range of payment gateways worldwide. With this add-on, you can access nearly all payment gateways available, making it a versatile and convenient option for your business
WP Travel Engine also offers a similar setup process for payment options. To access the settings, you can navigate to WP Travel Engine > Settings > Payments. Like WP Travel, you have the default options of PayPal Standard and Direct bank transfer available. However, to enable additional payment gateways, you will need to purchase the appropriate extension. This gives you the flexibility to tailor your payment options to best fit the needs of your business, making it more convenient for both you and your customers.
Winner: Both WP Travel and WP Travel Engine make it easy to access and set up payment gateways. However, when it comes to more comprehensive payment gateway options, WP Travel Engine may be a better choice. It allows you to add virtually any payment gateway through its Woo Commerce payment extension, providing you with a greater range of options to suit your business needs. But WP Travel is also offers one of the best features to integrate payment fast and smooth with other payment extensions. Therefore, it would be fair to say that both plugins are relatively equal in terms of payment gateway support, and thus we can award one point each
Results: WP Travel: 8, WP Travel Engine: 5
9. Conversions
WP Travel provides various tools that can enhance the performance of a travel website, such as the Progress Booking Bar, Social Proof (Pro) and Trip Timer Count Down (Pro). These features are created to optimize the conversion rate of a website.
Unfortunately, WP Travel Engine doesn’t include these features in their plugin. The Progress Booking Bar, in specific, is a highly efficient conversion tool that shows the visitors how far they have progressed in completing their tour booking.
According to NeilPatel.com, not using this feature can lead to a decrease in conversions, and it’s known to increase conversion rates by as much as 20%. Therefore, WP Travel is an excellent travel plugin when it comes to converting your visitors into customers.
Another conversion-boosting feature that WP Travel offers is the Trip Timer Count Down (Pro version). This feature allows you to set a fixed starting date for a trip and start a countdown timer, which creates a sense of urgency for visitors and encourages them to book before the time runs out.
WP Travel offers both Progress Booking Bars and Social Proof (Pro version) as marketing tools for increasing conversion rates. These features are not available on WP Travel Engine, making WP Travel a better choice for those looking to increase conversions on their travel website.
This feature allows you to display positive reviews from influencers or other customers, which can influence potential buyers to make a purchase.
In addition, both plugins also have the Trip Review feature which can be a powerful conversion tool. It provides valuable insights about a trip based on feedback from previous travelers. This can help prospective customers make a more informed decision when booking their trip, ultimately increasing the likelihood of a successful conversion.
Winner: The clear winner in terms of conversion features is WP Travel. It offers a variety of tools to help boost the success of your travel website, such as the Progress Booking Bar, Social Proof, Trip Timer Count Down and Trip Review. These features are designed to improve the conversion rate of your website. On the other hand, WP Travel Engine only offers Trip Review, which although still useful, is not as comprehensive as the options provided by WP Travel. Overall, WP Travel offers more robust conversion tools to help increase the success of your travel website.
Results: WP Travel: 9, WP Travel Engine: 5
10. Marketing
When it comes to making your travel website marketable and capturing the attention of potential customers, both WP Travel Engine and WP Travel offer a variety of features to help. These features includes:
Itinerary Downloader:
The Itinerary Downloader feature enables guests to automatically generate tour brochures (PDF) without any manual work, saving time and money in the WordPress tour boking system.
User History:
User History tracks the behavior of users to better understand their preferences.
Partial Payment:
The Partial Payment feature allows customers to pay a portion of the total cost upfront when booking and pay the remaining balance later.
Trip Embedder:
The Trip Embedder feature allows you to embed trip-related information on other websites, bringing in more traffic and increasing sales
File Download:
The File Download feature allows guests to download trip files by signing up, which can be used as a lead capturing tool.
Winner: Both WP Travel and WP Travel Engine are exceptional in terms of the marketing features they offer. Both plugins provide a range of unique and useful features for site owners, such as Partial Payment, Trip Embedder, User History, File Download and Itinerary Downloader, that can help to make the website more marketable and capture the attention of potential customers. It’s hard to choose a winner as both plugins have their own strengths in this category.
Results: WP Travel: 10, WP Travel Engine: 6
11. Gutenberg and Elementor Support
WordPress is constantly evolving, and the latest update includes the new block editor, Gutenberg, which has replaced the old editor. Both WP Travel Engine and WP Travel are compatible with the Gutenberg editor, making it easy for travel site owners to use.
Additionally, both plugins also support Elementor, a popular website builder that allows for customization and design of your travel website according to your preferences. This means that you have more freedom to create a website that is tailored to your business needs.
Winner: Both WP Travel Engine and WP Travel are designed to work seamlessly with the latest version of WordPress, including the new block editor, Gutenberg. This allows for easy customization and design of your travel website. In addition, both plugins also support the popular page builder, Elementor, giving you even more flexibility in terms of design and customization. With this in mind, it can be said that both plugins have excellent support for WordPress and its features, making them both viable options for building a travel website.
Results: WP Travel: 11, WP Travel Engine: 7
12. Upsell and Cross Sell
Customizing travel packages to suit individual preferences is crucial for travelers. Both WP Travel and WP Travel Engine excel in this area by offering features such as Group Discounts and Extra Services.
These features allow for upselling and cross-selling, providing the ability to tailor travel packages to the specific needs and wants of the customer. This leads to a more personalized and enjoyable travel experience for the customer, which can ultimately lead to increased satisfaction and loyalty.
Winner: Both WP Travel and WP Travel Engine offer similar functionality when it comes to upselling and cross-selling features, such as Group Discount and Extra Services. This allows travelers to customize their travel packages to suit their preferences. As a result, it is a tie in this category as both plugins provide similar options.
Results: WP Travel: 12, WP Travel Engine: 8
13. Advanced Search
It’s important to note that both plugins have good search functionality and it is easy to search for the desired trip by different criteria, making it easier for the customers to find the right trip. Custom filter option can be an added advantage as it allows customers to search for trips that cater to their specific needs.
With WP Travel Engine, the custom filter feature is included for free, while it’s only available in the PRO version of WP Travel.
Winner: In terms of search functionality, both WP Travel Engine and WP Travel excel as they offer advanced search features out of the box. These features include the ability to search by price, destination, activities, trip types, and duration.
Additionally, the option to add custom filters for new search categories such as age group or other travel-related information is also available.
However, it’s worth noting that while the custom filter feature is included in the free version of WP Travel Engine, it is only available in the PRO version of WP Travel. Despite this, both plugins have strong search functionality making them both worthy contenders, so we are giving them one point each.
Results: WP Travel: 13, WP Travel Engine: 9
14. Documentation
WP Travel and WP Travel Engine both have a reputation for providing clear, comprehensive documentation to help users set up and use the plugin. This documentation covers a wide range of topics, from basic installation instructions to advanced customization options, so users can find the information they need to make the most of the plugin.
Additionally, both plugins offer access to a variety of tutorials hosted on YouTube and other resources that provide valuable information on different aspects of the plugin. These resources can be particularly helpful for users who are new to the plugin and need guidance on how to use it effectively.
The tutorials and resources are designed to be easy to understand and well-organized, making it easy for users to find the information they need. The tutorials also include screenshots, images, and videos, which make the learning process more engaging and interactive.
In summary, both WP Travel and WP Travel Engine offer well-documented plugins that provide users with comprehensive information on how to set up and use the plugin properly. They also provide access to tutorials and other valuable resources that make learning the plugin easier, making it more accessible and user-friendly.
Winner: It’s a Draw.
Results: WP Travel: 14, WP Travel Engine: 10
15. Support
If you encounter any issues while using a plugin, it’s important to know that you can always contact support for help. Both WP Travel Engine and WP Travel offer support options to their customers.
WP Travel Engine offers support through a ticketing system, and users can expect to receive a response within a few hours. This means that users can expect to receive a prompt resolution to any problems they may be experiencing. On the other hand, WP Travel used to provide support via a forum, but they have also transitioned to a ticketing system. It is not entirely clear how active their support is or how quickly they respond to queries.
However, based on customer reviews, it appears that both plugins actively provide support to their users.
In summary, both WP Travel Engine and WP Travel offer support options for their customers, WP Travel Engine offers support through a ticketing system with quick response time, WP Travel also moved to the ticketing system, but it’s not clear how active their support is, however, customer reviews indicate that both plugins actively provide support.
Winner: It can be difficult to determine a clear winner in this comparison as both plugins have their own strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, it would be fair to say that both WP Travel Engine and WP Travel have equal merits in this particular category or aspect. Giving one point to each plugin would be a fair assessment and acknowledges that both options have something to offer.
Results: WP Travel: 15, WP Travel Engine: 11
16. Pricing
Both WP Travel Engine and WP Travel offer similar value when it comes to pricing. Both have a free plan that is not basic and will help you to get started with your travel project. The paid plans for both start at $99 per year for one site.
However, when it comes to the next tier, WP Travel plans provide more value as they can be used for 5 sites instead of just one with WP Travel Engine, which starts at $199. The most expensive tier is also different for both options.
WP Travel Engine charges $299.50 per year for 10 sites, while WP Travel charges $599.99 per year for 25 sites. While WP Travel Engine plans may offer more features, both options are good choices for your travel project.
Winner: Both WP Travel Engine and WP Travel provide a good value for the features they offer.
Results: WP Travel: 16, WP Travel Engine: 12
17. Google Map Integration:
Both WP Travel Engine and WP Travel offer integration with Google Maps, allowing users to display location information and maps on their website. However, the specific implementation of this feature may vary between the two plugins.
For example, WP Travel Engine may offer more customization options for the maps, such as the ability to change the map’s style and add markers for specific locations. WP Travel may have more ready-made options for displaying maps, such as the ability to display maps on the destination pages.
It would be best to check the official website of each plugin, or check the plugin’s documentation for a more detailed comparison of the Google Maps integration feature. Additionally, you can also try the free version of the plugin or check the online reviews to see the real user experience.
Winner: Both options are strong contenders when it comes to integration with Google Maps, and it’s difficult to determine a clear winner as it largely depends on the specific needs and preferences of the user.
Results: WP Travel: 17, WP Travel Engine: 13
18. Support for coupons and discounts
Both WP Travel Engine and WP Travel offer support for coupons and discounts, allowing users to create and manage discounts and promotions for their customers. However, the specific implementation of this feature may vary between the two plugins.
For example, WP Travel Engine may offer more customization options for creating coupons, such as the ability to set specific dates for the coupon to be valid, and the ability to set usage limits for the coupon. WP Travel may have more ready-made options for creating discounts, such as the ability to create bulk discounts for certain destinations or activities.
It would be best to check the official website of each plugin, or check the plugin’s documentation for a more detailed comparison of the support for coupons and discounts feature. Additionally, you can also try the free version of the plugin or check the online reviews to see the real user experience.
Winner: It’s a Tie.
Results: WP Travel: 18, WP Travel Engine: 14
19. Email notification:
The WP Travel plugin provides a range of email notification features that allow users to set up and personalize automated email notifications to send to customers, administrators or other recipients.
The WP Travel Engine plugin also offers some useful features for sending out emails, such as setting the format and layout of the email message, as well as adding an optional link. However, there are some differences between the two plugins.
Both plugins offer a built-in feature that allows users to create custom emails with their own content. This is useful if users want to send more detailed information about travel deals or destinations than can be included in the standard template provided by either plugin.
Winner: It’s a Draw.
Results: WP Travel: 19, WP Travel Engine: 15
20. Trip facts:
WP Travel Engine and WP Travel are both WordPress plugins that allow users to create and manage travel itineraries, trip facts and bookings on their website. Both plugins offer similar features, such as creating and managing trips, allowing users to book trips, displaying trip information and itineraries, and integration with payment gateways.
In terms of Travel Trip Facts features, both WP Travel Engine and WP Travel offer features such as creating and managing trip itineraries, displaying trip information and itineraries, and integration with payment gateways.
However, WP Travel Engine has a customizable trip itineraries feature, option to sell group and individual trips and Availability calendar which is not present in WP Travel. On the other hand, WP Travel has Trip Types, Trip Enquiries and Packages selling feature which is not present in WP Travel Engine.
Many users have reported that the WP Travel plugin has better Trip facts than the WP Travel Engine plugin. The reason for this is that the WP Travel plugin was developed specifically to solve specific problems related to booking tours in travel websites.
Winner: It is difficult to say which plugin is the winner between WP Travel Engine and WP Travel when it comes to Trip Facts features, as both plugins offer similar features and customization options. Both plugins allow you to create and manage trips, display trip information and itineraries, and integrate with payment gateways.
Ultimately, it’s a draw between the two plugins as it depends on the user requirements and specific feature that user is looking for.
Results: WP Travel: 20, WP Travel Engine: 16
Advantages and Disadvantages of WP Travel Engine vs WP Travel
WP Travel Advantages and Disadvantages
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Easy to setup | Expensive |
| Passes both Rich Schema test and markup validator (SEO) | |
| Value for Money | |
| Many features to increase marketing and conversions | |
| Excellent payment gateway support | |
| Good user Experience |
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Easy to install | Deficiency in SEO Tests |
| Gutenberg and Elementor support | Lack of community |
| advanced search options | onboarding process isn’t available |
| Exceptional documentation | Limitations in Free Version |
WP Travel Advantages and Disadvantages
Which one is best for you?
Both WP Travel and WP Travel Engine are travel management plugins for WordPress that provide a wide range of features for travel business owners or agencies. Both plugins are designed to cater to the needs of travelers and provide them with valuable tools to improve their experience.
When it comes to evaluating the two plugins, WP Travel comes out as the winner due to its more extensive feature set. However, it’s important to keep in mind that WP Travel Engine is also a good option, offering a set of features that can be beneficial for travel businesses. However, it may not have as many features as WP Travel.
When deciding between the two plugins, it’s essential to consider the specific needs and requirements of your travel business. If your business can work with the features offered by WP Travel Engine, it may be the right choice for you. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a more comprehensive solution that covers everything from building a travel site to marketing and growing it, then WP Travel is a better option.
Ultimately, the decision between the two plugins depends on your specific needs and requirements. We would love to hear your thoughts and feedback on these fantastic travel plugins, please share your comments below.
