HolidayFox vs SmartPark

If you search “holiday park management software” or “campsite booking system”, SmartPark Bookings (smartparkbookings.co.uk) is often on the page. Sutton Coldfield, cloud, built for touring parks, caravan parks and holiday resorts. They sell the office: bookings, owners, fleet, alerts.

I run HolidayFox, so this is not a neutral page. SmartPark is a real park PMS. HolidayFox is a real PMS. The useful question is whether you need ground-rent invoicing and winterisation, or a book that answers the guest at 9pm on your own domain.

What SmartPark is, and what they do well

SmartPark is a multi-user cloud system. Website integration with a live availability calendar and a three-step booking flow. A customer area so guests pay deposits and change details without ringing the office.

Things SmartPark genuinely does well:

• •It is a real park PMS. Drag-and-drop availability calendar, group and rally bookings, automated emails and invoices.
• •Owner and fleet extras: ground rent, gas, metre readings, safety certification, drain-down / recommissioning, sales history. That is park operations, not a brochure calendar.
• •Alerts centre: arrivals, balances due, cleaning lists, late stays, certification due. Built for a staffed reception.
• •Quote by what you use and how many pitches. They do not publish a public price list (smartparkbookings.co.uk, checked 2026-09-11).

If your priority is “one cloud system for the hire fleet, the owners and the website calendar, and I will staff the evening phone,” SmartPark is a credible answer. We will not invent a cheaper per-pitch undercut.

What HolidayFox is, and where we are different

HolidayFox is a full PMS for independent stays: calendar, bookings, payments, guest messaging, self check-in, a daily agenda, a booking widget or hosted website, after-hours live chat, and Google Hotels.

Widget checkout is live on your domain (Stripe). Paying inside the chat thread is still rolling out. You do not need SmartPark for the diary. If you already have it for owners or fleet, iCal can sync — you do not have to.

• •Job to be done. Both put a book on the website. HolidayFox also answers after hours and lists you on Google Hotels. SmartPark’s extra is owner/fleet park ops.
• •Where checkout lives. SmartPark integrates a calendar and customer area into your site. HolidayFox takes card on your domain in the on-page widget.
• •How you pay. SmartPark: quoted subscription by pitches and modules. HolidayFox: free for the widget, or from £12.99/month for a full website plus 5% commission on bookings taken through HolidayFox.
• •Risk to try. No joining fee. Keep Pitchup via iCal. Cancel if it is not working.

Side by side

SmartPark pricing is not published; they quote by requirements and pitch mix (checked 2026-09-11). HolidayFox figures from holidayfox.com/en/partners, reviewed 2026-09-11.

Who each one is right for

• •• You run statics and owners and need ground rent, metres and drain-down in the same system as the hire diary.
• •• You want a quoted park-ops suite and a staffed reception chart.
• •You want one system for the diary, website checkout, after-hours live chat and Google Hotels.
• •You have a brochure site and guests still bounce to Pitchup after hours.
• •You want to pay when they book, not a pitch-count licence before anyone stays.

Talk to us

15 minutes with Hannah. She will show you the book. If you already run SmartPark you can keep it. You do not need it for the diary.

Frequently asked questions