ConvergePay vs ChargeAutomation: Which Fits Hospitality Payments?
ChargeAutomation vs ConvergePay is a comparison hospitality businesses run into because ChargeAutomation is a broader payment automation and guest experience platform that can connect to ConvergePay, from Elavon, as one of its supported gateways, while ConvergePay itself functions only as a payment gateway. Understanding the difference matters for hotels and vacation rentals deciding how much of their payment workflow to automate.
Key Takeaways
ChargeAutomation automates the full hospitality payment lifecycle, while ConvergePay functions as the underlying transaction gateway.
ChargeAutomation connects to 120 plus payment gateways, including options like ConvergePay, rather than requiring a single processor.
Security deposits through ChargeAutomation use a pre-authorization hold with automatic release, which a gateway alone does not typically provide.
OTA virtual credit card processing and guest ID verification are built into ChargeAutomation's flow, beyond what a payment gateway covers.
Properties using ConvergePay for processing may be able to add ChargeAutomation's hospitality automation layer without switching gateways.
What ChargeAutomation Covers as a Hospitality Payment Platform
ChargeAutomation automates the full payment lifecycle for hotels and vacation rentals, not just the transaction itself. That includes scheduling partial or full charges, retrying failed payments automatically, and processing OTA virtual credit cards, all connected to 120 plus payment gateways including options like ConvergePay.
Security deposits use a pre-authorization hold with a 30-day window that releases automatically after checkout, and guest verification with ID collection, selfie biometric matching and digital signature runs through the same online check-in flow. AI powered upselling is also built in, helping properties surface room upgrades and add-ons at the moment guests are most engaged.
pre-authorized security deposits with automatic release
OTA virtual credit card processing
guest ID and selfie verification
AI powered upselling
120 plus payment gateway support including ConvergePay
What ConvergePay Provides as a Payment Gateway
ConvergePay, from Elavon, functions as a payment gateway that processes card transactions for a business. It gives merchants, including hotels and vacation rental operators, a way to accept and process card payments through Elavon’s processing network.
As a gateway, ConvergePay handles the transaction layer rather than hospitality specific workflow logic like deposit auto-release or OTA virtual credit card handling. Businesses using ConvergePay directly typically manage those hospitality specific steps separately or manually.
ConvergePay as a payment gateway typically covers:
card transaction processing through Elavon
merchant account services
basic payment reporting
point of sale integration options
standard security compliance
How ChargeAutomation and ConvergePay Can Work Together
Because ChargeAutomation connects to 120 plus payment gateways, a hospitality business already using ConvergePay for processing does not necessarily need to switch gateways to add payment automation. ChargeAutomation can add the hospitality specific layer, deposit automation, OTA virtual credit card handling, guest verification, on top of the processing relationship already in place.
This matters for hotels that have an established merchant relationship and do not want to renegotiate processing terms just to get automated deposits or guest verification. The decision is less about choosing one over the other and more about whether a property needs the hospitality specific automation layer that a gateway alone does not provide.
Consider adding ChargeAutomation’s automation layer if your property needs:
automated security deposit collection and release
OTA virtual credit card processing
guest ID verification tied to check-in
AI powered upselling during arrival
payment automation without switching an existing gateway relationship
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ConvergePay better than ChargeAutomation for hotels?
ChargeAutomation addresses a different layer, hospitality specific payment automation, while ConvergePay functions as the underlying gateway that can process the transactions. Most hotels evaluating this decide based on how much of the payment lifecycle they want automated versus handled manually.
Can ChargeAutomation work with an existing ConvergePay account?
ChargeAutomation connects to 120 plus payment gateways, so hotels using ConvergePay may be able to add automation on top of their existing processing setup, subject to confirming compatibility.
Does ConvergePay handle security deposits for vacation rentals?
ConvergePay processes the transaction itself, but hospitality specific logic like automatic pre-authorization release for security deposits typically requires a dedicated automation layer like ChargeAutomation.
What are alternatives to ConvergePay for hotel payments?
Hotels evaluating alternatives to ConvergePay often look at broader payment automation platforms like ChargeAutomation, which connects to 120 plus gateways rather than being tied to a single processor.
Do I need to switch payment gateways to get automated hospitality payments?
Not necessarily. ChargeAutomation's broad gateway support is designed to let properties add automation without always requiring a full gateway switch, depending on which gateway is currently in use.
