Booking sites compared · 2026
Booking.com vs Trip.com vs Agoda vs Expedia.Which one is actually best?
We compared all four platforms so you don't have to — coverage, loyalty programmes, cancellation and price-match terms, and where each one tends to be cheapest. Facts checked against the sites' own pages, October 2026.
Booking.com
28M+ reported listings worldwide
Trip.com
1.7M+ hotels, plus flights & trains
Expedia
3.6M+ properties, flights & packages
Side by side
Feature-by-feature comparison.
Everything you need to know, in one table. Scroll sideways on small screens.
| Feature | Booking.com | Trip.com | Agoda | Expedia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Listings | 28M+ listings | 1.7M+ hotels | 6M+ properties | 3.6M+ properties |
| Best for | Europe & flexible rates | Flights, trains & Asia | Asia & member deals | Packages & US |
| Loyalty programme | Genius (3 levels) | Trip.com Rewards (6 tiers) | AgodaVIP (5 tiers) | One Key (4 tiers) |
| Loyalty discount | Up to 20% at participating properties | 'Tier Deal' prices on selected hotels | Up to 25% on VIP-tagged rooms | Member Prices 10–20%+ on selected hotels |
| Price match | Yes | Trial — refund in Trip Coins | Yes | No (ended July 2026) |
| Free cancellation | Many rates; varies by property | Many rates; varies by property | Many rates; varies by property | Many rates; varies by property |
| Entry tier | Level 1 — free account | Silver — free account | Bronze — free account | Blue — free account |
| Mid tier | Level 2 — 5 bookings in 2 years | Platinum — 3 bookings in 12 months | Gold — 5+ bookings in 2 years | Gold — 15 trip elements a year |
| Top tier | Level 3 — 15 bookings in 2 years | Diamond — 8 bookings + US$1,000 in 12 months (invite-only tiers above) | Diamond — threshold not published | Platinum — 30 trip elements a year |
| Top-tier perks | Up to 20% off, breakfast & upgrades at selected stays, priority support | +100% Trip Coins, lounge visits, transfer upgrades | Best prices on hotels, flights & activities, priority support, free eSIM | 3% OneKeyCash (6% at VIP Access), upgrades where available |
| Rewards type | Instant discounts; levels never expire | Trip Coins (spend like cash) + tier deals | VIP discounts + AgodaCash credits | OneKeyCash across three brands |
| Payment | Pay now or at the property; cards, PayPal & more | Cards & local methods; pay at hotel on some rates | Pay now or later; cards, PayPal & more | Pay now or at the property; cards, PayPal & more |
| App | iOS + Android | iOS + Android | iOS + Android | iOS + Android |
| Customer support | 24/7, 40+ languages | Help centre & chat; phone varies by region | Help centre & chat; phone varies by region | Help centre & chat; phone varies by region |
| Often strongest in | Europe | Asia (flights & trains) | Southeast & East Asia | US & packages |
In depth
Each platform, up close.
Loyalty tiers, strengths and the trade-offs you should know before you book.
Booking.com
The world's largest accommodation platform, with more than 28 million reported listings, including 6.6 million+ homes and apartments. Known for a wide choice of free-cancellation rates, the three-level Genius programme (levels never expire) and deep coverage in Europe. Part of Booking Holdings (Nasdaq: BKNG), which also owns Agoda.
Genius — tier progression
- 1Level 1
Free account
10% off stays at participating properties (plus 10% off selected rental cars)
- 2Level 2
5 bookings in 2 years
10–15% off stays, plus free breakfast and room upgrades at selected properties
- 3Level 3
15 bookings in 2 years
10–20% off stays, free breakfast and upgrades at selected properties, priority support on all stays
Strengths
- Largest selection of any booking site (28M+ listings)
- Free-cancellation rates widely available (varies by property)
- Genius levels never expire once unlocked
- We Price Match: difference refunded if you find the same room cheaper (conditions apply)
- 24/7 customer support in 40+ languages
- Reviews only from guests who actually stayed
Trade-offs
- Genius discounts apply only at participating properties
- Often not the cheapest for hotels in Southeast Asia
- Default 'Top picks' ranking takes the commission a property pays into account
- Flights are sold through a partner (Etraveli) rather than in-house
Trip.com
The international brand of Trip.com Group (formerly Ctrip), one of the world's largest travel companies. Strong on flights, trains and multi-city itineraries, with 1.7M+ hotels and regular time-limited sale events. Trip.com Rewards has six tiers and pays out Trip Coins that you can spend like cash on the site.
Trip.com Rewards — tier progression
- 1Silver
Free account
Base Trip Coins on bookings; member 'Tier Deal' prices on selected hotels
- 2Gold
1 eligible booking
+20% Trip Coins on bookings
- 3Platinum
3 eligible bookings in 12 months
+50% Trip Coins, 1 airport lounge visit, eSIM data
- 4Diamond
8 eligible bookings and US$1,000 spend in 12 months
+100% Trip Coins, 2 lounge visits, airport transfer upgrades, train refund fee waivers
- 5Diamond+
US$10,000 spend in 12 months
+150% Trip Coins, 3 lounge visits, extra eSIMs and transfer upgrades
- 6Black Diamond
Invitation only (US$20,000+ a year)
+200% Trip Coins, 12 lounge visits, dedicated relations team
Strengths
- Strong flight search with multi-city support
- Trains, attractions and airport transfers bookable in the same account
- Regular sale events with steep discounts on selected hotels (limited quantities)
- Often competitive on hotels and flights within Asia
- Trip Coins earned on most bookings and spent like cash
- Hotel price match (trial): difference refunded in Trip Coins
Trade-offs
- Hotel inventory smaller than Booking.com or Agoda
- Member hotel discounts limited to selected 'Tier Deal' rooms
- Price match is a trial in some regions only, and pays out in Trip Coins, not cash
- Platinum and above must be re-earned every 12 months
Agoda
Singapore-headquartered and part of Booking Holdings since 2007, Agoda grew up in Southeast Asia and remains especially strong there and in Japan and Korea. It lists 6M+ hotels and holiday properties, runs frequent sale events, and offers AgodaVIP, a tiered programme that added a fifth tier, Diamond, in October 2025.
AgodaVIP — tier progression
- 1Bronze
Free account
Member prices and coupons; no VIP discount yet
- 2Silver
2+ bookings in 2 years
Up to 12% off VIP-tagged rooms
- 3Gold
5+ bookings in 2 years
Up to 18% off VIP-tagged rooms; early access to Mega Sales
- 4Platinum
10+ bookings in 2 years
Up to 25% off VIP-tagged rooms; free breakfast, upgrades or flexible cancellation at selected properties
- 5Diamond
Agoda's most frequent bookers (threshold not published)
Agoda's best prices on hotels, flights and activities, up to 25% off exclusive deals, priority support, free eSIM
Strengths
- Often very competitive in Southeast Asia, Japan and Korea
- Five-tier AgodaVIP with discounts of up to 25% on VIP-tagged rooms
- AgodaCash credits on selected bookings and promotions
- Best Price Guarantee on hotels: difference refunded as AgodaCash (conditions apply)
- Book now, pay later on many rates
- Flights, activities and flight + hotel bundles in the same account
Trade-offs
- VIP discounts apply only to rooms carrying the VIP badge, and the maximum is not always offered
- Prices are often shown before taxes and fees in search results
- VIP status must be renewed every 6 months by continuing to book
- Thinner coverage in Europe and the Americas than Booking.com
Expedia
One of the world's largest full-service travel sites, part of Expedia Group (which also owns Hotels.com and Vrbo). About 3.6 million properties including 2.4 million Vrbo holiday rentals, strong US coverage, flight + hotel packages, and the One Key rewards programme shared with Hotels.com and Vrbo in participating markets.
One Key — tier progression
- 1Blue
Free account
Member Prices (10%+ off) on 100,000+ hotels; 1% OneKeyCash on eligible non-flight bookings
- 2Silver
5 trip elements in a year
Silver Prices (15%+ off) on selected hotels; 2% OneKeyCash, 3% at VIP Access properties
- 3Gold
15 trip elements in a year
Gold Prices (20%+ off) on selected hotels; 2% OneKeyCash, 5% at VIP Access, with upgrades and late check-out where available
- 4Platinum
30 trip elements in a year
Highest earn rate: 3% OneKeyCash, 6% at VIP Access properties, plus all Gold perks
Strengths
- Flight + hotel packages can cost less than booking the parts separately
- One Key rewards shared across Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo
- Strong US and Americas coverage, including 2.4M Vrbo holiday rentals
- Member Prices from 10%+ off on 100,000+ hotels, just for signing in
- Pay now or pay at the property on many hotel rates
- Flight price tracking in the app
Trade-offs
- No hotel price guarantee since 28 July 2026
- OneKeyCash expires after 18 months without a booking or redemption
- Flights no longer earn base OneKeyCash (since July 2026)
- Smaller hotel selection than Booking.com, especially in Europe
- One Key only in participating markets; some member prices are app-only
Quick answers
Which should you use?
The right platform depends on where you're going and what you need.
Traveling to Europe?
Use Booking.com
Booking.com has the deepest European inventory, free-cancellation rates on many properties, and Genius discounts that apply automatically once you are signed in.
Go to Booking.com →
Booking flights in Asia?
Use Trip.com
Trip.com's flight and train search is strong on Asian routes and multi-city trips, and its sale events periodically discount selected hotels heavily — in limited quantities, so timing matters.
Go to Trip.com →
Cheap hotels in Asia?
Use Agoda
Agoda started in Southeast Asia and is often very competitive there and in Japan and Korea. AgodaVIP members get up to 25% off VIP-tagged rooms as they book more — still worth checking against the other three.
Go to Agoda →
US trip or flight + hotel package?
Use Expedia
Expedia's flight + hotel packages can beat booking separately, Member Prices start at 10%+ off just for signing in, and One Key rewards work across Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo.
Go to Expedia →
Want the absolute best price?
Use HotelCompare
Why guess? For each of our 200 curated hotels we show indicative prices from Booking.com, Trip.com, Agoda & Expedia side by side and highlight the lowest — then you confirm the live rate on the site you choose.
Compare now →
Our recommendation
The smartest approach? Compare all four.
That's exactly what HotelCompare does — indicative prices from Booking.com, Trip.com, Agoda & Expedia side by side, the lowest highlighted, and a direct link to confirm the live rate. No fees, no bias.
Compare prices now