Firefly Reservations and CampLife are both well-established names in campground management software. Both handle the core job - reservations, payments, site management - but they approach it differently in ways that matter depending on your park's size, budget, and priorities.
Here's an honest comparison to help you figure out which platform is the better fit.
CampLife uses a hybrid pricing model: a monthly subscription starting at $99/month plus a per-reservation transaction fee of approximately $3 per booking. This means your software cost scales with your booking volume.
Firefly charges a $3.50/per unit service fee for each new unit booked in a reservation, and $3.50 per month for ongoing reservations. They do not charge a marketplace fee. Firefly leaves it completely up to the park whether they would like to pass these fees onto the guests.
This is an area where CampLife has traditionally been strong. Their POS system integrates directly with the reservation platform, making it easy for parks with camp stores, activity rentals, or food service to manage everything in one place. If your park generates significant revenue from retail or ancillary services and you need a tightly integrated POS, CampLife's offering deserves a close look. Firefly also has a POS system included in the existing pricing. The POS system is streamlined, pairs well with barcode scanners, and can handle the needs of most parks. Their "favorites" feature and the ability to charge a POS purchase to an existing reservation are big hits.
Firefly's interface is consistently praised for being clean and intuitive. New staff members - including seasonal hires with no prior campground software experience - can typically get productive within a day. The learning curve is deliberately minimal.
CampLife's interface is functional but can feel more dated in comparison. It's capable software, but some operators report that it takes longer for new staff to get comfortable, particularly with the POS and back-office modules where there's more depth but also more complexity.
Both platforms offer online booking, but the guest-facing experience differs. Firefly's booking engine is built mobile-first with interactive site maps and a streamlined checkout process designed to minimize abandonment.
CampLife's online booking has improved over time, but some operators note that the guest-facing experience isn't as modern or conversion-optimized as newer competitors. For parks where online booking is the primary revenue driver, the booking engine's quality matters a lot.
Firefly provides US and Canada based support with direct access to team members who understand campground operations. Response times are consistently fast, even during peak season.
CampLife also offers support, though some operators have mentioned that response times can vary. Both vendors offer onboarding assistance for new customers, with Firefly typically providing more hands-on migration support.
Choose CampLife if: integrated POS is your top priority, you have a camp store or significant ancillary revenue, and you're comfortable with hybrid pricing.
Choose Firefly if: you want predictable pricing, you prioritize ease of use and staff training speed, and you want a modern online booking experience that converts. Firefly is also particularly strong for parks that are transitioning from manual systems and need a smooth onboarding process.
Want to compare them side by side? Schedule a demo with Firefly and see how it handles your specific park setup. Bring your toughest questions - we'll give you straight answers.