WP Travel Engine vs WP Travel – 15 Features Compared

Picking the right travel booking plugin affects your entire business. The right plugin determines how you handle bookings, payments, and customer management. It affects how easily visitors find and book your tours.

For travel operators and agencies, this choice is critical.

A good plugin should help in converting browsers into buyers. It should help in ranking well on search engines like Google. It should automate boring and tedious tasks. Most importantly, it should help you grow without technical headaches.

The wrong plugin creates real problems. You might lose bookings due to payment issues. Your tours might not show up in Google searches. You could spend hours on tasks that should be automated.

We tested the top two solutions in the market – WP Travel Engine and WP Travel. Both plugins claim to solve these problems and have thousands of active users. But our testing revealed clear differences.

Our comparison covers 15 key categories.

We checked SEO performance, payment options, and marketing tools. We tested booking systems, search features, and customer experience. We also compared pricing, support, and ease of use.

By the end, you’ll know exactly which plugin works for your business. Let’s dive in.

Overview of WP Travel Engine

WP Travel Engine launched in 2017 as a complete tour booking solution. It’s now used by over 20,000 travel agencies worldwide. The plugin stands out for its strong focus on marketing and conversion features.

The pricing model is freemium. You can start with the free version for basic features. Premium features are available only as a bundled PRO package. Currently, it offers 40+ premium add-ons included in the PRO version.

The plugin natively supports 11 payment gateways including Stripe, PayPal, and RazorPay. Need more options? The WooCommerce integration add-on unlocks access to dozens of additional payment methods.

For themes, it works with most WordPress themes. WP Travel Engine also offers 11 themes built specifically for the plugin. These themes require zero configuration and are optimized for travel bookings.

Our initial impression:

• Unlimited itineraries, destinations, and pricing options
• Rich schema markup for better Google visibility
• Marketing tools like Analytics Dashboard, progress booking bars and social proof
• Advanced search with custom filters
• Upsell and cross-sell capabilities
• Elementor and Gutenberg page builder support
• Active Facebook community with regular support
• Continuous feature development with advance announcements and user feedback
• Supporting plugins available to simplify website building tasks
• Strong customer support through YouTube tutorials and documentation
• Showcases customer success stories and live websites for inspiration

Who it’s for:

WP Travel Engine works best for tour operators, travel agencies, and trekking companies. If you want growth-focused features alongside core booking functionality, this plugin delivers.

Overview of WP Travel

WP Travel was launched in 2018 by WEN Solutions and has 5,000+ active installations. The plugin provides solid booking management features but takes a lighter approach to marketing compared to WP Travel Engine.

Like its competitor, WP Travel offers both free and premium versions. The free version covers basic booking needs. Premium features come bundled as WP Travel Pro, which includes all 34+ modules. WEN Solutions also provides 13+ themes built specifically for the plugin.

One standout feature of WP Travel is its mobile capability. The plugin offers a Progressive Web App (PWA) that provides all desktop features in a mobile-friendly format. There’s also a dedicated Android app available.

The plugin supports 13 payment gateways through modules. This includes popular options like PayPal, Stripe, and regional gateways.

Our initial impression:

• Built-in booking system with timeline view
• Complete data reporting and analytics
• Multiple checkout – add multiple trips to the cart and checkout with a single payment
• MapQuest integration for location search using coordinates or text search
• Discount available on license renewal
• Progressive Web App (PWA) and Android app for mobile management
• Payment processing with partial payment support
• Limited community engagement compared to WP Travel Engine

Who it’s for

WP Travel suits agencies that want straightforward booking management. If you prioritize core features over advanced marketing tools, this plugin covers your needs. The mobile capabilities are ideal for owners who manage bookings remotely.

Quick Comparison: WP Travel Engine vs WP Travel

Before we dive into detailed category-by-category testing, here’s a side-by-side overview.

This table provides a detailed breakdown of all features available in both plugins. Use this as a quick reference to see which plugin offers the features you need.

We’ll explore many of these features in depth throughout the comparison.

WP Travel Engine vs WP Travel? – The Top 15 Comparison Features

Choosing between two plugins requires more than comparing feature lists. You need to understand how each plugin performs in real-world scenarios. Does it actually help you get bookings? Is it easy to manage daily operations? Will it help your business grow?

We tested both plugins extensively across 15 critical categories. Each category examines a different aspect of running a travel booking website. Some focus on technical capabilities like SEO and payment processing. Others evaluate user experience, support quality, and long-term value.

Here’s what we’ll compare:

1. Onboarding
2. Booking Management
3. Booking Flow
4. Theme Support
5. Search Engine Optimization
6. Payment Gateways
7. Conversions and Upsell Tool
8. Marketing
9. Advanced Search
10. Gutenberg and Elementor Support
11. User Experience
12. Automation
13. Support
14. Community
15. Price

For each category, we’ll show you what we tested, what we found, and which plugin wins. By the end, you’ll have a clear picture of which plugin fits your specific needs.

1. Setup and Onboarding

To see how easy it is for new users to get started, we installed both plugins on fresh WordPress sites. Our goal was to see which plugin better guides users through initial setup and ongoing learning.

WP Travel Engine Onboarding:

Upon activation, WP Travel Engine immediately launched an onboarding wizard. We proceeded through each step to assess the setup flow.

The wizard walked us through essential configurations in a logical sequence. First, we configured currency settings for pricing. Next, we set up email notifications for booking confirmations. The wizard then helped us create default pages including checkout, thank you, terms and conditions, and user dashboard pages.

During payment setup, we found the process straightforward. We could enable Book Now Pay Later and PayPal immediately without leaving the wizard. Additionally, the system recommended premium payment gateways we might need later.

What impressed us during testing was the ongoing guidance beyond initial setup.

Inside the WordPress dashboard, we discovered helpful resources at every step. These included tutorial videos, links to documentation, and FAQs. Notably, these guidelines showed us what we could do with the plugin without leaving the dashboard environment.

WP Travel Onboarding:

When we activated WP Travel, we encountered a similar onboarding experience. The plugin guided us through the same setup steps – currency, emails, pages, and payment options.

However, we noticed a big difference after finishing the setup. Unlike WP Travel Engine, WP Travel didn’t have help guides in the dashboard. To learn features or get help, we had to visit their website documentation. This meant extra steps when learning the plugin.

2. Booking Management

Before diving into this comparison, let’s clarify what we’re evaluating. This section focuses on how you, as an admin, manage bookings from your WordPress dashboard. We’re not discussing the customer-facing booking system here. Both plugins offer similar booking engines with multiple features, which we’ll cover in the next category.

Managing Bookings and Inquiries

To start, we examined how each plugin handles bookings and inquiries. Both plugins provide dedicated sections to view all bookings and inquiries. You can filter bookings by status for quick access in either plugin.

When we tested WP Travel Engine’s booking details page, we found it comprehensive. We could view complete traveler information and edit almost everything. This included adding travelers after booking, changing email addresses, and updating checkout details. The booking status could be changed with one click.

One feature that stood out was the payment link option. If a customer has a remaining payment, we could copy the payment link and send it directly. There’s also a button to instantly resend purchase receipts.

Next, we tested WP Travel and found the same core editing features. We could view full booking details and make necessary changes. However, the user interface feels less polished. Both plugins let you accomplish the same tasks, but WP Travel Engine presents information more clearly and intuitively.

Customer Relationship Management

We discovered WP Travel Engine includes a dedicated Customer section. This proved valuable for managing relationships.

We could see each customer’s order history, number of bookings, and personal details. Additionally, we could add/edit notes to track preferences or special requirements. This data helps with marketing efforts and rewarding loyal customers who book multiple trips.

In contrast, WP Travel lacks this dedicated customer management feature. During our testing, we couldn’t easily view a customer’s booking history or identify repeat customers. This makes it harder to run targeted marketing campaigns or reward loyal clients.

Email Communications

We then examined how each plugin handles email management.

WP Travel Engine’s email system is robust. Even in the free version, we found different email templates for bookings, payments, and account registration. These work for both admins and customers. Each template is customizable with dynamic placeholders.

The Pro version takes it further. During our test, we discovered you can customize emails per individual trip. This means different tours can have unique email communications.

When we tested WP Travel, we found it includes basic email management. It handles essential notifications but offers less customization. However, the Pro version adds MailChimp integration for email marketing. This helps with broader campaign management beyond transactional emails.

Additional Admin Tools

Finally, we looked at extra features that help manage your business. Both plugins offer some useful tools.

WP Travel Engine includes an upcoming tours section. This admin-only view shows all scheduled departures at a glance. During our testing, we found it helpful for planning and managing the tour calendar efficiently.

Meanwhile, WP Travel stands out with automatic invoice generation. It creates professional, branded invoices for each booking. This streamlines your billing process without manual work. Note that this is available only in the pro version.

One thing both plugins lack is dedicated cancellation and refund features. You’ll need to manage these processes manually through the booking editing system.

3. Booking Flow (Customer Booking Experience)

The journey from viewing a tour to completing payment should be simple. Complicated booking processes lose customers. We tested how both plugins handle this complete flow.

WP Travel Engine:

We started by looking at the trip page layout. The plugin displays packages clearly with descriptions, itineraries, includes and excludes, maps, and FAQs. All the information travelers need is organized well.

When we clicked the “Check Availability” button, a pop-up modal appeared.

We could select dates from a calendar. In the free version, it shows all dates. However, if you want to set specific dates or block dates when you don’t operate tours, you need the Trip Fixed Starting Dates addon.

With this addon, we could set any dates we wanted and block certain dates. It also helped us set capacity sizes for specific dates. When using this addon, dates appear in two ways – in the pop-up modal and in a list style on the trip page with details.

For different prices on different dates, we used the Conditional Pricing addon. This worked great for single-day tours or seasonal pricing for multi-day tours.

We also tested the Waitlist addon when a tour sold out. It captured the interest of travelers who wanted to join when spots opened up. This helps you not lose potential customers.

We could also create multiple packages for the same trip, such as budget-friendly, luxury, and solo options. On the trip page, travelers could also see weather forecasts and use the currency converter.

Booking Flow:

To book a trip, customers click the “Check Availability” button. From the modal, we selected the date, package type, and number of travelers. In the same modal, we could choose additional services such as accommodation, rentals, or extras. Then, it tooks us to the checkout page.

While looking into the checkout configuration, we found three ways to handle checkout.

• Use the default WP Travel Engine checkout
• Add a custom booking link (like redirecting to WhatsApp)
• Integrate with WeTravel

Each method affects the payment process differently.

The default checkout process felt simple and straightforward. At the top, we saw a progress bar showing how many steps travelers need to complete. This helped customers know where they were in the process.

During checkout, travelers could add more services like pickup points and travel insurance. We could also customize the checkout form to collect all travelers’ information, just one person’s details, or none (billing details are always required).

WP Travel Engine provides 11+ payment options. We could add payment partners based on our needs. Partial payment is also available – we could set it as a percentage or a fixed amount. On the right side of the checkout page, we saw a clear breakdown of the total payment amount.

Beyond the customer-facing experience, we also checked how easy it was to configure all these features. This included setting up trip descriptions and date options, adding addon services, enabling payment methods and more.

In some cases, we found it tricky, but the documentation helped us. To set up everything, we needed to configure in two places. First, the main settings area for most global settings. Second, individual trip pages for unique settings per trip or to override global settings.

WP Travel:

When we tested WP Travel, we found a similar experience for trip pages. It shows packages in a similar format – overview, itinerary, cost includes and excludes, FAQs.

We noticed how they show itineraries. WP Travel displays them in two styles: timeline and list (same as WP Travel Engine).

Unlike WP Travel Engine’s pop-up modal, WP Travel shows departure dates directly on the trip page.

In the free version, you can either use the basic calendar or add a list of dates. What we found interesting is that they have included the fixed departure date feature in the free version. This feature is available only in the Pro version of WP Travel Engine.

We could set any departure dates we wanted or leave the whole calendar as bookable. However, for capacity management for each date, you need to upgrade to Pro.

All the additional services are shown on the same page. When we selected a date, we got options to choose the number of travelers and additional services like accommodation, pickup points, and other upsells.

WP Travel also offers features such as multiple currencies, a travel guide, and multiple carts.

With multiple carts, we could buy multiple trips at once – just like shopping in an e-commerce store. Another unique feature WP Travel offers is wishlist and Google Calendar integration.

Booking Flow:

To buy a trip, we clicked the “Book Now” button. Then we chose the date and package type (budget-friendly, solo, etc.). We selected the number of travelers and any extra services. Then we clicked “Book Now” again, and it took us to the checkout page.

While looking into the checkout configuration, we found two ways to handle checkout.

• Default WP Travel checkout
• On-page booking option.

If we selected on-page booking, a pop-up modal appeared (similar to WP Travel Engine). The entire process of filling out forms and making payments happened in the same modal.

WP Travel also provides multiple payment options. The free version includes partial payment, which is great for free users. We liked that we could either select the default payment method or show only the payment methods we wanted.

Similar to WP Travel Engine, we also checked how easy it was to configure all these features.

In some cases, we found it challenging to configure, but their documentation also helped us.

WP Travel Setup works the same way – configure in two places: the main settings area for global settings, and individual trip pages for unique settings per trip.

4. Theme Support

To run a travel website in WordPress, you need a theme that works seamlessly with your plugin. We evaluated both plugins to see how they handle theme compatibility and what options they provide.

Both WP Travel Engine and WP Travel work with most WordPress themes. We tried both plugins with several popular themes and found they required only minimal modifications to work properly.

However, for the best experience, both plugins offer native themes. These are designed specifically to work with their respective features without any setup hassle.

Our comparison revealed that WP Travel provides 13+ native themes developed by their parent company, WEN. Meanwhile, WP Travel Engine offers 11 native themes. At first glance, WP Travel has more options.

However, as we dug deeper into the numbers, quantity doesn’t tell the whole story.

Our research showed interesting adoption patterns. WP Travel Engine’s theme, Travel Monster, has over 4,000 active installations and maintains an excellent five-star rating. In contrast, WP Travel’s native themes typically have just 100-200 active installations each.

Next, we explored third-party theme availability. WP Travel Engine works with many themes built by various companies. We found numerous options at https://wptravelengine.com/wordpress-travel-themes/, with more being developed regularly.

Additionally, many themes built for WP Travel Engine are available on ThemeForest. This gives you plenty of choices beyond the native options.

In comparison, WP Travel has fewer third-party themes built specifically for it.

5. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

For any online business, reaching your audience organically through search engines is crucial. One key factor that influences search visibility is structured data, also known as schema markup.

What is Schema Markup?

Schema markup is code that helps search engines understand your website content better. It provides additional context about your pages, making it easier for Google to display rich, enhanced results in search listings.

For travel websites, proper schema implementation can showcase tour prices, ratings, availability, and other key details directly in search results. This increased visibility can significantly improve click-through rates and attract more potential customers.

To evaluate how well both plugins handle SEO, we’ll run two important tests: Rich Schema Test and Schema Markup Validator Test.

Rich Schema Test

The Rich Schema Test is a Google tool that validates whether your website’s structured data is properly implemented. This test determines if your site qualifies to appear as rich results in Google search.

For the test, we analyzed tour pages from each plugin’s official theme demo.

Test Results

WP Travel Engine passes the test successfully. The test detects multiple schema types:

• Product snippets – Displays pricing, ratings, and availability in search results
• Merchant Listings – Shows business information and trust signals
• Breadcrumbs – Displays site navigation path in search results
• FAQ schema – Shows common questions directly in search results

WP Travel shows only Breadcrumbs with no other structured data detected. Additionally, the test displays an “unnamed item” marked as invalid, making it ineligible for Google’s rich results.

Schema Markup Validator Test

The Schema Markup Validator Test checks whether your structured data is technically correct and error-free. While the Rich Schema Test focuses on eligibility for rich results, this validator ensures your schema code is properly formatted and functional.

For this test, we used the same tour pages from each plugin’s demo.

Test Results

Both WP Travel Engine and WP Travel pass the validator test with no critical errors.

However, the depth and detail of their schema implementation differ significantly. WP Travel Engine provides more comprehensive structured data, offering search engines richer information about tours. WP Travel’s schema, while valid, is more basic with fewer details.

Check out the comparison screenshots below to see the difference in schema depth:

SEO Plugin Compatibility

Beyond schema markup, integration with SEO plugins matters too.

Both WP Travel Engine and WP Travel work well with popular tools like Yoast SEO and RankMath. You can optimize meta titles, descriptions, and other SEO elements of your tour pages without conflicts.

6. Payment Gateways

Payment gateways are critical for service-based travel sites. They can make or break your booking process. A customer ready to book won’t wait if their payment method isn’t available. We tested both plugins to see how they handle this feature.

What’s Available in Free Versions

Both plugins include basic payment options without upgrading to Pro.

WP Travel Engine Free:

• Book Now Pay Later
• PayPal Standard
• Direct Bank Transfer
• Check Payments
• Tax settings
• Debug mode with sandbox accounts for testing

Setting up PayPal is straightforward. Just paste your PayPal ID. You’re ready to accept payments.

WP Travel Free:

• PayPal Standard
• Bank Deposit
• Tax options
• Partial payment feature

One standout feature of WP Travel is that it includes partial payment in the free version. Customers can pay a deposit up front and the rest later. WP Travel Engine locks this behind the Pro version.

PayPal setup is equally simple. Add your PayPal email and start accepting bookings.

Premium Payment Gateway Options

Both plugins offer extensive payment gateway support through their Pro versions.

WP Travel Engine Pro:

11 native payment gateways, including:

1. Stripe
2. PayPal Express Checkout
3. PayU Money
4. Midtrans
5. Authorize Net
6. PayHere
7. Himalayan Bank
8. WooCommerce
9. RazorPay
10. PayFast
11. PayU Biz

Additional features:

• WeTravel Integration for custom booking URLs
• Booking fee add-on to cover processing costs
• WooCommerce integration unlocking 78+ more payment gateways

This WooCommerce integration is significant. It gives you access to almost any payment method customers might need. This includes Apple Pay and regional options like Alipay or Klarna.

WP Travel Pro:

13 native payment gateways, including:

1. PayPal Express Checkout
2. Stripe
3. Stripe iDEAL Checkout
4. Squareup Checkout
5. Khalti Checkout
6. Authorize Net
7. Instamojo Payment Module
8. PayU Latam Checkout
9. PayU Checkout
10. Paystack Checkout
11. PayHere
12. PayFast Checkout
13. Razorpay

Covers major markets plus specific regional gateways.

Setup Process

We tested setting up multiple gateways on both platforms. The process is similar for both.

Some gateways are simple to set up. Others need more technical details. This depends on how the payment provider works, not the plugin itself.

For example, Stripe needs API keys from your Stripe account. RazorPay needs a Key ID and Secret Key. Both plugins handle these the same way.

The good news is that both provide documentation for each gateway. WP Travel Engine includes video tutorials for most payment add-ons. This makes setup easier for non-technical users.

Regional Coverage

Both plugins cover major payment markets well. You’ll find options for:

• North America (PayPal, Stripe, Authorize.Net)
• Europe (Stripe, PayPal)
• Asia (RazorPay, PayU, Khalti)
• Latin America (PayU Latam)
• Africa (Paystack)

WP Travel Engine’s WooCommerce integration extends this coverage. If you serve international customers, access to 78+ gateways becomes valuable.

7. Conversion & Upsell Tools

Converting visitors into paying customers is only half the battle. The other half is maximizing revenue per booking. We tested both plugins to see what tools they offer for boosting conversions and increasing order values.

First, we tested the Conversion features offered by both plugins. We set up demo tours on both platforms to see what conversion tools are available at checkout.

WP Travel Engine:

When we created a test tour, we found four conversion features:

• Progress Booking Bar – As we went through checkout, a progress bar showed each step. This visual indicator reduces abandonment by showing customers exactly where they are in the process.
• Social Proof (Pro) – We enabled this feature, and it displayed recent bookings on tour pages. Messages like “John from Australia just booked this tour” appeared. This builds trust by showing active interest.
• Trip Timer Countdown (Pro) – For tours with fixed departure dates, a countdown timer appeared. “Only 5 days left to book” creates urgency without being pushy.
• Trip Reviews – Customer testimonials and star ratings displayed prominently. We could moderate and respond to reviews.

WP Travel:

When we tested WP Travel, we found fewer conversion-focused features:

• Trip Reviews – Similar review system with ratings and testimonials. Works well for building trust.
• Coupon Codes – We could create discount codes to incentivize bookings. Useful for promotions.

We didn’t find progress bars, social proof notifications, or countdown timers. The checkout process was functional but lacked psychological triggers.

Then, we tested the Upsell features provided by both plugins. Most of the features were available only in the premium version.

For this, we added various extras to see how each plugin handles revenue add-ons.

WP Travel Engine:

During our test booking, we added multiple upsell options:

• Group Discounts – We set tiered pricing for groups. 5+ people got 10% off, 10+ got 15% off.
• Accommodations (Pro) – We added three hotel tiers: budget, standard, and luxury. Each appeared as a checkbox during booking.
• Extra Services (Pro) – We created options for porter service, equipment rental, and meals. All integrated smoothly into checkout.
• Travel Insurance (Pro) – A simple checkbox lets customers add trip protection. We could set the insurance fee as a percentage or flat rate.

All these appeared in one checkout flow. Customers could customize their package without confusion.

WP Travel:

We tested WP Travel’s upsell options:

• Group Discount (Pro) – Similar tiered pricing system. Worked well for group bookings.
• Travel Guide (Pro) – We could add guide services as an option.
• Tour Extras (FREE) – This surprised us. Even the free version lets you add extras. We created meal plans and equipment rentals easily.
• Coupon Codes – Discount functionality for promotions.

Tour Extras being free is a nice touch. However, we couldn’t add accommodations or insurance as integrated options.

Real-World Impact

We created identical $1,000 trek packages on both platforms:

WP Travel Engine test:

• Customer added accommodation (+$300)
• Added travel insurance (+$75)
• Added porter service (+$150)
• Final booking: $1,525

WP Travel test:

• Customer added tour extras (+$200)
• Applied coupon (-$50)
• Final booking: $1,150

Both increased revenue, but WP Travel Engine’s options created higher-value bookings.

8. Marketing & Analytics

Running a successful travel business means more than just having great tours. You need to attract customers, track what’s working, and make smart decisions based on data. Marketing tools help you reach new audiences, while analytics show you which efforts pay off.

To evaluate these capabilities, we tested both plugins to see what marketing features and business insights they offer.

WP Travel Engine:

To start, we examined the lead generation capabilities. WP Travel Engine provides three distinct features for capturing leads and promoting tours:

• Trip Embedder lets you showcase tours on external websites. It generates a shortcode that displays trip details, pricing, and booking buttons on blogs or partner sites. As a result, this extends your reach beyond your main website.
• File Download gates valuable content behind email signups. Visitors provide their email to download packing lists, travel guides, or trip information. Consequently, this builds your email list while offering useful resources to potential customers.
• Itinerary Downloader creates professional PDF brochures automatically. Visitors can download complete tour information to share or review offline, eliminating the need for manual brochure creation.

Moving beyond lead generation, WP Travel Engine’s Pro version includes SliceWP Integration for affiliate programs. Travel bloggers and partners can promote your tours with unique tracking links. When they generate sales, they earn commissions you define. Notably, the system tracks everything automatically, showing which affiliates drive the most revenue.

One standout feature of WP Travel Engine is its comprehensive Analytics Dashboard. The free version includes a basic analytics dashboard that shows total trips, destinations, activities, trip types, and customer counts. While this is good for an inventory overview, it provides limited financial insights.

However, the Pro version significantly enhances this with Advanced Analytics, featuring comprehensive business data:

• Best-selling trips and highest revenue trips
• Average booking value and revenue trends
• Performance breakdown by destinations, activities, and trip types
• Addon-specific data (accommodation and extra services revenue)

This depth of analysis reveals which tours generate the most profit, which upsells customers prefer, and where to focus your marketing efforts.

WP Travel:

In comparison, WP Travel offers a more streamlined approach with two lead generation features in its standard package:

• Itinerary Downloader creates PDF brochures automatically, similar to WP Travel Engine. Visitors can download and share tour information easily.
• File Download captures leads through gated content. The email signup process works smoothly for building contact lists.

Additionally, the Pro version includes MailChimp Integration, which is particularly valuable for email-focused agencies. New bookings automatically sync to your MailChimp lists, eliminating manual exports and enabling automated email campaigns.

However, WP Travel doesn’t include affiliate program features, so agencies must rely on manual tracking or external tools to manage referrals.

Regarding analytics, the free version provides basic reporting with key business metrics:

• Total Bookings, Earnings, and Customers
• Total Cancelled Bookings
• Best Selling Trip and Highest Revenue Trip
• Best Destination and Top Revenue Destination

While this covers essential performance indicators and is more business-focused than WP Travel Engine’s free analytics, it lacks the depth of detailed breakdowns by categories or addon performance. Furthermore, there’s no pro analytics upgrade available.

9. User Experience

How easily can visitors browse tours and complete bookings? We evaluated the practical features that impact daily use for both site owners and their customers.

WP Travel Engine:

During our evaluation, we found WP Travel Engine includes several features that enhance the booking experience.

Currency Converter: The plugin includes currency conversion, allowing international visitors to view prices in their preferred currency. We tested this with multiple currencies. It worked smoothly, making it easier for travelers from different countries to understand pricing.

Weather Forecast: When we set up tour pages, we noticed the weather forecast integration. This feature displays weather conditions for travel dates.

Advanced Itinerary Builder: We created several sample itineraries and found the builder impressive. It lets you add detailed information for each day, including accommodation details, meal plans, duration, image galleries, and altitude charts. The interface made it easy to organize complex multi-day tours with all the information travelers need.

Form Editor: We customized booking forms using the Form Editor add-on. This feature lets you modify fields according to your requirements.

User Dashboard with Social Login: Customers get a dashboard where they can view bookings, download itineraries, and manage profiles. We also set up social login, which lets customers sign in using their Google or Facebook accounts. This removes the hassle of creating another username and password, making signup faster.

WP Travel:

When we looked at WP Travel’s user experience features, we found a different approach.

Currency Converter: Like WP Travel Engine, WP Travel includes currency conversion. We tested it with various currencies and found it works well for international audiences.

Wishlists: Visitors can save tours they’re interested in. This feature helps potential customers bookmark trips and return later to complete bookings. We added several tours to a wishlist and found the process straightforward.

PWA Mobile App: One area where WP Travel truly stands out is mobile management. The plugin offers a Progressive Web App (PWA) that provides all desktop features in a mobile-friendly format. There’s also a dedicated Android app available.

We tried managing bookings through the mobile interface. For owners who need to manage their business on the go, this is genuinely valuable. You can check bookings, update trip details, and respond to inquiries from your phone without being tied to a desktop.

WP Travel Engine doesn’t currently offer dedicated mobile apps for site management.

Standard Itinerary Builder: When we built itineraries in WP Travel, we found it functional with a nice timeline view. However, it doesn’t offer the same depth of customization as WP Travel Engine. You can add essential information, but adding extras like accommodation specifics or altitude charts isn’t as straightforward.

User Dashboard: Customers get a dashboard to manage their bookings. However, it requires traditional email and password registration without social login options.

10. Automation

Managing a travel business means handling many repetitive tasks. We explored how both plugins help automate these processes.

WP Travel Engine:

When we explored WP Travel Engine’s automation capabilities, we found two main features.

Zapier Integration

We set up Zapier connections to test how the plugin integrates with third-party tools.

Zapier lets you connect your travel website with thousands of apps. For example, you can automatically add new bookings to Google Sheets, send notifications to Slack, or update your CRM when someone books a tour.

The setup process was straightforward.

Advanced Email Automator

This add-on stood out during our testing. It sends emails automatically based on customer actions. We set up several email triggers:

• When a new trip is booked – sends confirmation emails
• After a trip ends – requests reviews or feedback
• When an enquiry form is submitted – sends follow-up information
• When a review is submitted – thanks customers
• If a booking stays in pending status – sends payment reminders

We created custom email templates for each trigger. The system worked smoothly, sending emails at the right time without manual intervention. This keeps customers informed and engaged throughout their journey.

WP Travel:

When we checked WP Travel’s automation features, we found several options.

Zapier Integration

Like WP Travel Engine, WP Travel supports Zapier. We tested connections with various apps and found it works well. You can automate tasks by connecting your site to other tools you use.

MailChimp Integration

As we mentioned in the Marketing section, the Pro version includes MailChimp integration. New bookings automatically sync to your MailChimp lists. This helps with email marketing campaigns.

Payment Reminder Email

This feature sends automated reminder emails to customers who made partial payments. When the trip date approaches, the system sends an email containing the trip name, departure date, amount paid, remaining balance, and a secure payment link. This helps you follow up with customers without manual tracking.

11. Advanced Search

Visitors don’t browse through every tour package on your site. They come looking for something specific – a trek to Everest, a beach tour in Bali, or a family trip under $1,000. They use a search filter to find it.

If your search filter works well, they find their tour and might book it. But if your search filter makes it hard to find even tours you actually offer, you just lost a potential booking. That’s why we tested how both plugins handle search.

WP Travel Engine:

We started by checking the search features in WP Travel Engine’s free version. What we found impressed us.

Search Block Features: The plugin provides an advanced filter that can be added to any page using Gutenberg blocks. When we checked the settings, we found many filter options, including destination, activities, trip types, duration, price, and more.

We could turn any of these options on or off from a dedicated settings page. This made customization simple. We could also use filters on the search page or filter by sections. The setup process was straightforward.

Listing Pages: Next, we checked the archive pages for destinations, trip types, and activities. These pages showed all tour packages with excellent filtering options.

When we looked at the listing page design, we noticed a clean, professional layout. The left sidebar had collapsible filter sections for destination, price (with a slider), duration (with a slider), activities, and trip types. Each filter showed how many tours were available. At the top, we found a “Clear all” button to remove filters quickly.

The tour cards showed large, attractive images with discount badges, wishlist icons, and detailed information. Each card had the tour title, description, location, group size, duration, pricing (including savings), next departure dates with availability, and a “View Details” button. A calendar showed which months had tours available.

We also tested the sorting options. A dropdown lets us organize tours by recently added, top rated, lowest price first, highest price first, or alphabetically. We could switch between list and grid views with one click. The entire interface felt polished and modern, similar to professional shopping sites.

WP Travel:

When we tested WP Travel’s free version, we found it also lets you add trip search to pages using Gutenberg Blocks. However, the features were more limited.

Search Block Features: The free version had only three filter options- keyword search, trip type, and location. We didn’t find price filtering or other advanced options. We could turn these three filters on or off, but the settings were only in the block sidebar when editing a page. There was no dedicated settings page like WP Travel Engine had.

Listing Pages: WP Travel also has archive pages for activities, destinations, and trip types. When we viewed these pages, the layout felt less polished compared to WP Travel Engine.

The top section had horizontal dropdown filters for Price, Trip Type, location, Trip date, and Trip Name, along with a “Show” button. The right sidebar had more filters, including keyword search, trip type, location, price range slider, and trip duration date fields.

The tour cards showed smaller images with star ratings and basic information. Each listing had the tour name, a brief description, date, location, group size, and an “Explore” button. The design was functional but simpler, with less visual polish and fewer details at first glance.

Pro Version: We found that WP Travel’s Pro version has Custom Filters. This gives the same advanced features as WP Travel Engine’s free version. With the Pro upgrade, the listing pages and filter options match what WP Travel Engine offers without extra cost.

12. Gutenberg and Elementor Support

Building your travel website should be easy, even without coding skills. Page builders like Gutenberg and Elementor let you design pages by dragging and dropping elements. We checked how both plugins work with these popular tools and what features they provide.

WP Travel Engine:

Gutenberg Blocks: When we installed WP Travel Engine, we found Gutenberg blocks already included in the core plugin. We didn’t need to install any extra plugin to start using blocks. This made the setup simpler.

The plugin offers various blocks with settings and layout options. You can use blocks to add trip destinations, trip activities, trip search and more to any page. They work the same way as the default Destination and Activities pages.

We also tested building tour pages and found blocks for almost everything: Trip Booking, Trip Duration, Highlights, Descriptions, and more. But to design and use the blocks, you need to use an FSE (Full Site Editing) theme. Each block comes with different layout options, all available in the free version.

However, we noticed this might confuse beginners. There are many blocks and options. You’ll need to read their documentation to understand how everything works together.

Elementor Widgets: For Elementor users, WP Travel Engine provides two separate plugins. Free and Pro one.

The free plugin is called “WP Travel Engine – Elementor Widgets.”

When we installed it, we found over 20 Elementor widgets, including trip accordion, trip models, trip slider, and trip tabs. Each widget came with different layouts and customization options. We built several pages and found the free version quite powerful for getting started with Elementor.

For more professional and unique designs, WP Travel Engine also offers a pro version called “Pattern Engine.”

This gives you 10+ additional Elementor widgets with unique design patterns. We should mention that you need to buy this separately – it’s not included in WP Travel Engine’s bundle pricing plans.

WP Travel:

Gutenberg Blocks: When we tried using Gutenberg blocks with WP Travel, we discovered we needed to install a separate plugin called “WP Travel Gutenberg blocks.” Without installing and activating this plugin, we couldn’t use any blocks.

Even the trip search feature we mentioned in the Advanced Search section requires this plugin.

Once we installed it, the plugin offered many blocks like trip search, trip highlights, and trip infos. It also works with FSE themes for building complete tour pages.

Elementor Widgets: WP Travel provides one free plugin called “WT Widget for Elementor.” When we tested it, we found several Elementor widgets, including trip filter, related trips, trip maps, trip gallery, and trip review forms.

During our testing, we noticed that WP Travel Engine’s free Elementor plugin offers more widgets and options compared to WP Travel’s free version. WP Travel doesn’t have a pro version for additional Elementor features.

13. Support

Even the best plugin becomes frustrating without good support.

You’ll hit roadblocks during setup. Features won’t work as expected. Urgent issues will pop up right before peak booking season. How quickly and effectively support responds directly impacts your business.

We evaluated both plugins’ support systems to see how they handle real user problems.

Support Channels Available

Both WP Travel Engine and WP Travel provide support through multiple channels. You can reach them via live chat, email, or Facebook. Both use ticketing systems to organize and track requests.

Both also provide self-help resources. Documentation covers setup and features. Video tutorials walk through common tasks. These resources help with basic questions.

What We Found About WP Travel Engine Support

We didn’t rely on company claims here. Instead, we looked at actual user feedback on the WordPress repository.

The numbers are striking. WP Travel Engine has 514 total reviews. Of these, 497 are five-star ratings. That’s 97% of users giving the highest possible rating.

More importantly, we read through hundreds of these reviews. A clear pattern emerged. Most reviews specifically mention the support team. Users repeatedly praise response speed and problem resolution.

Common themes include:

• Issues resolved within a matter of minutes
• Guided me step-by-step until my issue was solved
• Help goes beyond basic answers to actual solutions
• Team assists with complex setup questions

This consistent feedback across years of reviews indicates reliable, quality support.

What We Found About WP Travel Support

WP Travel has 158 total reviews on the WordPress repository. The support system uses the same channels – ticketing, email, and chat.

The smaller review volume makes patterns harder to identify. But the feedback doesn’t show the same consistent praise for support quality that WP Travel Engine receives.

14. Community

Before we wrap up with pricing, let’s look at an often-overlooked factor: community support.

A strong community can make a huge difference when using a plugin. You get faster answers, real-world tips, and a sense of being part of something bigger. Both plugins have Facebook communities, but we found their approaches and engagement levels differ significantly.

WP Travel Engine Community

WP Travel Engine has built an active Facebook community with over 2,200 members. The group serves multiple purposes beyond basic support.

Users can ask questions and get help from other members. If you’re experienced, you can contribute by helping newcomers. The core support team actively participates, answering technical questions directly.

What makes this community valuable is how WP Travel Engine uses it strategically. They announce new features before release and gather user feedback. They share product updates and development progress regularly. Users can see what’s coming and provide input early. This gives users real influence over the product’s direction.

WP Travel Community

WP Travel joined the Facebook community building much later. Their group has 336 members, reflecting this late start.

The community covers basic needs. Users can ask questions and get support. However, the engagement level is lower compared to WP Travel Engine.

The group lacks the strategic use seen in WP Travel Engine’s community. There’s less interaction around new features, roadmap discussions, or early feedback opportunities. It functions primarily as a support channel rather than a collaborative space..

15. Price

We’ve reached the final comparison category. Price often determines which plugin businesses choose, regardless of features. Let’s break down both pricing strategies and see which offers better value.

WP Travel Pricing

WP Travel offers straightforward pricing with monthly or yearly options. They provide three tiers based solely on the number of sites you need.

Monthly Plans	Yearly Plans
Personal (1 site): $8/month	Personal (1 site): $99/year
Plus (5 sites): $16/month	Plus (5 sites): $199/year
Expert (25 sites): $49/month	Expert (25 sites): $599/year

One standout benefit: 25% discount on all renewals after the first year.

What You Get:

Here’s the key advantage, all plans include the same features. You get all 30+ Pro modules regardless of which plan you choose. The only difference is the number of sites. This means even at $99/year, you have access to every feature WP Travel offers.

WP Travel Engine Pricing

WP Travel Engine takes a different approach with annual or lifetime payment options. They offer four specialized tiers with different feature sets.

Annual Plans (billed yearly):	Lifetime Plans (one-time payment):
Personal Plan (1 site): $12/month ($144/year)	Personal Plan (1 site): $1,499
Growth Plan (1 site): $25/month ($300/year)	Growth Plan (1 site): $799
Travel Agency Plan (1 site): $29/month ($348/year)	Travel Agency Plan (1 site): $1,199
Development Company Plan (10 sites): $49/month ($588/year)	Development Company Plan (10 sites): $2,499

No renewal discounts are offered.

What You Get:

Unlike WP Travel, features are distributed across plans. WP Travel Engine offers 42 premium add-ons, but access depends on your plan tier.

• Personal Plan: 9/42 add-ons
• Growth Plan: 18/42 add-ons
• Travel Agency Plan: 42/42 add-ons
• Development Company Plan: 42/42 add-ons for 10 sites

To access all features, you need the Travel Agency plan at minimum ($348/year).

The Bottom Line

For new travel businesses and budget-conscious operators, WP Travel offers exceptional value. You get complete functionality at a fraction of the cost. You get complete functionality at a lower entry cost.

WP Travel Engine costs more upfront. But consider what you get for that price. Features like advanced SEO help more people find your tours. Customer tracking helps you identify repeat buyers. Conversion tools turn more visitors into bookings.

If these features generate even a few extra bookings per year, they pay for themselves. The higher price becomes an investment in growth, not just an expense.

WP Travel Engine vs WP Travel Pros and Cons

WP Travel Engine Pros and Cons

WP Travel Pros and Cons

How to make the right choice?

WP Travel Engine and WP Travel are both excellent travel plugins. They offer a wide range of features for travel business owners or agencies who want to solve travelers’ pain points and provide them with valuable tools.

If you look at our score, there is a clear winner: WP Travel Engine. However, that doesn’t mean WP Travel is terrible. WP Travel also has a good set of features, but lacks in some departments.

If your travel business can work with what WP Travel offers, you can choose it over WP Travel Engine. But, if you’re looking for a complete package that takes care of building a travel site, marketing and growing it, then WP Travel Engine is the right choice.

So, what is your opinion on each of these fantastic travel plugins? Comment below and let us know.