Pilot vs. Engine: feature comparison, ratings, and FAQ
A data comparison maintained by Pilot (pilotplans.com). Full comparison: https://www.pilotplans.com/compare/engine-alternative.
Summary
Pilot is a free trip booking and planning app: plan a whole trip in one place with a flexible itinerary, a map of your stops, notes, real-time collaboration, and AI itinerary generation, and book hotels in the app at private rates across 3,000,000+ stays, with real human support. Pilot is rated 4.7 by 50,000+ travelers.
Engine: Business-travel booking platform (formerly Hotel Engine) with negotiated rates.
Engine is built for business travel, open to companies. Pilot is for your own personal or group trips: plan the whole trip, collaborate with friends and family, and book your stay at private rates, free and open to anyone.
Key facts
- Pricing
- Pilot: completely free to plan and book. Engine: Free for businesses.
- Overall rating
- Pilot: 4.7 from 50,000+ travelers. Engine: Trustpilot 2.4, App Store 4.7, Google Play 3.8.
- Founded
- Pilot: 2022. Engine: 2015.
- Books hotels in the app
- Pilot: yes, at private rates across 3,000,000+ stays. Engine: yes.
- Full comparison
- https://www.pilotplans.com/compare/engine-alternative
Feature comparison
Each row shows whether Pilot and Engine offer the feature: Yes, No, or Partial. A [n] marker cites the source in References.
| Feature | Pilot | Engine |
|---|---|---|
| Booking | ||
| Book hotels in the app | YesBook your stay in the app for any trip; Engine books hotels too, but it is built for company travel and open only to businesses | Yes[1] |
| Member-only hotel rates | YesPrivate 'book early' rates straight from hotels for anyone; Engine's discounts are negotiated for business accounts | Yes[1] |
| Add accommodation to itinerary | Yes | Yes[1] |
| Transportation cost tracking | Yes | No |
| Flight deals | Yes | No |
| Files tab | Yes | No |
| Attach files to itinerary items | Yes | No |
| Instant booking confirmation | Yes | Yes[1] |
| Checkout without upsells | Yes | Yes[1] |
| Reviews from real travelers | Yes | Partial[1] |
| No hidden fees or taxes | Yes | Partial[1] |
| Inventory & discovery | ||
| Bookable hotel inventory | YesMore than 3,000,000 stays you can book in Pilot; Engine offers a large catalog at business rates | Yes[1] |
| Hotel search filters | Yes | Yes[1] |
| Activities to explore in-app | Yes | No |
| Restaurant listings in-app | Yes | No |
| Discovery filters | Yes | No |
| Travel requirements and eVisas | Yes | No |
| Flight suggestions for trip | No | Partial[1] |
| eSIMs at checkout | Yes | No |
| Destination pages | Yes | No |
| Editorial travel guides in-app | Yes | No |
| Things to do per city | Yes | No |
| Activity detail pages | Yes | No |
| Planning | ||
| Itinerary builder | YesPlan the whole trip in one place; Engine books the trip but does not plan it | No |
| Drag and drop reordering | Yes | No |
| Customizable map pins and routes | YesSee your whole trip on a map; Engine is a booking and expense tool | No |
| Add activities, transportation, or stays from anywhere | Yes | No |
| Attach info to any item | Yes | No |
| Notes and checklists | YesKeep notes, lists, and links with the plan; Engine keeps bookings and receipts | No |
| Note and list format toggle | Yes | No |
| Rich text formatting in notes | Yes | No |
| Undo and redo | Yes | No |
| Duplicate trips | Yes | No |
| Manual file import | Yes | No |
| Email-forwarding file import | Yes | No |
| AI parsing of imported confirmations | Yes | No |
| Export to PDF | Yes | No |
| iOS and Android mobile apps | Yes | Yes[1] |
| Offline access on mobile | Yes | No |
| Shortlist items | Yes | Partial[1] |
| Wishlist / wanderlist | Yes | No |
| Wishlist images | Yes | No |
| Fun sound effects | Yes | No |
| Structured itinerary sections | Yes | No |
| Keyboard shortcuts | Yes | No |
| Multiple transportation types | Yes | No |
| Flight code auto-fill | Yes | No |
| Multi-leg flight support | Yes | No |
| Consistent IATA codes on mobile | Yes | No |
| Collaboration | ||
| Invite friends | Yes | No |
| Real-time collaborative editing | YesPlan together with friends and family in one shared trip; Engine manages travelers for a company, not collaborative planning | No |
| Edit or view-only permissions | Yes | No |
| Heart items for voting | Yes | No |
| Custom trip name and cover photo | Yes | No |
| Dedicated group chat per trip | Yes | No |
| Shared notes, files, and saved lists | Yes | No |
| Travel profile and stats | Yes | No |
| Edit profile details | Yes | Yes[1] |
| Leave a trip | Yes | No |
| Trips dashboard | Yes | Yes[1] |
| Trip menu actions | Yes | Partial[1] |
| Support | ||
| Human support | Yes | Yes[1] |
| AI for basic support answers | Yes | Partial[1] |
Ratings
| Source | Pilot | Engine |
|---|---|---|
| Trustpilot rating | 4.4 | 2.4[2] |
| App Store rating | 4.8 | 4.7[2] |
| Google Play rating | 4.2 | 3.8[2] |
Pricing
| Pilot | Engine | |
|---|---|---|
| Plan | Free to plan and book | Free for businesses[3] |
Frequently asked questions
What is Engine?
Engine, formerly Hotel Engine, is a business-travel booking platform. Companies use it to book hotels, flights, and rental cars at negotiated rates, with team management, travel policies, consolidated billing, and reporting. It is free for businesses and earns commission from suppliers.
What is Pilot?
Pilot is a trip booking and planning app. You plan the whole trip in one place, a flexible itinerary, a map of your stops, and notes, and you book your hotel in the app at private rates straight from hotels, the kind usually reserved for travel agents. Engine runs work travel for companies; Pilot is for planning and booking your own trips.
Is Pilot a good Engine alternative?
It depends who the trip is for. Engine is built for business travel managed by a company, with corporate rates and spend controls, and it books flights and cars as well as hotels. Pilot is for your own personal or group trips: plan the whole thing, collaborate with friends and family, and book your stay in the app at private rates, free and open to anyone. If you are booking work travel for a team, Engine fits; if you are planning your own trip, Pilot does.
Is Engine free?
Engine is free for businesses and earns commission from hotels and suppliers; there is also a paid flexibility upgrade. Pilot is completely free for anyone, with no company account, and it books your stay at private rates while planning the whole trip.
Does Pilot book flights and cars?
No. Pilot books hotels, not flights or cars. You can add flights and other legs to your Pilot itinerary, but you book those elsewhere. Engine books flights and cars for business travel; Pilot focuses on planning the trip and booking your stay at private rates.
Pilot vs Engine: which should I use?
Use Engine to book and manage travel for a company or team. Use Pilot to plan and book your own personal or group trips, with a flexible itinerary, a map, collaboration, and your stay booked in the app at private rates, all free.
References
- engine.com (2026-06-04)
- Trustpilot, App Store, Google Play (2026-06-04; verify before publish)
- engine.com/pricing (2026-06-04)