Pilot vs. Hopper: feature comparison, ratings, and FAQ
A data comparison maintained by Pilot (pilotplans.com). Full comparison: https://www.pilotplans.com/compare/hopper-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.
Hopper: Price prediction app + travel fintech (Cash card, Price Freeze).
Hopper is built mainly around predicting flight prices, with paid add-ons layered on top. Pilot lets you book your hotel at private rates straight from hotels, ranks results for you instead of for advertisers, and helps you plan the whole trip around it.
Key facts
- Pricing
- Pilot: completely free to plan and book. Hopper: Free to use.
- Overall rating
- Pilot: 4.7 from 50,000+ travelers. Hopper: Trustpilot 1.4, App Store 4.6, Google Play 4.6.
- Founded
- Pilot: 2022. Hopper: 2007.
- Books hotels in the app
- Pilot: yes, at private rates across 3,000,000+ stays. Hopper: yes.
- Full comparison
- https://www.pilotplans.com/compare/hopper-alternative
Feature comparison
Each row shows whether Pilot and Hopper offer the feature: Yes, No, or Partial. A [n] marker cites the source in References.
| Feature | Pilot | Hopper |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | ||
| Flight price tracking and alerts | No | Yes |
| Flight price prediction | No | Yes |
| Flexible date flight search | No | Yes |
| Flexible destination search | No | No |
| Multi-city flight search | No | Yes |
| Carbon emissions display | No | No |
| Carbon offset purchase | No | Yes |
| Real-time flight delay alerts | No | Yes |
| Gate change notifications | No | Yes |
| Live flight map tracking | No | No |
| Planning | ||
| Itinerary builder | YesBuild a flexible, multi-stop itinerary and reshape it however you want, from a rough idea to booked | No |
| Drag and drop reordering | Yes | No |
| Customizable map pins and routes | YesSee your whole trip on a map and make it yours | 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 right alongside the plan | 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 |
| Offline access on mobile | Yes | No |
| Shortlist items | Yes | No |
| 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 |
| Booking | ||
| Book hotels in the app | YesBook your stay at private rates straight from hotels, the kind usually reserved for travel agents, saved with the rest of your trip | Yes |
| Member-only hotel rates | YesPrivate rates straight from hotels, the kind usually reserved for travel agents | Yes |
| Add accommodation to itinerary | Yes | No |
| 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 |
| Checkout without upsells | Yes | No |
| Reviews from real travelers | Yes | Yes |
| No hidden fees or taxes | Yes | No |
| Collaboration | ||
| Invite friends | Yes | No |
| Real-time collaborative editing | YesPlan it together with your group in one shared trip | 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 |
| Leave a trip | Yes | No |
| Trips dashboard | Yes | Yes |
| Trip menu actions | Yes | Yes |
Ratings
| Source | Pilot | Hopper |
|---|---|---|
| Trustpilot rating | 4.4 | 1.4 |
| App Store rating | 4.8 | 4.6 |
| Google Play rating | 4.2 | 4.6 |
Pricing
| Pilot | Hopper | |
|---|---|---|
| Plan | Free to plan and book | Free to use[1] |
Frequently asked questions
What is Hopper?
Hopper is a price-prediction travel booking app, flights-first, that predicts whether flight and hotel prices will rise or fall and books through the app. It is built to complete a booking rather than plan the trip around it.
What is Pilot?
Pilot is a trip booking and planning app: a flexible itinerary, a map, and notes, plus your hotel booked at private rates straight from hotels. Where Hopper completes a booking, Pilot plans the trip around the stay and has a real person confirm each booking.
Is Pilot a good Hopper alternative?
For booking a hotel and planning the trip around it, yes, since Hopper centers on predicting flight prices and selling add-ons. Pilot books your hotel directly at private rates with no sponsored results and real support, though for flight prediction Hopper still has a role.
Is Hopper legit and safe to use?
Hopper is a real travel booking app, founded in 2007, rated around 4.6 on the App Store; as with any app that sells add-ons, read what each extra covers first. Pilot books hotels directly at private rates straight from hotels, with real support.
How does Hopper work and how does it make money?
Hopper predicts whether prices will rise or fall, tells you to book now or wait, then books in the app, earning from bookings and paid add-ons. Pilot earns from hotels when you book directly and doesn't sell placement, so results are ranked for you.
Can you book hotels on Hopper, and how is Pilot different?
Yes, Hopper books hotels as well as flights and rental cars. Pilot instead lets you book a hotel directly at a private rate straight from the hotel and plans the whole trip around it, focusing on hotels only, not flights or cars.
Does Pilot predict flight prices like Hopper?
No, flight price prediction is Hopper's main thing, while Pilot focuses on booking your hotel directly at a private rate and planning the trip around it. If watching flight prices is your goal, Hopper does that; for the hotel and the trip, Pilot does more.
Is Hopper free to use?
Hopper is free to download and search, making its money on the bookings and on paid add-ons. Pilot is completely free too, with planning, the map, collaboration, and booking all included, because it earns from hotels when you book rather than charging you to plan.
Pilot vs Hopper: which should I use?
Use Pilot to book a hotel and plan the trip: a private rate confirmed by a real person, with your trip in one place, free. Use Hopper if you mainly want to predict flight prices, or book flights and cars, which Pilot doesn't do.
References
- hopper.com (2026-06-03)