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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Hotels.com vs Expedia

Hotels.com 4.8★ · Free to download 65
Winner Expedia
Expedia 4.8★ · Free to download 70

Expedia has a slight edge over Hotels.com due to fewer recent complaints about app performance and customer service, despite both apps facing similar issues with pricing and refunds.

Full reviews: Hotels.com · Expedia

Both Hotels.com and Expedia are free-to-download travel apps with high lifetime ratings, but recent user reviews highlight significant issues with app performance, customer service, and pricing discrepancies for both. Expedia appears to have a slight advantage with fewer recent complaints about app speed and customer support accessibility.

Head to head

App Performance & Ease of Use edge: ExpediaR1R3R5R21
Hotels.com Hotels.com users frequently report the app is slow and frustrating, with some experiencing issues logging in after updates R1R3R21. Despite these complaints, many users find it generally easy to use R5.
Expedia Expedia users also report app performance issues, including freezing, lag, and spinning during searches R66R105. Some find it intuitive and easy to navigate R65, but others note that map view doesn't work and it's slow on iPads .
Customer Service & Support tieR10R13R16R22
Hotels.com Hotels.com users express significant frustration with the lack of human customer service, often getting stuck in phone trees or with AI chatbots that don't help R13R16R23. Issues with cancellations, refunds, and reservation changes are common, with users feeling unsupported R10R22R31R37.
Expedia Expedia users also report poor customer service, difficulty reaching live agents, and problems with refunds and cancellations . Some describe agents as incompetent and the process of getting help as difficult .
Pricing & Value tieR1R4R9R12
Hotels.com Hotels.com users report issues with higher prices on the app compared to direct bookings, fake rewards, and unexpected added taxes R1R4R12R19. Some feel the value doesn't match the price R9R12.
Expedia Expedia users frequently complain about price gouging, prices changing quickly before checkout, and misleading offers . However, many users praise Expedia for offering good deals and cheaper prices than booking directly R65R83.
Reliability & Booking Accuracy tieR7R22R31R37
Hotels.com Hotels.com users report problems with reservations not being found by hotels, incorrect room types, and charges occurring despite cancellations R22R31R37. Some users also feel that reviews on the app are manipulated to hide negative feedback R7.
Expedia Expedia users have experienced reservations being canceled without notification, issues with hotel descriptions being inaccurate (e.g., AC availability), and difficulties with refunds even after cancellation confirmations .
Hotel Experience (via App) tieR2R6R8R14
Hotels.com While the app facilitates bookings, many reviews for Hotels.com focus on the actual hotel experience, noting issues like dirty rooms, inoperable ice machines, poor breakfast, and noise R6. Positive experiences highlight clean rooms, friendly staff, and good locations R2R8R14.
Expedia Expedia users also frequently review the hotel experience itself, mentioning issues such as musty rooms, poor cleaning, noisy AC, dated facilities, and broken amenities . Positive experiences include friendly staff, clean rooms, good locations, and nice amenities .
Pick Hotels.com if

You prioritize a wide selection of hotels and are willing to navigate potential app performance issues and customer service challenges, especially if you've had positive experiences with their rewards program in the past R5.

Pick Expedia if

You are looking for potentially better deals on flights and hotels and find value in a generally reliable, though sometimes glitchy, app interface R65R83.

Evidence note: Both apps have a high volume of reviews, with a significant portion of recent reviews being negative for both, often focusing on app performance, customer service, and pricing issues rather than the core booking functionality itself. Many reviews are also about the hotel experience, which is external to the app's direct function.

Frequently asked

Which app is faster and more reliable?
Expedia generally has fewer recent complaints about app speed and freezing compared to Hotels.com, which users frequently describe as the 'slowest app ever' R1R3R66R105.
Which app offers better customer support?
Both apps receive significant criticism for poor customer service and difficulty reaching a human agent, with Hotels.com users specifically mentioning endless phone trees and unhelpful AI R13R16R23R33 and Expedia users reporting incompetent agents and difficulty with refunds .
Are prices generally lower on Hotels.com or Expedia?
While both apps face accusations of price gouging and fluctuating prices, Expedia users frequently report finding better deals and cheaper prices than booking directly R65R83, whereas Hotels.com users sometimes find prices higher than direct bookings R1R19.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R1] Hotels.com 1/5 · US Slowest App Ever!: Don’t download the app it’s frustrating and a joke. It offers rewards that are fake and only rewards themselves by offering higher prices. Use this site on your browser to book anything. The app is the slowest app of all apps. My Motel 6 booking on 7/7/26 was denied due to the kiosk being down. Motel 6 no longer has real reps on site. I would avoid Motel 6 altogether. I got refu
  2. [R3] Hotels.com 3/5 · US Slow App: I have been using this app for several years now with no issues up until recently, I have an iPhone 17 Pro Max and have all iOS updates and the app’s updates. It has been running slow for a month or so and I have already deleted the app and installed it again.
  3. [R5] Hotels.com 5/5 · US Hotel.com: I always use this app and it never disappoints
  4. [R21] Hotels.com 3/5 · GB What’s happened.?: Was working great till a recent update. Now I can’t log back in to my account despite resetting password . Keeps saying a problem your end . When will this be fixed? Have to keep logging in via web which is a pain retrieving bookings
  5. [R10] Hotels.com 1/5 · US Cancel: No place did it say it was booking was no available to may changes so I will Never use them again
  6. [R13] Hotels.com 1/5 · US A.I. BLOCKS ACTUAL ASSISTANCE.: HOTEL FULL OF ROACHES AND NO HUMAN TO ASSIST,
  7. [R16] Hotels.com 1/5 · US Can’t get to a human.: App is ridiculous. I need a live person not an endless phone tree.
  8. [R22] Hotels.com 1/5 · US Problematic: I have one problem after another, first I didn’t get the room selected nor could I change it or get a refund after. Then I was charged after it was confirmed it was to be paid when I was to check in they wouldn’t do anything about that either!
  9. [R4] Hotels.com 1/5 · US All rewards expired: Never using the app again
  10. [R9] Hotels.com 3/5 · US Great hotel: Great service and great food no complaints here. Is it worth $750 a night hell no but it wasn’t terrible either. Restaurants are excellent priced well.
  11. [R12] Hotels.com 3/5 · US Way over priced: $389 for 1 night. Not even a free coffee. When I asked about having a continental breakfast for the cost the manager said “We’re a business hotel, our sister one next door is a family one!” What kind of answer is that? We’ve been coming here for a couple years and this is the most expensive it’s ever been and the rooms are getting musky and the decorations inside rooms and hot
  12. [R7] Hotels.com 1/5 · US Untrue Reviews: You hide the bad recent reviews further down in the review thread and push the good ones to the top. People need to see what the hotel is like most recently so that they can make the right choice for them and their families. I recently had a horrible experience at one of the hotels on this site and went back to see how I managed to pick that horrible place and discovered the recen
  13. [R31] Hotels.com 2/5 · US Date misconception: When booking my husband did not realize the date was preset to a date in the future so he continued on and saved the hotel (which he wanted that night since I am In the hospital 1 1/2 hours away). When he realized his mistake hotels.com refused to issue a refund. We have now been charged double For one night. I will NEVER USE THIS SITE AGAIN AND I RECOMMEND YOU ALL DONT EITHER!
  14. [R37] Hotels.com 1/5 · US Disappointed: I tried to book a room this past week but didn't receive a text with my confirmation. I called the hotel and was told there was no reservation in my name. My bank had a pending payment listed. on my account. When I was finally able to locate a phone number for Hotels. com, I was told the reservation had not gone through because the bank didn't accept it. So they canceled it but never
  15. [R2] Hotels.com 5/5 · US Location: Hotel nice a very friendly check in, great great location. Music in the park is less than 10 minutes and very nice area.
  16. [R6] Hotels.com 3/5 · US Ice Machine: Ice machines were inoperable on several floors
  17. [R8] Hotels.com 4/5 · US Clean comfortable awesome pool: We only stayed one night but I enjoyed it. Room was clean, pool looked awesome, nice little store on first floor for basic food and items.
  18. [R14] Hotels.com 5/5 · US Great hotel: Check in was super easy
  19. [R66] Expedia 3/5 · US App just spinning while searching: I can use the app to search, I can use the website though. I use the app just for booking info and the website for searching for my travel.
  20. [R105] Expedia 3/5 · GB LAG!: The app is easy to use and great but wow the lag is insane. It freezes constantly and I have quit and start again multiple times during my search. Please fix :(
  21. [R23] Hotels.com 4/5 · US Terrible: They have no one to contact for customer service. This is a terrible app.
  22. [R33] Hotels.com 3/5 · GB Help doesn’t help: I’ve been really struggling to get a sensible answer from the chatbot. Please can you have the option of asking for a human when it’s not working. Not impressed.
  23. [R19] Hotels.com 1/5 · US Do Not Use: Do not use hotels.com. Make your reservations with the property directly. You will get better rates, better service, and responsiveness if there is a problem. Properties treat guests who reserve through third party apps like dirt. They get the crappiest rooms and if there is a problem, they won’t solve it because the reservation was made through a third party.
  24. [R65] Expedia 5/5 · US Best Deals: I love the ease of navigating the App.. always happy with the prices I pay.
  25. [R83] Expedia 5/5 · US Airfares: Expedia gives the best price on reliable airlines - the site is established and reliable

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store