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

Priceline vs Booking.com

Priceline 4.8★ · Free to download 65
Winner Tie
Booking.com 4.8★ · Free to download 65

Priceline has a slight edge for users prioritizing potential deep discounts on hotels and car rentals, while Booking.com is generally preferred for its ease of use and broader accommodation options.

Full reviews: Priceline · Booking.com

Both Priceline and Booking.com offer competitive pricing for travel, but recent reviews highlight significant customer service and reliability issues for both platforms. Priceline users often praise its deals, especially for hotels and car rentals, but report problems with booking accuracy and refunds. Booking.com is lauded for its user-friendly interface and wide selection, yet faces frequent complaints about fraudulent listings, payment discrepancies, and unhelpful customer support.

Head to head

Features & Selection edge: Booking.comR2R5R18R20
Priceline Priceline is primarily used for booking hotels and car rentals, with users appreciating the ability to compare options and find deals R2R5. Some users also book flights, but there are questions about multi-city flight options R20. A common complaint from international users is the app's focus on US addresses and prices in USD R18.
Booking.com Booking.com offers a wide range of accommodation options, from hotels to guesthouses, and is praised for its detailed hotel information and free cancellation policies . Users also book flights and car rentals, but some advise against using it for flights due to poor customer service and refund issues . There are also reports of issues booking attractions .
Ease of Use edge: Booking.comR2R3R4R10
Priceline Priceline is generally considered user-friendly and easy to navigate for booking hotels and car rentals R2. However, some users report issues with the app's functionality, such as not saving searches properly, defaulting to two adults, or showing 'hotel unavailable' errors R3R15. Changing reservation dates or email addresses can also be difficult R4R10.
Booking.com Booking.com is widely praised for being easy to use, simple, and smooth for making reservations . Users appreciate the clear interface and straightforward booking process. However, some users wish there was an option to log in during the reservation process , and others report difficulty changing reservation dates .
Reliability & Accuracy tieR1R13R15R16
Priceline Priceline users report significant reliability issues, including confirmed reservations not going through R1, double charges R15R54, incorrect flight times R13, and bookings for non-existent or burned-down properties . Some descriptions are inaccurate, leading to disappointment . There are also instances of prices changing before checkout R16 and agents canceling reservations without authorization R28.
Booking.com Booking.com also faces serious reliability concerns. Users report fraudulent charges , issues with payments not being transferred to hotels , and bookings for non-existent or misrepresented properties . There are complaints about the app not protecting users from partner fraud, especially with rental cars . Some users also claim that ratings and reviews on the app are not trustworthy as negative reviews with evidence are not published .
Price & Value edge: PricelineR5R9R11R12
Priceline Priceline is frequently praised for offering great deals and low prices on hotels and car rentals, with some users reporting significant savings R5R11. However, other users find prices to be similar to booking directly or other platforms, with no real savings, even for VIP members R9R12R16. Some international users note that prices are quoted before tax, making them appear lower initially R18.
Booking.com Booking.com is often cited for having great rates and competitive prices . However, some users report prices being higher than direct bookings or even doubling within a short period . One user noted that some bookings are not the cheapest through Booking.com and advises doing homework .
Customer Support & Refunds tieR7R13R17R28
Priceline Priceline's customer service receives overwhelmingly negative feedback, described as 'useless,' 'horrible,' and unhelpful R7R13R17R28. Users complain about AI responses, difficulty reaching human agents, and a lack of resolution for serious problems like missed flights, double charges, or unfulfilled bookings. Refund issues are common, with users reporting difficulty getting money back for unused services or incorrect bookings R7R31R52R54.
Booking.com Booking.com's customer service is also a major point of contention, with numerous users calling it 'poor,' 'horrible,' 'nonexistent,' and 'unprofessional' . Users report being unable to reach anyone, being met with AI responses, and experiencing long hold times without resolution. Refund issues are frequent, with claims of money not being returned for canceled bookings, fraudulent charges, or payment discrepancies . Some users feel customer service favors hotels over customers .
Pick Priceline if

you are looking for potentially significant savings on hotels and car rentals and are willing to navigate potential customer service challenges R5R11.

Pick Booking.com if

you prioritize a user-friendly app interface and a wide selection of accommodation types, and are comfortable with the possibility of needing to contact customer service for issues .

Evidence note: Both apps have a high lifetime rating, but recent negative reviews for both platforms are heavily skewed towards customer service, refund issues, and booking reliability problems, indicating a potential decline in user satisfaction despite the overall high ratings. The free-to-download nature means many users are likely non-paying, which can contribute to frustration with perceived limitations or issues.

Frequently asked

Do Priceline and Booking.com offer good deals?
Priceline is often praised for offering great deals and low prices on hotels and car rentals, with some users reporting significant savings R5R11. Booking.com is also cited for having great rates and competitive prices . However, both apps have users who report finding similar or even higher prices compared to direct bookings or other platforms R9R12R16.
How is customer service for Priceline and Booking.com?
Customer service for both Priceline and Booking.com receives overwhelmingly negative feedback, with users describing it as 'useless,' 'horrible,' 'nonexistent,' and 'unprofessional' R7R17R28. Common complaints include difficulty reaching human agents, reliance on AI responses, and a lack of resolution for serious booking or refund issues R7R13R54.
Are there issues with refunds on Priceline or Booking.com?
Yes, both Priceline and Booking.com users report significant issues with refunds. Priceline users have difficulty getting refunds for unused car rentals, accidental wrong dates, or double charges R7R31R52R54. Booking.com users also frequently complain about not receiving refunds for canceled bookings, fraudulent charges, or when payments were not transferred to hotels .

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. [R2] Priceline 5/5 · US Virginia Beach: It’s an easy platform to book hotels and get rental cars. I’ve been using price line for many years. It’s very convenient to compare to other booking platforms.
  2. [R5] Priceline 5/5 · US Great app for great deals: Great hotel and car rental prices
  3. [R18] Priceline 3/5 · GB Misleading: Quoting prices before tax. We’re not Americans. We include tax. Costs ended up the same as booking.com.
  4. [R20] Priceline 4/5 · US Multi-City Flights: I very much appreciate your app but wonder if there is a way to book multi city flights. I figure there must be but I just cannot find it.
  5. [R3] Priceline 3/5 · US Good app, but needs upgrades: Doesn’t save searches properly. Defaults to 2 adults when booking the hotel. Sometimes you get hotel unavailable error when trying to book, even though initially shown as available
  6. [R4] Priceline 2/5 · US Typo date can not change!: Bad software designed
  7. [R10] Priceline 2/5 · US Won’t Allow Me To Change Email: I’ve been a long time Priceline User with Gold Status and I’ve recently changed my email address, the only way to change it with Priceline is to open a new account and lose my account history and status. Unacceptable in this day and age.
  8. [R1] Priceline 1/5 · US Never again: Got a confirmation email and had an active reservation posted to my account when the reservation never actually went through. Got a full refund but this app put me in a bad situation as a solo female travelers never again
  9. [R13] Priceline 1/5 · US Never use: Never use Priceline, I paid for a flight for my wife and I to go to Hawaii and they gave us the wrong take off time; we missed our flight by 3 hours and their customer service did nothing to help out.
  10. [R15] Priceline 3/5 · US Bugs in the APP: On May 29th, I wanted to book a hotel using your app, which I regularly use. During the booking, the app gave an error, and I had to repeat the process a second time. Afterward, I noticed I was charged twice from my card for two rooms at the same hotel. I canceled one transaction and was calm, sure that the second transaction went through. Today, upon arriving at the hotel, I disc
  11. [R16] Priceline 1/5 · US no more deals: ive been a member for so long a vip one i only use this to book and it usually gives me deals and now when i was booking all of sudden it told me it went up by 48 dollars before i could check out that is crazy
  12. [R9] Priceline 3/5 · US Booking: Prices are still higher than usual
  13. [R11] Priceline 5/5 · US I can’t believe it.!!!!: Wow so I decided to book for my birthday week on Sep 4th and these prices are amazing. I had to book right away.!!!! You will never go wrong with Priceline. 💕
  14. [R12] Priceline 3/5 · US Terrible Rates: The prices are only a couple bucks lower than the hotels no savings really not even for VIP
  15. [R7] Priceline 1/5 · US Booking: After using Priceline for many bookings over many years adding up to thousands of dollars, PRICELINE was unwilling to cancel/ refund a car rental that was pre-paid and was not used . I find their customer service to be useless hiding behind AI responses.
  16. [R17] Priceline 4/5 · US Bad customer service: Honestly, if you have to call customer service, good luck with that they do not help
  17. [R28] Priceline 1/5 · US Horrible experience: One of your agents canceled my reservation today, July 10 at 9 AM that I never authorize so I’m sitting in a hotel just the pod trying to get a room again was given a code to get a discount that’s not working or going through. I think Priceline you are horrible. You’re horrible when I get finished. Trust me everyone will know just how horrible you are and guess what you’ll be
  18. [R31] Priceline 1/5 · US Refund problem: Refund problem Booked on May 26, 2026, then cancelled the next morning. They refunded the ticket price but not the seat charge.
  19. [R52] Priceline 1/5 · US No Refund: Pretty disappointed that I just lost out on $120 because I accidentally picked wrong day. I use Priceline all the time.
  20. [R54] Priceline 1/5 · US Total Nightmare: Double Charged and Scammed!: Avoid Priceline at all costs! Their customer service is an absolute joke. Due to their agonizingly slow response to a simple cancellation request, I was forced to double-book a last-minute hotel. The support agents repeatedly lied to my face, assuring me they would handle the cancellation and issue a full refund. They did nothing. I ended up paying twi

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