Who pays the platform fee, you or your angler?
Xola is a well-built booking, POS, and marketing platform for experience businesses, and its pricing page states there are no subscriptions because Xola assesses a partner fee to the customer on every purchase. VrixPlay takes the other approach: the operator pays a flat 3% and nothing is added to the angler's bill. Here is how that plays out for a charter operation.
No credit card required. Free software. Flat 3% per booking.
Quick verdict
Xola earns real credit for its POS, kiosk check-in, lobby displays, and marketing tooling, and for a support team it says answers within minutes around the clock. The core difference for charters is who carries the fee and how charter-specific the workflow is. If a walk-up counter and heavy front-desk traffic drive your day, Xola is strong. If your day is hulls, trip times, deposits, crew, and manifests, and you would rather absorb 3% than add a fee to your customer's total, VrixPlay fits closer.
Which one fits your dock?
VrixPlay
Best for captains and fleet owners who want:
- No fee added to the angler's total at checkout
- A charter-specific workflow: hulls, trip lengths, crew, capacity
- Their own Stripe account and direct relationship with the processor
- Digital waivers and dock manifests as standard
- Native HighLevel automation for reminders and review requests
- Setup handled for them, at $0 per month
Xola
Best for charter businesses that want:
- No software subscription, with the platform fee assessed to the guest
- A genuinely strong POS, kiosk, and front-desk experience
- QR check-ins and real-time lobby booking displays
- Industry-low published US card rates of 2.39% plus $0.30
- 24/7 support that Xola says responds within minutes
- Broad booking and marketing tooling for multi-product operations
VrixPlay and Xola, line by line.
| Charter need | VrixPlay | Xola |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly software fee | $0 per month | No subscription, per Xola's pricing page |
| Who pays the platform fee | You do. A flat 3% per booking, with nothing added to the angler's total | Xola states it assesses a partner fee to your customer on every purchase |
| Platform fee amount | Flat 3% per booking, published publicly | The partner fee amount is not published. Confirm the current figure for your account |
| Card processing | Stripe's standard card rates, billed by Stripe on your own account | Published US card rates of 2.39% plus $0.30, with rates varying outside the US |
| When you get your money | Stripe pays out to your bank on your Stripe schedule, typically within a couple of business days | Payouts through Xola's payment processing. Confirm the schedule for your account |
| Half day, full day, custom trips | Half day, three quarter day, full day, overnight, and custom trip lengths with per-trip pricing and add-ons | Flexible experience durations and packages |
| Private and shared charters | Private whole-boat charters and shared per-seat trips on the same boat calendar | Private bookings and per-seat ticketing both supported |
| Deposits and balances | Deposits at booking with the balance collected by payment link or on the dock | Deposit and balance handling supported. Confirm the configuration for your account |
| Boat availability and fleet scheduling | Boat-by-boat availability, turnaround gaps, and fleet-wide day view | Resource management across staff and equipment |
| Captain and crew assignments | Assign captain and mates per trip and see who is running what | Staff and resource assignment tools |
| Capacity and manifests | Per-boat passenger capacity with live seat counts and USCG-style manifests | Capacity controls, check-in views, and manifests |
| Digital waivers | Digital waivers included, signed on any phone before departure | Digital waivers, including signing at the kiosk during walk-up booking |
| Check-in | QR check-in from the crew's phone at the slip | QR check-ins, kiosk app, and real-time booking displays |
| Point of sale | Walk-up bookings and card payments from the same app or a payment link | Full POS and three-click back office for front-desk staff |
| Trip reminders | Automated email and SMS confirmations, reminders, and dock instructions | Automated email and text guest messaging |
| Weather cancellations | Reschedule or cancel a trip and notify the whole group in one action, with credits or refunds through Stripe | Rescheduling and guest notification tools |
| Payment links and tips | Payment links for balances, add-ons, and last-minute upsells Post-trip tip pages so anglers can tip the crew by card | Payment tools included. Confirm crew tip collection for your account |
| Review requests | Automated review requests after the trip, including through HighLevel | Review and marketing automation tooling |
| Website booking | Hosted booking page plus an embeddable widget for your own site. We also build and host a booking website free of charge while you are on VrixPlay; the site remains VrixPlay property and may not be transferred | Embedded online booking with conversion tooling |
| Marketplace exposure | No consumer marketplace. VrixPlay drives bookings from your own site, ads, and repeat customers | Distribution options, with Xola stating no added OTA fees |
| Customer data | Your customer list is yours, exportable at any time | Customer records in Xola. Confirm export terms for your account |
| CRM and HighLevel | Native HighLevel integration for contacts, automations, and review requests. VrixHub white-label CRM is available for an added fee | Confirm HighLevel integration requirements for your account |
| Stripe | Your own Stripe account, connected directly, in your business name | Payments run through Xola's own processing |
| Support | US-based team in Destin, Florida by phone and email, with guided onboarding | 24/7 phone, email, and chat, which Xola says responds within minutes |
| Setup | Self-service signup in about 15 minutes, or send us your trips and we do the setup | Guided onboarding |
Monthly software fee
- VrixPlay
- $0 per month
- Xola
- No subscription, per Xola's pricing page
Who pays the platform fee
- VrixPlay
- You do. A flat 3% per booking, with nothing added to the angler's total
- Xola
- Xola states it assesses a partner fee to your customer on every purchase
Platform fee amount
- VrixPlay
- Flat 3% per booking, published publicly
- Xola
- The partner fee amount is not published. Confirm the current figure for your account
Card processing
- VrixPlay
- Stripe's standard card rates, billed by Stripe on your own account
- Xola
- Published US card rates of 2.39% plus $0.30, with rates varying outside the US
When you get your money
- VrixPlay
- Stripe pays out to your bank on your Stripe schedule, typically within a couple of business days
- Xola
- Payouts through Xola's payment processing. Confirm the schedule for your account
Half day, full day, custom trips
- VrixPlay
- Half day, three quarter day, full day, overnight, and custom trip lengths with per-trip pricing and add-ons
- Xola
- Flexible experience durations and packages
Private and shared charters
- VrixPlay
- Private whole-boat charters and shared per-seat trips on the same boat calendar
- Xola
- Private bookings and per-seat ticketing both supported
Deposits and balances
- VrixPlay
- Deposits at booking with the balance collected by payment link or on the dock
- Xola
- Deposit and balance handling supported. Confirm the configuration for your account
Boat availability and fleet scheduling
- VrixPlay
- Boat-by-boat availability, turnaround gaps, and fleet-wide day view
- Xola
- Resource management across staff and equipment
Captain and crew assignments
- VrixPlay
- Assign captain and mates per trip and see who is running what
- Xola
- Staff and resource assignment tools
Capacity and manifests
- VrixPlay
- Per-boat passenger capacity with live seat counts and USCG-style manifests
- Xola
- Capacity controls, check-in views, and manifests
Digital waivers
- VrixPlay
- Digital waivers included, signed on any phone before departure
- Xola
- Digital waivers, including signing at the kiosk during walk-up booking
Check-in
- VrixPlay
- QR check-in from the crew's phone at the slip
- Xola
- QR check-ins, kiosk app, and real-time booking displays
Point of sale
- VrixPlay
- Walk-up bookings and card payments from the same app or a payment link
- Xola
- Full POS and three-click back office for front-desk staff
Trip reminders
- VrixPlay
- Automated email and SMS confirmations, reminders, and dock instructions
- Xola
- Automated email and text guest messaging
Weather cancellations
- VrixPlay
- Reschedule or cancel a trip and notify the whole group in one action, with credits or refunds through Stripe
- Xola
- Rescheduling and guest notification tools
Payment links and tips
- VrixPlay
- Payment links for balances, add-ons, and last-minute upsells Post-trip tip pages so anglers can tip the crew by card
- Xola
- Payment tools included. Confirm crew tip collection for your account
Review requests
- VrixPlay
- Automated review requests after the trip, including through HighLevel
- Xola
- Review and marketing automation tooling
Website booking
- VrixPlay
- Hosted booking page plus an embeddable widget for your own site. We also build and host a booking website free of charge while you are on VrixPlay; the site remains VrixPlay property and may not be transferred
- Xola
- Embedded online booking with conversion tooling
Marketplace exposure
- VrixPlay
- No consumer marketplace. VrixPlay drives bookings from your own site, ads, and repeat customers
- Xola
- Distribution options, with Xola stating no added OTA fees
Customer data
- VrixPlay
- Your customer list is yours, exportable at any time
- Xola
- Customer records in Xola. Confirm export terms for your account
CRM and HighLevel
- VrixPlay
- Native HighLevel integration for contacts, automations, and review requests. VrixHub white-label CRM is available for an added fee
- Xola
- Confirm HighLevel integration requirements for your account
Stripe
- VrixPlay
- Your own Stripe account, connected directly, in your business name
- Xola
- Payments run through Xola's own processing
Support
- VrixPlay
- US-based team in Destin, Florida by phone and email, with guided onboarding
- Xola
- 24/7 phone, email, and chat, which Xola says responds within minutes
Setup
- VrixPlay
- Self-service signup in about 15 minutes, or send us your trips and we do the setup
- Xola
- Guided onboarding
Xola details come from Xola's own website, pricing page, ticketing page, and product tour, reviewed in August 2026. Xola's pricing page states there are no subscriptions and that a partner fee is assessed to your customer on every purchase, with US card rates of 2.39% plus $0.30. The partner fee amount is not published, so it is not stated here. Rows marked confirm availability for your account are capabilities Xola's public materials do not state clearly for a charter operation.
What each platform costs you.
The models differ in who pays. Xola states it charges no subscription and assesses a partner fee to your customer on every purchase, and publishes US card rates of 2.39% plus $0.30. VrixPlay charges the operator a flat 3% and adds nothing to the angler's total, with Stripe billing card processing separately on your own account. Which is better depends on whether you would rather protect your margin or protect your displayed price.
VrixPlay
- $0 per month for the software, no per-user fee and no minimums
- Flat 3% per booking, published publicly
- Card processing is billed separately by Stripe at Stripe's standard rates
- No setup fee. We migrate your trips, pricing, and availability for you
- No contract and no long sales cycle
Xola
- No subscription, per Xola's published pricing page
- A partner fee is assessed to your customer on every purchase
- Published US card rates of 2.39% plus $0.30, varying outside the US
- Xola states there are no added OTA fees and no hidden fees
- Contact Xola for a quote and the current partner fee amount
No calculator is shown here because Xola does not publish the partner fee amount, so any estimate would be guesswork. Card-processing charges are stated separately for both platforms.
From the booking request to the tip request.
How each platform handles the day a charter business actually runs.
Booking a half day online
VrixPlay
Charter trip types and per-boat pricing on a booking page built for boats, with the deposit charged to your Stripe account.
Xola
Configured as an experience with durations and packages, booked through Xola's embedded flow with the partner fee assessed to the guest.
Walk-ups at the marina office
VrixPlay
Take the booking and the card in the same app, or send a payment link.
Xola
This is a Xola strength: POS, kiosk self-serve booking with waiver signing, and a fast back office.
Whole boat versus by the seat
VrixPlay
The same hull sells privately or per seat with live capacity.
Xola
Private bookings and per-seat ticketing are both supported.
Deposits and the balance
VrixPlay
Deposit at booking, balance by payment link before departure.
Xola
Supported. Confirm the deposit and balance configuration for your account.
Fleet and crew for the day
VrixPlay
Hull-by-hull day view with captain assignment and turnaround gaps.
Xola
Resource management assigns staff and equipment across products.
Waivers and boarding
VrixPlay
Waivers signed on a phone, then QR check-in against the manifest at the slip.
Xola
Digital waivers, QR check-in, kiosk signing, and a real-time booking display in the lobby.
Weather calls
VrixPlay
Reschedule and notify the group by email and SMS in one action.
Xola
Rescheduling and guest notification tools are available.
Tips and repeat business
VrixPlay
Post-trip tip page for the crew, then HighLevel-driven review requests and rebooking offers.
Xola
Marketing automation and review tooling are strong. Confirm crew tip collection for your account.
Both sell direct. The difference is whose margin the fee comes out of
Neither platform is a marketplace standing between you and your anglers. Bookings happen on your own site and at your own counter, and the customer is yours in both cases.
Where they diverge is the fee. Xola's published model removes the subscription and assesses a partner fee to the guest at checkout. That protects your margin, and some operators prefer it. Others do not want an added line on a $1,400 charter that the angler notices and questions at the dock.
VrixPlay puts the 3% on the operator instead, so the price the angler sees is the price you set. Card processing is billed by Stripe to your own account either way, which also means you have a direct relationship with your processor rather than a platform-mediated one.
Pick the platform that matches your operation.
Choose VrixPlay if:
- You do not want a platform fee showing up on your angler's total
- You want a direct Stripe relationship and payouts in your business name
- Your operation is boats and trips, not a mixed activity portfolio
- You need crew assignment, capacity, waivers, and manifests as standard
- You want HighLevel automations for reminders, reviews, and rebooking
- You want $0 per month and setup handled for you
Choose Xola if:
- A walk-up counter or ticket window is central to your revenue
- You want kiosk self-service check-in and lobby booking displays
- You would rather the guest carry the platform fee than your margin
- You want 24/7 phone, email, and chat support as a hard requirement
- You run multiple experience products beyond charters
- You value published card-processing rates inside one integrated system
Moving from Xola to VrixPlay
Request a customer and booking export from Xola, send it over with your trips, boats, pricing, and availability, and we build the VrixPlay setup for you. You connect your own Stripe account, review the booking page, and switch when your calendar allows. Nothing changes on your website until you say so.
VrixPlay vs Xola, answered straight.
How does Xola pricing work?
Xola's pricing page states there are no subscriptions and that Xola assesses a partner fee to your customer on every purchase, with US card rates of 2.39% plus $0.30 and rates varying outside the US. The partner fee amount is not published, so ask Xola for the current figure in writing.
Does VrixPlay add a fee to my customer's bill?
No. VrixPlay charges the operator a flat 3% per booking. The price the angler sees is the price you set. Stripe's processing fee is billed separately to your own Stripe account.
Is VrixPlay an Xola alternative for charters?
For charter operations, yes: online booking, deposits, fleet and crew scheduling, capacity, waivers, manifests, messaging, tips, and reporting. If you need a full POS and kiosk operation for heavy walk-up traffic, Xola's front-desk tooling is more developed.
Can VrixPlay handle walk-up bookings at the marina?
Yes. You can create the booking and take the card in the same app, or send a payment link to the customer's phone. There is no separate POS hardware requirement.
Do I keep my own Stripe account with VrixPlay?
Yes. Your Stripe account is connected directly, so deposits and balances land in your bank in your business name and you deal with Stripe on rates and disputes.
Which is cheaper?
It depends on how you count. Xola's model shifts the platform fee to the guest, so your net per trip can be higher, while VrixPlay's 3% comes out of your side but keeps your displayed price clean. Ask Xola for the partner fee amount, then compare both against your own average trip price.
More on how VrixPlay runs charters.
Ready to run your charters from one screen?
Trips, deposits, waivers, manifests, reminders, and tip requests in one place. We handle the setup, you go fishing.
Free software. Flat 3% per booking. Setup in about 15 minutes.
Sources and review date
Last reviewed: August 2026. Xola information is based on Xola's own public website and pricing page reviewed in August 2026, and pricing and features can change. Platform fees and card-processing fees are stated separately. All product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners. VrixPlay is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any company named on this page.