How HireHelm compares
Holray, generic booking tools, spreadsheets, marketplaces — here's a fair look at where each fits, and where HireHelm is different.
The closest comparison
HireHelm vs Holray
Holray is the established UK boat-hire specialist, and a genuinely good fit for traditional holiday fleets. Here's an honest view of both.
Where Holray is strong
- The established UK boat-hire specialist, strong in the Norfolk Broads and Thames holiday-fleet market
- Mature agent and holiday-portal integrations (APIs, agent logins, iCal)
- Years of operators and consistent 5-star reviews
- Proven, dependable choice for traditional week-long holiday-boat fleets
Where HireHelm is different
- Covers the full watercraft spectrum — narrowboats to kayaks, SUPs, jet skis and pedalos — including hourly and day hire Holray doesn't serve
- Verified reviews tied to real paid hires, plus built-in deposits, balances and security bonds
- A modern, fast, mobile-first platform — and an optional done-for-you website
- Part of the Towpath family, so trust and payments are built in, not bolted on
Based on publicly available information as of June 2026. Competitors' features change — always check their current site. If your operation is a traditional week-long holiday-boat fleet living on agent bookings, Holray is a strong, proven choice; HireHelm is built for operators who also run day hire and small craft, and who want verified reviews, payments and a website in one place.
More than a booking calendar
The things a generic tool, a spreadsheet or a marketplace can't give you.
Verified reviews
Every review is tied to a real, paid hire through the Towpath review system — the trust generic tools and spreadsheets simply can't offer.
Payments built in
Take deposits, collect balances before arrival and hold security bonds, with refunds handled from the dashboard. No bolt-ons.
An optional website
Pair HireHelm with a custom Partner Site from £295 — a working front door for your hire business, not just a booking calendar.
No per-booking fees
Flat monthly pricing. Your busiest month isn't your most expensive — unlike commission-based tools and marketplaces.
HireHelm vs the alternatives
How a purpose-built hire platform compares to the tools operators commonly start with.
| Feature | HireHelm |
|---|---|
| Purpose-built for boat & watercraft hire | |
| Covers small craft & day hire (kayak, SUP, jet ski, pedalo) | |
| Hourly, daily and weekly hire models | |
| Digital safety waivers & ID checks | |
| Fleet maintenance, BSS & engine-hour tracking | |
| Security bonds & damage deposits | |
| Online booking widget on your own site | |
| Verified reviews from real paid hires | |
| You keep the customer relationship | |
| No per-booking commission | |
| Optional done-for-you website | |
| UK-built, GBP pricing, UK support |
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is HireHelm an alternative to Holray?+
Yes. Holray is the established choice for traditional holiday-boat fleets on the Broads and Thames. HireHelm covers the same canal and narrowboat hire and goes further — small craft, day and hourly hire, verified reviews, built-in payments and an optional website — on a modern platform.
Do you charge a commission on each booking?+
No. HireHelm is flat monthly pricing from £29/mo, so the cost is the same whether you take 10 bookings or 1,000. That's a real difference from per-booking tools and from marketplaces that take 15–35%.
Can I move across from a spreadsheet or paper diary?+
Yes, and most operators do. You get one live calendar that replaces the spreadsheet, with online bookings, waivers and payments handled automatically. We'll help you get set up.
Does it cover small craft as well as narrowboats?+
It does — kayaks, SUPs, canoes, jet skis, pedalos and rowing boats as well as narrowboats, motorboats and sailing dinghies, each with the right hire model, waivers and pricing.
What makes HireHelm's reviews different?+
Reviews are tied to real, paid hires through the Towpath review system, so they're verified rather than anonymous — a trust signal that helps you win bookings against operators relying on generic review sites.
Is there really an option for a website too?+
Yes. You can run HireHelm on its own, or pair it with a custom Partner Site from £295 — a professional website wired straight into your booking engine.