EazyAL vs Chekin: Which Is Better for Alojamento Local Compliance in Portugal?

Intro

If you manage an Alojamento Local in Portugal, you already know how much admin work goes into staying compliant. Between SIBA guest registration, INE IPHH statistical reporting, tourist tax tracking, and invoicing, the paperwork can easily consume hours every week — especially if you're doing it manually across government portals.

Two tools that promise to simplify this process are EazyAL and Chekin. Both offer online guest check-in and some level of legal compliance automation. But they serve very different types of hosts, and picking the wrong one can mean paying for features you don't need or, worse, missing compliance steps that matter in Portugal specifically.

This comparison breaks down how each platform handles the core obligations of a Portuguese AL host so you can make an informed decision.

What Each Platform Actually Does

EazyAL is a compliance-first toolkit built specifically for Alojamento Local hosts in Portugal. It was created by an AL host and developer who experienced the frustration of managing SIBA, INE, tourist tax, and invoicing across multiple government portals. The platform focuses tightly on the legal and administrative side of hosting — collecting guest data, automating submissions to Portuguese authorities, tracking tourist tax by municipality, and generating compliant invoices. It is designed for independent hosts managing 1 to 5 properties who want to stay in control of their operation without hiring an agency.

Chekin is a broader international check-in platform used by over 200,000 properties in more than 45 countries. It covers online and on-site check-in, identity verification with biometric matching, digital keys and smart lock access, upselling tools, damage protection plans, rental contracts with digital signatures, online payments, and guest communication through a unified inbox. It integrates with more than 35 property management systems and serves apartments, hotels, villas, and campsites.

The difference in scope is significant. EazyAL goes deep on Portugal-specific compliance. Chekin goes wide on hospitality features across many countries.

SIBA Guest Registration

Every AL host in Portugal must submit guest details to the authorities (formerly SEF, now AIMA) via the SIBA system within three days of check-in. Missing a submission can result in fines of up to €2,500.

EazyAL handles SIBA by sending guests a digital check-in link before arrival. Guests enter their own passport details, and EazyAL prepares and submits the SIBA report automatically. The host never types a passport number, and every submission is archived as proof of compliance. This is a core feature available on both the free and paid plans.

Chekin also sends guest data to local authorities as part of its legal compliance feature, which is included in every pricing tier. However, Chekin's compliance engine is designed to work across dozens of countries and regulatory systems. For a Portuguese host, this means the SIBA workflow may feel less tailored — it is one compliance system among many that Chekin supports, rather than the central focus of the product.

INE IPHH Monthly Reporting

The INE IPHH (Inquérito à Permanência de Hóspedes na Hotelaria e no Alojamento Local) is a monthly survey from Portugal's National Institute of Statistics. You must report the number of guests, overnight stays, nationalities, and occupancy rates — even in months with zero guests.

EazyAL automates INE IPHH reporting by collecting the relevant data during guest check-in and preparing the monthly submission to the WebInq portal. On the free plan, this is done through a simplified manual interface. On the Pro plan at €10/month, INE submissions are fully automated and unlimited.

Chekin does not specifically mention INE IPHH or WebInq reporting on its website or pricing page. Its compliance features focus on sending guest registration data to police and legal authorities, which is a different obligation from statistical reporting. This means that if you use Chekin, you may still need to handle your INE IPHH submissions manually through the WebInq portal each month, which is exactly the kind of repetitive task that leads to missed deadlines and compliance problems.

Tourist Tax Tracking

Many Portuguese municipalities charge a tourist tax per guest per night, and the rates and rules vary by location. Lisbon, Porto, Funchal, and Faro all have different systems, and some municipalities are introducing new collection platforms.

EazyAL automatically calculates tourist tax for each stay based on your municipality's current rates. It tracks what has been collected across all bookings so you know exactly what to remit and when. This is included in every plan.

Chekin also offers tourist tax calculation and can charge guests for it during the online check-in process. This is included in its Basic plan. Chekin's tourist tax system works across multiple countries, so it may not always reflect the latest municipal changes in Portugal as quickly as a Portugal-focused tool would.

Invoicing and Tax Authority Integration

Portuguese AL hosts are required to issue invoices to the tax authorities (Finanças) for each booking. This is separate from the invoice a guest sees on Airbnb or Booking.com.

EazyAL includes invoice generation to the Portuguese tax authorities on its Pro plan. Because the tool is built for Portugal, this integration is designed around the specific requirements of Finanças compliance.

Chekin offers e-invoicing as a premium feature, currently available in its Premium and Enterprise plans and noted as available for Italy, Greece, and Spain. Portugal-specific Finanças integration is not explicitly listed.

Pricing Comparison

EazyAL keeps pricing simple. The Starter plan is free and covers one property with up to five automated SIBA submissions per month, manual INE reporting, and tourist tax tracking. The Pro plan costs €10 per month per unit and unlocks unlimited SIBA submissions, automated INE IPHH via WebInq, invoicing to Finanças, and priority support. There are no commissions, no transaction fees on compliance features, and no credit card required to start.

Chekin's pricing starts at €3.95 per property per month on an annual plan for its Basic tier, which includes online check-in, legal compliance, tourist taxes, deposits, damage protection, online payments, and upselling. However, several features come with transaction fees: deposits carry a 1.5% plus €0.30 charge, damage protection costs between $2.50 and $4.00 per booking, online payments have a 1.5% plus €0.99 fee, and upsells have a 10% fee. The Premium plan starts at €5.95 per property per month and lets you add one premium feature like identity verification, digital keys, or a unified inbox. The Enterprise plan starts at €7.95 per property per month and includes all premium features.

For a host with one property, Chekin's annual Basic plan may appear cheaper at €3.95/month versus EazyAL's €10/month Pro tier. But that comparison misses two important points. First, EazyAL's free tier covers one property with no cost at all if you only need basic compliance. Second, Chekin's price does not include INE IPHH automation or Portugal-specific Finanças invoicing, which means you may end up doing that work manually or paying for a separate solution.

Setup and Ease of Use

EazyAL is designed for hosts who want a quick, focused setup. Most users are up and running within 10 minutes. You create your property, add your Wi-Fi details and access instructions, connect your Airbnb or Booking.com calendar via iCal, and share the unique check-in link with guests. The dashboard is straightforward and built around the compliance tasks that matter in Portugal.

Chekin offers a broader onboarding process because it has more features to configure. You can set up digital keys, design branded guest apps, configure upselling flows, and connect to one of its 35+ PMS integrations. For hosts who want a full-service platform, this is valuable. For hosts who just want compliance handled, it can feel like a lot of configuration for features they may never use.

Who Is Each Tool Best For?

EazyAL is the stronger choice if you are an independent AL host in Portugal (especially on the mainland, Madeira, or the Azores) managing 1 to 5 properties. It is particularly well suited for expat hosts who may not be fluent in Portuguese bureaucracy, remote hosts who manage their properties from abroad, and anyone who wants SIBA, INE, tourist tax, and invoicing handled in one focused workflow without paying for hospitality features they don't need.

Chekin is the better fit if you manage a larger portfolio across multiple countries, need identity verification or digital key access, want to sell upsells and experiences directly through the check-in flow, or already use a PMS that integrates with Chekin. It is a strong platform for property managers and hospitality businesses that operate at scale.

FAQ

Does EazyAL work outside Portugal? No. EazyAL is built exclusively for the Portuguese Alojamento Local market, covering mainland Portugal, Madeira, and the Azores. Its compliance features are designed around SIBA, INE IPHH, and Portuguese tax authority requirements.

Does Chekin handle INE IPHH reporting for Portugal? Chekin's compliance features focus on sending guest data to police and legal authorities across multiple countries. INE IPHH statistical reporting via the WebInq portal is not specifically listed among its features, so Portuguese hosts may still need to handle this obligation separately.

Which platform is cheaper for one property? EazyAL offers a free Starter plan for one property that includes basic SIBA automation and tourist tax tracking. Chekin's cheapest option is €3.95/month per property on an annual plan. For a single property where you mainly need Portuguese compliance, EazyAL's free plan is the most cost-effective starting point.

Can I use Chekin and EazyAL together? In theory, yes. Some hosts use Chekin for its guest-facing features like digital keys and upselling, while relying on EazyAL for Portugal-specific compliance tasks like INE IPHH and Finanças invoicing. However, this means managing two platforms and potentially double-entering some guest data.

Do either of these replace a channel manager or PMS? Neither EazyAL nor Chekin is a full property management system or channel manager. EazyAL syncs bookings via iCal from platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com. Chekin integrates with over 35 PMS platforms. Both are designed to complement your existing booking setup, not replace it.

Which tool is better for hosts who live outside Portugal? EazyAL was specifically built for remote and expat hosts who need to manage Portuguese compliance from abroad. Its workflow assumes you may not be present at the property and that guests will self-report their passport details through a digital check-in link. Chekin also supports remote management through its self check-in and digital key features, but its compliance tools are not as tightly focused on Portuguese requirements.