SnapTravel or SnapTrap: Is SnapTravel Legit?

Arranging trips is now easier than ever, with travel websites doing most of the hard work for you.

All you have to do is to choose your destination, input the dates, and choose your favorite hotel—the travel app will do the rest.

Not all travel apps are legit, and getting scammed on a trip is one of the worst situations you can find yourself in.

SnapTravel is one of the apps recently getting plenty of illegitimacy accusations—up to the point that it rebranded to a different name (SuperTravel) to escape the criticism.

So is SnapTravel legit? Here’s what we think:

What Is SnapTravel?

Snap Travel is a Canadian booking service owned by SnapCommerce (now Super), an e-commerce platform that uses AI to help customers find the products they’re looking for.

The app mainly operates via chat for hotel bookings, whether it’s Facebook Messenger, SMS, or Whatsapp.

As a user, you send your travel requirements through a message, including your destination and preferred date.

Then, the bot will look for the best deals and send them back. You can then book through the platform and make use of the huge discounts.

Meanwhile, the flights are handled separately through the website.

Snap Travel uses AI to find the best flight and hotel prices for customers, and while that accounts for a more efficient process, it’s raised suspicions about the website’s legitimacy.

Some users also find it suspicious that the platform gets huge discounts for some hotels—sometimes up to 50%.

How Does SnapTravel Work?

SnapTravel is an AI-powered platform that earns money through commissions. It works the same as any travel agency but uses AI technology rather than a human travel agent.

When the user inputs his requirements, the tool searches for the best match through private rates and consolidator deals.

If the user goes through with the booking, SnapTravel earns a commission from the booked entity, whether a hotel or an airline company.

Common Questions to Understand

There’s ongoing speculation about Snap Travel due to its advanced AI technology and huge discounts. Some users are wary because the discounts may indicate a scam, and others don’t fully trust AI to find them their best match.

Here are some common questions about SnapTravel and their answers:

Are There Hidden Fees With SnapTravel?

No, there aren’t any hidden fees with SnapTravel. You only pay for the hotel or flight bookings you need, but the platform itself is free to use for any user. You can even get the app for free and manage your trips through it.

The app doesn’t only make it easier to track your trips, but you can also use it to earn cashback from your bookings and access your bonus credits if you get the SuperCash card.

What Apps Are Like SnapTravel?

There are plenty of travel apps like SnapTravel that offer such services for free; here’s a roundup:

Booking

Booking is one of the oldest travel websites, having been founded in 1996. It’s legit and highly popular among travel enthusiasts because it’s user-friendly and easy to use. You can use it to book hotels, flights, and even rental cars.

The best thing about Booking is that it’s been available long enough that it has more than 28 million listings, so it gives you higher chances of landing a great deal. Its tax charges may be more than similar travel apps, though.

Agoda

Like Booking, Agoda is an online travel agency that lists accommodation options for travelers.

In fact, Booking acquired the Singapore-based entity back in 2007, and it’s been operating underneath Booking Holdings since then.

Though Agoda has a smaller inventory, it’s similarly efficient and fast. It operates a bit differently from Booking in the sense that you pay to the website instead of paying the hotel directly.

Nonetheless, it’s equally reliable and safe.

Is SnapTravel Legit?

In terms of business, SnapTravel is legit. It’s been operating since 2016, expanding its user base and attracting plenty of investors.

According to co-founder Hussein Fazel, the startup witnessed a 300% growth over the years and made over $100 million in sales.

However, users have reasons to believe that the hotel booking service is a scam. Though we don’t think the agency is a scam, we have some doubts about the reliability of its service:

1. Unrecorded bookings

Some users reported that they find no record of their bookings when they arrive at their destination. Though it’s sometimes due to a fault on the hotel’s part, it still raises some red flags.

2. Non-refundable deals

SnapTravel is pretty clear about its refund policy. It’s stated clearly that the agency isn’t liable for any issues a user will face with the hotel or airline company after booking.

Plus, it doesn’t offer cash or credit refunds, except for some rare refundable deals.

3. Invited reviewers

SnapTravel’s mother company, Super, has a 4.1 rating on Trustpilot, which should be a testament to its reliability.

However, most reviews are from invited reviewers, which raises some suspicions that SnapTravel asks reviewers to put in good words about their services.

Usually, there’s nothing wrong with this promotion method, but the bad reviews on the other side are alarming.

Is SnapTravel Reliable?

According to what the users say about SnapTravel, the service isn’t 100% reliable. Many users complained about failed bookings and additional fees they had to pay upon arrival without being informed.

Plus, although the claims about SnapTravel being a scam aren’t necessarily true, it’s a bit unsettling to sign up for a service whose users think it’s not legit.

It’s true that some of the complaints are beyond the company’s control, but that doesn’t make the situation any better.

On the other hand, a lot of users have been satisfied with the service and reported no unfortunate situations, so it may all boil down to luck.

Is SnapTravel Safe?

The question of whether SnapTravel is safe depends on your definition of safety.

Some people believe safety lies in the ability to get a refund if they cancel their trip. Unfortunately, most of SnapTravel’s bookings aren’t refundable.

After booking, the users are basically on their own. The service only helps them book, but it doesn’t provide cash or credit refunds afterward.

There are some exceptions if the hotel or airline company allows for a refund, but most deals are non-refundable.

Aside from the refunds issue, some users reported traveling to their destinations and finding no records of their booking at the hotel, which puts a question mark on the service’s safety and reliability.

What Are Users Saying About SnapTravel?

Some users are satisfied with SnapTravel, and it shows in their reviews across social media platforms and trustworthy sites. For example, the app has a 4.5 rating on Better Business Bureau.

Here’s a roundup of what users liked about SnapTravel:

What Google Reviewers Liked About SnapTravel

SnapTravel’s smartphone app, which is called Super as per the name change that occurred in late 2022, has a 4.4-star rating on Google.

Here’s a summary of what the positive reviews are praising:

• Cashback: If you create a Super account and get their SuperCash card, you get 10% cash back on every booking you make through the app. Frequent travelers love that feature because it allows them to collect points and save money in the long run.
• No hidden fees: Users reported that SnapTravel doesn’t have any hidden fees, contrary to other travel apps that charge you extra for nothing in return.
• Great deals: The thing that most reviewers seem to agree on is the cheap deals on SnapTravel. The app apparently offers some of the best hotel deals among similar travel apps, allowing the users to land some 5-star hotels for a fragment of their usual rates.

What Trustpilot Reviewers Liked About SnapTravel

The app has a staggering 4.1 rating on Trustpilot, with more than 28,000 SnapTravel reviews on the site.

Here are the key takes on the positive reviews:

• Quick reservation process: Some Trustpilot customer reviews praised the efficiency and speed of SnapTravel’s booking process. Since the app largely depends on AI, everything is done in a few minutes without hiccups.
• Further discounts: Some users reported that when they used SnapTravel to book a trip, the app gave them a further discounted price for their next trip—sometimes up to 50%.
• Reasonable rates: Like Google reviewers, Trustpilot reviewers loved the reasonable rates features on SnapTravel. Plenty of users stated that they found the rates to be lower than most similar travel apps.

Why Are People Worried About Using SnapTravel?

Although SnapTravel has a high rating across most review websites, a lot of users are still wary of the service, and all for good reasons.

Here’s a roundup of the users’ opinions on the travel app:

What Google Reviewers Worried About

Despite the high rating SnapTravel has on Google, users still had plenty to complain about:

• Bad customer service: Many users reported that SnapTravel’s customer support isn’t reliable. Some of them had refunds that they didn’t receive, and there was no reply from customer service. Others wanted to file complaints or submit an issue and weren’t able to get a reply back.
• Incorrect descriptions: Weirdly enough, a lot of users mentioned that some hotels they booked didn’t live up to the descriptions on SnapTravel. Some amenities weren’t available, and some rooms were smaller than shown.
• Malfunctioning app: Some users mentioned that the app malfunctions occasionally and refuses to load. They also reported that the chatbot freezes sometimes without responding to their queries.

What Trustpilot Reviewers Worried About

11% of Trustpilot’s reviewers of SnapTravel gave it a 1-star rating, which is an alarming rate. Here’s a summary of the main issues that concerned the reviewers:

• Non-existing bookings: The main issue that seemed to concern most Trustpilot reviewers is non-existing bookings. Many users were surprised to arrive at their destinations to find no record of their reservations, and some even mentioned that the hotel staff told them it was a recurring mistake from the app.
• Data re-entry: Some users reported that the app asked them to re-enter their data and charged them double for their reservations. And because customer service isn’t responsive, they weren’t able to get refunds.
• Changing dates: One of the less common reviews was about reservation dates changing unexpectedly. According to some users, the dates changed after they went through with the booking, and they couldn’t issue a complaint or get their money back because of the no-refund policy.

SnapTravel Quality & Guarantees

The only guarantee SnapTravel offers its customers is that if you face an issue with the hotel upon arrival, you can call their customer service, and they’ll resolve the issue.

However, many users confirmed in their reviews that the customer service isn’t much help.

The chatbot only answers basic queries and keeps sending automatic replies for any other questions.

As for the hotline, users report that they don’t always get replies. Some get queued for hours, so they decide to ditch the call after all.

Aside from the customer service guarantee, SnapTravel has a clear no-refund policy. Only a few rare reservations are refundable, but most deals aren’t.

So, you basically get no guarantee if you decide to book a hotel with SnapTravel.

SnapTravel Customer Service

As an AI-powered service, SnapTravel’s customer service largely depends on an automatic bot.

If you want to ask basic questions about using the app or booking a flight through the website, the bot will handle it. That means you’ll get automated, quick replies.

Alternatively, you can look for frequently common questions in the website’s Help section.

On the other hand, if you want further assistance, you can ask for a human representative to speak to.

What Customer Service Options Are Available?

The main customer service option available for SnapTravel is their chatbot. It offers 24/7 assistance, and you can access it through the website, WhatsApp, or SMS.

Alternatively, you can send them an email, but there’s a possibility the reply will be delayed.

There’s also a toll-free customer support number that you can use to communicate with SnapTravel agents (+1 (844) 461-2577).

However, some users reported they get queued for a long time with no reply, so you may not have much luck with it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Similar Gigs to Research

If you want to use a different travel service but want to make sure of its legitimacy first, you can check some of our service reviews here:

• Is Trip.com Legit?: Trip.com is at the forefront of the travel market. It’s reportedly used by more than 400 million travelers, and it’s one of the most popular agencies globally. Read the review to learn of its legitimacy and reliability.
• Is Traveluro Legit?: Like SnapTravel, Traveluro has been subject to scam accusations for a while now. Our review will tell you everything you need to know about the service and whether it’s legit.
• Is Booking.com Legit?: Booking.com passed the 3-billion guest mark some years ago, which speaks volumes of its reliability. It leads the market alongside giants like Trip and Agoda. Our review here will tell you everything you need to know about the service.

Wrapping Up

So, is SnapTravel legit?

Well, the travel app doesn’t give any reason to believe otherwise. It’s been operating since 2016, and many users successfully booked their trips through the app and faced no issues. However, being legit doesn’t mean that the service is reliable.

Users’ reviews say otherwise. Between non-existing bookings, customer support malfunction, and changing dates, SnapTravel doesn’t present itself as a credible service. It’ll have to up its game if it wants to compete with giants like Booking and Trip.

Meta Description

Are you worried about using SnapTravel because of the negative reviews? Join in line! Click here for an answer to the question of the hour: Is SnapTravel legit?