Mallard Bay

What Mallard Bay does

Mallard Bay Outdoors, Inc. is a vertical SaaS platform purpose-built for hunting and fishing outfitters and guides. Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a sales office in Houston, Texas, the company provides an all-in-one Outfitter Experience Management platform that consolidates booking management, Stripe-powered payment processing with instant payouts, calendar synchronization, digital waivers, CRM, lead management, quote generation, and a referral system into a single dashboard accessible via web (my.mallardbay.com) and mobile apps on iOS and Android. The platform serves five verticals—waterfowl outfitters, wingshooting lodges, fishing charters, guest ranches, and big game outfitters—with domain-specific feature sets in each. A consumer-facing marketplace at mallardbay.com connects sportsmen with vetted outfitters, functioning both as a customer acquisition channel and a transaction-revenue stream.

Mallard Bay operates a multi-stream revenue model anchored by tiered subscription plans (Free, Basics starting at $199/month, Foundations, and Growth), supplemented by marketplace commissions on free-tier bookings, payment processing fees (3.5% on credit/debit, 0.08% on ACH), and a growing portfolio of managed services add-ons including custom website design, paid ads management, Google Business Profile setup, advanced SEO, client engagement (social media and email), a Sales Engine for outbound lead handling, and outfitter phone support. The company combines product-led growth (freemium, self-serve onboarding) with inside sales (B2C SDR in Houston) and marketplace-driven acquisition. Technology integrations include Stripe for payments, QuickBooks for accounting (Pro and Elite tiers), Facebook Ads for performance reporting, and Google Drive for content management. AI tooling is positioned as a key differentiator, offering availability optimization, content generation, and pricing recommendations, though all AI actions require explicit user confirmation.

The company is venture-backed, having raised approximately $7.5 million cumulatively across a 2022 angel round ($1.8M led by Rio Grande Valley Angel Network and others), a May 2022 Rice University investment, a March 2024 Series A ($4.6M led by Soul Venture Partners with Acadian Capital Ventures), and a March 2025 follow-on of approximately $879,522. Leadership includes founder and CEO Logan Meaux, co-founder and COO Joel Moreau, and CTO Manuel Rivero. Mallard Bay also operates a GuideTech sub-brand and has built conservation partnerships with Ducks Unlimited, Delta Waterfowl, and the National Wild Turkey Federation, alongside ecosystem partnerships with Negrini Gun Cases and Uncharted Supply Co. signed in October 2025. The company serves markets in the United States and Canada with stated international expansion ambitions.

Name

Mallard Bay

Legal name

Mallard Bay Outdoors, Inc.

Website

https://mallardbay.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mallard Bay is a vertical SaaS platform and marketplace that helps hunting and fishing outfitters manage bookings, payments, calendars, CRM, and marketing in one place, serving SMB waterfowl, wingshooting, fishing, guest ranch, and big game operators across North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Baton Rouge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Subscription Plans: Paid subscription tiers (Basics, Foundations, Growth) with monthly billing. Paid plans include full access to the booking platform, custom website with unlimited edits, and marketplace listing. No commission taken on bookings for paid plan outfitters.
2. Marketplace Commission (Free Tier): For outfitters on the free plan, Mallard Bay charges marketplace fees for trips sourced directly by the platform.
3. Add-On Services: Additional paid services including Custom Website design, Ads Management, Google Business Profile Setup, Advanced SEO, Client Engagement (social media and email), Sales Engine (outbound sales team for leads), and Outfitter Phone Support.
4. Payment Processing Fees: Credit and Debit Card Transactions: 3.5% processing fee. ACH Bank Transfers: 0.08% with a maximum transaction limit of $5. Fees may be passed on to customers at the outfitter's discretion.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Mallard Bay provides an all-in-one Outfitter Experience Management SaaS platform (GuideTech) that enables hunting and fishing outfitters to manage bookings, payments, calendars, clients, leads, quotes, and digital waivers from a single dashboard, with a companion iOS/Android mobile app. The company also operates a consumer-facing online marketplace connecting sportsmen with vetted outfitters for trip discovery and direct booking.

Product overview

Mallard Bay is an Outfitter Experience Management platform offering a unified core product portfolio centered on the Mallard Bay Platform and GuideTech SaaS, with a companion mobile app (Mallard Bay for Guides) available on iOS and Android. The platform serves hunting and fishing outfitters across multiple verticals including waterfowl, wingshooting, fishing charters, guest ranches, and big game operations. The core offering includes booking management, Stripe-powered payment processing, calendar management, AI tooling for automation, QuickBooks integration, digital waivers, client CRM, lead management, and quoting tools. Additional revenue streams come from managed marketing add-ons including Custom Outfitter Websites, Ads Management with Facebook Ads reporting, Google Business Profile setup, Advanced SEO, Client Engagement (social media and email), Sales Engine, and Outfitter Phone Support. The company also operates a consumer-facing Marketplace connecting sportsmen with outfitters. Pricing includes a free tier, paid plans starting at $199/month, and various add-on service packages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GuideTech: SaaS platform for outfitter management including booking, payments, calendar management, and client relations.

Products and services

• Mallard Bay Platform (GuideTech SaaS) All-in-one Outfitter Experience Management SaaS platform providing booking, payment processing, client management, calendar management, AI tooling, digital waivers, lead management, CRM, quotes, referrals, booking widget, refund protection, and QuickBooks integration for hunting and fishing outfitters.
• Mallard Bay for Guides Mobile App iOS and Android mobile application for outfitters and guides to manage bookings, process payments with Stripe integration, send quotes, and view calendars from anywhere.
• Mallard Bay Marketplace Online marketplace at mallardbay.com connecting sportsmen with vetted hunting and fishing outfitters across North America, with filtering by price, season, species, direct chat with outfitters, and online payment.
• GuideTech SaaS Platform (Pro) Pro tier SaaS platform for the outfitter industry supporting booking management, payment processing, client messaging, SEO, and full-time customer support, part of the company's modernization initiative for the $61.8 billion outfitter industry.
• Custom Outfitter Website Custom-designed website service with mobile optimization, real-time booking options, and unlimited edits for outfitters, delivered as part of managed marketing services.
• Ads Management Paid advertising service leveraging digital ads across search engines and social media with remarketing and geo-targeting capabilities, including Facebook Ads integration with performance reporting.
• Google Business Profile Setup GMB package including claiming and verifying listing, profile optimization with photos and videos, customer review management, local SEO optimization, and ongoing maintenance.
• Advanced SEO Tailored SEO solutions for guides and charter services including keyword research, on-page optimization, technical SEO, local SEO, and reporting with analytics.
• Client Engagement Social media management and email marketing service handling scheduling posts, promotions, and special offers across Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms, plus targeted email campaigns for trips and seasonal offers.
• Sales Engine Outbound sales team service that contacts qualified leads, helps sportsmen plan trips, and ensures seamless bookings that fit outfitter schedules.
• Outfitter Phone Support Call forwarding service that routes outfitter calls to Mallard Bay's team when outfitter is in the field or unavailable, ensuring clients stay connected with real-time support.
• Full-Service Follow-Up Managed lead follow-up service where Mallard Bay calls, texts, and follows up with every inquiry to convert inquiries into bookings for the outfitter.
• DIY Follow-Up Hybrid service where Mallard Bay runs ads and generates leads, and outfitter handles outreach and closing on their own terms.

Quantifiable outcome

• Outfitter scaled from one boat to million-dollar multi-location operation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability2 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• StripecoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment processing partner integrated into Mallard Bay's platform. Enables automated payouts, deposit collection, split group charges, and real-time fee tracking. Funds hit outfitter bank accounts within two business days.
• QuickBookscoreTechnology or IntegrationAccounting integration that automatically syncs invoices and payment records between Mallard Bay and QuickBooks. Available in Pro and Elite tiers.
• Negrini Gun CasesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership announced October 2025 for luxury, rugged, TSA-approved travel gun cases. Provides protection solutions for outfitters and their equipment.
• Uncharted Supply Co.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership announced October 2025 focused on outfitter safety in the field. Provides safety gear and solutions for hunting and fishing guides.
• Ducks UnlimitedminorOthersTrusted conservation organization partner. Supports waterfowl conservation efforts in North America.
• Delta WaterfowlminorOthersTrusted conservation organization partner focused on duck conservation and hunting habitat preservation.
• National Wild Turkey FederationminorOthersConservation organization partner supporting wild turkey conservation and wingshooting habitat.
• Louisiana Charter Boat AssociationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndustry association partnership for fishing charter operators in Louisiana. Affiliated brand on the Mallard Bay Partners page.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bokun: Bokun is a booking and distribution platform for tour operators, owned by Tripadvisor. Comparable to Mallard Bay as a SaaS for experience providers with marketplace distribution and channel management.
• FishingBooker: FishingBooker is the largest online marketplace for fishing charters globally. Most direct peer to Mallard Bay: connects anglers with charter operators and offers booking software for guides, with substantial overlap in fishing charter customer segment and marketplace model.
• Rezdy: Rezdy is a leading booking and operations SaaS for tour operators and experience providers. Comparable to Mallard Bay as a vertical SaaS targeting tours and outdoor experiences with channel manager and online booking tools.
• Checkfront: Checkfront is a booking management platform for tours, attractions, and rentals. Comparable to Mallard Bay as a vertical SaaS targeting experience providers with online booking, inventory management, and channel distribution.
• Xola: Xola is a booking and marketing platform for tours, activities, and experiences. Comparable to Mallard Bay as a vertical SaaS for experience operators offering online booking, payment processing, and marketing tools.
• FareHarbor: FareHarbor is a booking platform for tours, activities, and attractions, owned by Booking Holdings. Comparable to Mallard Bay as it provides software for tour/activity operators to manage bookings, payments, and operations.
• Peek Pro: Peek Pro is a SaaS booking platform for tours, activities, and rentals. Comparable to Mallard Bay as it serves experience operators with booking, payment processing, and channel management, operating both as SaaS (Peek Pro) and consumer marketplace (Peek.com).

Broad incumbents

• Airbnb Experiences: Airbnb Experiences is an online marketplace for bookable experiences hosted by locals. Comparable to Mallard Bay as a marketplace for guided experiences, though broader scope (urban, cultural, outdoor) and significantly larger scale.
• Viator: Viator is the world's largest tours and activities marketplace, owned by Tripadvisor. Comparable to Mallard Bay as a marketplace and SaaS provider for experience operators, though operates at much larger scale and broader scope than the hunting/fishing niche.
• Tripadvisor Experiences: Tripadvisor Experiences is a major marketplace for tours and activities. Comparable to Mallard Bay as a marketplace connecting consumers with experience providers, though broader scope and significantly larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mallard-bay-outdoors-llc
• Xx.com/mallard_bay

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors8 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mallard Bay