What WaveRez does

WaveRez is a cloud-based, purpose-built reservation and booking management SaaS platform tailored specifically for the watersport rental and boat tour industry. Founded in 2014 as BookRS by Greg Fisher, Alex Benko, and watersport operator John Stephens in collaboration with TripShock, the company rebranded to WaveRez in 2019 as it sharpened its focus on water-based tours and rentals. The platform centers on a proprietary matrix scheduling system that supports bulk rate and schedule changes, real-time equipment and trip inventory management, dynamic pricing rules, digital waivers, broadcast SMS, crew assignment and tipping, and review automation. It is delivered as a web-based application accessible from desktop and mobile, with no subscription or contractual lock-in.

The company monetizes primarily through a 6% transaction fee on each online reservation (typically passed to the end customer), supplemented by a one-time system setup fee starting at $300 and custom pricing for larger operators, phone bookings, and WordPress website services. Distribution is multi-channel: operators book directly through WaveRez-powered booking portals and WordPress websites, while WaveRez simultaneously synchronizes inventory in real time to major online travel agencies including an exclusive partnership with TripShock, Viator, GetYourGuide, and Google Things To Do. A growing ecosystem of secondary integrations (Stripe, Authorize.net, WhereWolf, Vquip, Take My Boat Test, Yonder AI, BoatFix, and various photo/marketing tools) extends the platform's functionality.

WaveRez primarily targets SMB watersport and boat tour operators across the United States, Canada, Australia, and select Stripe-supported international markets. GTM combines product-led self-service signup with sales-assisted demos led by a Sales Director, complemented by content marketing through the Awkward Watersports Guys podcast, The Port Conference, webinars, an email newsletter, and a 60-day Growth Bootcamp cohort program. The company is privately held, headquartered in Destin, Florida, and operates without disclosed institutional funding.

Name

WaveRez

Legal name

WaveRez

Website

https://waverez.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

WaveRez is a cloud-based, purpose-built reservation and booking management SaaS platform for watersport rental operators, boat tour operators, private charters, and marinas, monetizing via a 6% transaction fee on online bookings plus setup fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tour Operator Booking & Reservation Software

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (4872), Tour Operators (56152)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Water & Marine Guiding Services (Kayak, Canoe, Raft, SUP, Sailing) (THAAALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Surf, Kitesurf & Wind Sports Adventures (THAJABAK), Fishing & Angling Charters / Guides (THAAALAD), Kayaking, Canoeing & SUP Tours (Guided/Paddling Excursions) (THAJAJAF), Surf Schools & Surf Camps (THAAAKAC)

Keywords

• Boat rental software
• Watersport booking platform
• Tour operator scheduling
• Reservation management software
• Marine tourism SaaS

Headquarters

HQ city

Destin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Booking Fee (Transaction Fee): WaveRez charges a 6% booking fee on every online reservation. This fee is typically passed on to the customer during checkout, meaning there is no direct cost to the operator for online bookings. Phone bookings, walk-ups, and affiliate bookings may have separate negotiated pricing.
2. Payment Processing: WaveRez integrates with Stripe as the primary payment processor. Stripe charges 2.99% plus $0.30 per transaction. The company also supports Authorize.net and Fluid Pay as alternative payment gateways.
3. System Setup & Onboarding: One-time setup fee starting at $300, covering complete system setup including payment processing implementation, activity and schedule creation, booking configuration, team training, and data migration from previous systems.
4. WordPress Website Services: Turnkey WordPress website hosting, setup, updates, and support available as an add-on service. Pricing is custom/quote-based.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

WaveRez is a cloud-based reservation and booking management SaaS platform purpose-built for watersport and boat tour operators. It provides online booking, proprietary matrix scheduling, real-time inventory management, dynamic pricing, digital waivers, broadcast messaging, crew management, and distribution integrations with OTAs such as Viator, GetYourGuide, and Google Things To Do. The company earns revenue primarily through a 6% booking fee per online reservation and a one-time setup fee, with no subscription or contracts required.

Product overview

WaveRez is a purpose-built reservation software platform tailored specifically for the watersport and tour boat industry. The core offering consists of a unified booking and scheduling platform with multiple integrated modules including Online Booking Portal, Scheduling System, Distribution for reseller management, Reporting and Analytics, Digital Waivers, Broadcast Messaging, Review Automation, Dynamic Pricing, Promo Codes, WordPress Websites, and Crew Management. The platform is complemented by the TripShock-powered Reseller Marketplace, Yonder AI chatbot integration, and the WaveRez Growth Bootcamp coaching program. Founded in 2014 as BookRS and rebranded to WaveRez in 2019, the software features proprietary matrix scheduling technology and was developed in collaboration with industry-leading watersport companies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WaveRez Core Platform Cloud-based reservation and booking management SaaS platform for watersport and boat tour operators, including online booking, scheduling, distribution, reporting, notifications, digital waivers, crew management, dynamic pricing, and promo codes.
• WaveRez WordPress Websites Turnkey WordPress-hosted website service integrated with the WaveRez booking platform, including hosting, setup, updates, security monitoring, SEO-friendly blogging, and mobile-first booking experience.
• WaveRez Reseller Marketplace TripShock-powered marketplace feature within WaveRez that allows operators to sell additional activities directly through their business and earn commissions up to 12% on bookings.
• The Port Conference Annual industry conference for watersport, boat tour, and rental operators, with ticketed attendance and educational programming.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3-5% annual revenue increase with dynamic pricing (10%+ in some cases)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration21 records

AI capability2 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and emerging.

• TripShockcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPremier watersport reseller operating in the Southeast USA. Exclusive strategic partnership powering the WaveRez Reseller Marketplace. Operators can sell hundreds of additional activities and earn commissions up to 12%. Features include lower commissions and featured placement for WaveRez partners. Dynamic pricing syncs automatically.
• ViatorcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLeading global marketplace offering a wide range of tours and activities. Direct API integration with WaveRez for real-time schedule synchronization and inventory management. OTAs charge commission fees when bookings are fulfilled.
• GetYourGuidecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPopular international booking platform connecting travelers with tours and experiences. Direct integration for seamless booking synchronization and inventory management across platforms.
• Google Things To DocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAllows tour operators to list and sell experiences directly on Google Search and Maps through a data feed integration. WaveRez supports enhanced listings with detailed trip descriptions, customer reviews, custom landing pages, and paid placements in Google's activity marketplace.
• StripecoreTechnology or IntegrationPrimary payment processing partner. Enables Apple Pay, Google Pay, Link, PayPal, and other modern payment options. Processing rate is 2.99% plus $0.30 per transaction. Recommended over Authorize.net for access to modern payment technology.
• Authorize.netsecondaryTechnology or IntegrationAlternative payment gateway option for operators who prefer traditional processing. Supports credit card transactions. Compatible processors can connect to Authorize.net.
• Fluid PaysecondaryTechnology or IntegrationAdditional payment processing option available alongside Stripe and Authorize.net for operators requiring alternative gateway connections.
• WhereWolfsecondaryTechnology or IntegrationDigital waiver platform integration. Automatically sends liability waivers after booking so customers complete them online before arrival. Speeds up check-in and ensures legal requirements are met.
• VquipsecondaryTechnology or IntegrationRenters insurance and compliance tools provider. Integration for automated renters insurance offers sent via email after each reservation. Supports compliance and ancillary revenue opportunities.
• Take My Boat TestsecondaryTechnology or IntegrationBoaters education platform offering temporary and lifetime boating certifications. Integration automatically sends education link to renters after booking and tracks completion before rental date.
• YonderemergingTechnology or IntegrationAI-powered guest communication platform that integrates with WaveRez to handle customer inquiries, answer questions, and help convert conversations into bookings around the clock. Reduces missed calls and provides faster responses to customer questions.
• TourMagicsecondaryTechnology or IntegrationMarketing automation tool for tour operators that sends timely, personalized texts and emails to boost bookings. Integration with WaveRez for enhanced customer communication workflows.
• ConversionAssistsecondaryTechnology or IntegrationAutomation platform that automates routine tasks to help operators get more bookings and increase reviews. Webhook connections enable workflow automation.
• PicThrivesecondaryTechnology or IntegrationPhoto sales solution that boosts revenue, streamlines operations, and turns guest media into marketing for water sports businesses. Integration for automated photo delivery.
• SouvenirPixsecondaryTechnology or IntegrationOn-site souvenir photography service capturing candid moments at events or venues and delivering high-quality printed or digital photos to guests instantly as keepsakes.
• FotaflosecondaryTechnology or IntegrationAutomated photo capture and delivery service for water-based activities. Allows operators to sell professional action shots directly to guests and create additional revenue streams.
• BoatFixemergingTechnology or IntegrationReal-time boat tracking and telematics technology. Upcoming integration will allow operators to view boat location information directly inside the WaveRez interface, track fleet activity, and improve operational visibility.
• Google AnalyticssecondaryTechnology or IntegrationWeb analytics integration for tracking website traffic and booking data. Connect with GA4 to pinpoint highest-performing marketing channels and understand customer acquisition patterns.
• Meta/FacebooksecondaryTechnology or IntegrationMeta Pixel tracking for website activity optimization and visitor retargeting. Integration for Lookalike Audiences in Meta and Google Ads for smarter, more targeted marketing campaigns.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Rentman: Rental management software provider for event and production rentals with growing overlap in equipment rental scheduling. Comparable on inventory and crew management, less specialized for watersports.
• Yonder: AI-powered guest communication and chatbot platform integrated with WaveRez; operates as an emerging complementary tech provider that also competes for mindshare against WaveRez's own broadcast messaging features.
• TripShock: Premier watersport reseller marketplace in the Southeast US and exclusive WaveRez channel partner; serves many of the same operators and is also co-founded by WaveRez's CTO, creating a hybrid competitor-partner dynamic.

Direct peers

• FareHarbor: Direct competitor offering reservation and booking management software for tours, activities, and attractions. Acquired by Booking Holdings, giving it scale and distribution advantages; competes with WaveRez across the watersport and boat tour verticals.
• Booqable: Direct competitor focused on equipment rental software for businesses including watersports and outdoor recreation. Highly comparable to WaveRez for boat rental and watersport rental operators on inventory scheduling.
• Rezdy: Direct competitor providing online booking and reservation software for tours, activities, and rentals. Targets a similar operator base with comparable scheduling, distribution, and channel management features.
• Regiondo: Direct competitor providing reservation systems and ticketing for tours, activities, and leisure experiences, primarily across European markets; comparable feature set to WaveRez in scheduling and distribution.
• Peek Pro: Direct competitor offering booking software for tours, activities, and rentals with a similar feature set spanning reservations, distribution, payments, and marketing automation.
• Checkfront: Direct competitor acquired by Tripadvisor providing online booking and reservation management for tours, activities, and rentals; overlaps with WaveRez on distribution integrations and operator workflow features.
• Bokun: Direct competitor (Tripadvisor-owned) offering a booking platform for tour and activity operators with marketplace distribution. Competes with WaveRez for the same SMB watersport and tour operator customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about WaveRez