If you run an active tourism business or work as an independent guide, you probably know Civitatis. It's one of the largest Spanish-language experience marketplaces with millions of users. But it also has a real cost that doesn't always make the headlines: commissions of up to 25%, with no access to your customer data.
In this article we compare Civitatis with Outvia, a direct sales tool specifically designed for active tourism businesses. Our goal is not to attack any platform, but to help you make an informed decision based on your business needs.
Quick comparison: Civitatis vs Outvia
| Civitatis | Outvia | |
|---|---|---|
| Commission per booking | 20–25% | 0% |
| Direct customer contact | No | Yes |
| Price control | Limited | Full |
| Search visibility | High (their own ranking) | Depends on your strategy |
| Advance payment | Yes (managed by Civitatis) | Yes (managed by you via Stripe) |
| WhatsApp confirmations | No | Yes |
| Own management panel | Yes (Civitatis') | Yes (yours) |
| Model | Intermediary marketplace | Direct sales tool |
Commissions: what Civitatis really costs you
Civitatis charges between 20% and 25% commission on each booking. It sounds like a percentage, but let's look at real numbers.
Say you offer a hiking activity at €60 per person with groups of 8. That's €480 per trip.
- Civitatis takes: between €96 and €120
- You receive: between €360 and €384
If you do 20 trips per month in high season, you're paying between €1,920 and €2,400 per month in commissions. Per year, between €23,000 and €28,800 coming out of your pocket.
With Outvia, that figure is zero. You pay a fixed monthly subscription, and every euro from bookings is yours.
Customer control: the difference that matters most long-term
This is the most relevant point, and the least discussed.
When a customer books through Civitatis, that customer belongs to Civitatis, not you. You can't contact them outside the platform. You can't send them activity photos. You can't offer them your next trip directly. You can't ask them for a Google review.
With Outvia, the customer books directly on your page. You have their email and WhatsApp from the very first moment. You can:
- Send them the confirmation directly
- Share photos when the activity ends
- Offer a discount for their next booking
- Ask for a Google review
- Add them to your contact list for future trips
The difference isn't just operational. It's strategic. Every customer that goes through Civitatis is a customer you're not building for your own business.
Price control and flexibility
On Civitatis, prices are subject to the platform's policies. You can't run promotions outside the system, apply special group rates, or adjust pricing without going through their panel.
With Outvia, you set your prices, cancellation policies, and conditions. If you want to make a last-minute offer to fill a Friday slot, you do it in seconds and share it via WhatsApp without any intermediary.
Visibility: Civitatis' strongest argument
Let's be honest: Civitatis has millions of visitors per month. If you're just starting out and no one knows your business, being on Civitatis can give you quick visibility that would take months to build on your own.
That's their strongest argument, and it's real.
The problem is that visibility has a permanent cost. Every booking that comes through Civitatis — whether it's the first month or the tenth year — pays the same commission. No volume discounts, no loyalty rewards.
The smartest strategy for many businesses is to use Civitatis to get the first customers and, in parallel, build a direct sales channel that over time reduces that dependence.
Ease of use
Both platforms are relatively easy to use for providers.
Civitatis has a longer onboarding process, with editorial review of activities and certain photo quality and description requirements.
Outvia is designed so any business can publish their activities in minutes, with no technical knowledge required. The panel is simple, the link is shared directly via WhatsApp or Instagram, and the customer books and pays in under two minutes from their phone.
Who is Civitatis for?
Civitatis is a better fit if:
- You're starting out and need immediate visibility
- You offer urban tourism or city tours with high demand
- You don't have your own channel and need bookings fast
- You're willing to give up customer control in exchange for volume
Who is Outvia for?
Outvia is a better fit if:
- You already have customers and want to stop paying commissions
- You offer guided experiences with groups and defined schedules
- You want to know who your customers are and communicate with them
- You use WhatsApp as your main communication channel
- You want to charge in advance and eliminate no-shows
Conclusion
Civitatis and Outvia are not exactly competitors: they address different moments in an active tourism business's life.
Civitatis is an acquisition channel. Useful at the start, costly in the long run.
Outvia is a direct sales tool. It requires that you already have or can attract your own audience, but in return gives you full control over the customer and zero commissions per booking.
The question isn't which is better in the abstract. It's: where is your business right now?
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Civitatis and Outvia at the same time? Yes. Many businesses use marketplaces to attract new customers and Outvia so those same customers book directly again in the future.
How much does Outvia cost? Outvia works on a monthly subscription with no per-booking commissions. You can request access and find out current pricing at outvia.app.
Is it complicated to migrate from Civitatis to Outvia? No. It's not a technical migration: they are different tools. You can start using Outvia for your direct channel while keeping Civitatis active in parallel.
What happens to my current Civitatis customers? Customers who already booked through Civitatis continue to be managed by Civitatis. With Outvia, new customers book without intermediaries.
Do you offer guided activities and want to start selling direct? Request access to Outvia and start without commissions.