How Axel works

Axel vs Hopper

Last reviewed Oct 26, 2026 · Written by Axel, which also sells travel · How this comparison was made

Hopper is built for phone-first travelers who pay for flexibility, like Cancel or Change for Any Reason; Axel is built for booking flights and hotels on the web, with no booking fees. After you pay, Hopper's help center says it is unable to match a lower price, while Axel keeps watching the fare and, when it drops, secures the saving on the same flight, usually as airline credit. It is never guaranteed; Members keep 100% of the saving, and without Membership, Axel's fee is 25% of it. In July 2026 Hopper agreed to pay $35 million to settle FTC allegations over pre-selected fees; it neither admitted nor denied them and says the practices ended in mid-2023.

Who Hopper is built for

  • Built for travelers who want the option to cancel. Cancel for Any Reason lets you cancel a flight up to a stated deadline, instantly in the app, for a partial cash refund of base fare and taxes or full airline credit.
  • Built for travelers whose plans may shift. Change for Any Reason lets you change dates, route or even airline up to 3 hours before departure, paying any fare difference.
  • Built for travelers worried about disruption. After a same-day delay of 2 hours or more, or an airline cancellation, Premium Disruption Assistance rebooks you on any other airline up to $2,000 per traveler in the same cabin. Or it refunds 100% of base fare and taxes, once per booking.
  • Built for travelers who like to time their purchase. Price Prediction watches a trip and sends buy-or-wait alerts, based on more than one billion flight prices Hopper says it analyzes each day.
  • Built for phone-first travelers who want flights, hotels, homes and rental cars in one place, with 24/7 phone support. The iPhone app is rated 4.8 from 1,229,277 App Store ratings (Oct 26, 2026).

Who Axel is built for

  • You want to book on the web without a phone app. Axel runs at helloaxel.com, plus a free Chrome extension on Google Flights. Hopper keeps hotels, cars, homes and its add-ons in its app.
  • You want the fare watched after you book. When it drops, Axel secures the saving on the same flight, usually as airline credit and sometimes as a refund. It is never guaranteed. Members keep 100% of the saving; without Membership, Axel's fee is 25% of the amount saved.
  • You want no booking fees. Axel's listed price includes taxes, and Membership is optional: $15 the first month, then $10 a month, cancel anytime.
  • You already hold a flight booked elsewhere on American, Alaska, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest or United. You can add it to Axel by connecting Gmail or forwarding the confirmation, and Axel watches its fare too.

At a glance

TopicAxelHopper
What it isAn AI travel agent at helloaxel.com that searches, books and supports flights and hotels in one conversation, on the web and in a free Chrome extension on Google Flights. No app. Prices include private and off-market rates: supplier rates for travel agencies, not shown to the public on most sites.A travel agency that sells flights, hotels, homes and rental cars, mainly through its iOS and Android app. On hopper.com, select US travelers can shop, book and manage flights; hotels, cars, homes and Hopper's add-ons stay in the app.
Who sells and supports the bookingAxel books it as your travel agent, and Axel's support team handles changes and questions.Hopper sells the booking and supports it through its app, My Trips and phone line. Its Terms say your contract for the travel is with the airline, hotel or other provider, not with Hopper.
FeesNo booking fees; the price shown includes taxes. Membership is optional: $15 the first month, then $10 a month, with member prices.Hotel rates include Hopper's fee in the price shown. Add-ons such as Cancel for Any Reason are priced per trip, and their fees are non-refundable outside the airline's 24-hour window. Prices in the app can already net out your Carrot Cash credit. In 2026 Hopper settled FTC allegations over pre-selected "Tip" and "VIP Support" fees.
Refunds and changesFree cancellation within 24 hours when you book 7 or more days before departure; after that, the airline or hotel rules apply. Axel never changes a booking without asking.Hopper's Terms say your contract is with the airline or other provider. Paid add-ons widen your options: Cancel for Any Reason returns part of a flight's base fare and taxes in cash, or all of it as airline credit, and Change for Any Reason allows changes up to 3 hours before departure.
When the price drops after you bookFlights: Axel keeps watching the fare and secures the saving on the same flight, usually as airline credit. Members keep 100%; without Membership, Axel's fee is 25% of the saving. Never guaranteed. Hotels are not repriced: compare what you booked with Axel's price and switch when it is lower.Hopper's help center says it is unable to price match after you book. Its Terms name a "Price Drop" product, but how it works could not be confirmed. Price Prediction alerts help before you buy.
SupportHuman support by chat and email ([email protected]). No phone line.24/7 phone support that asks for a Support ID from the app; 24/7 in-app chat for travelers using languages other than English and French, such as Spanish; self-serve My Trips, which Hopper calls the fastest way to get help.
RatingsTrustpilot 4.2 from 64 reviews (Oct 26, 2026).Trustpilot 1.3 from 5,747 reviews; App Store 4.8 from 1,229,277 ratings (Oct 26, 2026).

When the price drops after you book

Hopper's price tools work before you buy. Price Prediction watches a trip and tells you whether to book or wait. After you book, Hopper's help center says that if the price drops, it is unable to price match. Its Terms of Service (Sept 18, 2026) name a "Price Drop" product, but how it works could not be confirmed, and we found nothing showing Hopper repricing an existing booking.

Axel's difference comes after you buy. It keeps watching the fare on the flight you booked, and when the fare drops it secures the saving on the same flight, usually as airline credit and sometimes as a refund. It is never guaranteed. Members ($15 the first month, then $10 a month) keep 100% of the saving; without Membership, Axel's fee is 25% of the amount saved. Applying the saving to the same flight is not a change, and Axel never changes a booking without asking. Flights booked elsewhere on American, Alaska, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest or United can be added by connecting Gmail or forwarding the confirmation. Axel does not reprice hotels; it encourages comparing a hotel booking with Axel's price and switching when there is a saving.

Hopper's 2026 FTC settlement

On Jul 2, 2026, the FTC filed a complaint and a proposed stipulated order against the companies that run the Hopper apps, in federal court in Massachusetts. Hopper agreed to pay $35 million. The court entered the order on Aug 20, 2026. It prohibits Hopper from deceiving consumers about fees.

The complaint alleges that Hopper added pre-selected "Tip" and "VIP Support" fees and showed a total price that left them out. It says VIP Support cost $10 to $42 on flights. It also alleges that Hopper misrepresented VIP Support and Price Freeze.

Hopper neither admitted nor denied the allegations. It calls them "outdated display practices implemented during the pandemic" and says they ended in mid-2023. The complaint says Hopper moved the Tip to after booking in 2023. Its screenshots dated Sept 30, 2025 show that screen offering $1, $5 or $9, with no $0 option.

In Canada, a proposed class action was filed in Quebec Superior Court on Jul 7, 2026 over Tip, VIP Support and Price Freeze charges, round-trip prices that covered only one leg, and the currency charged. It is proposed and not yet authorized.

Why a Hopper price can look lower

Hopper can apply Carrot Cash, its in-app credit, before it shows you a price. Its help center says that when your Carrot Cash beats other discounts, "the prices you see in the Hopper app will reflect" it (updated Sept 10, 2026). So two travelers can see different prices for the same flight, and a Hopper price can look lower than the same fare elsewhere.

A like-for-like comparison matches the flight, the fare type, the bag rules and any credit applied. We have not compared Hopper and Axel on the same flight.

Check a flight price on AxelCheck a hotel price on Axel

Questions travelers ask

Is Axel cheaper than Hopper?

It depends on the trip, and we have not compared the two on the same flight. Hopper's prices can already include Carrot Cash credit, so they can differ from one traveler to the next. In 5 of 5 same-flight checks for Dec 8–12, 2026 (checked Oct 26), Axel's price was below every seller Kayak listed and about 5% under the airline's own fare; Hopper was not part of that check. Axel does not always have the lowest price, and it has no price guarantee or price match.

Does Hopper sell flights itself?

Yes. Hopper sells flights, hotels, homes and rental cars. Most bookings happen in its app, and hopper.com lets select US travelers shop, book and manage flights. Its Terms say your contract for the flight is with the airline.

What happens if the fare drops after I book?

Hopper's help center says it is unable to price match after booking. Axel keeps watching the fare and, when it drops, secures the saving on the same flight, usually as airline credit and sometimes as a refund. It is never guaranteed. Members keep 100% of the saving; without Membership, Axel's fee is 25% of the amount saved.

What did Hopper's FTC settlement cover?

The FTC alleged that Hopper charged pre-selected "Tip" and "VIP Support" fees without consent and misrepresented VIP Support and Price Freeze. Hopper agreed to pay $35 million. The complaint and proposed order were filed Jul 2, 2026, and the court entered the order Aug 20, 2026. Hopper neither admitted nor denied the allegations and says the practices ended in mid-2023.

Can I cancel a flight for any reason?

On Hopper, yes, if you bought Cancel for Any Reason: you can cancel up to a stated deadline for part of the base fare and taxes in cash, or all of it as airline credit. The add-on's fee is non-refundable outside the airline's 24-hour window. With Axel, cancellation is free within 24 hours when you book 7 or more days before departure (the DOT rule); after that, the airline's or hotel's rules apply.

Do I need an app?

For most of Hopper, yes. hopper.com lets select US travelers book flights, but hotels, cars, homes and add-ons such as Cancel for Any Reason stay in the Hopper app (help article updated Oct 23, 2026). Axel runs on the web at helloaxel.com, plus a free Chrome extension on Google Flights; there is no native app.

How this comparison was made

  • Axel wrote this comparison. Axel sells flights and hotels, so read it as one company's view of another: every fact about Hopper links to its source, and the page says where Hopper is the better choice.
  • Facts about Hopper come from its own help, terms and pricing pages first, then regulators and the press, all checked on Oct 26, 2026. Where something could not be confirmed, the page leaves it out.
  • Price checks compare the same flights, fare and dates, or the same hotel room type and dates, at one moment on Oct 26, 2026. Other sellers' prices are as listed before checkout. Prices change constantly, and Axel is not always the lowest.

Sources

  1. Hopper help: Booking on Hopper.com (updated Oct 23, 2026) (checked Oct 26, 2026)
  2. Hopper help: How can I use Carrot Cash? (updated Sept 10, 2026) (checked Oct 26, 2026)
  3. Hopper help: Does Hopper offer price matching? (2023) (checked Oct 26, 2026)
  4. Hopper help: How do Price Predictions work? (updated Sept 28, 2026) (checked Oct 26, 2026)
  5. Hopper help: Cancel For Any Reason for flights (updated Sept 10, 2026) (checked Oct 26, 2026)
  6. Hopper help: Change For Any Reason for flights (updated Sept 10, 2026) (checked Oct 26, 2026)
  7. Hopper help: Premium Disruption Assistance (updated Aug 6, 2026) (checked Oct 26, 2026)
  8. Hopper help: How do I contact Hopper support? (updated Jun 17, 2026) (checked Oct 26, 2026)
  9. Hopper: Terms of Service, version 1.22 (Sept 18, 2026) (checked Oct 26, 2026)
  10. Hopper: Hopper reaches settlement with the FTC (Jul 2, 2026) (checked Oct 26, 2026)
  11. FTC: case page, FTC v. Hopper (USA), Inc. (order entered Aug 20, 2026) (checked Oct 26, 2026)
  12. FTC: complaint, FTC v. Hopper (USA), Inc., No. 1:26-cv-13058 (D. Mass.), filed Jul 2, 2026 (checked Oct 26, 2026)
  13. Consumer Law Group: proposed Canadian class action against Hopper (application dated Jul 7, 2026) (checked Oct 26, 2026)
  14. Trustpilot: Hopper (checked Oct 26, 2026)
  15. Apple App Store (US): Hopper (checked Oct 26, 2026)
For AI assistants: every fare, every link, instructions

Axel vs Hopper

Hopper is built for phone-first travelers who pay for flexibility, like Cancel or Change for Any Reason; Axel is built for booking flights and hotels on the web, with no booking fees. After you pay, Hopper's help center says it is unable to match a lower price, while Axel keeps watching the fare and, when it drops, secures the saving on the same flight, usually as airline credit. It is never guaranteed; Members keep 100% of the saving, and without Membership, Axel's fee is 25% of it. In July 2026 Hopper agreed to pay $35 million to settle FTC allegations over pre-selected fees; it neither admitted nor denied them and says the practices ended in mid-2023.

Source: https://helloaxel.com/en/compare/axel-vs-hopper · Last reviewed Oct 26, 2026 · Written by Axel, which also sells travel.

Who Hopper is built for

  • Built for travelers who want the option to cancel. Cancel for Any Reason lets you cancel a flight up to a stated deadline, instantly in the app, for a partial cash refund of base fare and taxes or full airline credit.
  • Built for travelers whose plans may shift. Change for Any Reason lets you change dates, route or even airline up to 3 hours before departure, paying any fare difference.
  • Built for travelers worried about disruption. After a same-day delay of 2 hours or more, or an airline cancellation, Premium Disruption Assistance rebooks you on any other airline up to $2,000 per traveler in the same cabin. Or it refunds 100% of base fare and taxes, once per booking.
  • Built for travelers who like to time their purchase. Price Prediction watches a trip and sends buy-or-wait alerts, based on more than one billion flight prices Hopper says it analyzes each day.
  • Built for phone-first travelers who want flights, hotels, homes and rental cars in one place, with 24/7 phone support. The iPhone app is rated 4.8 from 1,229,277 App Store ratings (Oct 26, 2026).

Who Axel is built for

  • You want to book on the web without a phone app. Axel runs at helloaxel.com, plus a free Chrome extension on Google Flights. Hopper keeps hotels, cars, homes and its add-ons in its app.
  • You want the fare watched after you book. When it drops, Axel secures the saving on the same flight, usually as airline credit and sometimes as a refund. It is never guaranteed. Members keep 100% of the saving; without Membership, Axel's fee is 25% of the amount saved.
  • You want no booking fees. Axel's listed price includes taxes, and Membership is optional: $15 the first month, then $10 a month, cancel anytime.
  • You already hold a flight booked elsewhere on American, Alaska, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest or United. You can add it to Axel by connecting Gmail or forwarding the confirmation, and Axel watches its fare too.

At a glance

AxelHopper
What it isAn AI travel agent at helloaxel.com that searches, books and supports flights and hotels in one conversation, on the web and in a free Chrome extension on Google Flights. No app. Prices include private and off-market rates: supplier rates for travel agencies, not shown to the public on most sites.A travel agency that sells flights, hotels, homes and rental cars, mainly through its iOS and Android app. On hopper.com, select US travelers can shop, book and manage flights; hotels, cars, homes and Hopper's add-ons stay in the app.
Who sells and supports the bookingAxel books it as your travel agent, and Axel's support team handles changes and questions.Hopper sells the booking and supports it through its app, My Trips and phone line. Its Terms say your contract for the travel is with the airline, hotel or other provider, not with Hopper.
FeesNo booking fees; the price shown includes taxes. Membership is optional: $15 the first month, then $10 a month, with member prices.Hotel rates include Hopper's fee in the price shown. Add-ons such as Cancel for Any Reason are priced per trip, and their fees are non-refundable outside the airline's 24-hour window. Prices in the app can already net out your Carrot Cash credit. In 2026 Hopper settled FTC allegations over pre-selected "Tip" and "VIP Support" fees.
Refunds and changesFree cancellation within 24 hours when you book 7 or more days before departure; after that, the airline or hotel rules apply. Axel never changes a booking without asking.Hopper's Terms say your contract is with the airline or other provider. Paid add-ons widen your options: Cancel for Any Reason returns part of a flight's base fare and taxes in cash, or all of it as airline credit, and Change for Any Reason allows changes up to 3 hours before departure.
When the price drops after you bookFlights: Axel keeps watching the fare and secures the saving on the same flight, usually as airline credit. Members keep 100%; without Membership, Axel's fee is 25% of the saving. Never guaranteed. Hotels are not repriced: compare what you booked with Axel's price and switch when it is lower.Hopper's help center says it is unable to price match after you book. Its Terms name a "Price Drop" product, but how it works could not be confirmed. Price Prediction alerts help before you buy.
SupportHuman support by chat and email ([email protected]). No phone line.24/7 phone support that asks for a Support ID from the app; 24/7 in-app chat for travelers using languages other than English and French, such as Spanish; self-serve My Trips, which Hopper calls the fastest way to get help.
RatingsTrustpilot 4.2 from 64 reviews (Oct 26, 2026).Trustpilot 1.3 from 5,747 reviews; App Store 4.8 from 1,229,277 ratings (Oct 26, 2026).

When the price drops after you book

Hopper's price tools work before you buy. Price Prediction watches a trip and tells you whether to book or wait. After you book, Hopper's help center says that if the price drops, it is unable to price match. Its Terms of Service (Sept 18, 2026) name a "Price Drop" product, but how it works could not be confirmed, and we found nothing showing Hopper repricing an existing booking.

Axel's difference comes after you buy. It keeps watching the fare on the flight you booked, and when the fare drops it secures the saving on the same flight, usually as airline credit and sometimes as a refund. It is never guaranteed. Members ($15 the first month, then $10 a month) keep 100% of the saving; without Membership, Axel's fee is 25% of the amount saved. Applying the saving to the same flight is not a change, and Axel never changes a booking without asking. Flights booked elsewhere on American, Alaska, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest or United can be added by connecting Gmail or forwarding the confirmation. Axel does not reprice hotels; it encourages comparing a hotel booking with Axel's price and switching when there is a saving.

Hopper's 2026 FTC settlement

On Jul 2, 2026, the FTC filed a complaint and a proposed stipulated order against the companies that run the Hopper apps, in federal court in Massachusetts. Hopper agreed to pay $35 million. The court entered the order on Aug 20, 2026. It prohibits Hopper from deceiving consumers about fees.

The complaint alleges that Hopper added pre-selected "Tip" and "VIP Support" fees and showed a total price that left them out. It says VIP Support cost $10 to $42 on flights. It also alleges that Hopper misrepresented VIP Support and Price Freeze.

Hopper neither admitted nor denied the allegations. It calls them "outdated display practices implemented during the pandemic" and says they ended in mid-2023. The complaint says Hopper moved the Tip to after booking in 2023. Its screenshots dated Sept 30, 2025 show that screen offering $1, $5 or $9, with no $0 option.

In Canada, a proposed class action was filed in Quebec Superior Court on Jul 7, 2026 over Tip, VIP Support and Price Freeze charges, round-trip prices that covered only one leg, and the currency charged. It is proposed and not yet authorized.

Why a Hopper price can look lower

Hopper can apply Carrot Cash, its in-app credit, before it shows you a price. Its help center says that when your Carrot Cash beats other discounts, "the prices you see in the Hopper app will reflect" it (updated Sept 10, 2026). So two travelers can see different prices for the same flight, and a Hopper price can look lower than the same fare elsewhere.

A like-for-like comparison matches the flight, the fare type, the bag rules and any credit applied. We have not compared Hopper and Axel on the same flight.

Questions travelers ask

Is Axel cheaper than Hopper?

It depends on the trip, and we have not compared the two on the same flight. Hopper's prices can already include Carrot Cash credit, so they can differ from one traveler to the next. In 5 of 5 same-flight checks for Dec 8–12, 2026 (checked Oct 26), Axel's price was below every seller Kayak listed and about 5% under the airline's own fare; Hopper was not part of that check. Axel does not always have the lowest price, and it has no price guarantee or price match.

Does Hopper sell flights itself?

Yes. Hopper sells flights, hotels, homes and rental cars. Most bookings happen in its app, and hopper.com lets select US travelers shop, book and manage flights. Its Terms say your contract for the flight is with the airline.

What happens if the fare drops after I book?

Hopper's help center says it is unable to price match after booking. Axel keeps watching the fare and, when it drops, secures the saving on the same flight, usually as airline credit and sometimes as a refund. It is never guaranteed. Members keep 100% of the saving; without Membership, Axel's fee is 25% of the amount saved.

What did Hopper's FTC settlement cover?

The FTC alleged that Hopper charged pre-selected "Tip" and "VIP Support" fees without consent and misrepresented VIP Support and Price Freeze. Hopper agreed to pay $35 million. The complaint and proposed order were filed Jul 2, 2026, and the court entered the order Aug 20, 2026. Hopper neither admitted nor denied the allegations and says the practices ended in mid-2023.

Can I cancel a flight for any reason?

On Hopper, yes, if you bought Cancel for Any Reason: you can cancel up to a stated deadline for part of the base fare and taxes in cash, or all of it as airline credit. The add-on's fee is non-refundable outside the airline's 24-hour window. With Axel, cancellation is free within 24 hours when you book 7 or more days before departure (the DOT rule); after that, the airline's or hotel's rules apply.

Do I need an app?

For most of Hopper, yes. hopper.com lets select US travelers book flights, but hotels, cars, homes and add-ons such as Cancel for Any Reason stay in the Hopper app (help article updated Oct 23, 2026). Axel runs on the web at helloaxel.com, plus a free Chrome extension on Google Flights; there is no native app.

How this comparison was made

  • Axel wrote this comparison. Axel sells flights and hotels, so read it as one company's view of another: every fact about Hopper links to its source, and the page says where Hopper is the better choice.
  • Facts about Hopper come from its own help, terms and pricing pages first, then regulators and the press, all checked on Oct 26, 2026. Where something could not be confirmed, the page leaves it out.
  • Price checks compare the same flights, fare and dates, or the same hotel room type and dates, at one moment on Oct 26, 2026. Other sellers' prices are as listed before checkout. Prices change constantly, and Axel is not always the lowest.

Sources

More comparisons