What iCal is designed for
iCal feeds are commonly used to exchange blocked or occupied calendar dates between systems. The exact refresh behavior and fields exchanged depend on the platforms involved.
What a channel manager is designed for
A channel manager generally coordinates distribution across connected channels, potentially including availability, reservations, rates and other booking data depending on the integration.
Why the distinction matters
Calendar-only synchronization versus broader booking data
Refresh behavior and timing
Rate and restriction management requirements
Reservation detail available to operations
Number of channels and properties being managed
What to verify before buying
Do not assume every PMS, channel manager or OTA connection behaves the same way. Ask the vendor exactly which connection method is used for each channel and what data is synchronized.