Top 5 iGMS Alternatives in 2024 for Vacation Rental Management

iGMS is a popular, affordable property management system (PMS) but it’s not for everyone.  

At Hostfully, we specialize in helping property managers of all sizes automate, streamline, and grow their business. So we reached out to our in-house experts and dug deep into user reviews to find the best iGMS alternatives.

We’ll look at which features each tool offers, who it’s best suited to, and how it’s priced.

Who is iGMS for?

iGMS is ideal for hosts who mainly need to list on Airbnb and a few other major sites. It offers essential features  to run your vacation rentals. Like task, workflow, and messaging automation; a centralized inbox; and a direct bookings website.  

Priced at just $18 per property per month, it’s a very affordable option.

What should you look for in an iGMS alternative?

Here’s what to look for in an iGMS alternative. 

1. Integrations marketplace to build a powerful tech stack
2. More distribution channels for wider reach
3. Team role and access permission for streamlined collaboration
4. Advanced automation features to boost efficiency

Let’s take a look at why those are important. 

1. Integrations marketplace 

Always evaluate iGMS alternatives with not only your current needs but also your future growth in mind. The integration marketplace should offer direct, stable API integrations to all the vacation rental management tools you need to run your business and scale. 

Some popular integrations include:

• OTAs & channel managers 
• Housekeeping
• Keyless entry
• Payment processing
• Review management
• Vacation rental accounting software 
• Dynamic pricing
• Insurance & guest verification 

If an iGMS alternative lacks these, at some point, you’ll likely need to switch. Changing software providers mid-season isn’t easy, though. If you’re not careful, you could find yourself struggling to manage and counting the days till off-season when you can upgrade your PMS.  

2. More distribution channels for wider reach

Your iGMS alternative should have direct API integrations with all the major booking channels. So, as well as the “Big 3” – Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com – check whether it also offers HomeToGo, TripAdvisor, getaway GoGo, etc. If so – or if it has a channel manager integration – you’ll be better able to boost bookings, especially from niche markets or locations. 

You should also check if the tool enjoys Preferred Partner status with major OTAs like Airbnb, etc. 

3. Team role and access permission for streamlined collaboration

As your team grows, you’re going to need to easily delegate tasks and limit access to sensitive information.

Your iGMS alternative should let you classify roles for managers, booking agents, property sales managers, and associates. You should also be able to set access permissions for each role. For example:

A manager with no limitations could:

• View and edit property details
• Access all booking channels
• View leads in the pipeline

A booking agent may have more limited access to:

• A subset of all your properties
• Leads and bookings for properties assigned to them

4. Advanced automation features to boost efficiency

Any iGMS alternative should have advanced automation capabilities to save time on manual or repetitive tasks. For example:

• Templates and triggers for guest communication and messaging. For example, an automatic welcome message when a booking is confirmed. This saves you a ton of time copying and pasting replies to repeated guest FAQs, etc. 
• Automatically generated invoices and owner reports.
• Rules to automate cleaning schedules and notifications

The 5 Best iGMS alternatives for vacation rental management

These are the  top 5 iGMS alternatives we recommend for vacation rental management:

1. Hostfully – Best for booking pipeline visibility
2. OwnerRez – Best for electronic signatures
3. Guesty for hosts – Best for small businesses
4. Rentals United – Best for large-scale distribution 
5. Hosthub – Best for integrations with 200+ channels

Let’s look at them in more detail. 

1. Hostfully–Best for booking pipeline visibility

Hostfully is a full-stack PMS that’s grown to win several awards since launching in 2016, including two VRMB Keystone Awards and a Shortyz. It’s also a Preferred Partner of Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com. It offers all the features you need to streamline operations at a price point that makes it accessible to vacation rental management companies (VRMCs) of all sizes. It offers all the features you need to streamline operations at a price point that makes it accessible to vacation rental management companies (VRMCs) of all sizes.  

Key features

• The unique Booking Pipeline goes beyond traditional calendar views to offer unparalleled visibility and automations for lead and booking management. So you can quickly and easily send out quotes, close leads, hold a property, request payment, etc. And if you’re running your business alone, it also makes it easy to keep tabs on upcoming tasks and stay organized. 
• Digital Guidebooks make it easy to share pre- and in-stay information, make recommendations, and upsell amenities and services 
• The Channel Manager integrates with 16 OTAs and channel managers, including Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, and others. Hostfully also integrates via API to top-rated channel managers for vacation rentals Rentals United and NextPax. So you get distribution to 170+ channels in total.  
• Robust API and integration marketplace of 40+ essential vacation rental management and business tools—payment processing, cleaning, dynamic pricing, accounting, etc.
• The white-labeled direct booking website lets you build your brand and business and save on OTA fees
• Inbox AI. Quickly respond to guests using AI technologies to draft guest responses using listing info from your Hostfully digital guidebooks and your PMP’s property data.

Pricing 

Hostfully has four different pricing plans-Starter (1-4 listings), Pro (5-11), Pro Plus (5-19 listings), and Premium (20+ listings). The monthly rate starts at $119 for four properties and a one-time implementation fee.

2. OwnerRez–Best for electronic signatures

OwnerRez connects to all the top OTAs and listing sites and is a preferred partner of Airbnb, Vrbo, and TripAdvisor Rentals It offers typical property management features, as well as some that facilitate direct bookings and marketing.

Key features

• Custom website builder lets you choose a variety of templates to create a branded website to increase your organic traffic and reduce your reliance on third-party sites
• The channel manager integrates via API with 8 channels, including Airbnb, Vrbo, HomeToGo, TripAdvisor, and Booking.com
• Guest messaging features, including a unified inbox, triggers, and templates
• Collection and storage of reviews, so you don’t lose them if you switch booking platforms 
• Built-in rental agreement and electronic signature features. Guest emails are also captured at the point of contact, which lets you build your lists and remarket. 
• Integrations with dynamic pricing tools, smart locks, accounting and housekeeping tools, etc. 

Pricing 

OwnerRez pricing varies depending on the number of properties you manage and the features you need. The tool offers a 14-day free trial, and the monthly price starts at $49 for four properties. 

So, for 25 properties on a Premium plan, you’ll pay $12.14 per property/month.

3. Guesty for Hosts–Best for small businesses 

Guesty for Hosts is the rebranded version of MyVR, following its acquisition by Guesty. It’s aimed at smaller VRCMs managing a handful of properties and listing on the “Big 3” OTAs. Once you scale above that, you’ll need to get a quote for Guesty’s full-stack PMS.

Key features

• Channel connectivity with Airbnb, Booking.com, and Vrbo
• Automate personalized, multilingual guest messages, guest reviews, and review reminders
• Automated cleaning management features, like notifications, reporting, and scheduling 
• Direct booking website 
• Reporting and invoicing 

Pricing 

Guesty for Hosts offers a 14-day free trial and is priced at $55 per month for three listings. If you manage more than three properties, it’s custom priced on request. You’ll most likely have to switch to the full-featured Guesty.

4. Rentals United–Best for large-scale distribution

Rentals United is an award-winning channel manager that offers PMS features and functionality.  for VRMCs with 10+ rentals. It’s also a preferred connectivity partner of Booking.com, HomeAway, and Agoda. 

Key features

• API connections to 60+ listing sites 
• Quality checker identifies actionable opportunities to optimize your listings
• Guest planner helps track guest arrivals and assign cleaning tasks with the help of an iCalendar
• Integrations with more than 50 PMS partners like Hostfully
• Direct bookings engine and website template 
• Centralized inbox for guest messaging 
• Dashboard overview of reservations 
• Mobile app 

Pricing 

Rentals United starts at €199 for 10+ units. For 50+ units, pricing is on request.

5. Hosthub–Best for integrations with 200+ channels

Hosthub (formerly Syncbnb) is another tool that prioritizes channel management while also offering PMS features. 

Key features

• Connectivity to 200+ global channels, including Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, HomeToGo, TripAdvisor, and many more
• Customizable booking engine to convert your existing website to accept direct bookings
• Team access features enables multiple permissions for on-the-ground teams, property owners, and managers
• Multiple configurations let you set up a villa as one property and list each room separately as a child rental across all channels.
• Built-in expense management enables data-driven decisions by tracking your most costly properties and listing sites

Pricing 

Hosthub offers a 14-day free trial and charges $67 per month for four rentals, which is $16.8 per rental per month. However, this subscription doesn’t include the bookings engine or website builder. If you manage 30+ properties, you’ll need to contact the sales team for a quote.

Choose the right PMS from our top iGMS alternatives

iGMS is a great property management tool but it’s not for everyone.  If it doesn’t meet your needs, check out our list of iGMS alternatives to see which could work for you. 

As you evaluate the tools, remember to think about which features and functionality you need—both now and in the future. And look for pricing that fits your budget and won’t become a burden as you grow. 

If channel management is your priority, we recommend Rentals United. However, it’s well worth giving Hostfully a try if you’re looking for an end-to-end PMS with robust integrations. Not to mention all the features you need to automate and streamline your business. 

Frequently asked questions about iGMS

How much does it cost to use iGMS?

The cost of iGMS depends on the number of units you manage. The pricing module starts at $14 per property per month for up to 4 properties.

What are the key features of iGMS?

The key features of iGMS include direct integration with rental channels like Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com, unified unbox, no-code website builder, and messaging automations. 

Does iGMS offer guides, tutorials, and or customer support?

iGMS offers weekly product webinars, guides, and a help desk that can be found on its resources page.