If you’re looking for property management software (PMS), Guesty is one of the best solutions out there.
But there’s no one-size-fits-all solution out there, and Guesty isn’t for everyone.
Many PMS offer similar features, though. So if you’re looking for a Guesty alternative, how can you choose the right tool for your business?
At Hostfully, we know what vacation rental hosts need to streamline and run their business. So we’ve put together a list of alternatives to Guesty to help you decide. We’ve gone deep into features, each tool’s target users, and how they rate it.
Who is Guesty for?
Guesty is a well-regarded, advanced, all-in-one vacation rental management (VRM) software for companies that handle a large portfolio of properties. This platform is well-funded, feature-rich, has a great user experience, and a large suite of integrations.
Source: Capterra
What should you look for in a Guesty alternative?
Guesty alternatives should offer equivalent automation features, integrate with your preferred tools, and be flexible enough to grow as you do, at a price you can afford.
Here’s what to look for:
1. The right price point
The best Guesty alternative is the one that lets you do as many things as Guesty at the right price for your company. That said, price shouldn’t be the only driver of choice. Your PMS is the bedrock of your business, so you need it to be reliable.
2. Equivalent automation features
A good PMS can help you build automations, make edits in bulk, and visualize and manage your bookings without changing apps.
Make sure any Guesty alternative includes the following features:
- Channel manager: this allows you to control your listings and make changes from the same place and have them automatically updated in all OTAs.
- Multi-calendar sync: a centralized calendar for all your different listings and properties with the booking information, that helps you avoid double bookings coming from different platforms.
- Automated guest communication: lets hosts communicate with guests from one central platform, no matter where messages come in from(Booking.com; Airbnb, email, any other OTA). This helps ensure a faster response and better guest experience, which benefits your ratings and host status.
- Task management: a simplified way of coordinating schedules and tasks across your third-party contractor like cleaners, maintenance, etc. That way your property will always be ready for when the guest arrives.
- Analytics and reporting: lets you review your booking and revenue data coming from your different listings. This allows you to spot areas of opportunity, improve the guest experience, and keep owners updated.
3. Integrates with your preferred tools
One reason Guesty is worth the price is because they integrate with an extremely large suite of third-party software. If you don’t yet need them all, here’s what to look for in the meantime.
You need a tool that integrates with:
- OTAs and other booking channels (Vrbo, Airbnb, Booking.com, and Expedia to name a few) – to save time publishing and updating your listings on different portals.
- Dynamic pricing tools – to automatically adjust your prices to fit the changing demand, and increase occupancy rates and profitability.
- Smart tools for automation (smart locks, bulbs, noise monitoring) – to manage and monitor your rental remotely, allow for keyless entry, and reduce electricity bills.
- Calendar management – so you can avoid double bookings coming from different platforms.
- Cleaning and maintenance solutions – to integrate your PMS with companies that handle your cleaning and maintenance and streamline your operations.
- Vacation rental insurance – to protect your vacation rental and your guests in case of any incidents or accidents.
4. Grows with you
Getting all your business information in one of these tools is a lengthy and complicated process. That’s why one of the most important qualities of VRM software is that it’s scalable and can grow with you. Onboarding for any of these tools can be an expensive commitment, so you need to make sure it’s worth the investment. You shouldn’t need to switch platforms as you grow and your needs change.
The 5 best Guesty alternatives for vacation rental management
1. Hostfully
Source: Capterra
Hostfully is a back-to-back VRMB Keystone and Shortyz award winner and one of the most acclaimed short-term rental management PMS on the market. It’s achieved this because it truly cares about customer growth and empowering you as you scale.
Key features
- White-labeling: add your branding to the award-winning app and share it with customers, contractors, and guests. Add your logo, customize communications, and change your domain.
- Booking pipeline: The built-in customer relationship management (CRM) feature lets you review all your bookings’ information in the same dashboard at a glance. Use that info to automate tasks to accelerate your booking process to send quotes, work leads, get paid, send guest communication and check-in instructions, and cancel bookings.
- Powerful integrations: connects to over 40 different tools and the top-rated channel managers for vacation rentals so you can build a powerful, flexible tech stack.
- Channel management: publish your property across different booking sites with direct integrations to OTAs or through channel management tools. You can also do Airbnb multi-property management.
Pricing
Hostfully starts at $119 for managing four properties per month, plus a one-time onboarding fee. Calculate your custom pricing here.
2. Hostaway
Source: GetApp
Hostaway is another well-regarded all-in-one property management software for vacation rentals and Airbnb. It’s a great choice for professional vacation rental property managers.
Key features
- Customizable channel manager: personalize the information for each channel. You can customize the pictures, copy, amenities, and description, for each OTA.
- Shallow learning curve: learn how to use all features easily. Hostaway has great channel management, guest communication, and automated messaging that’s quick to learn.
- Great customer service: get answers to your questions fast. One of the most acclaimed features of Hostaway is its responsive support.
- API integrations: connect to multiple third-party hospitality, accountancy, and marketing software to streamline your VRM.
Pricing
Pricing is not disclosed on their website and depends on the portfolio you manage. However, users shared that it costs around $50 per property per month.
3. OwnerRez
Source: Capterra
OwnerRez’s vacation rental management solution is recognized for ease of use. Like all PMSs, it connects to many of the most popular channels for listing and booking management. It’s also one of the more affordable Guesty alternatives, so a good option for property managers or vacation rental owners that manage a small to medium portfolio (under 200 properties).
Key features
- Built-in native tools: use OwnerRez native solutions like their digital signature feature instead of connecting to multiple software through an API.
- QuickBooks integration: share financial data from your bookings with Quickbooks directly. This is great for creating and keeping track of booking invoicing information.
- Easy to use: set up your account easily. You can also get dedicated onboarding – ProConnect – but it’s not mandatory to understand how to use the platform.
- Customizable website builder: create your direct booking website using different templates and add WordPress plugins to share data from your website to OwnerRez.
Pricing
The full plan costs $80 per unit per month, but the basic plan is cheaper. Then, prices go up to $893.25 for 200 properties per month. You can add or remove functionalities and lower the price. Also, you can pay for ProConnect (their onboarding) for $500 extra.
4. Streamline
Source: Streamline
Streamline is a cloud-based short-term rental management software that lets you manage your vacation rental business.
Key features
- Lead tracking system: review and track your prospects to close deals. Streamline has an easy dashboard to work leads at every stage without needing to go to the CRM.
- Phone support team: call and have someone answer your questions right away.
- Open API: build custom websites and apps, and develop connections with other software using Streamline data.
- Native revenue management tool: modify daily prices in bulk, lock a minimum length of stay, and set dynamic prices to answer the dynamic demand with their built-in RevMaxIQ tool.
Pricing
Their prices are available upon request, but according to VRM Intel, an STR news portal, “Streamline’s customers can choose between flat-rate monthly pricing (per unit per month) plus 1% of gross revenue received from OTA/third-party channel bookings or bundled flat-rate monthly pricing for its all-in-one solution.”
5. Track
Source: Software Advice
Track is built by TravelNet Solutions. This intuitive and user-friendly all-in-one property management software (PMS) can help you streamline your operations. A cloud-based enterprise software solution, Track hosts everything online and avoids legacy record-keeping.
Track comes with three different solutions:
- Track PMS, manage bookings, accounting, automation, and guests all in the same place
- Track Pulse, a sales call center powered by your PMS and CRM data
- Hospitality CRM, keep track of your leads data
Key features
- Hospitality CRM and Pulse: keep track of your leads and prospects all in one place. Derive them to Track Pulse to have your sales team contact them directly.
- Large set of integrations: connect with the most relevant platforms in the industry in just one click. However, OTA direct integration doesn’t include Expedia, Booking.com, or TripAdvisor.
- Guests and property owners portal: improve guest and owner communication with dedicated web-based apps. The guest app gives guests access to everything they’ll need during their stay.
Pricing
OwnerRez prices aren’t disclosed online or shared by users. Quotes are customized according to your needs.
Choose the best Guesty alternative for your vacation rental business
Guesty is a great choice for property management companies who want to have all property information in one place. But there’s no perfect solution for everyone.
If you’re looking for a Guesty alternative, consider the following:
- Does the price point fit your budget?
- Does it have all the features and integrations you need (and will you use all the features it has)?
- Is it flexible enough to allow you to grow and change?
- Will you get the support you need?
If you’re looking for a full-stack PMS with all the same great features and integrations at a price that rewards growth, why not give Hostfully a try?
Frequently asked questions about Guesty alternatives
How much does it cost to use Guesty?
It’s difficult to say how much Guesty costs because their pricing isn’t publicly listed. According to users, however, it charges a percentage of all your bookings (2-5%), plus an onboarding fee that’s around $1,000.
Does Guesty work with Airbnb?
Like Hostfully, Guesty works with Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, and other OTAs thanks to native integrations.
What are the key features of Guesty?
The key features of Guesty include a powerful channel manager that allows you to modify and update listings in bulk, multi-calendar sync to avoid double bookings, and a centralized inbox to keep all guest communication in one place whatever platform they’re messaging from.
What is Guesty for Pros?
Guesty for Pros is the version of Guesty’s Vacation Rental Management software for professional property managers and property management companies with a portfolio of four or more properties.
For those with fewer than three properties, Guesty also offers Guesty for Hosts, though this is a separate product.
