If you’re exploring property management software (PMS) options, it’s likely that Hostaway has come up in your search. But is it really the best fit for your growing vacation rental business? While Hostaway appears to offer comprehensive solutions, many property managers find its features limited, support slow, and innovation lagging. Perhaps most critically, Hostaway’s syncing time can be a half hour or more, leading to a double booking risk.
Fortunately, there are powerful alternatives that can drive greater revenue, simplify operations, and provide the support your business needs. Below, we’ll explore the top five Hostaway alternatives including why Guesty stands out as the best choice.
Who is Hostaway for?
Hostaway positions itself as a solution for property managers with small to mid-sized portfolios who are looking for a centralized platform to handle bookings, communications, and operational tasks. It offers essential tools for managing listings across major channels like Airbnb and Vrbo and provides some level of automation for guest communications.
However, property managers seeking a scalable solution, advanced features, or reliable customer support may quickly outgrow Hostaway’s capabilities.
What should you look for in a Hostaway alternative?
When evaluating alternatives to Hostaway, here are some key factors to consider:
- Revenue growth potential: Does the software offer tools like dynamic pricing and support optimal distribution to maximize occupancy and revenue?
- Scalability: Can the platform support your business as it grows from a few listings to tens and hundreds?
- Innovation and product development: Is the company forward-thinking, regularly updating its software, and releasing new features?
- Customer support: How accessible and helpful is their support team?
- Comprehensive features: Look for functionality such as direct booking capabilities, task automation, reporting, and payment processing.
Now, let’s dive into the top Hostaway alternatives.
5 best Hostaway alternatives
1. Guesty: Best for scaling your business and maximizing revenue
Guesty is the leading property management software for vacation rental businesses of all sizes. With an industry-leading R&D team, advanced automation tools, and a robust suite of features, Guesty empowers property managers to streamline operations, attract more property owners, and grow revenue.
Why choose Guesty over Hostaway?
- Higher revenue per listing: On average, property managers who switched from Hostaway to Guesty saw a 16.4% increase in revenue per listing within 12 months.
- Advanced dynamic pricing: Guesty’s embedded AI-powered pricing tool ensures optimal rates, while Hostaway’s more basic tool lags behind.
- Unmatched channel manager: Guesty offers direct integration to 60+ channels with real-time sync, compared to Hostaway’s 22 channels. Additionally, Guesty enjoys superior connectivity with Airbnb.
- Seamless direct bookings: Guesty provides an AI-powered website builder and embedded payment processing, making it easy to drive commission-free reservations.
- 24/7 customer support: With a team of 240+ support agents, Guesty offers round-the-clock assistance, compared to Hostaway’s limited support resources.
Cons:
- Higher price point may not suit smaller operations with limited properties
- Initial onboarding process requires dedicated time investment to fully utilize all features
If you’re looking for a technology partner to help your business thrive, Guesty is the clear winner — whether you have 1-3 listings, or hundreds.
2. Lodgify: Best for very small-scale managers with limited needs
Lodgify is a basic property management software option primarily suited for individual hosts or very small-scale property managers who prioritize simplicity over advanced functionality.
Pros:
- Simple website builder for direct bookings
- Easy to set up for those with minimal technical experience
Cons:
- Limited scalability: Lodgify struggles to support property managers as they grow beyond a handful of listings.
- Channel manager restrictions: While Lodgify integrates with major OTAs (Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo), some users report that its channel manager lacks the depth and flexibility of more enterprise-grade solutions.
- Slow support response times: Customer service may not meet the expectations of professional managers who need timely assistance.
- Outdated integrations: Fewer and less reliable integrations compared to more robust solutions like Guesty.
3. iGMS: Best for automation enthusiasts
iGMS is known for its powerful automation features and is a good fit for hosts managing multiple properties.
Pros:
- Robust automation for guest communication and task management
- Integration with major booking platforms
Cons:
- Limited reporting and analytics
- No embedded payment processing
- Smaller marketplace of third-party integrations compared to Guesty
4. Ownerrez
Ownerrez, which was founded in 2009, offers a PMS for vacation rental managers. It is primarily suited for small-scale property managers.
Pros:
- Covers key needs
- 14-day free trial
Cons:
- Legacy user interface with complex processes making usage not intuitive
- Limited innovations: no AI capabilities and limited automations, requires a lot of manual work
- Missing guest management features such as a guest portal, group bookings, CRM, and reviews management
5. Uplisting: Best for boutique property managers
Uplisting is a basic property management software option primarily suited for small-scale property managers.
Pros:
- Backed by Airdna (was acquired in 2024)
- Leads as a service: The Uplisting team manages the entire process, which includes keyword research, Google AdWords campaign creation, optimized landing pages, retargeting adverts, and qualified lead capture.
Cons:
- Basic feature set: no complex multi-unit management, basic revenue management, not able to send quotes, no CRM, no damage / liability protections, no native payment processor
- Standard features such as the owner portal, statements and security deposit management are add-ons
- Low number of releases per year
Want to unlock your vacation rental potential?
Hostaway may be a recognizable name in the property management software space, but it often falls short when it comes to innovation, scalability, and customer support. If you’re serious about growing your vacation rental business, it’s worth exploring alternatives that can truly support your goals.
Guesty stands out as the top choice, offering unmatched features, superior support, and the ability to drive significant revenue growth. Ready to see the difference for yourself? Schedule a demo with Guesty today and take your short-term rental business to the next level.
