24 Best Airbnb Host Tools for Smart STR Managers

Ready to take your Airbnb game to the next level? Whether you're a new host or a seasoned property manager with a growing portfolio, the best Airbnb host tools can transform your results. From boosting revenue to cutting down time and costs, the top short-term rental (STR) tools are your ticket to smoother operations and better performance. 

In this guide, we’ll break down must-have tech for Airbnb success—covering essential features, built-in Airbnb tools, and the best third-party solutions for every aspect of your business.

Here are our top picks for the best Airbnb host tools by category:

• Best Airbnb host tools for overall property management: SummerOS
• Best Airbnb market research data tool: Summer Forecast
• Best Airbnb dynamic pricing tool: Wheelhouse
• Best Airbnb channel manager: Hostaway
• Best Airbnb tool for guest communication: Hostfully
• Best Airbnb cleaning and maintenance tools: Turno
• Best Airbnb accounting tool: QuickBooks Online
• Best Airbnb tool for safety: SimpliSafe

If you're a professional vacation rental property manager looking for the best platform to streamline and automate all your operations, boost the performance of your properties, and grow your portfolio, check out SummerOS.

What are Airbnb host tools? 

Airbnb host tools, synonymous with Airbnb management software and vacation rental management software, refers to a wide range of technology-based tools that help hosts and property managers manage their short-term rentals more efficiently. Generally speaking, these software tools streamline, automate, and optimize the management process so that STR operators need to devote less time, effort, and human resources on managing their properties while improving guest experiences and overall financial results.

Tools for Airbnb hosts and managers can perform diverse functions. Some of them are devoted to specific tasks, such as market research, dynamic pricing, or channel management, while others offer more comprehensive solutions, known as a property management system (PMS). Though most tools run a subscription-based pricing model, the cost can vary widely, depending on the available features and the number of listings.

Meanwhile, the most important benefits that Airbnb hosting tools offer to both beginners and professionals include:

• Data-driven pricing and revenue management
• More bookings and higher occupancy
• Better revenue
• Lower operating costs and resources
• Higher profit
• Easier team management and collaboration
• Simplified housekeeping processes
• Faster and more efficient communication with guests
• More satisfied guests
• More positive guest reviews
• Higher ranking on Airbnb
• Enhanced performance tracking and reporting to owners
• Unprecedented portfolio growth

While using tools can bring many advantages, it's important to note that results depend on your ability to choose the right software that aligns with your needs as a host or a manager. 

What are professional hosting tools on Airbnb? 

As the best short-term rental platform for both hosts and guests, Airbnb offers a number of tools that help hosts and managers improve operations. It's worth noting that all tools available on the Airbnb website are optional, i.e., hosts can choose to switch them on or off, and are free of charge as the cost is included in the Airbnb host fees that are typically 3% of the booking subtotal.

The main professional built-in tools directly available on Airbnb include the following. 

Smart Pricing

Airbnb Smart Pricing is Airbnb's proprietary tool for automatic dynamic pricing that allows hosts to boost reservations based on listing details, search activity, and bookings. The tool uses Airbnb's own data on market performance, guest searches in the area, local booking activities, and comparable properties (comps) to suggest daily rates to get more bookings.

Hosts can choose whether to use Smart Pricing or build their own pricing strategy by taking advantage of other pricing functionalities available on the Airbnb website such as length-of-stay discounts, early-bird discounts, last-minute discounts, and others. In case you decide to turn Smart Pricing on, you still retain control over your listing's base price, minimum price, and maximum price.

The main pros of Airbnb Smart Pricing include:

• Use of Airbnb's own data
• Ability to increase bookings and occupancy
• No need for third-party tool integrations
• No additional cost

The main cons of Airbnb Smart Pricing include:

• Unreasonably low daily rates as reported by hosts
• Focus on enhancing occupancy
• Revenue not maximized

The Smart Pricing tool can help you get a few extra reservations, especially during the low season, but it needs to be used with caution to avoid listing your property for less than what makes sense for positive cash flow. You can avoid underpricing by setting a minimum price that guarantees good results.

Instant Book

Another tool provided by Airbnb is Instant Book, which allows hosts to automatically approve bookings by certain guests without the need for manual intervention. Under the standard setup, hosts need to approve reservations before they get confirmed, which requires active engagement on behalf of the host and causes delays from the point of view of guests who tend to prefer listings with Instant Book over others.

The best thing about Instant Book is that you can choose what types of guests can book immediately based on criteria such as completed guest account and positive reviews by hosts. In this way, you can automate booking approval only when you feel comfortable.

The main pros of Airbnb Instant Book include:

• More reservations
• Less communication time
• Ability to set up guest requirements for eligibility

The main cons of Airbnb Instant Book include:

• Somewhat limited customization functions
• Insufficient capabilities for truly boosting bookings

Instant Book is a nice addition that can help get some additional reservations, but it doesn't have sophisticated functions to actively work towards obtaining more bookings.

Updating multiple listings from one place

Airbnb allows hosts to work on multiple listings at the same time, from the same place, which works similarly to a channel manager tool. STR operators can simultaneously update pricing (fees and discounts), listing details (amenities, open homes, location, property type, and check-in method), booking settings (cancellation policy, house rules, and trip length), cleaning, and availability settings on a number of different listings. This feature is particularly useful for owners and managers with large portfolios of similar properties.

The main pros of updating multiple listings simultaneously include:

• Streamlining operations
• Saving time
• Avoiding missing information

The main cons of updating multiple listings from one place include:

• Lack of sophisticated vacation rental channel management functions
• Inability to sync with listings on other websites

Hosts can implement quick changes on a few of their listings on the Airbnb website, but they cannot benefit from this tool if they list their properties on other platforms as well, such as Vrbo and Booking.com.

Inbox functions

In addition to exchanging messages with guests, hosts can use the Airbnb inbox for some degree of guest communication automation. In particular, Quick Replies allows you to set up answers to popular questions with the help of AI and personalize messages with shortcodes. This includes check-out instructions for smoother processes. Additionally, you can create Scheduled Messages using templates and personalization shortcodes and send them automatically.

The main pros of Airbnb inbox functions include:

• Guest communication automation
• Personalized communication for a more special guest experience
• Easier check-in and check-out processes

The main cons of Airbnb inbox functions include:

• Lack of true automation
• Limited functionalities

The additional features available with the Airbnb inbox for hosts can help you improve communication with guests, but they might not be enough for large-scale managers who want to take their business to the next level.

Performance Dashboard

Each Airbnb host account comes with access to a Performance Dashboard where you can see a quick summary of the historical, real-time, and future performance of your properties and compare between them. Some metrics include daily rates, occupancy, conversions, top-performing listings, and hosting progress.

The main pros of the Airbnb performance dashboard include:

• Summary of main performance metrics
• Comparison between your own listings
• Comparison with comps

The main cons of the Airbnb performance dashboard include:

• Lack of sophisticated metrics such as Airbnb occupancy rate (as a %), expenses, and profit
• Lack of customization functions
• Inability to brand a performance report (particularly important for professional property managers reporting to owners)

The Performance Dashboard allows hosts to check how their listings are performing, but the reporting is rather limited compared to what some third-party tools offer.

All in all, while Airbnb offers some optional tools for hosts to improve the management of their listings, vacation rental operators who want to really maximize results need to opt for more powerful Airbnb host tools.

How to choose the best Airbnb host tools 

In selecting the top Airbnb hosting tools for owners and managers, we focused on the following criteria:

• Tools and features: First and foremost, we ranked solutions that have the tools necessary to address the main pain points in the STR industry, from pricing properties to protecting guest safety.
• Automation: We chose software options that have superior automation features for faster and more efficient property management.
• Integrations: We focused on tools that integrate seamlessly with Airbnb and other third-party platforms for smooth experiences.
• Data sources: We selected host tools that use rental and real estate data from reliable sources and cover the entire U.S. market.
• Ease of use: Our top picks offer user-friendly interfaces that require minimum onboarding.
• Scalability: The best Airbnb tools for hosts can scale along with your portfolio and operations to avoid the need to switch between platforms as your business expands.
• Customer reviews: We looked at the overall ratings of short-listed tools on trustworthy review websites and read through individual customer reviews to highlight the pros and cons of each software.
• Pricing: We gave priority to tools that come with a free plan or a free trial and that are affordable for both small-scale and large-scale hosts and property managers.
• Value for money: At the end, we went for the tools that offer the best value for money to STR operators.

Based on these parameters, these are the best Airbnb host tools in each category.

The best Airbnb host tools for overall property management

The first type of tools that Airbnb hosts and managers can use is known as a property management system, or PMS for short. This is a comprehensive software platform that combines multiple tools and features that allows users to streamline the most time-consuming tasks and largely put property management on autopilot. Specifically, overall Airbnb property management tools help automate revenue management, reservations, calendar sync, guest communication, channel management, team management, reviews, housekeeping, and other day-to-day tasks.

Our three top picks for overall Airbnb management host tools include the following.

SummerOS

The absolute best overall property management platform for Airbnb owners and professional managers is SummerOS, your go-to solution for taking control of your vacation rental business. SummerOS was designed by property managers for property managers and other short-term rental operators to function as a one-stop-shop for all your Airbnb management needs, no matter the size of your business.

SummerOS empowers you to generate property management leads, onboard new properties, grow your portfolio, improve the performance of listings, and retain customers through a comprehensive set of tools that emphasize data accuracy and exceptional user experience. The platform centralizes your short-term rental data and operations into one powerful platform that supports you in managing smarter, growing faster, and staying ahead of the competition.

The most important SummerOS features include:

• Custom comp sets to identity new opportunities
• Advanced underwriting and pro forma tools
• Built-in tools for lead generation and customer upsells
• Property and team member onboarding capabilities
• Real-time data insights to track property and portfolio performance
• Customizable dashboards and reports to present to owners
• Automated alerts and tasks
• Automated updates for property owners
• Automated processes for proactively addressing issues to enhance guest experiences
• Options to identify underperforming properties and boost performance
• Revenue optimization for owners and managers

While the platform can be used by all Airbnb hosts, investors, and half-service and full-service managers, SummerOS is a real game-changer for large-scale professional managers with multiple listings across different markets.

SummerOS comes along with affordable pricing that starts at $15 per home/month, which allows both small and large STR operators to benefit from its many advantages over other Airbnb host tools. Lower rates may be available for smaller operators or startups. You can sign up for a 14-day free trial to test the platform yourself.

The main pros of SummerOS include:

• True all-in-one solution for the diverse needs of Airbnb operators
• Empowering tools for smarter investment and management decisions
• Unmatched data accuracy
• Supreme customization option
• Great fit for hosts, investors, and professional managers
• Intuitive design
• Seamless integrations with Airbnb listings and other host tools
• Easy scalability
• Transparent pricing

The only con of SummerOS is that it doesn't extend beyond the U.S. market, but it works nationally without exceptions.

SummerOS customer reviews focus on the exceptional data, the smooth consolidation of data from different sources, the readily available insights to empower business decisions, and the time-saving capabilities.

Get started with SummerOS today to transform your short-term rental business from reactive to proactive management with centralized data, actionable insights, and powerful tools.

Guesty

Our review of Guesty shows that this is another great PMS. Guesty provides access to multiple core Airbnb host tools including channel management, multi-calendar, multi-unit management, direct reservations, automation, accounting, and analytics. Add-on tools include Guesty PriceOptimizer (dynamic pricing), Guesty Websites (vacation rental website builder), Guesty Capital (short-term rental business financing), Guesty Locks Manager (smart lock manager), and others.

Guesty offers tiered subscriptions that make it a good choice for different users, from hosts with a single listing to property management companies with hundreds of listings.

Guesty has a subscription based-pricing model that comes with three different plans. Customers can choose between monthly and annual subscriptions for savings. Pricing starts at $20/month per listing when billed annually for access to the main features. The price is custom for more sophisticated plans for access to more tools and large portfolios. There is a 14-day free trial for the basic package.

Guesty customer reviews are available on:

• Trustpilot: 4.1/5 stars from 571 reviews
• Capterra: 4.4/5 stars based on 297 reviews
• GetApp: 4.4/5 stars from 297 reviews
• Software Advice: 4.4/5 stars from 297 reviews
• G2: 4.5/5 stars from 42 reviews

Positive reviews highlight the more efficient business management, the continuously added new features, the good suite of tools, and the helpful customer support, while negative reviews mention frequent software bugs and failures, problems with calendar and payment management, poor onboarding, and horrible customer service.

The main pros of Guesty include:

• Multiple hosting tools
• Strong integrations with third-party software
• Options to customize
• Flexible pricing

The main cons of Guesty include:

• Crucial tools offered as add-ons only
• Steep learning curve
• Overwhelming technical issues as reported by customers
• Complex pricing with different tiers and add-ons

Lodgify

Lodgify is another popular PMS in the short-term rental space. The available features include a reservation system, channel manager, reservation management, guest communication and management, dynamic pricing, payment processing, website builder, task management, owner statements, reporting, analytics, and others.

Lodgify is successfully used by both individual hosts and professional property managers.

Lodgify subscription plans include three different tiers, with monthly, yearly, and biyearly payment options. Pricing starts at $16/month + 1.9% booking fee per listings when billed annually. More sophisticated plans with access to more features are priced higher, but there are discounts for larger portfolios. Users can sign up for a 7-day free trial.

Lodgify reviews are available on:

• Trustpilot: 4.7/5 stars from 1,312 reviews
• Capterra: 4.5/5 stars from 989 reviews
• GetApp: 4.5/5 stars from 989 reviews
• Software Advice: 4.5/5 stars from 989 reviews
• G2: 3.9/5 stars from 38 reviews

Happy customers praise the rich features, the simple interface, the enjoyable onboarding experience, and the supportive staff, whereas unhappy customers write about broken listing links, malfunctioning integrations, confusing functionalities, and frustrating customer support.

The main pros of Lodgify include:

• Range of Airbnb host tools
• Multiple integrations with other third-party platforms
• Various pricing plans
• Free onboarding

The main cons of Lodgify include:

• Technical bugs with syncing
• Potentially unintuitive interface for some users
• Poor customer service
• Steep pricing

The best Airbnb host tools for market research data

Smart and profitable investment and management decisions in the short-term rental industry are based on solid data. Airbnb performance varies widely from one market to another, in terms of states, cities, and neighborhoods. Thus, Airbnb data tools that help with market research and analysis are the second most important category in our list.

Our three top picks for Airbnb market research and data tools are the following.

Summer Forecast

The best tool for Airbnb market research and analysis is Forecast in SummerOS, your go-to platform for building a high-performing Airbnb portfolio. The accurate data, the intuitive analytics, and the empowering tools help you analyze market trends, compare cities, generate revenue projections, and find the top short-term rental markets with just a few clicks of a button.

The main features of Summer Forecast include:

• Deep market insights with highly customizable market, sub-market, and comp set analytics
• Agile comp tools with flexible options
• Build-in cash flow modeling with customizable inputs
• Robust mapping tool
• Customizable report for ongoing analysis and data-driven decisions
• Comprehensive Airbnb metrics including daily rate, occupancy rate, gross revenue, RevPAR, rental listings, for sale listings, average property price, and more
• Searchability by market, address, or zip code

Summer Forecast has the power to help STR investors find the best opportunities across the U.S. and property managers make smarter, data-supported business decisions.

Summer Forecast has flat pricing for comprehensive access to all tools, data points, and markets for a single fee. There is a 14-day trial so that customers can test the power of the platform before committing to a subscription fee.

Summer Forecast customer reviews praise the accurate data, the consolidated metrics, and the readily available analytics for easy business decisions.

The main pros of Summer Forecast include:

• Institutional-quality data and tools
• Unmatched Airbnb data accuracy
• Strong focus on user-friendliness
• Tools tailored to professional investors and managers
• Effortless scalability
• Affordable pricing

The only con of Summer Forecast is that it doesn't work internationally, but data covers the entire U.S. market. Get started with Summer Forecast now to unlock intuitive Airbnb data for smarter investment and management decisions.

Your Airbnb revenue forecast: Brighter days ahead

Learn more

Mashvisor

Our Mashvisor review places the platform as another potentially good choice for Airbnb market research tools. Mashvisor features cover short-term and long-term rental market analysis, Airbnb calculator, property marketplace, and vacation rental management software.

Mashvisor ideal customers include real estate investors, hosts, and small-scale property managers.

Mashvisor pricing comes with four different plans, with quarterly and annual payment options. The cost starts at $24.99/month when billed annually for access to the most basic features.

Mashvisor reviews by customers are available on:

• Trustpilot: 4.5/5 stars from 459 reviews
• BBB: 4.68/5 stars from 273 reviews
• Google: 3.9/5 stars from 52 reviews
• G2: 4.5/5 stars from 1 review

Positive reviews point to the ability to find and analyze deals, the easier investment process, and the easy-to-navigate platform, while negative reviews go over the poor data quality and accuracy, the difficult-to-use tools, and the occasional technical problems.

The main pros of Mashvisor include:

• Analysis of both Airbnb and long-term rental markets and properties
• Both investment and management Airbnb tools
• National data coverage

The main cons of Mashvisor include:

• Issues with data coverage and accuracy
• Data quality dependent on market
• Hard-to-use tools
• Not a good fit for large-scale investors and property managers

AirDNA

AirDNA is another popular short-term rental data platform. AirDNA features include Airbnb property and market data, AirDNA Rentalizer (Airbnb calculator), vacation rentals for sale, AirDNA Smart Rates (dynamic pricing tool), comp sets, and global tourism insights.

AirDNA users comprise hosts, investors, property managers, agents, lenders, PropTech companies, hotels, tourism boards, and financial institutions.

AirDNA pricing depends on the type of customer (individual vs business), access to tools, spread of historical data, number of listings, and subscription duration (monthly vs annual). Pricing starts at $34/month per listing when billed annually. There is a free forever plan that comes with very limited features and is not suitable for long-term property management.

AirDNA customer reviews are available on:

• Trustpilot: 4.6/5 stars from 366 reviews
• G2: 3.6/5 stars from 4 reviews
• Capterra: 1.5/5 stars from 2 reviews
• Software Advice: 1.5/5 stars from 2 reviews
• BBB: 1.0/5 stars from 1 review

Satisfied users discuss the excellent analysis, the easy-to-use insights, the detailed data, and the great customer support team, while dissatisfied customers report lack of data for some markets, problems with AirDNA data accuracy in certain cases, the unintuitive platform, deceptive billing, and lack of customer service.

The main pros of AirDNA include:

• Access to Airbnb, Vrbo, and partner data
• Market-level and property-level analysis
• Multiple tools for market analysis
• Global market coverage

The main cons of AirDNA include:

• Data inaccuracy reported by some customers
• Missing data in multiple markets
• Overly complicated user experience
• Unclear cost for most plans

The best Airbnb host tools for dynamic pricing

An Airbnb pricing strategy needs to be dynamic, meaning that daily rates account for seasonality, supply and demand factors, booking activity, and competitor performance. Implementing such a strategy requires the use of software tools to avoid the need for endless data collection and analysis.

Our three top picks for Airbnb dynamic pricing are:

Wheelhouse

Wheelhouse is the best Airbnb pricing tool as it allows hosts and managers to choose between a rule-based, data-driven, and hybrid pricing strategy. Features include dynamic pricing, dynamic comp sets, performance analytics, and market insights.

Wheelhouse ideal customers comprise Airbnb hosts and property managers of all sizes.

Wheelhouse cost for the dynamic pricing feature can be commission-based (1% of revenue) or a flat fee ($19.99/month per listing) to provide the best option for each customer. Large-scale managers benefit from custom pricing.

Wheelhouse reviews are available on:

• Capterra: 4.8/5 stars from 164 reviews
• GetApp: 4.8/5 stars from 164 reviews
• Trustpilot: 4.6/5 stars from 130 reviews
• G2: 5.0/5 stars from 65 reviews

Happy Wheelhouse customers emphasize the robust tools, the optimized pricing strategy, the logical rate suggestions, and the flexible options, while unhappy users mention occasional technical problems, problematic integrations, and too low price recommendations.

The main pros of Wheelhouse include:

• Option to choose your preferred Airbnb pricing strategy
• Customization capabilities
• Scalability
• Good third-party integrations

The main cons of Wheelhouse include:

• Some technical glitches
• Indirect integration with Vrbo and Booking.com

Beyond

Beyond, formerly Beyond Pricing, is a revenue management platform that automates dynamic pricing for hosts and property managers. Beyond features cover dynamic pricing, market insights, direct booking website, channel management, and revenue management.

Beyond users include short-term rental hosts, property managers, and Airbnb revenue managers.

Beyond cost for dynamic pricing is equivalent to 1% of booking revenue, while the price goes up for access to additional Airbnb host tools.

Beyond reviews are available on:

• G2: 4.7/5 stars from 126 reviews
• Capterra: 4.5/5 stars from 92 reviews
• GetApp: 4.5/5 stars from 92 reviews
• Software Advice: 4.5/5 stars from 92 reviews
• Product Hunt: 4.0/5 stars from 3 reviews

Positive reviews make note of the smooth pricing system, the alignment with market trends, the spectacular algorithm, and the hands-on customer support team, while negative reviews discuss software glitches, costly platform errors, lack of integrations, and horrible customer service.

The main pros of Beyond include:

• Ability to retain control over your Airbnb pricing strategy
• Automated dynamic pricing
• Affordable cost

The main cons of Beyond include:

• Massive technical problems reported by customers
• Poor integrations with third-party tools

PriceLabs

PriceLabs is another popular Airbnb host tool for putting your pricing strategy on autopilot. The main features include dynamic pricing, portfolio analytics, market insights, and Airbnb calculator.

PriceLabs customers include both small-scale and large-scale Airbnb hosts and property managers.

The PriceLabs cost for dynamic pricing is either $19.99/month or 1% of booking.

PriceLabs customer reviews are available on:

• Capterra: 4.9/5 stars based on 214 reviews
• GetApp: 4.9/5 stars based on 214 reviews
• Software Advice: 4.9/5 stars based on 214 reviews
• Trustpilot: 4.4/5 stars based on 65 reviews

Satisfied PriceLabs users praise the immediate positive impact on revenue, the pricing strategy automation, the easy setup, and the useful tutorial videos, while dissatisfied customers complain about the poor algorithm, the extreme price suggestions, the drop in bookings, and the careless customer support team.

The main pros of PriceLabs include:

• Availability of Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com data
• Daily rate, occupancy rate, and revenue optimization
• Customizable strategy

The main cons of PriceLabs include:

• Erroneous daily rates reported by users
• No possibility to mix rules-based and data-driven strategies
• Steep learning curve

The best Airbnb host tools for channel management

Another must-have tool for Airbnb hosting is the so-called Airbnb channel manager. This software helps hosts and managers unify their listings across different platforms in order to optimize performance while saving time and effort.

Our three top picks for Airbnb channel managers include the following.

Hostaway

The Hostaway channel manager integrates with a wide range of websites, including both the most popular names, such as Airbnb and Vrbo, and more niche platforms, like Hopper and Whimstay. In addition to channel management, other Hostaway features include a PMS, reservations manager, multi-calendar, cross-listings, communication automation, review automaton, and many others.

Hostaway ideal customers include short-term rental property owners and managers with different property types across various markets.

No Hostaway pricing information is made available on the company website.

Online Hostaway reviews are available on:

• Capterra: 4.8/5 stars from 1,126 reviews
• GetApp: 4.8/5 stars based on 1,126 reviews
• Software Advice: 4.8/5 stars from 1,126 reviews
• Trustpilot: 4.8/5 stars from 668 reviews
• G2: 4.7/5 stars from 218 reviews
• HotelTechReport: 4.8/5 stars based on 29 reviews

Positive reviews of Hostaway talk about the numerous channel integrations, the excellent calendar layout, the ease of use, and the comprehensive onboarding, while negative reviews discuss occasional issues with booking channel integrations, technical glitches, and poor automation capabilities.

The main pros of Hostaway include:

• Comprehensive solution for Airbnb hosts and managers that goes beyond simple channel management
• Strong integration options
• Scalability

The main cons of Hostaway include:

• Steep learning curve
• Problematic integrations
• Lack of transparent pricing

Smoobu

Smoobu offers a vacation rental channel manager that helps avoid double bookings, synchronize daily rates, and optimize performance. Additional Smoobu features cover a reservation system, booking system, availability calendar, guest guides, guest reviews, and others.

Smoobu can be used by both individual Airbnb owners and professional managers.

Smoobu pricing offers two tiers, with monthly, yearly, and biyearly payment options. The cost starts at $28.16/month when billed annually for access to the channel manager. There is a free plan, but it doesn't include the Smoobu Airbnb channel manager. However, there is a 14-day free trial.

Customer reviews of Smoobu are available on:

• Capterra: 4.5/5 stars from 183 reviews
• GetApp: 4.5/5 stars from 183 reviews
• Software Advice: 4.5/5 stars from 183 reviews
• G2: 3.8/5 stars from 10 reviews

Positive reviews emphasize the easy coordination of listings and bookings, the quick synchronization with different platforms, the easy-to-manage interface, and the great customer support, while negative reviews highlight regular disconnections with certain booking channels, lack of proper documentation, and expensive cost.

The main pros of Smoobu include:

• Multiple Airbnb host tools along with channel management
• Ability to sync entire listings and sub-units
• Daily rates synchronization functionality
• Integration with numerous booking websites

The main cons of Smoobu include:

• Technical glitches reported by customers
• Blocked nights functionality failures
• Indirect integrations using iCal

OwnerRez

OwnerRez is another top vacation rental channel manager. Other OwnerRez features that come along with channel management include property management, payment processing, renter agreements, messaging, accounting, reporting, and others.

While the Airbnb channel manager can be used by various operators, OwnerRez is rather targeted at large-scale property managers.

OwnerRez pricing depends on the included features and the number of listings. Many features are available as add-ons, which might result in a high overall cost. Pricing starts at $40/month for a single listing, and there is a 14-day free trial.

OwnerRez customer reviews are available on:

• Capterra: 4.9/5 stars from 191 reviews
• GetApp: 4.9/5 stars from 191 reviews
• Software Advice: 4.9/5 stars from 191 reviews
• G2: 5.0/5 stars from 23 reviews
• Trustpilot: 3.2/5 stars from 5 reviews

Happy customers praise the functionality, effectiveness, the continuous software improvements, and the always available customer service, while unhappy customers write about time-consuming setup, steep learning curve, and less attractive interface than competitors.

The main pros of OwnerRez include:

• Multiple features
• Good customization options
• Direct integrations

The main cons of OwnerRez include:

• Difficult initial implementation
• Need for guided initial setup
• High cost due to add-on features

The best Airbnb host tools for guest communications 

Proactive, on-time, and detailed communication with potential, current, and past guests is key for the success of an Airbnb business. In addition to providing guests with all necessary information for check-in and check-out as well as the property and the area, hosts have to be available 24/7 to address guest questions and concerns. The only way to secure smooth and timely communication without hiring a full-time team is by using the right Airbnb hosting tools.

Our three top picks for guest communication tools include the following.

Hostfully

Hostfully leads the list of the best Airbnb guest communication tools for the superior digital guestbook solution, among other factors. Hostfully Guidebooks allows hosts and property managers to create customizable guidebooks that help provide answers to the most common guest questions and offer enhanced guest experiences. Additional Hostfully features include channel management, central calendar, unified inbox, automations, and others.

While Hostfully customers include both hosts and property managers, the platform is rather expensive for owners with just a few listings.

Hostfully subscription plans cover three different tiers and come with monthly and annual options. The cost starts at $119/month for up to four properties when billed monthly. Customers need to pay a one-time implementation fee as well.

Hostfully reviews are available on:

• Capterra: 4.2/5 stars from 221 reviews
• GetApp: 4.2/5 stars from 221 reviews
• Software Advice: 4.2/5 stars from 221 reviews
• Trustpilot: 4.7/5 stars from 137 reviews
• G2: 4.3/5 stars from 35 reviews

Customers satisfied with the Hostfully product highlight the constantly improving platform, the self-explanatory design, the user-friendly interface, and the very helpful customer support team, while less satisfied customers mention syncing problems, missing integrations, and software bugs.

The main pros of Hostfully include:

• Multitude of Airbnb host tools in addition to guest communication
• Superior digital guestbook feature
• Numerous third-party software integrations

The main cons of Hostfully include:

• Poorly working integrations
• Technical glitches
• High cost for small-scale hosts and owners

Hospitable

Hospitable, formerly Smartbnb, is another Airbnb host tool that helps hosts and property managers automate and streamline guest communications. In specific, the platform helps hosts automate up to 90% of communication with AI, from initial inquiries all the way to guest reviews. Other Hospitable features cover a unified inbox, review management, pricing sync, task management, and more.

Hospitable ideal customers include Airbnb property managers and Airbnb management companies, but individual hosts might also find some value.

Hospitable pricing starts at $29/month for one property and reaches $99/month for three properties, with additional fees for extra listings. There is a free-trial option for operators who are deciding between a few different guest communication tools.

Hospitable customer reviews are available on:

• Trustpilot: 4.4/5 stars from 496 reviews
• G2: 4.9/5 stars from 206 reviews
• Capterra: 4.8/5 stars from 134 reviews
• GetApp: 4.8/5 stars from 134 reviews
• Software Advice: 4.8/5 stars from 134 reviews
• Real Reviews: 4.5/5 stars from 4 reviews

Positive reviews of Hospitable emphasize the power of the AI, the strong automations, the easy-on-the-eyes platform, and the extremely helpful team, while negative reviews mention problems with guest communication in different languages, issues with booking channel integrations, and total lack of customer support.

The main pros of Hospitable include:

• Strong communication automation potential
• Useful additional tools for Airbnb hosts
• Clear pricing structure

The main cons of Hospitable include:

• Limited third-party integrations
• Absent customer support reported by users
• Expensive pricing for large portfolios

iGMS

iGMS, formerly AirGMS, offers a unified inbox that brings together guest messages from booking channels and direct bookings as well as automated message templates and automated triggered messaging to help with guest communication. Moreover, iGMS has a communication productivity tracker that auto-assigns guest support agents to message threads and monitors their productivity, leading to more occupancy, revenue, and positive reviews. Additional iGMS features include channel management, direct booking management, payment processing, team management, and others.

iGMS potential customers comprise vacation rental property owners, property managers, and property management companies.

iGMS pricing depends on the access to features, number of properties, and duration of subscription, with monthly and annual options. The cost starts at $18/month per listing when billed annually for individual hosts.

iGMS reviews are available on:

• Capterra: 4.6/5 stars from 270 reviews
• GetApp: 4.6/5 stars from 270 reviews
• Software Advice: 4.6/5 stars from 270 reviews
• Trustpilot: 4.1/5 stars from 88 reviews
• G2: 4.6/5 stars from 42 reviews

Happy iGMS customers praise the easier communication processes, the brilliant messaging automation, and the incredible customer support, while unhappy users comment on message delays, limited features and options, and sync issues.

The main pros of iGMS include:

• Advanced automation
• Communication productivity tracker
• Strong integrations

The main cons of iGMS include:

• Limited customization opportunities
• Poor customer service reported by users

The best Airbnb host tools for cleaning and maintenance 

Cleaning, housekeeping, and property maintenance are some of the most time-consuming tasks associated with the management of short-term rentals and require the coordination of multiple team members. Meanwhile, well-maintained properties that are meticulously cleaned between guests are crucially important for 5-star reviews, repeat reservations, and revenue maximization. The good news is that there are plenty of Airbnb host tools that help with this aspect of the work.

Our three top picks for the best Airbnb cleaning services include these tools.

Turno

Turno, formerly TurnoverBnB, is the most popular name in the Airbnb cleaning automation industry. Turno features include a cleaner marketplace, automated cleaning scheduling, automated payments, photo checklists, inventory management, chat, and problem reporting.

Turno ideal users include individual vacation rental property owners, but it can be used by professional property managers as well.

Turno pricing starts at $8/month per property when billed monthly. There is an entirely free plan as well for the owners of a single short-term rental property.

Turno customer reviews are available on:

• Capterra: 4.6/5 stars from 112 reviews
• GetApp: 4.6/5 stars from 112 reviews
• Software Advice: 4.6/5 stars from 112 reviews
• Trustpilot: 4.1/5 stars from 32 reviews
• BBB: 1.0/5 stars from 2 reviews

Positive reviews focus on the customizable checklists, the possibility for a hands-off approach to property cleaning, and the excellent customer service, while negative reviews mention unreliable cleaners, an old-fashioned app, and a cumbersome onboarding process.

The main pros of Turno include:

• Comprehensive cleaning services
• Ability to choose from dozens of cleaners
• Easy automations
• Free forever plan for beginner hosts

The main cons of Turno include:

• Problems with cleaners
• Unintuitive interface

Tidy

Tidy is another top-ranked Airbnb hosting tool for cleaning and maintenance. The main Tidy features include selecting staff from a network of pros, automated job scheduling, digital checklists, in-person or remote inspections, service payments, and the first in the world cleaning and maintenance API.

Tidy ideal users comprise both owners and managers of short-term rentals.

Tidy pricing is either a commission-based model (3% per job) and a flat fee ($10/month per unit when billed annually). The price of the more sophisticated plan is custom.

Online Tidy reviews are available on:

• Yelp: 1.4/5 stars from 1,139 reviews
• Yelp: 1.1/5 stars from 497 reviews
• BBB: 1.03/5 stars from 32 reviews

Happy customers praise the professional and courteous cleaners, the on-time services, the ability to choose different cleaners and times, and the perfectly executed jobs, while unhappy customers complain about delays, poorly cleaned properties, inability to communicate with cleaners, and the lack of customer support.

The main pros of Tidy include:

• Comprehensive cleaning and maintenance services
• Use of AI to improve processes
• Access to API
• Flexibly pricing structure

The main cons of Tidy include:

• Badly performed clearing jobs reported by users
• Scheduling delays reported by customers
• No free plan

Can Monkey

Can Monkey specializes in smart waste management for vacation rentals. Can Monkey features include regular can-to-curb waste removal, excess trash removal, and waste can cleaning. It's important to note that Can Monkey services are available in a number of major cities in a few U.S. states only.

Can Monkey customers comprise mostly Airbnb hosts, but professional managers can find value in the provided services as well.

Can Monkey pricing starts at $49/month, but it's not clear how interested users can calculate the exact cost that they can expect.

Can Monkey customer reviews are available on:

• Yelp: 3.0/5 stars from 7 reviews

Positive reviews of Can Monkey highlight the wonderful service, the provided convenience, and the reliable staff, while negative reviews mention consistently deteriorating services and missed appointments.

The main pros of Can Monkey include:

• Focus on waste removal and management
• Easy scheduling

The main cons of Can Monkey include:

• Limited geographical coverage
• No wider cleaning and maintenance services
• Unclear total cost

The best Airbnb host tools for accounting

Keeping your finances in order is a key part of the job of a short-term rental business owner, not only during tax season but throughout the year in order to make sure that all payments have been received, all services have been paid, and cash flow has been positive. Even if finance and accounting is not your forte, you can easily automate the majority of accounting processes with Airbnb professional hosting tools devoted to this.

Our three top picks for the best Airbnb accounting software include the following.

QuickBooks Online

QuickBooks Online is the most recommended accounting tool for vacation rental properties. QuickBooks Online features cover invoicing, expense tracking, managing bills, getting tax deductions, running reports, tracking miles, getting paid, paying bills, managing banking, and others.

QuickBooks Online can be of help to both individual hosts and professional managers as you can link multiple Airbnb and Vrbo accounts for streamlining financial data importing, bookkeeping, and consolidating.

QuickBooks Online pricing starts at $35/month and reaches $235/month, depending on the selected tools. There is a 30-day free trial to test the platform.

QuickBooks Online reviews are available on:

• Capterra: 4.3/5 stars from 7,681 reviews
• GetApp: 4.4/5 stars from 7,681 reviews
• Software Advice: 4.3/5 stars from 7,681 reviews
• G2: 4.0/5 stars from 3,363 reviews
• TrustRadius: 8.1/10 stars from 1,924 reviews
• ConsumerAffairs: 1.1/5 stars from 1,269 reviews

Happy QuickBooks Online customers discuss the ease of use, the universal access, the superior functions, and the continuous platform improvements, while unhappy users talk about poor searchability functionalities, slow operations, missing features, and unavailable customer support.

The main pros of QuickBooks Online include:

• All-in-one accounting tool for Airbnb hosts and property managers
• Strong automation capabilities
• Ability to connect a number of Airbnb and Vrbo accounts
• Intuitive design

The main cons of QuickBooks Online include:

• Limited customization options
• No direct integration with Airbnb and Vrbo

Ximplifi

Ximplifi aims to simplify vacation rental accounting. Ximplifi features include VRPlatform for automating vacation rental accounting and VRAccounting for outsourcing routine accounting and financial reporting. This means that users can choose between a more hands-on and more hands-off approach depending on their workload, availability, skills, budget, and preferences.

While VRPlatform is a better fit for individual Airbnb hosts, VRAccounting can be a great option for national short-term rental property management companies with large accounting and financial reporting needs.

VRPlatform pricing starts at $183.75/month plus $7.35/listing and reaches $306.30/month plus $12.25/listing for access to all features. The pricing of VRAccounting is custom.

Ximplifi customer reviews are available on:

• Yelp: 1.8/5 stars from 5 reviews
• G2: 3.3/5 stars from 2 reviews

Some positives highlighted by users include the timely and highly competent services, the added value, and the helpful customer support team, while some negatives comprise overpromising and underdelivering as well as cumbersome and expensive onboarding.

The main pros of Ximplifi include:

• Option to choose between automation and outsourcing
• Accounting product specifically designed for vacation rental businesses
• Hands-off approach to Airbnb accounting

The main cons of Ximplifi include:

• Lack of important features
• Difficult onboarding
• High cost

Stessa

Stessa offers a rental property accounting app that helps automate relevant processes in a way that makes sense for real estate investors, not professional accountants. Stessa accounting features include bookkeeping and financial reporting.

While Stessa was initially designed for landlords of long-term rentals, Airbnb hosts and property managers are also able to use the software and extract real value from it.

Stessa pricing offers three plans, the most basic of which is free of charge and covers some of the main Airbnb accounting needs. The other two plans cost $12/month and $28/month when billed annually, which is significantly less than what alternatives charge.

Stessa customer reviews are available on:

• Capterra: 4.6/4 stars from 95 reviews
• GetApp: 4.6/4 stars from 95 reviews
• Software Advice: 4.6/4 stars from 95 reviews
• G2: 3.8/5 stars from 10 reviews
• SoftwareConnect: 5.0/5 stars from 5 reviews
• Trustpilot: 3.4/5 stars from 4 reviews

Satisfied customers highlight the intuitive, purpose-built interface, the easy-to-use platform, and the available information, while dissatisfied users mention insufficient automation and less sophisticated features than other accounting software tools. 

The main pros of Stessa include:

• Design developed for real estate investors (not accounting professionals)
• Ease of use
• Scalability
• Affordable pricing

The main cons of Stessa include:

• Lack of complete automation
• Some missing features

The best Airbnb host tools for safety

Finally, as an Airbnb business operator, it is your responsibility to ensure the safety of your guests, neighbors, and property. There is a lot that goes into this endeavor, from preventing intruders from entering to limiting noise. There are special hosting tools that help with this aspect of managing a vacation rental as well.

Our three top picks for Airbnb safety tools are:

SimpliSafe

SimpliSafe offers comprehensive home security systems and monitoring services for 24/7 short-term rental property protection. SimpliSafe products comprise readily available outdoor and indoor packages as well as build-your-own systems. SimpliSafe services, meanwhile, include installation options and professional monitoring.

SimpliSafe customers are mainly Airbnb owners as they have to choose the optimal product according to their home specifications and budget.

The cost of SimpliSafe packages ranges between $249.96 (for four pieces) and $729.90 (for ten pieces). Installation services pricing starts at $124.99. The price of monitoring services is between $1.06/day and $2.66/day.

SimpliSafe customer reviews are available on:

• Trustpilot: 3.0/5 stars from 16,534 reviews
• ConsumerAffairs: 1.5/5 stars from 469 reviews
• Yelp: 1.4/5 stars based on 145 reviews

Positive reviews focus on the quality of products, the easy processes, and the reasonable prices, while negative reviews discuss poor-quality cameras, short battery life, and bad customer service.

The main pros of SimpliSafe include:

• Customizable options
• Availability of both home security systems and monitoring services
• Competitive pricing

The main cons of SimpliSafe include:

• Installation not included in the cost
• Short battery life

NoiseAware

NoiseAware provides a privacy-safe noise and occupancy solution that is ideal for vacation rental properties. NoiseAware features include noise monitoring, automated noise resolution, and elevated occupancy detection. This allows Airbnb property operators to solve and even prevent noise and occupancy issues that can lead to major problems with neighbors and relevant authorities.

NoiseAware customers include both individual hosts and professional property managers with multiple units.

NoiseAware pricing starts at $15/month per property when billed annually for 1-9 properties, while the cost for larger portfolios is custom.

NoiseAware reviews are available on:

• Apple App Store: 3.8/5 stars from 32 reviews

Happy customers appreciate the superior product compared to competitors and the ability to handle tough situations and avoid more serious problems, while unhappy users comment on the frequent logouts and disconnections.

The main pros of NoiseAware include:

• Design considering the needs of vacation rental operators
• Focus on noise and crowd monitoring

The main cons of NoiseAware include:

• Lack of wider security features
• Technical glitches reported by customers

eufy Smart Lock C220

eufy Smart Lock C220 is one of the best smart locks for Airbnb properties. This deadbolt provides an excellent combination of features and cost. eufy Smart Lock C220 features include six ways to unlock, remote control, self-learning AI, and eight-month battery life. Installation takes 15 minutes and does not require drilling.

eufy Smart Lock C220 customers typically comprise Airbnb investors and hosts, but the deadbolt can be purchased by property management companies that help furnish a smart home too.

The cost of eufy Smart Lock C220 is $149.99, which makes it very competitive among Airbnb host tools related to home security.

Online eufy Smart Lock C220 reviews are available on:

• Amazon: 4.3/5 stars from 1,777 reviews
• Best Buy: 4.6/5 stars from 870 reviews
• Walmart: 3.9/5 based on 13 reviews

Satisfied eufy Smart Lock C220 users enjoy the ease of use, the straightforward installation, and the well-constructed and durable lock, while dissatisfied customers comment on the poor fit on standard door locks, extremely short battery life, and lack of integration with smart home systems like Alexa.

The main pros of eufy Smart Lock C220 include:

• Diverse unlocking options
• Standard installation
• Affordable pricing

The main cons of eufy Smart Lock C220 include:

• Short battery life
• No integrations with smart home systems

Where to get started with Airbnb host tools 

Getting access to the best Airbnb host tools is an easy and straightforward way to boost the performance of your short-term rental portfolio without losing your sanity in this highly demanding market. From market analysis and dynamic pricing to guest communication and housekeeping, you can streamline and automate the vast majority of day-to-day tasks that you and your team need to perform to ensure smooth operations and guest satisfaction. When choosing the tools for your endeavor, focus on available features, total cost, and customer reviews.

To unite your full Airbnb tech stack and manage your entire vacation rental portfolio from a single, highly efficient and reliable platform, sign up for SummerOS. Manage smarter and grow faster with SummerOS.