Becoming an Airbnb host is no small feat. Between managing bookings, communicating with guests, and ensuring your property is in top shape, it’s definitely a full-time job—especially if you’re just starting out.
That's where Airbnb management software comes in. These tools automate many of your daily tasks, saving you time and helping you provide a better experience for your guests. But with so many options out there, how do you choose the right one? Don't worry, we’ve narrowed down the selection for you.
Here are our picks for the six best Airbnb management software options:
- Guesty: Best Overall Management Software
- Hospitable: Best for Automation
- Hostfully: Best for Channel Management
- Relay by Beyond: Best for Maximizing Revenue
- Lodgify: Best for Small Hosts
- Kigo: Best for Managing Large Portfolios
How We Selected the Best Management Software
Finding the perfect Airbnb management software is mostly trial and error. But, to make it easier for you, we did a lot of the heavy lifting by choosing the best of the best.
Here’s how we chose the best Airbnb management software:
- Comprehensive Features: We made sure each software covers all the bases, from bookings and guest communication to property upkeep.
- Ease of Use: Hosting can be hectic, so we prioritized software that’s intuitive and easy to navigate, even if you’re not a tech whiz
- Cost-Effectiveness: Balancing features with price is crucial. We looked for tools that offer great value without breaking the bank.
- Automation Capabilities: Time is money. We picked software that excels in automating tasks, so you can focus on providing a top-notch guest experience.
- Scalability: Whether you’re managing one property or dozens, the software should be able to grow with your business seamlessly.
- Customer Support: Issues can pop up anytime, and so we chose tools backed by responsive and helpful support teams to keep things running smoothly.
With this criteria in mind, the best overall Airbnb management software would have to be Guesty. From booking management and guest communication to scheduling cleanings and handling payments, Guesty covers it all.
1. Guesty: Best Overall Management Software
Guesty earns its spot as the best overall management software because it does it all. Whether you're managing bookings, handling guest communication, or scheduling cleanings, Guesty streamlines every part of your hosting business.
It has the most add-ons we’ve seen from any platform, and does so much more than just manage your Airbnb. Guesty even offers damage protection! Truly a one-stop-shop for your hosting business.
The pricing is customized based on your needs, but it starts at $16 per month for 1–3 listings, which you can find out more about on their website. This is definitely on the lower-end, which we’re sure many hosts will appreciate.
However, the extensive features might be more than what some smaller hosts need, making it a bit overwhelming initially. But the comprehensive features more than speak for themselves. If you're ready to invest in a robust tool that covers all aspects of hosting, Guesty is worth every penny.
2. Hospitable: Best for Automation
If automation is what you’re looking for, Hospitable, formerly SmartBNB, is your new best friend. This software shines in automating communication, handling guest messages, reviews, and reminders effortlessly. It even claims to handle up to 90% of guest messages effectively.
It also has features such as a unified inbox, channel manager, and analytics and reporting, among others. The smart messaging feature, powered by AI, is a game-changer—it answers guest questions and manages conversations, saving you countless hours. One drawback? The software is heavily focused on communication and lacks some of the broader management features.
This automation also does not come cheap: starting at a whopping $29 per month, which only goes up the more properties you manage, this service is definitely a splurge. If you’re interested, you can find out more—and sign up—on their site.
While it isn’t the best for comprehensive hosting, hosts who want to minimize manual interactions and focus on the big picture will find that Hospitable’s automation features are top-notch.
3. Hostfully: Best for Channel Management
Hostfully stands out because of its exceptional channel management capabilities. Which, if you’re branching out and moving towards platforms that aren’t just Airbnb, will be invaluable.
What sets Hostfully apart is its ability to sync calendars and rates across 17+ booking sites, even niche platforms, so that you can reach millions more potential customers. Everything can be managed on one nifty dashboard, so that even beginners can get started on multi-platform hosting.
Plans start at $119 per month, and only goes up per property, although you do get discounts by paying annually. More information can be found on their website.
If this price doesn’t scare you off, this might: the initial setup can be a bit complex for those who aren’t tech-savvy. But, if you’re looking to efficiently manage multiple listings on Airbnb and outside of it, Hostfully is an indispensable tool.
4. Relay by Beyond: Best for Maximizing Revenue
If boosting your revenue is a top priority, then Beyond is perfect. Beyond incorporates dynamic pricing in their management to ensure you're always getting the best rates for your property. Dynamic pricing is a feature that adapts to market trends, automatically adjusting your prices based on demand, local events, and other factors.
Plans start at 1% of your booking revenue, but can go as high as 1.5%—learn more about their pricing and features on their website.
Aside from its channel management capabilities, what really sets Beyond apart is that it doesn't just look at your property by itself and it considers a wide range of market data to determine the optimal price for each night. It also has the ability to funnel potential guests to different channels using dynamic channel markups.
This means you can rest easy, knowing your pricing is always competitive. This can significantly increase your occupancy rates and overall revenue without much hassle on your part.
However, the cost can add up, especially during peak seasons when revenue is higher. Some hosts might find the fee structure less appealing compared to flat rates. Also, while the pricing automation is a powerful tool, it requires a bit of time to fully understand and optimize.
Still, if you want to maximize your revenue without constantly tweaking your prices, Beyond is an excellent choice. Aside from management, it incorporates data to ensure you're always getting favorable rates, making it double as a revenue-generating tool for savvy hosts.
5. Lodgify: Best for Small Hosts
Lodgify is a dream come true for smaller-time hosts looking for a beginner-friendly and cost-effective management solution. It has all the essential features you need to manage your properties without overwhelming you, and even offers a dedicated Airbnb Management Software that automates tasks on the platform, simplifies communications with guests, and syncs bookings and calendars across platforms.
Prices start at just $16 per month, plus a 1.9% booking fee, making it a relatively affordable option, even for new hosts. You can explore their pricing and features on Lodgify itself.
But what we love about Lodgify is everything else you can do on its platform. It even has a website builder so that you can create a professional-looking site for your property, complete with a booking engine.
The downside is that Lodgify doesn’t have some advanced features that larger hosts or property management companies might need, like advanced analytics. Its simplicity, while a benefit for beginners, can be a limitation for hosts looking to scale.
Despite this, for small-scale hosts that need an affordable, easy-to-use solution, Lodgify is our top pick. It provides all the tools you need to manage your properties effectively, without the steep learning curve.
6. Kigo: Best for Managing Large Portfolios
Handling a large portfolio? Look to Kigo. This platform is specifically designed to manage multiple properties seamlessly with a comprehensive suite of tools tailored for larger-scale operations.
Pricing is customized based on your needs, and you can request a demo and get a quote on their website.
Kigo excels with its advanced features like real-time reporting, multi-channel distribution, and automated workflows. These tools help you or your managers keep track of every aspect of your properties, from bookings and payments to maintenance and cleaning schedules.
Unsurprisingly, its reporting is very advanced: using Kigo, you can get valuable insights into your management operations, helping you make data-driven decisions when it comes to scaling up or down.
These extensive features can be extremely overwhelming, especially if you’re new to property management software. Kigo is also known for its steep learning curve that requires more time and effort to get everything running smoothly.
But, if you’re running multiple Airbnbs, Kigo is a powerhouse. It offers everything you need to manage a large portfolio efficiently, though it comes with some difficulties that will require a lot of effort, and hours, to master.
Bottom Line
Airbnb hosting can be a tough challenge, and finding the right management software can make all the difference. The right tool not only streamlines your operations but also enhances your guests’ experience, leading to a better experience for everyone involved.
While there are so many great options in the market, we’ve found the best to be Guestly. This comprehensive solution covers all the bases, and goes far beyond simply managing your bookings. With its full suite of features, seamless integrations, and user-friendly interface, Guesty takes the hassle out of property management, allowing you to focus on providing exceptional hospitality instead.
