Hostaway vs. Hospitable: The Best Choice for Your Vacation Rental Business
As Airbnb Superhosts and co-hosts, we (Jacob and Elissa) know that choosing the right property management software is essential for streamlining operations, automating tasks, and maximizing revenue. Two popular platforms in the short-term rental industry are Hostaway and Hospitable. While both offer powerful tools, they cater to different types of hosts and management styles. In this guide, we’ll break down their key features, differences, and our experience using them to help you decide which one best suits your business needs.
Overview of Hostaway and Hospitable
What is Hostaway?
Hostaway is an all-in-one vacation rental software designed for property managers handling multiple listings. It integrates with major booking channels like Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, and Expedia while offering powerful automation, reporting, and marketing tools.
Best for: Large-scale property managers, co-hosts managing multiple properties, and those needing deep integrations.
What is Hospitable?
Hospitable (formerly Smartbnb) is a lightweight yet powerful automation tool that focuses on messaging, team management, and AI-driven guest communication. It helps hosts streamline communication, automate responses, and manage tasks without the complexity of full-fledged property management software.
Best for: Independent hosts and small property managers looking for easy-to-use guest messaging and automation tools without the overhead of a full PMS.
Key Features Breakdown
Channel Management & Integrations
Hostaway provides a full-fledged channel manager, supporting direct API integrations with major booking platforms and OTAs. It allows real-time availability synchronization, preventing double bookings across multiple platforms.
Hospitable, while not a complete PMS, integrates with Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com but does not offer the same depth of channel management as Hostaway.
Winner: Hostaway (for broader OTA integrations and API sync)
Automation & Messaging
Hostaway: Provides automated messaging, task management, and workflows for cleaners and staff. However, its messaging automation is not as advanced as Hospitable’s AI-powered responses.
Hospitable: Excels in guest messaging automation, with AI-powered responses, automatic review writing, and multi-language support. It’s one of the best tools for hands-off guest communication.
Winner: Hospitable (for advanced guest messaging and AI-driven automation)
Direct Booking Website
Hostaway includes integrations for direct booking websites but does not offer a built-in website builder.
Hospitable provides a simple direct booking solution with Stripe-powered payments but lacks the customization options of larger PMS solutions.
Winner: Tie (Hostaway for flexibility, Hospitable for simplicity)
Pricing & Cost Effectiveness
Hostaway operates on a custom pricing model based on the number of properties, making it more suitable for mid-to-large hosts.
Hospitable offers transparent pricing based on the number of listings, making it more affordable for individual hosts and small-scale property managers.
For budget-conscious hosts focused primarily on automation, Hospitable offers better value.
Winner: Hospitable (for affordability), Hostaway (for full PMS features)
Reporting & Analytics
Hostaway provides detailed reporting tools for revenue tracking, occupancy rates, and performance insights.
Hospitable, being more lightweight, offers basic reporting, primarily focused on guest communication and bookings.
Winner: Hostaway (for in-depth analytics)
Customer Support & Ease of Use
Hostaway: 24/7 support, dedicated account managers, and a steeper learning curve due to its extensive feature set.
Hospitable: Simple setup, intuitive interface, and responsive customer support, making it easier for smaller hosts to use.
Winner: Hospitable (for ease of use), Hostaway (for comprehensive support)
Which One is Right for You?
Choose Hostaway if:
✅ You manage multiple properties and need full PMS features ✅ You require direct API integrations with OTAs ✅ You want detailed reporting and revenue tracking ✅ You need team collaboration tools
Choose Hospitable if:
✅ You’re an independent host looking for simple and powerful automation ✅ You prioritize AI-powered guest messaging and review automation ✅ You need a budget-friendly solution ✅ You want a simple direct booking option
Our Verdict
For small-scale hosts and those looking to automate guest messaging, Hospitable might be the better option due to its intuitive interface, AI-powered automation, and affordable pricing.
For professional property managers handling multiple listings, Hostaway wins with its robust channel management, integrations, and comprehensive reporting tools.
Your choice depends on whether you need a full-fledged PMS or a simple yet powerful automation tool. Either way, both platforms can help streamline your vacation rental operations and enhance your hosting experience.
Have you used Hostaway or Hospitable?
