More reach. More reservations. Zero double bookings.
Hospitable vs. Hostaway: How Do They Compare?
Last Updated: October 2025
Choosing the right property management software (PMS) can make or break your vacation rental business. The right tool streamlines operations, boosts bookings, and saves time—while the wrong one causes headaches and lost revenue.Hospitable and Hostaway are two leading options, but they serve different needs: Hospitable caters more to smaller portfolios, while Hostaway offers an enterprise-level solution for large-scale managers.In this comparison, we’ll break down their features, pricing, and support to help you find the perfect fit for your business.
Who is it for?
The ideal user for each platform differs significantly based on business size, technical expertise, and ambitions for growth.
Hospitable
Hospitable is designed primarily for hosts with small to medium-sized portfolios, typically between 1–20 properties. It's known for its simplicity, making it a great choice for hosts with more limited needs, such as managing guest communication and day-to-day tasks efficiently.
Hostaway
Hostaway targets large, established property management companies with complex needs. Its software is more intricate and expensive, built for experienced managers who need a highly scalable and customizable solution to handle a large number of listings across diverse channels.
Alternative: Lodgify
For those who find Hospitable too limited or Hostaway too complex and costly, Lodgify offers a versatile alternative. Lodgify empowers a wide range of users, from single-property owners just starting out to managers handling a portfolio of 30+ rentals. Its intuitive, user-friendly platform provides the professional tools you need to grow your business independently without the steep learning curve or prohibitive cost.
How much does it cost?
Pricing models are a major point of difference between these two platforms and can significantly impact your bottom line.
Hospitable
Hospitable offers a tiered pricing model. Its entry-level is $29 USD per month for one active property, with the option to add additional properties for an extra fee. Higher-tier plans, such as Professional and Mogul, include more properties by default and provide additional features.
Hostaway
Hostaway does not publish its prices publicly. Instead, it provides customized quotes based on each customer's specific needs, which makes it difficult to budget without a sales call. Industry reports and user reviews suggest that Hostaway is one of the more expensive options on the market.
Alternative: Lodgify
Lodgify combines affordability with complete price transparency. The Starter plan begins at just $16 per month for an annual subscription. Unlike platforms that limit features on entry-level plans, Lodgify provides the core tools you need to succeed from day one.For hosts looking for more advanced features, the Professional and Ultimate plans offer even greater functionality. You can see exactly what your subscription will cost on the Lodgify Pricing page, with no hidden fees or mandatory add-ons.
What are the main differences between Hostaway vs. Hospitable?
Beyond audience and price, the core features and services reveal the true character of each PMS.
Onboarding
Hospitable
Hospitable provides a basic orientation to help users get started, but an upgraded 1:1 onboarding service costs an additional fee. While this works well for tech-savvy hosts, those who prefer guided assistance may find it lacking.
Hostaway
Hostaway offers users a personalized but lengthy onboarding process for a fee of €250 for monthly plans and €100 for annual plans, as confirmed by their customer support. Currently, it takes between three to five weeks for users to complete the onboarding process, which is comprehensive due to the complexity of the software. You can expect an unlimited number of calls throughout this process.
Alternative: Lodgify
Every Lodgify customer receives free, personalized onboarding. An expert from our team works with you one-on-one to understand your business, help you import your listings, and guide you through every feature to ensure you’re set up for success from the very beginning.
Website builder
Hospitable
Hospitable includes a direct booking website feature called Hospitable Sites. It’s a functional tool for taking commission-free bookings, but it offers limited templates and customization options compared to more specialized solutions. What’s more, customers who are on the Host plan do not have access to this feature, and will need to upgrade to the Professional plan to create their own site.
Hostaway
Hostaway also offers a website builder to facilitate direct bookings. However, it provides fewer customization tools than many competitors. Crucially, Hostaway does not provide a custom domain name, meaning you will need to register and connect one through an external provider.
Alternative: Lodgify
Lodgify's vacation rental website builder is renowned for its ease of use and professional results. You can create a stunning, bookable website in minutes, no technical skills required. Every Lodgify website comes with a free custom domain name, a secure payment gateway, and mobile-responsive templates that are SEO-optimized to help you attract an average of 40% more direct bookings.
Channel manager
Hospitable
Hospitable’s channel manager allows users to connect their listings and manage their bookings from one centralized calendar. They can connect to Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, Agoda, and Google Vacation Rentals. (The Host plan is excluded from Google Vacation Rentals.)
Hostaway
As a platform built for scale, Hostaway offers a powerful channel manager with API connections to a wide array of OTAs. However, the Hostaway calendar is considered the source of truth for Airbnb, so changes in availability and rates must be done via the Hostaway platform.
Listings, on the other hand, cannot be synched automatically via Hostaway. If there are changes to your listing, they need to be manually pushed to your channels. On top of that, listings can only be imported from Airbnb, no other channels. (Although you can export listings from Hostaway to other channels.)
Alternative: Lodgify
Lodgify offers the best of both worlds. We have established two-way API connections with major platforms like Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, and Expedia, ensuring your calendars, rates, and bookings are always synchronized in real-time. Our commitment to strengthening these connections has earned us the preferred partner awards pictured below. For other channels, you can easily connect via iCal integration.
Mobile app
Hospitable
Hospitable’s mobile offers similar features to their desktop app.Average Rating: 3.7 stars (Google Play: 3.9 stars, App Store 3.3 stars)
Hostaway
Hostaway’s mobile app provides core functionalities for property managers who are away from their desks.Average Rating: 4 stars (Google Play: 4.0 stars, App Store: 4.1)
Alternative: Lodgify
Lodgify's mobile app is highly rated and offers full functionality. Additionally, Ultimate plan users get access to the Lodgify PM app to coordinate with staff and the Lodgify Guest app for guests to access check-in details and guidebooks.Average Rating: 4.4 stars (Google Play: 4.7 stars, App Store: 4.1 stars)
Can I try them before I buy?
Hospitable
Yes, Hospitable offers a 14-day free trial, giving you ample time to test its automation features and see if its DIY approach is right for you. However, there is no option for a personalized call, although their Contact page does offer an online form to get in touch with their sales team.
Hostaway
No, Hostaway does not offer a free trial. Prospective customers must request a demo call to see the software in action and can pay for a trial period if desired. Keep in mind that Hostaway’s demo accounts are very limited and do not offer you the option to explore all the features, as you would in a free trial.
Alternative: Lodgify
Yes, Lodgify offers a free, no-obligation 7-day trial. You can also explore the platform through a personalized demo call with a product expert.
Hospitable vs. Hostaway ratings
Reviews from real users on sites like Trustpilot offer invaluable insight. Here’s how these three platforms stack up:
Hospitable Rating: 3.8 stars - 523 reviews
Hostaway Rating: 4.7 stars - 1,229 reviews
Lodgify Rating: 4.8 stars - 2,643 reviews
Hostaway vs. Hospitable vs. Lodgify: Which should I choose?
Hospitable, Hostaway, and Lodgify are all powerful tools, but they are built for distinctly different journeys in the vacation rental industry.
Hospitable is a good choice for hosts with needs limited to automation and a simple, do-it-yourself interface above all else. Its transparent pricing and ease of use make it an accessible choice.
Hostaway is tailored for large, professional property management companies that require an enterprise-grade solution with maximum scalability and are prepared for the significant investment in cost and training.
So where does that leave everyone in the middle?
Lodgify stands out as the ideal solution for ambitious hosts and property managers who want to grow their business independently. It combines the user-friendliness that new hosts need with the powerful, professional features required to scale.
With Lodgify, you get a top-tier website builder, a best-in-class channel manager, transparent pricing, and award-winning customer support, all in one platform.But don't just take our word for it. The best way to know if a PMS is right for you is to try it yourself. Ready to see Lodgify in action? Start your free 7-day trial today!