JULY 24, 2025
Table of Contents
- TL;DR
- Key Takeaways
- Introduction
- Evaluation Criteria for Short-Term Rental PMS
- Hostfully Short-Term Rental PMS Review
- Lodgify Short-Term Rental PMS Review
- OwnerRez Short-Term Rental PMS Review
- Side‑by‑Side Short-Term Rental PMS Feature Comparison
- Which Short‑Term Rental PMS Fits Your Business Model?
- FAQ
- Conclusion
- Call-to-Action
TL;DR
Choosing the right short-term rental PMS (property-management software) and channel manager is critical to scaling your STR portfolio. This 2025 review compares three market leaders — Hostfully, Lodgify, and OwnerRez — across automation, direct-booking tools, channel integrations, and pricing. Use the comparison table and buying guide below to select the short-term rental PMS that meets your operational and budget requirements.
Key Takeaways
- Hostfully excels in guest-experience tools (digital guidebooks) and flexible, à-la-carte pricing — ideal for hosts prioritizing upsells and concierge revenue.
- Lodgify offers the most user-friendly direct-booking website builder and competitive all-in-one plans — perfect for hosts seeking brandable sites without coding.
- OwnerRez delivers enterprise-grade automation, razor-sharp channel bridges, and robust accounting — favored by professional managers.
- All three systems provide Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com two-way API connections, but depth of sync varies — review the feature grid before committing.
Introduction
If you know anything about me and what I teach, it’s that the most valuable commodity we have is time. Money is important, too, of course. But if we don’t have enough time, we can’t make MONEY, lady. That’s why choosing the right short-term rental PMS (property-management system) and channel manager is mission critical when it comes to scaling your STR portfolio.
Let’s face it: OTA fees are rising and guest expectations are climbing. That means a reliable short-term rental PMS is no longer optional. Automation reduces manual tasks, channel managers prevent double bookings, and integrated payment gateways streamline finances. Yet no two platforms serve operators in the same way.
Below, we evaluate Hostfully, Lodgify, and OwnerRez — three PMS vendors consistently ranked among the best for 2025. Our criteria include core channel-management capabilities, direct-booking functionality, guest-experience features, automation depth, and overall cost.
Affiliate Transparency: Some links below are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I personally run my portfolio on OwnerRez. The other recommendations stem from student feedback and hands-on testing.
Evaluation Criteria for Short-Term Rental PMS
- Channel Integrations – Two-way API sync with Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, Google Vacation Rentals, and niche OTAs.
- Automation & Workflows – Scheduled messaging, automated reviews, rule-based rate adjustments, and smart lock integrations.
- Direct-Booking Engine – Mobile-responsive website builder, payment gateways, upsell widgets, and SEO controls.
- Accounting & Reporting – Trust accounting, owner statements, custom P&L, and export formats for tax prep.
- Guest-Experience Tools – Digital guidebooks, upsell marketplace, and mid-stay upsell triggers.
- Pricing & Scalability – Starter plans, volume discounts, and per-listing vs. per-reservation fees.
Hostfully Short-Term Rental PMS Review
Quick Stats
- Target User: Boutique managers and hosts focused on guest upsells.
- Pricing (2025): Starts at $99/month for up to 4 properties; volume discounts available.
- Click here to visit Hostfully’s website to explore and schedule a demo.
Strengths
- Digital Guidebooks: Industry-leading mobile guidebooks that boost upsell revenue via affiliate offers and local experiences.
- Flexible Add-Ons: Pay-as-you-grow model — bookings engine, pipeline CRM, and guidebooks can be added à-la-carte.
- Marketplace Integrations: 60+ partners including RemoteLock, PriceLabs, and Breezeway.
Opportunities
- UI complexity can result in longer onboarding for non-technical users.
- Accounting features are less robust than OwnerRez — manual exports may be required for trust accounting.
Best For
Hosts who prioritize guest-experience branding and revenue-generating upsells.
Lodgify Short-Term Rental PMS Review
Quick Stats
- Target User: Operators who want an easy drag-and-drop direct-booking website.
- Pricing (2025): Starts at $17/month (annual plan) + 1.9% booking fee; higher tiers remove transaction fees.
- Click here to visit Lodgify’s website and schedule a demo.
Strengths
- Website Builder: Easy-to-use website editor delivers fast, SEO-friendly websites with custom domains and SSL included.
- Unified Inbox: Consolidates Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, and direct inquiries in one dashboard.
- Affordable Starter Tier: Low initial cost for new hosts testing direct bookings.
Opportunities
- Deep automation (webhooks, conditional triggers) lags behind OwnerRez.
- Limited native trust-accounting tools — third-party integrations may be required.
Best For
Hosts seeking an all-in-one, beginner-friendly short-term rental PMS with strong website capabilities.
OwnerRez Short-Term Rental PMS Review
Quick Stats
- Target User: Professional STR managers and growth-minded hosts.
- Pricing (2025): Starts at $40/month for 1 property; tiered per-unit pricing decreases as portfolio scales.
- Click here to visit OwnerRez’s website and set up a demo.
Strengths
- Advanced Automation: Conditional messaging, custom triggers, dynamic surcharges, and full Zapier support.
- Comprehensive Accounting: Trust accounting, 1099 generation, QuickBooks Online two-way sync.
- Channel Bridges: Direct API connections with Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, Google, Hopper, and Marriott Homes & Villas.
- Power Features: Owner portal, insurance add-ons, and damage protection built in.
Opportunities
- Steeper learning curve due to granular settings.
- No native website builder (integrates with WordPress or hosted widgets instead).
Best For
Operators who demand enterprise-grade automation, detailed accounting, and deep channel connectivity.
Side‑by‑Side Short-Term Rental PMS Feature Comparison
| Feature | Hostfully | Lodgify | OwnerRez |
| Airbnb & VRBO API | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Booking.com API | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Google Vacation Rentals | ✔ via Channel Bridge | ✔ (beta) | ✔ |
| Dynamic Pricing Integrations | PriceLabs, Beyond, Wheelhouse | PriceLabs, Beyond | PriceLabs, Beyond, Wheelhouse |
| Guidebooks | Built-in | Add-on (Partner) | Partner via Touch Stay |
| Trust Accounting | Limited | Limited | Full, QuickBooks Sync |
| Direct-Booking Site | Basic templates | Drag-and-drop builder | WordPress plugin/widgets |
| Unified Inbox | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Zapier / Webhooks | Zapier | Limited webhooks | Zapier, API, Webhooks |
| Starting Price (Monthly) | $99 (≤4 units) | $17 (+1.9% fee) | $40 (single unit) |
Which Short‑Term Rental PMS Fits Your Business Model?
Choose Hostfully if you emphasize guest upsells and want digital guidebooks baked into your PMS.
Choose Lodgify if you need an intuitive website builder and prefer a low‑cost entry plan with the option to scale.
Choose OwnerRez if you manage multiple listings (or plan to) and require robust automation, deep accounting, and enterprise API sync. (This is the software I personally trust and use.)
FAQ
Can I migrate data from another PMS?
All three offer onboarding specialists and CSV imports; OwnerRez and Hostfully provide API migrations from select competitors.
What if I only have one or two properties?
Lodgify’s starter tier or OwnerRez’s single-unit pricing are cost-effective for small portfolios.
Which PMS integrates with smart locks and noise monitors?
All three support RemoteLock, Operto, and Minut via marketplace apps.
Conclusion
Selecting the right short-term rental PMS is an important decision that affects guest experience, operational efficiency, and revenue. Hostfully, Lodgify, and OwnerRez each excel in different areas — guest upsells, website creation, and automation depth, respectively. Map your growth objectives and operational pain points against the feature grid above to make an informed choice.
Ready to take the guesswork out of scaling your short-term rental business? Let’s create a comprehensive plan together so you can grow with confidence, clarity, and strategy. Schedule a time today to get started on building a roadmap tailored to your unique goals.
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