Zeevou vs Hostfully:
Which Is Best for Holiday Property Managers?
Picking the right property management system shouldn’t be a blind choice. As your portfolio expands, the real differences between platforms start to show – limitations in automation, weak reporting, extra manual tasks, and higher costs from systems that don’t scale well.
This guide compares Zeevou and Hostfully in day-to-day use, outlining their advantages, their drawbacks, and which option offers the strongest foundation for long-term efficiency and control.
What Is Holiday Rental Management Software?
Holiday rental management software centralises the core functions of running short-term rentals and property management businesses: bookings, guest communication, payments, channel distribution, operations, and reporting.
The best platforms do more than store reservations. They automate workflows end-to-end, maintain accurate syncing, remove repetitive tasks, and provide a reliable infrastructure to support growth without expanding your workload.
How to Choose Vacation Rental Software for Your Business?
Automation vs Website Focus
The first distinction to make is whether a platform is designed primarily as a website builder or as an operational engine. Some systems focus on website creation with only light PMS functionality added on, while others are built around automation and workflow reliability. Many property managers prefer platforms that offer both robust website capabilities and strong operational automation so they do not have to manage two separate systems.
Pricing Model and Real Cost of Scale
Pricing should be considered beyond just the monthly subscription. Booking fees, add-on bundles, and enterprise-style charges can accumulate quickly if the platform doesn’t sufficiently reduce manual work. The real question is whether the system genuinely saves you time or quietly creates new tasks.
Feature Depth and Operational Capability
As your portfolio grows, you need technology that can keep up. A robust platform offers reliable OTA synchronization, automated payments, structured housekeeping workflows, accurate reporting, owner transparency, and rate automation that adjusts to demand without constant oversight. Without these elements, operational stability can quickly become fragile.
Long-Term Growth and Scalability
Your software should continue to perform effectively as your inventory grows or as you manage multiple locations. The right system supports this expansion without requiring a complete overhaul of your tools or processes.
Zeevou vs Hostfully: Head-to-Head Comparison
Choose Hostfully if:
You want a medium-sized, growth-friendly PMS that balances automation, flexibility, and ease of use. The Starter plan is suitable for hosts managing 1-4 listings who want essential tools like messaging automation and direct-booking support, while the Pro and Enterprise plans are designed for growing property managers seeking centralised calendars and streamlined workflows without the complexity of enterprise-level platforms.
Choose Guesty if:
You want an all-in-one solution to manage short-term rentals, serviced apartments, or vacation rentals. It’s ideal if you’re looking to automate bookings, guest communication, payments, and owner reporting, while enjoying a commission-free direct booking website. With powerful tools for operations, marketing, and multi-unit management, Zeevou helps you streamline daily tasks and scale your business efficiently.
Zeevou is an automation-first, all-in-one platform for mid-sized short-term and vacation rental operators and scaling property managers. With a full PMS, real-time channel manager, and direct-booking website/engine in one place, Zeevou helps short-term rental managers, increase direct bookings, cut OTA dependence, and streamline operations.
Hostfully provides small- to mid-sized property managers with the automation, direct-booking tools, and channel management they need – delivering essential functionality without the complexity of enterprise-level systems.
Features
Free plan
All-in-one platform
Direct booking website
Automation & reliability
OTA integrations (Airbnb etc.)
Scalability
Reporting
See Why Smart Property Managers Choose Zeevou Over Hostfully
Zeevou: All-In-One PMS for Multiple Brand Management
Zeevou is an all-in-one, automation-first platform designed for mid-sized vacation rental operators and growing property managers. By combining a full PMS, real-time channel manager, and direct-booking website, Zeevou helps managers streamline operations, boost direct bookings, and reduce reliance on OTAs.
Their main features are:
- Designed for property managers seeking strong automation and operational reliability in a single, scalable system.
- Automation tools handle booking confirmations, payments, security deposits, and guest verification end-to-end to reduce manual work.
- Includes a direct-booking engine and SEO-friendly website builder.
- Offers full control over branding, custom rates, promo codes, and upsells.
- Supports increased direct bookings and higher revenue.
Pros:
- Secure, structured payment and deposit handling with 3-D Secure flows
- Automated tools to monetise orphan nights and short gaps
- Granular revenue controls, including Stop-Sell options and Rate Rules based on lead time, occupancy, and stay length
- Operational workflows managed via a dedicated housekeeping app that auto-assigns tasks, logs issues, and tracks progress in real time
- Owner Portal and automated reporting for full financial transparency
- Advanced payment workflows beyond basic Stripe setups, covering deposits, charges, and refunds
Cons:
- New users may need time to learn and set up the system due to extensive automation and operational features, though support is available
- All-in-one approach means fewer third-party integrations compared to larger platforms like Guesty
Zeevou Setup
With Zeevou, you can sign up for free and start exploring the platform straight away before committing to a paid plan. Once you’re ready, you can choose from a range of plans designed to match different operational needs and levels of automation.
Onboarding support is available throughout. Plus, you’ll have access to live Q&A sessions to clarify setup questions, 24/7 online support via chat for day-to-day issues, and on higher plans you can work with a dedicated Customer Success Manager to help you configure workflows, connect channels and get the most out of the system.
Zeevou Pricing Tiers
Zeevou offers one free plan and three paid plans, with annual subscriptions saving you up to 80%. All paid plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Spark (Free): Core PMS features, direct-booking website, automation, guest messaging, basic payments.
- Glow (~£14/unit): Adds channel manager, unified inbox, mobile app, more integrations.
- Blaze (~£26/unit): Includes dynamic pricing, automated owner reporting, full operations (housekeeping, maintenance).
- Dazzle (~£42/unit): AI 24/7 guest messaging, advanced automation.
- Custom pricing and bulk discounts for large portfolios.
- Some plans include a 10% fee on Google Vacation Rentals
Hostfully: Mid-Sized, Growth-Friendly PMS
Hostfully offers a property management platform designed for growing property managers who need automation, streamlined operations, and strong guest experience tools without enterprise-level complexity.
It’s well-suited for mid-size portfolios, providing messaging automation, digital guidebooks, and direct-booking support, but may be less ideal for very large property management companies seeking advanced analytics, full-scale revenue management, or highly customised workflows.
Their main features are:
- Customisable direct-booking website with integrated booking engine, custom domains, and SEO tools.
- Channel manager synchronising listings, rates, availability, and reservations across Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, and 50+ other channels.
- Unified inbox, central calendar, mobile app, payment collection via Stripe or PayPal, owner portal, reporting features, and guest CRM.
- Automated guest messaging, digital guidebooks, pre-arrival forms, rental agreements, and task management.
- Broad third-party integrations, multi-property management, and operational efficiency tools.
Pros:
- User-friendly, intuitive, and easy to navigate on both desktop and mobile app.
- Clean layout and well-designed interface for managing information and sharing details with guests.
Cons:
- Reporting features need significant improvement
- Channel connections, especially with Booking.com, can be unreliable and hard to configure
Hostfully Setup
Hostfully does not offer a free plan for its full Property Management Platform, though users can request a free demo to explore its features before committing. The onboarding process is guided, with new users assigned an Onboarding Specialist and access to live 1:1 calls, on-demand tutorials, and checklist.
Additional resources include 24/7 in-product chat, email support, and a user community to ensure a smooth transition and efficient management from day one.
Hostfully Pricing Tiers
Hostfully offers three pricing tiers based on the size of your property portfolio with ~10% discount for annual billing.
- Starter Plan: 1–4 listings
- Pro Plan: up to 5-199 listings
- Enterprise Plan: 200+ listings
- One-time setup / implementation fee: £315 (waived if you pay annually)
Where Does Hostfully Fall Short?
Hostfully offers strong automation and guest-experience tools, but some users find its reporting, channel connections (especially Booking.com), and payment workflows less robust compared to enterprise-grade systems.
Zeevou provides a balanced alternative with transparent tiered pricing (Spark, Glow, Blaze, Dazzle), a free plan, and no booking commissions – offering a practical middle ground between simplicity and power.
Which Platform Matches Your Business Model?
The right choice depends on your portfolio size, budget, team expertise, and growth plans.
Medium-sized, automation-focused teams:
Hostfully suits managers who want a flexible, user-friendly PMS with solid automation, direct-booking tools, and strong guest-experience features.
Growing or mid-sized businesses:
If you manage 5–200 properties, Zeevou offers a more scalable and cost-effective solution, designed to help you grow efficiently without the complexity or high costs of enterprise tools.
Zeevou Sells "Financial Independence", Not Just " Automation”.
Zeevou vs Hostfully: Final Verdict
Hostfully, is ideal for mid-sized or growing teams that want strong automation, digital guidebooks, and direct-booking support without the complexity of enterprise platforms. It offers a flexible, growth-friendly PMS but may lack the operational depth required by very large portfolios.
If your business is rapidly growing and you’re looking for a more affordable, all-in-one alternative, Zeevou is worth considering. It offers automation, direct booking tools, and transparent pricing – without the steep learning curve or high enterprise costs.
The information presented in this comparison is based on publicly available data and our independent analysis as of July 2025. Features, pricing, and capabilities may change without notice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hostfully is a solid choice for small- to medium-sized property managers seeking a user-friendly platform with automated workflows, OTA integrations, owner portals, and a direct-booking website. It helps streamline operations efficiently, though some reporting and channel connections can be limited.
Hostfully works best for small- to mid-sized portfolios. While it offers automation and channel management, enterprise-level features for very large portfolios may be limited compared with platforms like Guesty or Zeevou.
Yes — Hostfully includes a direct-booking website with customizable templates and integrated booking engine, enabling property managers to take bookings outside OTAs.
Zeevou offers transparent, commission-free pricing and a true free plan with real PMS features, making it far more cost-friendly as you grow. Unlike Hostfully’s simpler but less robust tools, Zeevou provides a balanced, all-in-one system with strong automation, direct-booking capabilities, reliable operations, and scalable workflows.
Yes, Zeevou provides a free plan called Spark, giving access to core PMS functions, a direct-booking website, basic automation, guest messaging, and payment processing. As your portfolio expands or you require more advanced tools — such as full channel management, dynamic pricing, automated owner reporting, and AI-powered guest messaging — you can move up to paid plans like Glow, Blaze, or Dazzle. All plans feature transparent pricing with no hidden fees or commissions, ensuring predictable costs as you grow.
The Zeevou team provides free onboarding support, ensuring a smooth transition without downtime.