Lodgify vs Guesty:
Which Is Best for Holiday Property Managers?
Choosing a property management system shouldn’t feel like a guessing game. As your portfolio grows, the differences between platforms quickly become clear – gaps in automation, restricted reporting, more manual work, and rising costs from tools that don’t scale with you.
Lodgify and Guesty are well-known property management systems — but their core audiences and feature priorities differ.
This guide breaks down how each platform performs in everyday operations, highlighting their strengths, their limitations, and which one provides the most reliable 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 synchronisation, 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.
Lodgify vs Guesty: Head-to-Head Comparison
Choose Guesty if:
You’re looking for a powerful, scalable solution tailored to your business size. Guesty Lite is ideal for hosts managing up to three listings who need essential automation, while the full Guesty platform is designed for professional property management companies that require advanced tools to manage larger and more complex portfolios efficiently.
Choose Lodgify if:
You want a brandable direct-booking site out of the box and a classic all-in-one stack (website + channel manager + PMS) with modern add-ons like Smart Locks. It’s a great choice for hosts focused mainly on Airbnb, though its limited integration with other channels may reduce your overall visibility and reach.
Lodgify positions itself as a versatile solution for “any vacation rental business, from a single property to a portfolio of 30+”. It offers multiple interface languages and a built-in website builder, making it especially appealing for hosts seeking strong direct-booking capabilities.
Guesty is an enterprise-level PMS designed to centralise operations with a unified inbox, automated workflows, and a robust channel manager connecting to major OTAs. It also offers payment processing, task management, owner reporting, and guest communication tools, enabling property managers to scale efficiently.
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 Lodgify and Guesty
Lodgify: Website-First Property Management Platform
Lodgify is designed to support independent hosts and property managers by enabling direct bookings and multi-channel management. But they’re not for everyone – they focus on website building and direct booking optimisation and comprehensive channel management across major OTAs and there are some concerns with subscription cancellation difficulties and inconsistent customer service responsiveness.
Their main features are:
- Direct-booking website builder with ready-made templates, an integrated booking engine, and support for custom domains.
- Channel manager that synchronises calendars, rates, and reservations across major OTAs.
- PMS tools, such as a unified inbox, multi-calendar, payment processing, and a mobile app for on-the-go management.
- Automation and AI, including saved replies, AI-driven guest messaging, task and cleaning workflows, and reporting tools.
- Smart Locks add-on, offering automated code generation and a centralised dashboard for managing all locks.
Pros:
- Easy website creation.
- Responsive onboarding team
- Solid calendar synchronisation to avoid double bookings.
- Occasional critiques around template/website flexibility or learning curve.
- Scattered complaints about onboarding depth.
- Slow in resolving complex technical issues.
Lodgify Setup
Lodgify provides a 7-day free trial with no credit card needed.
New users are offered a personalised onboarding session that guides them through listing imports, calendar synchronisation, and setting up a direct booking website.
Onboarding is optional and accessible in several languages.
Lodgify Pricing Tiers
Lodgify offers three pricing plans, and pricing increases as you add more properties. Annual and multi-year plans provide 20–25% discounts.
- Starter plan from £12/month (annual billing) with 1.9% booking fee.
- Professional (£29/month) and Ultimate (£45/mo) plans eliminate booking fees and add advanced features.
Reviews
G2
4
Capterra
4.5
Trustpilot
4.8
G2
4.4
Capterra
4.2
Trustpilot
4.5
Reviews
Review Platforms
G2
Capterra
Trustpilot
Guesty: All-in-One Property Management Platform
Guesty positions itself as an all-in-one vacation rental software solution and are also one of the most well-known solutions in the space.
But they’re not for everyone – they focus on professional property managers with large portfolios and comprehensive enterprise-grade features and multi-unit management and some user reviews have concerns with high pricing and lack of cost transparency.
Their main features are:
- Direct-booking website builder: customisable templates, integrated booking engine, custom domains, and SEO tools.
- Channel manager: synchronises listings, rates, availability, and reservations across Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, Expedia, and more.
- PMS operations: unified inbox, multi-calendar, mobile app, payment collection (via GuestyPay), owner statements, guest CRM, and accounting features (including Guesty Trust Accounting).
- Automation and AI: automated guest messaging, task management, owner communications, review management, and Guesty PriceOptimiser for dynamic pricing.
- Additional solutions: damage protection (Guesty Shield), revenue management, guest screening, API integrations, and financing options (Guesty Capital).
Pros:
- Comprehensive, enterprise-level feature set: built-in trust accounting, payments, and owner management tools.
- Strong automation suite and integrations help streamline operations for complex portfolios.
- Higher pricing compared to many competitors.
- Occasional support delays and learning curve cited in reviews.
Guesty Setup
Guesty does not offer a free trial for its Pro or Enterprise plans.
Most reviews praise the onboarding process and customer support, though some users find the AI-based assistance to be frustrating.
Guesty Pricing Tiers
Guesty offers three main plans designed for different portfolio sizes, each with its own pricing structure. Their costs vary based on the number of listings and the level of features you need.
- The Lite plan costs £12–£20/month per listing for 1–3 properties, with occasional limited-time discounts.
- Pro (4–199 listings) and Enterprise (200+ listings) plans have custom pricing that requires direct consultation.
- Additional fees may include 3–5% per reservation, cancellation charges, and separate costs for premium add-ons.
The Trade-Off Dilemma
Guesty delivers powerful, full-scale features but is often considered overwhelming for mid-sized operators and costly due to commission-based pricing and add-on fees.
Lodgify delivers an easy-to-use platform with a built-in website and booking engine, yet it lacks the deeper automation, broader channel connections, and operational features that mid-to-large managers often require.
For property managers seeking both advanced automation and a dependable direct-booking infrastructure, Zeevou stands out as a unified solution that eliminates this compromise.
Zeevou: Setup and Pricing Overview
Zeevou makes it easy to get started with a free plan and a structured, portfolio-friendly pricing model. You can sign up instantly, explore the system, and upgrade only when you’re ready.
- Spark (Free): Core PMS features, a direct-booking website, automated workflows, guest messaging, and basic payments.
- Glow (~£14/unit): Adds a channel manager, unified inbox, mobile app, and more integrations.
- Blaze (~£26/unit): Includes dynamic pricing, automated owner reporting, housekeeping & maintenance workflows.
- Dazzle (~£42/unit): Adds AI-powered 24/7 guest messaging and advanced automation tools.
All paid plans offer up to 80% savings on annual subscriptions, include a 30-day money-back guarantee, and support custom pricing or bulk discounts for larger portfolios.
Zeevou’s onboarding is designed to support you at every stage – from live Q&A and 24/7 chat support to a dedicated Customer Success Manager on higher-tier plans to help with workflow setup, channel connections, and system optimisation.
Which Platform Is Right for Your Business?
The right choice depends on your portfolio size, budget, team expertise, and growth plans.
Small- to medium-sized businesses:
Lodgify suits hosts who want an all-in-one system to manage bookings, build their own website, and sync listings across platforms. Its intuitive interface and integrated channel manager make operations smoother, though some users note limited website customisation and occasional channel-sync issues.
Enterprise-level operators:
Platforms like Guesty are well-suited for large, established property management companies that require sophisticated automation, extensive integrations, and the ability to manage multiple units efficiently at scale.
Growing or mid-sized businesses:
If you manage 10–200 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”.
Lodgify vs Guesty: Final Verdict
Lodgify is better suited for hosts and property managers who want to combine direct bookings with channel management in one place. Its built-in website builder and multi-platform integration make it ideal for those ready to grow their brand beyond OTAs.
Guesty excels with its comprehensive feature set, user-friendly dashboard, and robust integrations, making it ideal for large or enterprise-level operations that require advanced functionality and dedicated account management.
However, 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.
