Lodgify vs Hospitable:
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.
Hospitable and Lodgify are well-known options, especially for hosts who begin on Airbnb and gradually add more properties. However, many managers eventually need a solution that offers stronger automation, a more robust direct-booking setup, and pricing that stays transparent as they grow.
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 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.
Lodgify vs Hospitable: Head-to-Head Comparison
Choose Hospitable if:
You’re an independent landlord or run a small property management company. It’s ideal if you prefer a simple, user-friendly system without unnecessary complexity. However, their direct booking website is available only at an additional cost. |
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 presents itself as a solution for “all types of vacation rental businesses, whether you manage just one property or a portfolio of more than 30”. Its platform also supports multiple interface languages and includes a built-in website builder, reinforcing its appeal to hosts looking for strong direct-booking tools.
Hospitable, on the other hand, “was originally created for individual hosts and has since grown into a more complete property management system”. Its marketing strongly highlights guest communication and automation, reflecting the features it’s best known for.
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 Hospitable
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 synchronizes 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 centralized dashboard for managing all locks.
Pros:
- Easy website creation.
- Responsive onboarding team
- Solid calendar synchronisation to avoid double bookings.
Cons:
- 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
4.9
Capterra
4.8
Trustpilot
3.9
Reviews
Review Platforms
G2
Capterra
Trustpilot
Hospitable: Automation-Focused Operations Platform Powered by AI
Hospitable positions themselves as a short-term rental “super app” and are one of the most well known solutions in the space. But they’re not for everyone – they focus on AI-powered guest messaging automation and streamlined operations for smaller portfolios and there are some concerns with limited channel integrations and pricing scalability for larger operations.
Their main features are:
- AI-powered guest messaging and a unified inbox, along with automation for team notifications, cleaning tasks, and review management.
- Channel management with full calendar, rate, and reservation syncing, plus built-in dynamic pricing.
- Direct-booking capabilities, with an optional Premium package that adds AI guest screening through Autohost and provides up to $5M in damage protection.
- Payment processing where Hospitable acts as the Merchant of Record, while the Basic plan supports Stripe only.
- Smart-device integrations, including locks, thermostats, and other connected hardware.
Pros:
- Highly appreciated for its automated messaging features.
- Offers dependable “set-and-forget” workflows once everything is configured.
- Frequently praised by small and mid-sized hosts for ease of use and overall reliability.
Cons:
- Unreliable automation (messages or syncs sometimes fail).
- Supports fewer nichePoor or slow customer support. or specialty booking channels.
- Unexpected changes to settings or pricing.
- Issues with calendar sync are leading to double bookings.
Hospitable Setup
Hospitable provides a 14-day free trial and optional onboarding to help new users get started smoothly. Hosts also have access to a library of training videos for guided setup, along with an active online community featuring town halls and Q&A sessions where they can learn and exchange insights with other hosts.
Hospitable Pricing Tiers
Hospitable offers three main subscription plans. Pricing scales with the number of properties and the level of features included.
- Host (£25/month for 1 property), Professional (£49/month for 2 properties), and Mogul (£79/month for 3 properties).
- Additional active properties cost £9–£25/month depending on the plan and are only charged when properties have check-ins.
- All plans include a 14-day free trial.
The Trade-Off Dilemma
Lodgify excels at building attractive direct-booking websites, but its automation features often feel secondary. Hospitable, on the other hand, is built around automation and messaging, yet its website-building capabilities remain limited.
Property managers who want both strong automation and a solid direct-booking engine often turn to integrated solutions like Zeevou, which doesn’t force this trade-off.
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. (Some plans apply a 10% fee on Google Vacation Rentals.)
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 Matches Your Business Model?
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.
Independent hosts and small teams:
Hospitable is ideal for those managing a few properties who value simplicity, strong guest communication tools, and easy automation, though it may lack the depth needed for larger operations.
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 Hospitable: 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.
Hospitable stands out for its intuitive automation, streamlined guest communication, and task management, making it ideal for small-size hosts who want to save time and simplify operations.
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.
Related Comparison Articles:
Frequently Asked Questions
Hospitable is a good investment for independent landlords and small property managers who want an easy-to-use system with strong automated guest messaging and a straightforward direct-booking website. Its simplicity, reliability, and reasonable pricing make it ideal for smaller portfolios. However, it’s less suited for larger, fast-growing operations due to limited scalability, lighter automation depth in areas like dynamic pricing, and slow customer support. Overall, it’s a solid choice if you want hassle-free automation without the complexity of a full enterprise PMS.
Lodgify is ideal for small- to mid-sized hosts who want an easy-to-use direct-booking website with basic automation, OTA syncing, and integrated payments. It’s cost-effective and simple to manage, though less suited for large portfolios or highly complex operations.
Hospitable is less suited for large portfolios because it has limited scalability, lighter reporting, and fewer advanced operational features compared with enterprise-level systems.
Yes — Lodgify provides basic automation for guest messaging, including booking confirmations and key communications, though it’s not as advanced as Guesty or Zeevou in automating workflows.
Yes — Hospitable provides a direct-booking website that lets you accept bookings outside of OTAs, with optional features like AI guest vetting and damage protection.
Zeevou stands out by combining strong automation, a robust direct-booking engine, and full operational tools in one unified platform. While Lodgify focuses on website building and Hospitable excels in guest messaging and automation, Zeevou offers an end-to-end system that includes channel management, dynamic pricing, housekeeping and maintenance workflows, owner reporting, and even AI guest messaging on higher tiers. This makes it a more comprehensive, scale-ready option for property managers who want everything integrated without relying on multiple add-ons or external tools.
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.