In this article, we delve into a head-to-head comparison of two of the industry’s leading platforms, Lodgify and iGMS (formerly known as AirGMS). Both of these software solutions have earned their stripes as reliable and feature-rich options for property managers and hosts.
As we explore their capabilities, ease of use, pricing, and unique offerings, you’ll gain a comprehensive understanding of how Lodgify and iGMS stack up against each other, ultimately helping you make an informed decision on the ideal platform to propel your vacation rental business to new heights.
Who is it for?
Lodgify
Lodgify is a versatile solution that caters to various vacation rental businesses, whether you manage a single property or oversee a portfolio of more than 30 rentals. It’s designed to provide hosts with an intuitive and user-friendly experience, enabling them to handle their operations effortlessly.
iGMS
iGMS is a dependable mid-tier vacation rental management software, suited for property owners and hosts who primarily operate on Airbnb.
How much does it cost?
Lodgify
Lodgify provides a range of affordable pricing options designed to meet different budget needs. Pricing plans are structured in three tiers, with the most economical plan starting at a reasonable $15 per month. This plan includes all the necessary features essential for effectively managing your business, including a channel manager, a bookable website, a reservation and payment system, and a property management system.
The Professional plan offered by Lodgify is highly popular among users, as it offers access to more advanced features. Starting at a modest $43 per month, this plan provides additional features to enhance your business operations.
For businesses seeking even more extensive features, Lodgify offers the Ultimate plan. This plan is tailored to meet the requirements of businesses that need accounting, cleaning, and task management tools, among others. The Ultimate plan starts at an affordable price of $55 per month, providing a comprehensive solution for such businesses.
iGMS
iGMS offers different subscription plans—Host, Flex, and Pro.
The Host and Pro plans are charged per property per month, whereas the Flex plan is charged per booked night and includes fewer features.
If you have one rental, you will pay $40 per property per month for the Host plan and $45 per property per month for the Pro plan. As the most entry-level plan, iGMS’ Host plan offers essential features such as a channel manager, unified inbox, etc. However, support options are still very limited.
What are the main differences?
Onboarding
Lodgify
All customers are provided with a free personalized onboarding experience. A Lodgify specialist assesses the user’s business needs and works with them to set up their account, connect their listings, and guide them through all the features.
iGMS
iGMS offers free onboarding in its Flex, Pro, and Enterprise plans. However, there is no onboarding option for users on their Lite plan. The onboarding offered is through demo calls, phone calls with specialists, and webinars (the last of which are not 1:1 but more general).
Website builder and booking widget
Lodgify
Lodgify is renowned for its user-friendly interface and customizable templates, making it a popular choice for website building. It enables users to effortlessly create their own bookable website with their preferred domain (e.g., www.yourwebsite.com) in less than 5 minutes, regardless of technical expertise. One standout feature of Lodgify is its focus on SEO optimization, which has resulted in approximately 40% of bookings being made directly by customers.
For individuals who already have a website using platforms like WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, or any other content management system (CMS), Lodgify offers seamless integration. Through the incorporation of the Lodgify booking widget, guests can now conveniently make property reservations directly on their website, even if it lacked previous booking capabilities.
iGMS
Users can build their own direct booking website and booking widget for their business, but only if users already have a pre-existing Airbnb listing for each of their properties. This is because websites can’t be created from scratch, only imported from Airbnb.
Mobile app
Lodgify
Hosts can manage their business on the go on the recently updated mobile app, which is available for Android and iOS. Users on the Ultimate plan can also download the Lodgify PM app to connect with cleaners, check-in agents, and rental managers. Plus, guests can download the Lodgify Guest app to easily access host resources, such as guidebooks, WiFi passwords, check-in details, etc.
The Lodgify mobile app is rated 3.5 stars on the AppStore and 4.9 stars on Google Play.
iGMS
iGMS’ mobile app is rated at 2 stars on the AppStore and 3.0 stars on Google Play.
Accounting
Lodgify
With Lodgify’s accounting tools on the Ultimate plan, you can easily evaluate the financial performance of your vacation rental business by assessing its earnings and expenditures. You can compile the overall revenue generated from your properties and listings and apply filters to extract data for bookings during specific timeframes.
Users can also effortlessly monitor payments made by both employees and guests, including both completed and pending transactions.
Furthermore, you can generate invoices and statements, automatically count revenue and costs, and send payments and invoices to staff.
iGMS
iGMS currently offers limited accounting features and only offers reporting features.
Google Vacation Rentals
Lodgify
Lodgify is dedicated to empowering vacation rental owners and property managers by boosting their direct bookings. To achieve this, Lodgify provides the opportunity for hosts to seamlessly integrate their listings with Google’s innovative metasearch engine, Google Vacation Rentals (GVR), completely free of charge.
Hosts can list their Lodgify website through GVR, which will appear above all other organic searches, outranking even the most prominent OTAs. When guests discover a vacation rental listing on GVR and proceed to book, they will be directed to the host’s own website rather than a Lodgify page.
iGMS
This feature is currently not available.
AI capabilities
Lodgify
Located within the user’s inbox, the Lodgify AI Assistant swiftly produces responses to a variety of guest inquiries, such as confirming reservation specifics, arrival and departure dates, and payment status. It also offers information on directions, check-in instructions, Wi-Fi details, parking options, and sleeping arrangements. Moreover, it can address queries about policies and available amenities, provide recommendations for nearby activities and establishments, and handle user-specific requests, complaints, and feedback with speed and efficiency.
iGMS
This service is not provided.
Customer support
Lodgify
Lodgify offers round-the-clock customer support to all its subscribers and trial users, providing them with various benefits. Users can access 24/7 assistance through phone, chat, or email and receive prompt responses from the dedicated support team.
The Contact page conveniently displays telephone numbers for the Customer Success team in multiple regions, such as the U.S. & Canada, the U.K., Spain, and Italy.
iGMS
Unlike Lodgify, iGMS has no direct contact number for its support team. While subscribers to the Enterprise plan (intended for those with 30+ units) can request a phone call, all other communication takes place through email or online chat. Furthermore, their website states that users may have to wait up to 48 hours to receive a response (excluding Pro and Enterprise users, who can access faster response times).
Preferred Partner awards
Lodgify
Lodgify prides itself on being recognized as one of the top channel managers in the market. Our outstanding reputation is reinforced by numerous badges, awards, and the esteemed status of being a Preferred + Software Partner with Airbnb and an Elite Partner with Vrbo.
iGMS
Although iGMS is also a Preferred + Software Partner with Airbnb, it is only considered an integrated partner with Vrbo.
Vacation rental courses
Lodgify
Lodgify provides free vacation rental courses to help and educate users on everything they need to know to start and grow a successful vacation rental business. By enrolling in the Lodgify Academy, users can learn about enhancing direct bookings, leveraging social media for marketing, and capturing quality photographs to showcase their property.
iGMS
This service is not provided.
What do customers say about Lodgify?
Finding reliable and unbiased information while researching products online can pose a challenge for prospective customers. As a result, a significant majority of consumers, approximately 93%, state that online reviews have a significant impact on their purchasing choices.
When it comes to vacation rental owners and property managers, making informed decisions is crucial for the success of their business. Users can explore and compare Lodgify online, along with assessing the opinions of Lodgify customers. Here’s where to compare us:
Trustpilot
What people on Trustpilot are saying about Lodgify:
“Using Lodgify has been an awesome and easy experience from start to finish. Not only is the platform intuitive and really easy to use, they offer an onboarding service that teaches you how to make the most of the Service. Sara (our onboarding team member) could not have been more helpful, really supported us to make sense of the platform and how to get it to do most of the hardwork so we can focus on other things. Highly recommend to anyone managing short term holiday lets.” -Charlie H.
Lodgify rating: 4.6
Capterra
What people on Capterra are saying about Lodgify:
“We have no doubt that we chose well. The price is fair, service is excellent, the software is easy to use and it is a company that is always innovating and improving.” -Djamila D.
Lodgify rating: 4.5
GetApp
What people on GetApp are saying about Lodgify:
“The best feature about this product is the seamless-ness between third party software and my own website. It has all the information from everywhere in one place.” -Tara S.
Lodgify rating: 4.5
G2.com
What people on G2.com are saying about Lodgify:
“We went from being held back by AirBNB to in control of our own bookings! Occasionally, AirBNB would not authorize a booking or hold our account until an issue was resolved. Now we can offer direct bookings and VRBO booking options to our best guests. We love the ease of use of Lodgify, and how their customer support made it easy to implement both direct bookings and VRBO integration. We now only use Lodgify’s interface every day…” -Steven W.
Lodgify rating: 4.0
Can I try it before I buy?
Lodgify
Property managers have the opportunity to explore Lodgify at no cost with a 7-day trial, which can be extended upon request. They can also gain insights into Lodgify’s functionality by scheduling a personalized demo call with a knowledgeable product expert. During the demo, the expert will provide a comprehensive overview of all the features and recommend the most suitable subscription plan.
For immediate testing without the need to input rental or user data, Lodgify offers access to a pre-configured test demo account.
iGMS
iGMS offers a free 14-day trial, and you can now schedule a 15 to 30-minute demo call.
Which vacation rental software should I use?
Lodgify certainly shines in several areas, offering better value for money with its comprehensive set of features and tools, while the free onboarding process simplifies the transition for newcomers, ensuring a smooth start. The highly customizable website builder empowers users to tailor their online presence to their liking and maximize their direct bookings.
Furthermore, Lodgify boasts a wealth of host resources, making it a valuable tool for all experience levels in the vacation rental industry.
However, it’s essential to remember that software selection should align with your specific needs and preferences. While Lodgify offers fantastic value and a wide array of tools, iGMS caters well to those who require fewer features and who predominantly use Airbnb.
Your choice between Lodgify and iGMS will depend on your unique requirements, business size, and personal preferences. Both platforms offer strong suites of features, but Lodgify might have the edge for those seeking a robust, cost-effective solution with greater customization and host resources.
However, it’s always a good practice to try out both platforms with free trials, and perhaps even consult with fellow hosts who have experience with these tools, before making a final decision. Remember, the perfect software for one host may not necessarily be the ideal choice for another. Your path to success in the vacation rental industry hinges on the right software that fits your individual needs.