Are you in search of Smoobu alternatives that deliver transparency and ease for your expanding vacation rental business?
We’ve reviewed five top vacation rental software alternatives to Smoobu, comparing the features and user experience you need to grow, including intuitive interfaces, clear-cut pricing, and more.
Who is Smoobu best for?
Smoobu is a vacation rental software offering channel manager capabilities, along with a reservation dashboard, integrations, and a unified inbox.
While it also offers a comprehensive property management system and related features, the more sophisticated functionalities are exclusively available on its Team plan.
If your primary objectives include creating a customizable, bookable website or integrating with Google Vacation Rentals, Smoobu might fall short, too. Despite offering free bookable websites, customization options are limited.
Additionally, Smoobu primarily caters to hosts in the European market, a potential drawback for U.S.-based customers looking for personalized attention and assistance.
One Smoobu user, for example, noted that it’s “difficult to speak to anyone by phone and if you are able to finally get through it has to be during European hours, so if you can’t talk first thing in the morning you are out of luck.”
Smoobu pricing
Smoobu offers a free plan that includes a basic reservation system, a website with a subdomain, and basic reporting capabilities. However, it lacks a channel manager or other high-end features.
Smoobu’s most affordable plan, when billed annually, is $28.16 monthly for a single property and includes a channel manager, booking system, and other essential features.
For access to advanced functionalities like customizing your booking system and configuring your domain (crucial elements for managing your vacation rental business effectively), you’ll pay $193.24 per month for one property.
Smoobu plans
Smoobu offers three tiers of plans: Basic, Professional, and Teams.
The Professional plan, starting at $31.29 per month when paid monthly (or $28.16/month when paid annually, as mentioned above), provides essential features such as a channel manager, booking system, and communication automation.
For premium services and priority support, users can opt for the Teams plan at $214.71 per month. Long-term commitments of one or two years receive 10-20% discounts.
While Smoobu lists its pricing in EUR, GBP, and USD, all subscriptions are charged in Euros. This means that if you’re in the U.S., you could get hit with costly conversion rates, depending on your bank.
Smoobu extends a free 14-day trial to potential users. However, they do not provide a demo account option.
Why do customers switch from Smoobu?
Smoobu currently has a 3.1 rating on Trustpilot, and the lack of accessible features in the lower-tiered plans, along with issues with customer support, are two commonly cited reasons for switching from Smoobu or general dissatisfaction.
One user, for example, mentioned that they had a ticket opened for seven months with no resolution. Another said that “double bookings occur” frequently and that the software was “not usable as channel manager.”
For U.S. hosts, Smoobu’s European-focused features have also been an issue, with one customer stating, “Many features on the included booking website are geared towards Europeans and cannot be fixed. For example, sq meters instead of sq ft, the format for the date is day/month/year…”
Top 5 Smoobu alternatives
Choosing the right property management software can make or break your business. While Smoobu offers a range of helpful features, it’s essential to explore alternatives that could better suit your specific needs before choosing one.
We’ve done the legwork and compiled a list of the top five Smoobu alternatives, including helpful information about their features, pricing, and more.
By carefully comparing these options, you can find a solution that aligns with your vacation rental property management requirements.
1. Lodgify
Lodgify is an all-in-one vacation rental software that equips property owners and managers with the tools they need to manage and expand their businesses.
As a top Smoobu alternative, Lodgify offers an intuitive website builder, extensive channel management, and powerful automation features. For property managers, its robust property management modules start at a lower price point than Smoobu’s.
Lodgify key features
- Comprehensive property management solution: Lodgify is an all-in-one solution with transparent pricing and plans, eliminating the need for expensive add-ons to enjoy the essential features of the software.
- Integrated channel manager: Sync your listings from platforms such as Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, and Google Vacation Rentals with your Lodgify dashboard. This integration ensures real-time updates across all channels, prevents double booking and allows for rate automation, margin markups, and personalized quotes.
- Automation tools: Reduce your workload and simplify your processes with automation tools that help with everything from guest communication to consolidating messages into one unified inbox.
- Website builder with free website domain: Lodgify offers professional, mobile-friendly vacation rental website templates along with a free, customizable domain and an integrated booking engine for direct reservations and credit card payments.
- Direct booking widget: If you already have a website on WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, or another CMS, you can integrate Lodgify’s booking widget to enable guests to book properties directly on your existing site.
- Free onboarding: Lodgify provides free, customized onboarding and continuous support. An onboarding specialist will assist you in integrating your listings and guide you through all the features.
- Property management modules: Automate and manage property-specific tasks such as cleaning and task management while also accessing advanced analytics and reporting tools with Lodgify’s property management modules.
- User management and permissions: Assign roles to each team member, from check-in agents to cleaning staff, and control their access to the platform.
- Mobile app: Manage bookings, schedules, tasks, and guest communications from anywhere with the Lodgify mobile app. The easy-to-use dashboard provides a concise overview of upcoming reservations and guest details and enables direct communication with guests via WhatsApp or your integrated inbox.
- 24/7 multilingual customer support: Lodgify’s support team is available 24/7 in five different languages via email, phone, or chat to resolve any questions or issues you may have.
- AI embedded functionalities: Enjoy cutting-edge AI features, like an advanced AI Assistant to help deliver efficient guest messaging or dynamic pricing tools built using smart algorithms to help you optimize your rate strategy.
Lodgify pricing
Lodgify’s two-year plans kick off at a competitive rate of $15 per month for a single property, including a 1.9% booking fee. This positions it as a cost-effective alternative to Smoobu and similar software.
For Professional and Ultimate plans, which are popular among property managers for their advanced features such as property management modules and advanced owner management, there is no booking fee. These plans start at $43 and $55 per month, respectively, for those subscribing for two years.
The pricing structure of Lodgify is designed to scale with your business, adjusting according to the number of rentals you manage. You can also access a 7-day free trial to experience Lodgify’s comprehensive features before committing to a subscription.
2. Guesty
Guesty is an Israeli property management platform for short-term rentals offering vacation rental management solutions and multi-channel online reservations, much like other alternatives to Smoobu.
However, it does not offer certain features that are available with other Smoobu competitors. These missing features include a free domain, a bookable website, and additional marketplace apps unless you opt for the Guesty Pro subscription, which expands your integration options.
Notably, Guesty does not provide onboarding support for its most basic plan and even charges premium customers for onboarding sessions—a service typically included in vacation rental software packages.
Guesty key features
- Channel management: Guesty provides a dashboard for the management of reservations, price modifications, and date-specific rules. However, this standard dashboard view requires manual setup, which could be challenging for property managers overseeing multiple properties.
- Integrated communication: Similar to Lodgify and Smoobu, Guesty’s software allows for guest communication across all channels, including email.
- Multi-unit categorization: If you’re willing to pay for one of the pricier plans, Guesty offers the ability to group similar listings to enhance occupancy.
- Direct booking: Guesty allows you to synchronize your vacation rental website with their booking platform. Alternatively, you can use their website builder for a dedicated site. However, their vacation rental website builder is only available for Pro and Enterprise plans and comes with an additional cost.
- Revenue optimization: Guesty’s PMS includes features designed to boost revenue, such as dynamic rate adjustments and promotions, similar to Lodgify’s Dynamic Pricing or Airbnb’s Smart Pricing.
- Integrations: Guesty, like other Smoobu competitors, provides access to various integrations, including major OTAs, payment gateways, and more. However, full marketplace access is only available on the more expensive plans.
Guesty pricing
Guesty’s Lite plan is $27 per month for U.S. hosts with one to three listings. Pricing varies according to geographical region.
Pricing for Pro and Enterprise plans isn’t public, but current and previous customers have commented that Guesty requires a one-time onboarding fee and charges between 2% and 5% on all bookings.
3. Hostfully
Hostfully is another Smoobu alternative offering similar features as Guesty. However, the software includes features that Guesty and a few other competitors lack, including access to guest guidebooks.
That being said, Hostfully tends to be more expensive for hosts managing fewer properties compared to Guesty and Smoobu. It does provide unique integrations that could prove advantageous for different kinds of niche vacation rental businesses or property managers.
Hostfully key features
- Hostfully Open API: Hostfully promotes “full API sync with all channels,” a feature that is great but currently only available to users with a Premium plan—meaning those with over 20 listings.
- Booking pipeline: The platform provides a comprehensive booking pipeline that offers users a quick snapshot of confirmed bookings and lead statuses, along with tools for automating guest workflow. However, it’s worth noting that all listings created for Airbnb are automatically set to “Instant Book,” which may not be ideal for some hosts who also manage direct bookings.
- Task management: Hostfully includes various unique task management features such as catering and activity management. This makes it a great alternative to Smoobu for hosts with properties that get rented for large events or who offer unique add-ons such as kayaking or outdoor excursions.
- Unified inbox: Hostfully offers a unified inbox and automated guest messaging system to streamline communication. However, unlike some other Smoobu alternatives, Hostfully does not support messages via WhatsApp.
- Direct bookings: Hostfully enables direct bookings and/or an inventory widget that integrates smoothly with your website. However, managing a direct booking site through Hostfully can be challenging for non-technical users and customization options are limited.
Hostfully pricing
Hostfully’s pricing is primarily based on the number of properties you manage.
For those managing between one to four properties, the Starter plan is the most affordable choice at $109 per month. However, there is also a one-time implementation fee of $600, which applies to all other plans as well.
Generally, Hostfully pricing is somewhat limited by the number of listings you have. For example, if you only have three properties, you’re unable to choose the Pro, Pro Plus, or Premium plans. This makes the platform less flexible compared to other alternatives.
4. Little Hotelier
Little Hotelier is a property management system powered by SiteMinder that’s designed specifically for small accommodation properties such as boutique hotels, B&Bs, inns, motels, guesthouses, cabins, and camping sites.
If you’re seeking a solution with a stronger focus on hotel-centric features, Little Hotelier could be a suitable alternative to Smoobu. It offers functionalities like metasearch bookings via Google Hotel Ads and housekeeping reports, which are beneficial for hotel-focused operations.
Little Hotelier key features
- Front Desk: Little Hotelier’s reservation system, known as the “Front Desk,” features a drag-and-drop reservation calendar, personalized guest emails, housekeeping reports, and more. This system caters specifically to the needs of hotels, providing a unique take on the booking and reservation systems offered by other Smoobu alternatives.
- Dedicated support: In contrast to Smoobu, which customers have commented on as having limited support or personalized onboarding, Little Hotelier provides access to support and online learning resources. However, this comes at an additional cost.
- Google Hotel Ads: Included in their monthly plan (though additional fees may apply) is the ability to secure metasearch bookings through Google Hotel Ads. This service allows your hotel to appear in Google search results when potential guests are searching for accommodations.
- Channel manager: With hundreds of booking channels and the ability to update rooms and rates across all channels, Little Hotelier is a good choice for those managing individual rooms rather than entire properties.
Little Hotelier pricing
Little Hotelier currently only offers one pricing structure that varies based on the number of properties you have.
For hosts with one to five properties, prices in euros are currently €109, while those with six to ten properties pay €119. The pricing page states that there also “may be setup fees” but doesn’t clarify what those are.
5. Hospitable
Hospitable is designed primarily for independent property owners and small agencies overseeing short-term rentals.
Although its features may be more basic than larger competitors like Lodgify, it could be an efficient solution for those looking for basic vacation rental management capabilities. However, its one-size-fits-all pricing structure can be limiting.
Hospitable key features
- Smart messaging: AI tools have become a norm in the vacation rental property management software sector, and Hospitable is among many Guesty alternatives that let you leverage AI to automate responses to frequent queries.
- Unified inbox: Hospitable’s unified inbox, akin to other Guesty alternatives, lets you synchronize messages across various OTAs. It’s unclear whether you can sync it with your direct booking website, though.
- Multichannel management: Like most other Guesty alternatives, Hospitable allows you to synchronize with leading platforms such as Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, and others.
- Direct booking: You can either create your own website or attach Hospitable’s widget to your existing one. Keep in mind that unlike Guesty alternatives like Lodgify or Smoobu, premium payment integrations are currently unavailable on Hospitable for hosts outside the U.S., Australia, or the U.K.
Hospitable Pricing
Hospitable’s plans start at $40 monthly, with costs rising as more properties are included.
Choosing the right Smoobu alternative
Ultimately, choosing the right vacation rental software comes down to your unique needs. Factors such as the size of your team, the scale of your portfolio, your growth stage, and future goals will all help you decide what features are most beneficial.
To build a successful vacation rental business, you’ll need, at the very least, a robust booking engine, channel management capabilities, automation features, and extensive reporting tools. A strong API and various integrations with OTAs and other commonly used tools should be on your checklist, too.
Among the various Smoobu alternatives we explore here, Lodgify stands out as a top option with all of the features you need (and more!).
But you don’t have to just take our word for it. Experience Lodgify for yourself by signing up for a free trial or registering for a personalized product demonstration.