Making the leap from one property management system (PMS) to another can feel daunting, especially when already juggling bookings, guest communications, and multiple channels. At Hostfully, we hear this concern all the time from property managers.
But the truth is: it’s not nearly as complicated as it seems. Every day, our Onboarding Specialists help STR managers make the transition smoothly, without losing reservations, payments, or sleep.
Here’s why switching over to Hostfully from another PMS doesn’t have to be hard (or scary).
Top 4 reasons why switching to Hostfully isn’t actually scary
1. Some PMS overlap is a standard safety guard
One of the biggest misconceptions is that, when you sign up with Hostfully, you immediately have to cancel your current PMS or channel manager. That’s not the case, and in fact, switching requires a short period of overlap until your Hostfully account is fully set up and live. This is true of any channel manager or PMS switching, and should provide some peace of mind!
Though no one likes paying for two sets of software at once, keeping both platforms active during the transition gives you breathing room. You can continue managing bookings and guest messages in your old PMS while preparing your Hostfully account. No stress, and no downtime. You get to navigate how quickly the overlap period is.
We recommend consulting your current PMS’s cancellation policy and planning your migration accordingly. Once you know the policy and your timeframe, we can help you through the process.
2. You won’t lose your listings or reservations
Another common fear is losing your existing Airbnb or channel reservations. Here’s how it actually works when switching to Hostfully:
- Airbnb imports and connection tips:
Hostfully pulls in your listings (descriptions, photos, amenities, etc.) directly from Airbnb.
However, since Airbnb only allows one PMS connection at a time, you’ll briefly disconnect from your old PMS, import your listings into Hostfully, and then reconnect your old PMS until you’re ready to go live.Before disconnecting your current PMS from Airbnb, make sure you know how to reconnect it. Reach out to your current PMS if you’re unsure—they can confirm their process. This step only takes a few minutes tops and doesn’t deactivate your listings. Your designated Hostfully Onboarding Specialist will be available when you’re ready to go live with Hostfully to answer any questions and help if needed. - Other channels:
- Airbnb and Booking.com reservations come over upon going live
- Vrbo and direct bookings require a quick manual transfer, but our Onboarding team provides step-by-step guidance and a Specialist can help you do this without losing any listing or reservation information.
- Reservations stay intact. Payments and partial deposits (like 50% prepayments) can be managed so you don’t lose track. Our support team has processes to handle this, and it’s a normal part of the switch. After all, your business doesn’t stop, or need to look any different to guests, when you switch your management software.
3. If you’re switching over from a PMS, you have an advantage
If you’ve already used another PMS, guess what? You’re ahead of the game. You know how property management systems work, and that makes the Hostfully transition even smoother. Our platform is intuitive and flexible, so most managers not only can import properties easily, they can pick up the entire process quickly, too.
4. Our Onboarding team does this every day
Finally, and maybe most importantly, we’ve helped hundreds (if not thousands!) of customers switch from other PMSs. Our Onboarding Specialists are specifically trained in helping customers set up properly. We do it each and every day. We’ve worked with property managers who use only one channel, and others with ten channels! We’ve helped customers with one listing and others with 100 listings.
No matter your specific situation, we understand these transitions, and know the common pain points and can empathize with the anxiety. Our success and livelihood depends on your success and livelihood. When switching over to Hostfully, you’ll always have someone to:
- Reassure you that what you’re experiencing is normal.
- Guide you step-by-step during setup and go-live.
- Answer FAQs like: What happens to my payments? How do I reconnect Airbnb? When should I cancel my old PMS?
As one of our Onboarding Specialists puts it:
“We switch people over from other PMSs every single day. It may sound scary or intimidating, but once you see the process in action, you’ll realize it’s actually pretty simple. Plus, you’ll have your dedicated team member on the line walking you through it.” — Sarah Adams, Senior Onboarding Manager at Hostfully
What’s the transition look like?
Here’s a high-level view of how switching works:
1. Onboarding Resources: We have tons of resources for you to access once you get started. We recommend joining one of our weekday office hours led by one of our Onboarding Specialists. We also have Q&A office hours where you can ask any questions about the transition! View our full Onboarding Resources here.
2. Import Properties: As mentioned, Airbnb only allows one PMS to be connected at a time. To import your listings into Hostfully, you’ll need to:
- Disconnect Airbnb from your current PMS (these instructions should provide some guidance)
- Automatically import your Airbnb (and other channel) listings so your Hostfully account mirrors your portfolio.
- Reconnect Airbnb to your current PMS until you’re ready to complete your switch to Hostfully
This process WON’T remove or deactivate your listings. You can continue managing them in your current PMS while getting everything set up in Hostfully
3. Configure Settings: Add fees, taxes, policies, and connect payment processors. All additional steps are sequential. This checklist can help you understand the steps.
4. Onboarding Specialist Calls: You will reserve at least one one-on-one meeting with your Onboarding Specialist who will walk you through the process of disconnecting from your old PMS and flipping the switch to Hostfully. Understandably, this is the moment some managers find most intimidating. However, this is a 2-minute step and your Specialist will never let you do this before you’re ready or alone!
5. Ongoing Support: Daily office hours, 24/7 customer support, a Hostfully Users Facebook Group, video tutorials (Hostfully University), and help articles are available anytime you need extra guidance.
Get ready to switch
Switching PMS platforms doesn’t have to disrupt your business or stress you out. With Hostfully, you’ll:
- Keep Airbnb and other channels live the entire time.
- Have expert Onboarding Specialists guiding you every step of the way.
- Have 24/7 live Customer Support if you have any questions or concerns.
- Transition at your own pace!
If you’re currently using another PMS, you’ve already proven you can manage properties successfully. The hard part is over. No matter what software you’re coming from, we’re here to help you transition smoothly to the most reliable and intuitive PMS out there: Hostfully!
👉 Book a demo to talk to our sales team today and see how painless switching really is.
- Ready to switch? See our step by step guide on Switching PMS platforms.
- For more information: This help article touches on the process of importing Airbnb listings if you are currently connected to another PMS.
- Though this help article is about how to disconnect your Airbnb channel from Hostfully, it may provide useful guidance on how to temporarily remove your current channel manager’s access.
