Comparing Hospitable and OwnerRez: What you need to know
Vacation rental management today is nothing like it was just five years ago. There are more booking platforms than ever, competition has intensified, and expectations are sky-high. Relying on spreadsheets, templates, and memory won’t cut it anymore if you want to deliver a top-notch guest experience.
That’s why many hosts turn to property management systems (PMS) to streamline operations. These tools combine everything from guest messaging and calendar management to payment processing into one platform.
But finding the right PMS for you isn’t always straightforward. Hospitable and OwnerRez are two well-known players with their own strengths and best use cases. Some hosts find one of them is a clear winner, whereas others look elsewhere for a better fit.
So let’s break down the differences between Hospitable and OwnerRez in their key features, pricing, and customer support. You can see whether either PMS aligns with your goals or if you need to look for an alternative.
Key differences between Hospitable and OwnerRez
The key difference between Hospitable and OwnerRez comes down to user experience.
Hospitable puts more emphasis on straightforward setup and intuitive navigation so users can hit the ground running. Although it’s designed to be plug and play, support is there for those who need it.
On the other hand, OwnerRez caters to more advanced users with its deep automation. It also goes beyond the essentials to include document management, accounting tools, and reporting options. Of course, the tradeoff is that OwnerRez has a steeper learning curve than Hospitable does.
Hospitable: Who’s it best for?
Hospitable works best for independent hosts or small teams that are stretched thin managing their business. It has the key automation tools, like guest messaging and calendar syncing to save time, and basic analytics for tracking performance.
What’s more, Hospitable has a lower starter price than many competitors. This makes it easier to accommodate the subscription into a tight budget and offset its direct booking fees.
OwnerRez: Who’s it best for?
OwnerRez’s sweet spot is small to medium businesses looking to automate workflows. It offers channel syncing and team access in its core feature set to help teams gain quick control over complex processes.
The modular pricing is also aimed more at mid-sized companies. You have a choice of optional add-ons like its QuickBooks integration, property management tool, and a direct booking site so you only pay for what you need. But while monthly fees are competitive, you have to wait until you’ve hit over 500 properties to access custom plans with discounts at volume.
Why Hostfully is the best alternative to Hospitable and OwnerRez
While alternatives have their strengths, Hostfully is the only platform with all the features you need upfront. That’s how we empower vacation rental businesses to scale and grow.
For example, Hostfully includes a no-code web builder and proprietary guidebook alongside other essential features. This enables you to increase direct bookings and expand your service offerings without tacking on many extra tools.
Hostfully also includes a unique, CRM-style booking pipeline feature that gives you visibility and control over the entire guest journey. From here, you can keep track of all past, present, and upcoming reservations.
And we may offer the most comprehensive suite of features but we’re still competitive and flexible on price. Independent hosts can start on a low monthly subscription with full access to key features, guided onboarding, and 24/7 customer support. When you’re ready to grow, you can upgrade to our custom plans and receive discounts at volume.
Hostfully vs Hospitable vs OwnerRez: A feature comparison
| Feature | Hostfully | Hospitable | OwnerRez |
| Centralized automation | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Multi/stacked calendars | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Booking pipeline | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Proprietary guidebook | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Channel manager | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Unified inbox | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| AI assistant | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Direct booking website builder | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Accounting functionality | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ |
| Owner portal | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Messaging templates | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Task management | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Mobile app | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Minimum contract period | One month | One month | One month |
| Booking fee | Zero booking fees | 1 – 4% | Zero booking fees |
| Property minimum | One | One | One |
| Scalable pricing | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Custom plans | ✔️ from 21 listings | ✔️ from 40 listings | ✔️ from 500 listings |
| Customer success manager | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Direct integrations with popular OTAs (Airbnb, Vrbo, Expedia, Booking.com, etc) | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| API | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| 24/7 global live chat support (including weekends) | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ |
Real user reviews: Why businesses switch to Hostfully from Hospitable and OwnerRez
| “I have been working with Hostfully for a few months now, and I am extremely impressed with their support. They are always ready to assist in every way possible, ensuring a smooth and efficient experience. The best part is that they continually add so many integrations and AI for messages—it’s just amazing!”
— Michel H |
| “Hostfully has been an absolute game-changer for our property management operations. The platform is user-friendly, robust, and incredibly efficient. It seamlessly integrates all aspects of our short-term rental business, from booking management to guest communication and even maintenance scheduling.”
— Amber G |
| “Hostfully PMS is a really great system for a small or medium-sized vacation rental property manager. We own our properties and the system really helps lead to a better quality of life in my everyday resort existence.
I’ve been a loyal user for 5+ years now and Hostfully revolutionized my small (but mighty) vacation rental business.” — Tod C |
Moving to Hostfully is easy and seamless
Changing PMS is a big decision. It’s easy to keep delaying the move over fears about disruption and downtime. When your business runs on software, the transition must be smooth and efficient.
That’s exactly what Hostfully delivers through every step of onboarding. From your kickoff call with the team to your integration setup, we take care of everything. We also go as fast or as slow as your business needs.
If you’re switching from Hospitable to Hostfully, our team shows you around all the additional features. We help you set them up and optimize them for your specific context.
And if you’re swapping OwnerRez for Hostfully, we absorb all the complexity. Our integrations team walks you through transferring all the data and reconnecting your tech stack so you don’t have to worry about errors.
Don’t take our word for it! See the difference firsthand
Book a demo and explore what your vacation rental business looks like on Hostfully.
FAQs about Hospitable vs OwnerRez
Which is better: Hospitable or OwnerRez for vacation rental management?
The choice between Hospitable and OwnerRez depends on your business size and needs. Hospitable is ideal for independent hosts or small teams looking for an easy-to-use platform with basic automation and messaging tools. In contrast, OwnerRez is best suited for small to medium-sized businesses that need advanced features like accounting tools, reporting, and document management. If you’re a beginner, Hospitable’s simpler interface might be more appropriate, whereas OwnerRez is better for hosts looking for greater automation and control.
Does OwnerRez have better automation features than Hospitable?
Yes, OwnerRez offers deeper automation capabilities compared to Hospitable. With features like automated invoices, accounting integration, and the ability to automate guest communication, OwnerRez caters to more advanced users. While Hospitable offers key automation like guest messaging and calendar syncing, it is more focused on ease of use rather than providing a robust, customizable automation system.
What does Hostfully offer that Hospitable and OwnerRez don’t?
Hostfully stands out with its unique booking pipeline feature, which provides a comprehensive overview of the entire guest journey. Additionally, Hostfully offers a proprietary guidebook, which can be customized to improve the guest experience, and a no-code website builder to help hosts increase direct bookings. These features, combined with a comprehensive suite of tools for property management, make Hostfully an excellent alternative for Hospitable and Ownerezz.
Can I use Hospitable or OwnerRez for managing multiple vacation rental properties?
Both Hospitable and OwnerRez allow for managing multiple properties, but they cater to different scales. OwnerRez is more flexible for managing large operations with its modular pricing and advanced tools like accounting integration. Hospitable works well for hosts with a smaller number of properties, providing essential features at a more affordable price, though it lacks the deep customization that OwnerRez offers for large businesses.
Does Airbnb have liability insurance for hosts?
Airbnb offers AirCover for Hosts, which includes liability insurance for injuries or accidents that happen during the guest’s stay. This coverage is part of the AirCover package and protects hosts from guest-related incidents. However, it’s essential to check the terms of coverage for specific cases, as there might be exclusions. Some hosts may still need additional insurance to cover situations beyond AirCover’s scope.