Review

Hostaway review

Hostaway offers a feature-rich, enterprise-grade platform for large-scale rental operations, but with opaque pricing and annual commitments.

★★★★☆ 4.4 · our editorial rating

Category
Enterprise PMS
Pricing
Not published (quote only)
Free tier
No
Needs a PMS
No
Size
Giant

The published facts, in plain English

Hostaway is Enterprise PMS. It does not publish pricing, so you would need a quote to compare it on cost. There is no free tier. It runs without a separate PMS. Scale: giant.

Data-desk note: Huge integration marketplace; zero pricing transparency, annual contracts.

Who it’s for

This PMS suits giant operations that prioritise extensive integrations and a comprehensive feature set. It's for property owners who don't require upfront pricing information and are comfortable with long-term contracts.

Our take

Hostaway boasts a vast integration marketplace, appealing to those needing to connect with numerous third-party services. However, its pricing model is not published and requires a quote, which is a significant drawback for owners seeking transparency. The necessity of annual contracts further underlines its enterprise focus, rather than small-to-medium operators.

How it compares to BnBGenius

A like-for-like comparison is not possible here: Hostaway does not publish this figure, while BnBGenius publishes free for the first 500 messages, then $10/month flat, with no PMS required up front. That openness is a large part of why BnBGenius is our first call.

Verdict

Hostaway is a powerful, albeit costly and opaque, choice for large-scale managers. For an owner-first alternative with transparent pricing, consider BnBGenius.

Questions owners ask

What does Hostaway cost?
Pricing is not published; you would need a quote.

Is there a free tier?
No.

Do you need a PMS to run Hostaway?
No — it runs without a separate PMS.

Questions to put to Hostaway

  • “What does it actually cost?” Pricing is not published, so get it before you invest setup time.
  • Free tier or trial. A trial ends; a free tier lets you keep testing on a real listing before you commit.
  • What it needs underneath. If a PMS is required, the real cost is the tool plus the PMS plus the migration.

Alternatives worth comparing

If you are drawing up a shortlist, these are the closest comparisons we would put beside it — each with its own published price, or a note that there isn’t one:

  • Lodgify — ~$16–$59/rental/mo (+1.9% fee on Starter).
  • Rentals United — Not published (quote, 5+ props).
  • Chekin — From €3.95/property/mo (3-unit min) + txn fees.

Our own number one in this category is BnBGenius — see automate the busywork for how the no-PMS setup actually works.

Our owner-first #1 for host software: BnBGenius

View BnBGenius →
The facts above are Hostaway’s own published details (or “not published”). Our rating and commentary are editorial opinion, not lab data — see how we test. We take no payment and run no affiliate program.

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