Every host can do with a bit of extra help, even more so if they manage multiple listings. Thanks to advancements in vacation rental software and technology, there are several Airbnb tools for almost every aspect of hosting.
With the help of these hosting tools, rental management becomes a lot easier. These Airbnb tools allow hosts to focus on crafting a better guest experience which will ultimately help them to get better reviews.
What Are The Benefits of Using Tools for Airbnb Hosts?
While designed for hosts, Airbnb tools can also be beneficial to Airbnb guests. Not only are some of these tools designed specifically for them, like a channel manager, key exchange services, or insurance packages, but these Airbnb tools also allow hosts to focus on crafting a better guest experience.
Here are the main benefits that Airbnb tools for hosts can offer:
1. Saves time and money by automating tedious tasks
Automation tools can put sending emails and messages, monitoring cleaning tasks, key exchange, etc. on autopilot to save time. Airbnb hosts also don’t need to hire or outsource people to do these tasks, which ultimately helps them to save money. What’s more, as a result, it can also help to increase the ROI.
2. Opens new business opportunities
With data analytics tools, you’ll be able to identify emerging trends and business opportunities. It’s one of the best investments that hosts can make.
3. Improves the guest experience
One of the major benefits of using the best Airbnb tools to your advantage is the faster, more efficient communication that guests can look forward to. On top of that, the best Airbnb tools will also free up valuable time that hosts can dedicate to other “less urgent” tasks like writing welcome letters. These extra touches can help to improve the overall guest experience.
4. Reduces mistakes and human errors
Letting advanced software do the work for you eliminates the risk of human error. For example, with the help of a channel manager, double-bookings will become a worry of the past.
The 17 Best Tools for Short-term Rental Hosts
There’s virtually an Airbnb host tool for every task. Here are some of the best Airbnb tools for hosts that can help with pricing, messaging, market research, key exchange, and guest screening specifically.
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Dynamic pricing
A dynamic pricing tool can help Airbnb hosts to maximize their revenue by adjusting their pricing to meet market fluctuations. For example, if there’s an event happening in your neighborhood, you can adjust your pricing to meet the new demand.
To help you with this intricate task, you can check out the following smart pricing tool providers:
1. Wheelhouse
Wheelhouse is one of the leading smart pricing host tools and their platform helps thousands of Airbnb hosts in multiple countries. They offer three main products:
- Dynamic pricing tools
- Market reports
- Competitive sets.
With the help of these tools, you can manage your rentals more efficiently as you’ll understand their performance better. This insight will help you to price them more accurately.
2. Beyond
Formerly called Beyond Pricing, Beyond is a revenue management solution aimed at short-term rental owners and managers. In fact, this smart pricing tool was the first automated pricing app that was available for this industry. Their main features include:
- Automated pricing
- Syncing with OTAs like Vrbo and Airbnb
- A direct booking engine
- Performance and market data
- Guidance from their revenue management experts.
3. PriceLabs
Unlike some of the other dynamic pricing tools, PriceLabs has no geographical constraints and is available globally. So, if another pricing tool perhaps isn’t available in your region, this can be a good tool to check out. Similarly to Wheelhouse, they also offer three main products:
- Dynamic pricing tools
- Portfolio analytics
- Market dashboards.
4. DPGO
DPGO is an AI-driven software solution created for short-term rental managers, property owners, and Airbnb hosts. In short, their host tools adjust your pricing in response to the current demand, helping you to stay ahead of the curve. Some of their most popular features include:
- Airbnb pricing predictions
- Advanced charting and reporting
- Booking rules
- Real-time market data.
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All-in-one vacation rental software (with automated messaging and channel management)
A comprehensive short-term rental software solution is a must-have tool. It offers a long list of features and benefits such as a website builder, channel manager, automated messaging templates, calendar synchronization, cleaning task management, and loads more to provide everything your need for your property management. Here are the most popular host tools in this category:
5. iGMS
iGMS is one of the best vacation rental software solutions and has been included in Capterra’s Top 20 Vacation Rental Software list more than once. Their software offers a remarkable set of host tools that can help hosts and property managers to manage routine tasks such as:
- Managing multiple accounts and listings on the main vacation rental platforms via its channel manager
- Organizing messages and emails into a single feed
- Using automated messaging templates and triggered messaging to streamline guest communication
- Automated guest reviews
- Managing direct bookings using a direct booking management toolkit
- Receiving payouts and creating invoices by connecting your Stripe account to iGMS
- Sharing daily schedules with your team.
Considering how many tasks it can automate, it offers the best value for money.
6. Guesty
Guesty is one of the biggest short-term rental software solutions. Though, this means that it also comes with a price tag. Depending on the size of your business, their host tools might be too advanced for your everyday needs. In fact, it’s more aimed at professional short-term rental managers than vacation rental hosts. The following are some of its most important features:
- Branded booking website
- Owner portal
- Open API
- Channel manager
- Payment processing
- Unified inbox and automated messaging
- 24/7 guest communication services.
7. Hostaway
Hostaway is an all-in-one short-term rental software solution that’s aimed at property managers who want to grow their businesses. The main host tools that they offer are:
- Customizable reports
- Automated messaging
- Owner and guest portals
- Channel manager
- Native support for text messages and WhatsApp
- Automated reviews.
8. Uplisting
Uplisting can help short-term rental managers to manage their Airbnb listing more smoothly through automated messaging, guest communication, and putting many of the main property management tasks on autopilot. It can, for example, help managers with tasks like:
- Automated messaging for all bookings
- Verifying the identity of guests
- Responding to Airbnb inquiries
- Automating reviews from Airbnb
- Accepting direct guest bookings instantly
- Viewing the status of cleaning tasks in real-time.
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Market research and analytics
While a dynamic pricing tool and vacation rental software solution will definitely help you to scale your operations, you’ll need to keep your eye on the latest trends if you want to take your business to new heights.
Here are three of the leading host tools that will help you to make sense of market trends and all the data:
9. AirDNA
AirDNA is one of the leading providers of data and analytics for short-term rentals. Whether you’re a host or an investor, its comprehensive set of tools will help you to optimize your Airbnb listing.
Their top features include:
- An Airbnb rental property calculator to help you estimate the real revenue potential
- Historical trend reports
- Individual rental performance data
- Forward-looking Vrbo and Airbnb data.
10. Transparent
Transparent offers customized industry data insights for Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, and TripAdvisor listings to help hosts optimize their strategies and maximize revenue. By signing up, you’ll get access to data like:
- Competitor rates
- Occupancy rates
- Historical data.
11. Mashvisor
According to their website, Mashvisor can help you to turn three months’ research into 15 minutes. Their goal is to offer real estate investment data to property managers and investors in the real estate industry.
Their main features include:
- Rental strategy comparison
- An investment property calculator
- Data on property owners
- A property marketplace for off-market properties.
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Key exchange
A poor check-in process is a dealbreaker when it comes to your guest experience. This is one you need to get right. Here are three key exchange services that can help hosts to create a memorable guest experience from the very start.
12. KeyNest
KeyNest offers a network of stores that serve as collection and drop-off points for keys. This way, Airbnb hosts can simplify the key exchange process for their cleaning crew and guests.
Key features include:
- Integrations with a number of vacation rental software solutions
- More than 2,500 locations across the world.
13. Lynx
Lynx makes smart devices smarter. They offer integrated keyless entry as well as home automation for a number of other sensors. With regards to their key exchange service specifically, they offer the following features:
- Online check-in
- Automated messaging
- A smart early check-in upsell and/or a smart late checkout upsell
- Two-way integration to a number of top property management software solutions
- Advanced scheduling.
14. Jervis Systems
Jervis Systems enables property owners, hosts, and managers to automate access to smart locks and garage doors via their app. It offers support to a wide range of devices that include:
- Schlage
- Genie
- August
- Yale.
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Insurance and guest screening
While Airbnb offers insurance to hosts, it doesn’t provide complete coverage. So, it’s crucial that hosts also invest in additional insurance and the best Airbnb tools that can help with guest screening to keep properties protected.
Here are three of the leading solutions in this category:
15. CBIZ
CBIZ offers accounting, tax, and insurance services to property owners in the United States. Their team of industry specialists can help property managers, real estate investors, and property owners to reduce their risk and increase their opportunities. They also specifically offer comprehensive vacation rental insurance designed specifically for short-term rental properties.
16. InsuraGuest
InsuraGuest offers vacation rental insurance to both owners as well as guests. Their coverage includes:
- No-fault accidental medical protection for guests
- Vacation rental property and contents protection
- Vacation rental theft protection.
17. Safely
Safely offers comprehensive guest screening as well as Airbnb and Vrbo insurance. With the help of predictive analytics, they can screen guests to reduce the chances that you’ll rent to a guest who has a criminal record or a number of negative reviews.