Hostex vs Hostaway: Which Vacation Rental Software Is Right for You?

Choosing a reliable short-term rental management software is of utmost importance for Airbnb owners and property managers. A PMS serves as the backbone of your operations, providing the necessary tools and functions to efficiently manage and maximize the potential of your vacation rental business.

In this post, we compare two leading vacation rental management platforms: Hostex and Hostaway. By reviewing their features, pricing, and overall performance, we aim to help you choose the PMS that best fits your needs.

What is Hostex?

Hostex is an all-in-one vacation rental software that offers a broad range of features, automation tools, and seamless integration with popular booking platforms.

Hostex is one of the most cost-effective options, specifically designed to streamline operations and maximize revenue for Airbnb hosts and property managers.

What Does Hostex Do?

Hostex offers several key features that make it a top choice for property managers seeking a comprehensive short-term rental software solution.

1. Seamless Integration with OTAs

Hostex integrates with major vacation rental platforms like Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, Expedia, Google, and Agoda.

It lets you manage all your listings from one place, eliminating the need to log into multiple accounts.

2. Real-Time Calendar Updates

With Hostex’s user-friendly Multi-Calendar, you can effortlessly manage availability, rates, and minimum stay settings.

It automatically updates to reflect any changes, ensuring guests always see accurate and up-to-date information.

3. AI-Driven Automated Messaging

Hostex syncs guest messages from all your booking channels into a single unified inbox, making it easy to manage conversations in one place.

At the same time, it offers powerful automation features, including:

  • AI-powered automated replies
  • Triggered messages sent at key points

4. Advanced Automation Tools

Hostex offers a suite of automation features designed to simplify your vacation rental management:

  • Auto Booking & Allocation: When a booking comes from one channel, Hostex automatically blocks those dates on other platforms to avoid double bookings. For multiple inventory properties, the system optimizes allocation to ensure the best match and keeps all calendars synchronized.
  • Automated Reviews: Automatically send review requests to guests and collect reviews from multiple platforms. The system can also auto-respond to reviews based on the guest’s star rating.
  • Automated Cleaning Tasks: Create cleaning tasks triggered by check-in or check-out times. Cleaners get timely reminders, and managers receive feedback once tasks are done.
  • Check-in Guide: Collect guest ID photos, check-in times, and deposits through a smart check-in guide. It also automatically generates smart lock codes and sends them directly to guests.
  • Dynamic Pricing Adjustments: Hostex can automatically adjust prices on the booking day based on vacancy, applying discounts to attract last-minute bookings and reduce empty nights.
  • Automated Gap Management: Seamlessly handle calendar gaps by automatically adjusting minimum stay requirements. This removes the need for manual monitoring and ensures even short gaps can be booked smoothly.

5. Direct Booking Site Builder

Hostex provides a zero-code, cost-free direct booking website builder tailored for vacation rental hosts.

With ready-made templates, you can quickly design and organize your site without starting from scratch. Simply upload your property details and photos, then connect booking portals, payment gateways, custom domains, promo codes, SEO tracking, and more.

6. Google Vacation Rental integration

Hostex enables hosts to connect their direct booking listings to Google Vacation Rentals (GVR) with just one click and at no extra cost.

This seamless integration expands your reach to a wider audience, boosting your property’s visibility on the world’s largest search engine.

7. Convenient Team Collaboration

Hostex offers team account management, letting you create custom sub-accounts with tailored permissions. This way, house owners, customer service reps, accountants, and cleaners can access only the tools they need — nothing more, nothing less.

8. Extensive Integrations

Hostex seamlessly connects with top vacation rental tools in the industry, such as PriceLabs, Turno, Clearing, RateGenie, Truvi, Alertify, BetterSTR, Jervis, Hostkit, and Seam.

Moreover, Hostex offers completely free OpenAPI and webhook access, allowing you to easily integrate with your own systems and customize your workflow.

9. Reporting and Analytics

Hostex provides comprehensive data and analytics designed for your short-term rental business.

  • With Owner Connect, monthly reports are generated automatically and sent directly to property owners, ensuring streamlined communication.
  • The income and expense statement details every transaction, including all booking revenues, cleaning costs, and any manually recorded items.
  • The real-time statistics offer a multi-dimensional view of key performance indicators such as occupancy rates, revenue, and average daily rate (ADR).
  • You can export filtered data as Excel files for deeper financial analysis.

10. Full-Featured App

Hostex offers a mobile app that is available on both the App Store and Google Play. The app lets you manage every aspect of your short-term rental business right from your smartphone. From booking management and messaging to pricing and more, it provides seamless access to all the essential features found on hostex.io.

How Much Does Hostex Cost?

Hostex offers transparent and affordable pricing, starting at just $4.90 per month, with rates going as low as $2.60 per month depending on your plan.

You can try Hostex risk-free with a 15-day free trial that gives you unlimited access to all features — no credit card required.

Best of all, there are no hidden fees. Whether you use automation tools or the direct booking website, you won’t pay any extra charges beyond your monthly subscription.

What is Hostaway?

Hostaway is a robust vacation rental management software that provides property owners and managers with a comprehensive set of tools to streamline their operations. It offers a user-friendly interface and a range of features designed to simplify the management of vacation rental properties.

What does Hostaway do?

1. Seamless Integration with OTAs

Hostaway connects with major booking platforms like Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com, allowing you to manage all your listings from one centralized dashboard. This eliminates manual updates and ensures consistency across channels.

2. Real-Time Calendar Management

Hostaway synchronizes availability, rates, and reservations across all connected platforms. This prevents double bookings and ensures your calendar is always accurate.

3. Automated Messaging System

Save time with Hostaway’s automated messaging feature. Set up customized templates to automatically send booking confirmations, check-in instructions, and check-out reminders to your guests.

4. Reporting and Analytics

Access detailed performance reports to track key metrics like occupancy rate, revenue, and guest ratings. These insights help you make informed, data-driven decisions for your business.

5. Direct Booking Site Builder

Create your own branded direct booking website with Hostaway’s easy-to-use site builder. Upload your content, connect to booking engines and payment gateways, and start accepting commission-free reservations with ease.

How much does Hostaway cost?

Hostaway does not provide transparent pricing on its website. Pricing depends on the number of properties you manage and the specific features you require.

Here’s a general estimate:

  • Setup fee: Ranges from $100 to $500
  • Monthly fee: Typically starts at $40 per listing, with a minimum of $20 per unit
  • Pay-per-booking options are available for businesses seeking more flexibility

Note that Hostaway does not offer a free trial, but you can schedule a demo with their sales team to explore the platform. In some cases, they may offer a paid trial.


Hostex vs Hostaway: Which One Should You Choose?

When choosing the right PMS for your vacation rental business, both Hostex and Hostaway offer valuable features, but they cater to different needs.

Hostaway is a mature platform with a wide range of advanced features. It’s a solid choice for large-scale property management companies looking for deep integrations, high scalability, and enterprise-level tools. However, its pricing tends to be higher, with setup fees and custom quotes often required.

In contrast, Hostex delivers an intuitive interface, a full suite of powerful features, and a top-rated mobile app—all at a price that’s up to 90% lower than Hostaway. It’s ideal for individual hosts, growing businesses, and even professional managers who want robust tools without the high costs.

Ultimately, your choice depends on your business size, operational needs, and budget. If you’re looking for a cost-effective, feature-rich, and easy-to-use solution, Hostex is a standout option.

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