Hostaway doesn’t publish its pricing. That’s the first thing to understand, because it shapes how you evaluate this tool. You won’t find a pricing page with clear numbers — instead you’ll fill out a form and get a demo, after which you’ll receive a quote.
Typical ranges that operators report: $100-200/month for smaller operations (5-15 properties), $300-600/month for mid-size (15-50 properties), and custom enterprise pricing above that. These aren’t guaranteed numbers, but they give you a realistic baseline before you enter a sales conversation.
The honest question is: why would you pay more for Hostaway than for Smoobu, Lodgify, or even Guesty Lite? Here’s the answer.
What justifies Hostaway’s price
Hostaway has the best automation engine in the category. Not marginally better — significantly better. The workflow automation, trigger rules, and integration options go deeper than any other tool at this property scale. If you have complex operational workflows — multiple staff roles, automated owner reporting, custom pricing rules, third-party tool integrations — Hostaway handles them more gracefully than alternatives.
The channel manager is also excellent. 50+ channels with direct API connections, and the channel management UI is genuinely well-designed. Switching between calendars, managing overrides, handling pricing by channel — all of it works cleanly.
Who Hostaway is not for
If you manage fewer than 5 properties, Hostaway is almost certainly overkill. The feature depth you’re paying for won’t get used, and the per-month cost is hard to justify against cheaper alternatives. At 1-5 properties, Smoobu at $27/month or Lodgify Professional at $47/month covers 90% of what you need.
Also: if you’re price-sensitive and happy with basic automation, Hostaway’s premium doesn’t make sense. The automation is best-in-class, but “best-in-class automation” is only valuable if your operation is complex enough to use it.
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FAQ
Does Hostaway charge per property?
The pricing model is typically subscription-based with tiers based on property count. It’s not a simple per-property fee, but your quote will reflect your portfolio size.
Is there a Hostaway free trial?
No free trial — Hostaway is demo-first. You’ll get a product demonstration before pricing is discussed. This is standard for enterprise-oriented tools but frustrating if you prefer to test before you talk to sales.
How does Hostaway compare to Guesty on price?
Both are custom-priced above small-property tiers. Guesty tends to come in slightly higher at equivalent portfolio sizes, but the difference narrows at scale. Get quotes from both — the competitive tension will usually get you a better number from each.
How to get the best Hostaway price
Since Hostaway doesn’t publish pricing, your final cost depends more on your negotiation approach than on any published rate. Here’s what actually works: come to the conversation with a competing quote from Guesty, be specific about your portfolio size and growth plans, and ask explicitly for a 10-15% discount on the first quote you receive.
Annual commitment typically unlocks better pricing than monthly. If you’re confident in the platform after a demo and trial, offering an annual contract upfront gives you real negotiating leverage.
Also worth knowing: Hostaway’s pricing model typically includes onboarding support at no additional cost. Factor that into your comparison — tools with low monthly fees but expensive onboarding packages can end up costing more in year one.
Real cost examples from operators
Based on what operators report publicly: a 10-property operation typically sees $150-250/month. A 25-property operation: $300-500/month. A 50+ property operation: custom enterprise pricing, usually negotiated at $1,000+/month with significant feature adds.
These aren’t guaranteed numbers — they’re ranges from operator communities. Your quote will depend on specific features, channels, and how well you negotiate. Get at least two competing quotes before signing anything.
What’s included that you might not expect
Hostaway’s subscription typically includes all major channel integrations (no per-channel fees), the unified inbox, guest communication automation, and the core reporting suite. Some operators are surprised to find this scope included — other tools charge add-ons for channel connections or messaging features.
The main add-on cost to budget for: dynamic pricing software (PriceLabs or similar, $15-20/month per property) if you want market-responsive pricing, and any third-party integrations beyond the standard Hostaway Marketplace inclusions.