Hostfully Review 2024
With the help of our in-house editorial team, our platform’s members and external subject matter experts, this comprehensive review of Hostfully property management system became possible and available for free to those considering this solution!
In this review we evaluated Hostfully’s features, plans, pricing and other important aspects to help our readers make a more educated purchase decision.
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What Is Hostfully?
Hostfully is a cloud-based property management system (PMS) that helps short-term rental property owners streamline the management of their vacation properties and guest experience.
Hostfully PMS takes users through the entire process of renting out their vacation unit, from creating a listing and direct booking sites to onboarding guests and collecting payments.
Besides web browser access, the platform is also available as an app for mobile devices.
The Hostfully app is available for iPhone and Android devices and includes all the services available on the full desktop site.
What Is Hostfully Used For?
Short-term rental property owners and managers can use Hostfully in several ways:
- Property listing — Hostfully allows you to create and customize direct booking websites where you can publish their listings and start receiving guest reservations. You can also integrate an already existing booking website into Hostfully.
- Rental listing syndication service — With the click of a button, you can share your listings across popular vacation property listing websites like Airbnb, Booking.com, Tripadvisor, and others.
- Reservations management — The platform notifies you of new bookings from all sources and logs them into the integrated Hostfully calendar for communication and follow-up.
- Owner-guest communication — Hostfully has a centralized messaging hub where you can directly communicate with guests without leaving the app. Besides in-app messaging, the platform also integrates SMS and WhatsApp communication.
- Payment processing — The software enables you to receive payments and security deposits from guests without leaving the app. The platform currently supports Stripe and PayPal payments.
- Automated operations — With Hostfully, you can automate repetitive tasks such as reminders, guest communications, check-in directions, and payment requests, among other tasks.
- Team management — Hostfully PMS allows you to add team members to your account such as property managers, service vendors, and maintenance staff. Additionally, you can set different access levels to control what services the team members access or view.
- Financial reporting — There are numerous financial reports you can generate on Hostfully, including fee reports, transaction reports, logistics reports, and others. The platform also provides custom queries that give you flexibility in how you create reports. Lastly, all reports can be exported either as .csv or HTML files.
- Guest guidebooks — Besides the PMS, Hostfully also provides customizable and comprehensive guidebooks that you can send to guests. The guidebooks contain all the information a guest may need, from check-in and check-out info to destination recommendations around the area.
Hostfully Users Breakdown by Specialty
Is Hostfully Legit?
Yes. Hostfully is a legitimate PMS that has been in service for more than five years and has been used to manage more than 50,000 vacation properties across 80 countries.
Besides a huge client base, the software company also has a strong and active social media presence, especially on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube where there are over 20,000 followers.
The company uses its social media channels to continuously provide users with product guides and updates, company news, discounts, and new software features.
Hostfully also keeps all personal data safe and protected from unauthorized parties. The company only shares your data with partners or government entities when required by law.
Additionally, the company was featured on real estate news websites after receiving $4 million in funding in May 2022.
Altogether, users can be assured that Hostfully is not a scam.
Hostfully Customer Reviews
Hostfully Pricing
Hostfully requires users to pay to use the property management system and the digital guidebook. There is, however, a complimentary option for the digital guidebook service.
Hostfully costs are based on the number of units you’re listing or the number of guidebooks you’re purchasing.
Note that for all Hostfully PMS plans there is a one-time implementation fee of $600, in addition to the subscription amount. The following are the company’s pricing options.
Starter Plan
The Starter Plan is for owners managing up to 4 vacation properties. Subscription fees start at $109 per month and the plan includes:
- Full-featured property management solution (automation, property data management, marketing, reporting, and other services)
- Third-party software integration
- Mobile app access
- Personalized onboarding (three calls with an onboarding agent)
Pro & Pro Plus Plan
The Pro and Pro Plus packages are separate plans but are grouped together because they offer the same features.
The Pro plan is tailored for owners with up to 11 vacation properties/listings and starts at $199 per month, while the Pro Plus package is for owners with a maximum of 19 listings and starts at $249 per month.
The features included in these plans include:
- All services in the Starter Plan
- SMS and WhatsApp communication
- Digital signatures
- Team roles
- Private labeling
- Customer success manager (only for Pro Plus)
Premium Plan
This is Hostfully’s most advanced plan, with monthly subscription fees starting at $260. The Premium package is tailored for owners managing between 20 and 250 vacation units.
The plan includes the following features:
- All features in the Pro plans
- Open API
- Custom engineering
Owners with more than 250 properties can contact the company for a personalized quote.
Digital Guidebooks Pricing
Hostfully provides a free complimentary guidebook as well as premium guidebooks.
The complimentary guidebook includes:
- Check-in and check-out information
- Unlimited and sponsored recommendations
- Images, videos, and maps embed
- Seamless integration to Hostfully PMS
- Accessibility as PDF, unique link, QR, and print
Premium guidebooks provide owners with more personalization and marketing options with fees starting from $9.99 per month. Premium guidebooks include:
- Everything included in the free guidebook
- Custom branding and themes
- Content management options
- Include additional terms that can be signed
- Use your custom domain for guidebooks
- Translation to over 16 languages
Hostfully Coupon & Promo Codes
Hostfully Features
Hostfully is specifically tailored to automate and streamline the management of short-term rentals. To achieve this, the platform offers the following unique services.
Direct Booking Website
Hostfully allows real estate investors to build booking websites for their listings and personalize the site with custom themes and company branding.
Hostfully booking websites are also well-optimized for search engines to help you get clients faster and generate more revenue as a result.
Furthermore, Hostfully reservation sites provide you with complete control of your booking stream.
There are widgets to help you create booking sections and guest review templates, incorporate discount deals and coupons, and set up booking and cancellation rules.
Guests can view the availability of your property, make a reservation, as well as pay for their stay.
If you have an existing booking website, you can also integrate it into Hostfully.
Channel Manager
The Channel Manager is a tool that enables you to share your property listings on the most popular vacation listing websites such as:
- Airbnb
- Booking.com
- Tripadvisor Rentals
- VacayMyWay
- Vrbo
- getawayGoGo
With the Channel Manager, you will be able to sync and publish all property information (pricing, amenities, house rules, images, availability, etc.) across multiple sites without leaving the platform.
The Channel Manager also comes with a central dashboard where you can find and filter your booking data and make changes to your listings. All changes will be automatically made across all the third-party channels.
Built-In Calendar
Hostfully PMS is equipped with a built-in calendar that provides you with a centralized view of all your property bookings.
To make this possible, the calendar is integrated with all your listings and channels and uses a color-coded scheme to clearly display your bookings. Other perks of the Hostfully calendar include:
- Prevents double bookings
- Shows the source of bookings
- Improves team efficiency
- Users can easily find out which properties are rented and vacant
Unified Inbox
Hostfully’s Unified Inbox acts as a central messaging hub for all your communications with guests and prospects.
The Inbox syncs and displays communications across different sources, including SMS, WhatsApp, email, and in-app messaging.
This means you won’t need to log in to different third-party channels to view guest messages from those platforms.
The messaging hub also allows you to build custom text templates and send them automatically on preset dates, times, or events. Other services in this module include:
- Advanced message filtering
- Document, photo, and video attachments
- Language translation for message templates
Software Integration
One of Hostfully’s top selling points is its ability to integrate with numerous software solutions.
The platform supports direct application integration through Zapier, meaning you can integrate popular apps such as QuickBooks, Mailchimp, WordPress, Salesforce, and others.
Hostfully also has an open API to enable developers to connect to other service providers to deliver additional custom functionalities.
Payment Processor
By using Hostfully, you can receive all payments directly to your Stripe or PayPal account. The platform will notify you of new payments and you’ll also be notified when a payment fails.
This landlord rent collection software module also allows you to automate property pricing so that your prices are automatically adjusted based on market supply, seasonal trends, demands, and historical pricing.
Hostfully Digital Guidebooks
In addition to Hostfully PMS, the software company also provides comprehensive digital guides that owners can share with guests.
The guidebooks can be customized with company branding and contain all the information a guest might need for a pleasant stay. Some of the information includes:
- Directions to your property
- Your contact details
- Check-in and check-out information
- WiFi password and PINs for door locks
- Local recommendations
- How to use various appliances
Hostfully Digital Guidebooks support images, videos, and embedded maps, and can be sent to guests as a link, QR code, PDF, or print. They can also be translated into over 16 languages.
Overall, Hostfully Digital Guidebooks help you reduce repeat questions and miscommunication with guests.
Hostfully Mobile App
Hostfully property management system comes with a corresponding mobile app for iPhone and Android devices.
The mobile app features all the services available on the desktop version, meaning you can run your entire vacation rental business while on the go.
Hostfully Pros and Cons
Pros
- Hostfully employs an easy-to-use website builder that requires no coding knowledge.
- In addition to numerous Zapier integrations, Hostfully has an Open API that allows developers to integrate additional, custom workflows and functionalities.
- The company provides excellent 24/7 customer support to users across all plans.
- All new Hostfully users get dedicated onboarding through three one-on-one calls with an onboarding agent.
- There are over 200 help articles and learning material on the company’s website and YouTube channels.
- The mobile app is full-featured, allowing owners to manage their businesses remotely.
- Hostfully allows users to quickly generate comprehensive reports by using customizable ready-made report templates.
Cons
- The platform does not support credit/debit card payment which is a highly popular form of online transaction.
Hostfully Integrations
- Zapier
- Airbnb
- Booking.com
- Google Vacation Rentals
- QuickBooks
- Operto Teams
- WordPress
- Properly
- Charge Automation
- Chekin
- Mailchimp
- PayPal
- Stripe
Hostfully Alternatives
- Hostify
- Baselane
- Avail
- TurboTenant
- RentSpree
- RentRedi
- DoorLoop
- TenantCloud
- Stessa
- RentPrep
- Buildium
- Innago
- Landlord Studio
- Azibo
- Guesty
- Hostaway
- PriceLabs
- Hospitable
- OwnerRez
- Lodgify
- iGMS
- Airbnb
- AppFolio
- Rentdrop
- Rentler
- Cozy
- Landlord Studio
- Rent Manager
- Property Matrix
- MRI Software
- Housters
- Re-Leased
- Rentec Direct
- ManageCasa
Hostfully Achievements
Awards & Recognition
Best Vacation Property Management Software (Awarded by Real Estate Bees)
Press & Media
Hostfully FAQs
Does Hostfully have a free trial?
No. Instead, Hostfully provides all new users with free, live, personalized software demos.
The company does, however, offer a free trial for its subscription-based Digital Guidebook service.
Here, users get a free 14-day free trial to try out the paid guidebooks before committing to the subscription.
How many clients does Hostfully serve?
According to the company website, Hostfully has been used to manage more than 50,000 properties across 80 countries.
Who founded Hostfully?
Hostfully PMS was launched in 2015 by three co-founders: David Jacoby, Stephan Osmont, and Margot Lee Schmorak.
David, who has extensive experience as a business executive, serves as the company’s president while Margot, an experienced marketing expert, is the company CEO.
Stephan also serves in the company’s day-to-day as the CTO, thanks to a strong background in software engineering.
What is Hostfully’s customer service number?
Hostfully users can reach out to the company by calling the customer support line: (415) 367-5597, or by sending an email to [email protected].
On the other hand, prospective users looking to learn more about the platform can send their inquiries to [email protected].
What is the Hostfully cancellation and refund policy?
Customers are free to end their Hostfully subscriptions by writing to the company at least five days before the end of their current term, and the termination will take effect at the end of the current subscription.
Additionally, all amounts paid are non-refundable.
What awards and recognition has Hostfully received?
This software for real estate investors has received several awards, including the 2022 Shortyz Award for Best Property Management System, along with the 2021 and 2019 VRMBs Keystone Awards for Best All Around Property Management Software.
Hostfully Tutorials & Training
Is Hostfully Worth It?
Yes. Hostfully is a robust property management software tool for landlords that incorporates all the services a vacation rental owner needs to find guests, manage reservations, collect payments, and support guest communications.
This platform for managing rental property remotely automates and takes guests through the entire booking pipeline from when they book to checking out and leaving a review.
Additionally, Hostfully PMS is affordable; it offers subscription plans for owners across financial levels.
The software is also tailored to support owners with small portfolios of just 1 property to those with huge portfolios of more than 250 properties.
There is also a full-featured Hostfully mobile app that provides owners with an unmatched level of convenience.
Altogether, Hostfully is a solution worth considering for any vacation rental property owner.
Hostfully Contacts
- Website: Official website
- Phone: (415) 367-5597
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: PO Box 590297 San Francisco, CA United States
- Socials: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn
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About the Author:
With over 20+ years of experience in real estate investment and renovation, Brian Robbins brings extensive knowledge and innovative solutions to the HouseCashin team. Over the years Brian has been involved in over 300 transactions of income producing properties across the US. Along with his passion for real estate, Brian brings with him a deep understanding of real estate risks and financing.