Guesty vs Hostaway: Which STR Property Management Software Is Better in 2026?

Guesty and Hostaway are two of the most widely used property management software (PMS) platforms in the short-term rental industry. Both are designed for professional hosts and property managers who self-manage or manage at scale. Choosing between them depends on your portfolio size, technical comfort, and which integrations matter most to your operation. Note: these are software tools for self-operators — if you want a management company to handle operations entirely, see Awning's full-service vacation rental management.

Guesty: Enterprise-Grade STR Software

Guesty is one of the most feature-rich property management platforms available. It's designed for professional property managers and management companies running portfolios of 5+ properties. Their platform covers channel management, reservations, communication automation, financial reporting, and a suite of add-on products.

Guesty's Strengths:

•        Comprehensive feature set covering virtually every aspect of STR operations

•        Strong enterprise integrations and API access for custom workflows

•        Wide channel connectivity including Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, and 50+ OTAs

•        Guesty For Hosts (their SMB product) for smaller portfolios

•        Strong reporting and financial management tools

Guesty's Limitations:

•        Pricing is high — typically $20–$50/unit/month depending on tier, with setup fees

•        Steep learning curve — not designed for beginners

•        Customer support quality has received mixed reviews from users

•        Some features require additional paid add-ons

Hostaway: Modern, Scalable, and Operator-Friendly

Hostaway is a newer entrant that has gained significant market share by offering a more modern interface, strong automation capabilities, and competitive pricing. They focus on usability — making it easier for growing property managers to scale without needing a technical team.

Hostaway's Strengths:

•        More intuitive interface than Guesty — lower learning curve

•        Strong automation for guest messaging and operations workflows

•        Competitive pricing — typically lower than Guesty for comparable tiers

•        Good channel connectivity and regular additions of new integrations

•        Strong customer support reputation relative to the category

Hostaway's Limitations:

•        Fewer enterprise-grade features than Guesty for very large operations

•        Reporting and financial tools less robust than Guesty at scale

•        Newer platform — some integrations are still maturing

Feature Comparison

Both Guesty and Hostaway are tools for self-operators. If you're managing your own properties, either can significantly improve efficiency. If you'd rather not manage at all, a full-service management company handles all of this for you.

The Self-Management vs Full-Service Decision

Before committing to any STR software, calculate whether self-management actually makes financial sense for your situation. Awning's Airbnb income estimator shows projected revenue under professional management. Airbnb market data gives you the market context to evaluate both options.

For property owners who want the revenue upside of professional management without self-managing software, Awning's full-service management and RedAwning's portfolio management platform are worth evaluating.

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📎  Related Resources

→ Airbnb Income Estimator — See Your Revenue Potential

→ AirDNA Review — Market Data Tool

→ Rabbu / Data Rabbu Review

→ Awning Full-Service Management

→ Airbnb Marketing Service

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