Hospitable vs Hostaway: Best Airbnb Automation Software in 2026?

Hospitable (formerly Smartbnb) and Hostaway are both popular automation platforms for Airbnb hosts — but they serve meaningfully different audiences. Hospitable is built for individual hosts who want to automate guest communication and basic operations. Hostaway is a full property management system (PMS) for professional managers running portfolios at scale. The right choice depends on how many properties you manage and what operational depth you need. For hosts considering full-service management instead, see Awning's vacation rental property management.

Hospitable: Smart Automation for Individual Hosts

Hospitable's core product is AI-powered guest messaging — it learns from your communication style and handles the bulk of routine guest messages automatically. Beyond messaging, they offer task management, review automation, and basic operations coordination.

Hospitable Strengths:

•        Best-in-class automated guest messaging — natural language, personalized to your style

•        Auto-review posting and review request automation

•        Simple task management for cleaners and check-ins

•        Very easy to set up — most hosts are live within a day

•        Pricing: starts at ~$29/month for up to 2 properties

Hospitable Limitations:

•        Not a full PMS — limited financial reporting, owner statements, and multi-channel management

•        Doesn't replace a channel manager for complex multi-platform distribution

•        Less suitable for property managers running 10+ properties

Hostaway: Full PMS for Property Managers

Hostaway is a comprehensive property management system — channel management, reservations, guest communication, operations, financial reporting, and owner portals all in one platform. It's built for professional property managers who need to run an STR business, not just automate a few properties.

Hostaway Strengths:

•        Full channel management: Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, and 40+ channels synchronized

•        Operations management: task automation, cleaner coordination, inspection checklists

•        Financial reporting and owner statements

•        Owner portal for transparent property reporting

•        Strong integrations: PriceLabs, Wheelhouse, Beyond, Stripe, and more

Hostaway Limitations:

•        More expensive and complex than Hospitable — higher setup and learning curve

•        Guest messaging automation less advanced than Hospitable's AI model

•        Overkill for hosts managing 1–3 properties

Who Should Use Each

Both tools work best when paired with a dynamic pricing tool like PriceLabs or Wheelhouse. For hosts who'd rather not manage the software stack at all, Awning's full-service management handles everything — messaging, channel distribution, pricing, and operations — in a single service.

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📎  Related Resources

→ Awning Airbnb Marketing & Distribution

→ Guest Check-In / Check-Out Management

→ Airbnb Market Data

→ Awning Full-Service Management

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