Rentals United vs Hostaway: Channel Manager Comparison for STR Operators in 2026

Rentals United and Hostaway both solve the same core problem: connecting your vacation rental to multiple booking channels with synchronized availability and rates. But they have different strengths, different target users, and different positions in the STR software stack. This comparison helps you choose — or decide whether to skip self-management tools altogether and work with Awning's full-service management.

Rentals United: Channel Distribution Specialist

Rentals United is first and foremost a channel manager — a platform specifically designed to distribute your property across as many booking channels as possible. They connect to 60+ OTAs, vacation rental platforms, and niche travel sites. Their strength is breadth of channel connectivity, not operational features.

Rentals United Strengths:

•        60+ channel connections — one of the widest distribution networks available

•        Strong for properties targeting international markets (European OTAs, specialty sites)

•        Direct connection to niche channels that major PMS platforms don't reach

•        Good for property managers who already have a PMS and just need distribution

Rentals United Limitations:

•        Not a full PMS — limited guest communication, operations, and financial reporting tools

•        Designed to work alongside a PMS, not replace it — adds another tool to manage

•        Interface is dated and less intuitive than newer competitors

Hostaway: Full PMS With Strong Channel Management

Hostaway is a complete property management system with strong channel management built in. They connect to 40+ channels — fewer than Rentals United — but they combine that distribution with operations automation, guest communication, financial reporting, and owner portals in a single platform.

Hostaway Strengths:

•        All-in-one — channel management, operations, communication, and reporting

•        40+ channel connections sufficient for most operators

•        Strong automation and workflow tools for growing property management businesses

•        Modern interface with active development and regular updates

Hostaway Limitations:

•        Fewer niche channel connections than Rentals United

•        Higher price point than standalone channel managers

The Right Choice Depends on Your Stack

If you already have a PMS (like Guesty or OwnerRez) and need to expand channel distribution, Rentals United adds value as a dedicated channel layer. If you're building your software stack from scratch and want one platform to handle everything, Hostaway is the more practical choice.

Before building a self-management software stack, validate whether the revenue upside justifies the complexity using Awning's income estimator and Airbnb market data for your area.

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📎  Related Resources

→ Airbnb Market Data

→ Airbnb Income Estimator

→ Awning Airbnb Marketing & Distribution

→ Awning Full-Service Management

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