A Hammer For Every Kind of Host
Airbnb Hosting Toolbox
Tools and resources we recommend for airbnb hosting
Dynamic PricingMarket ResearchDirect BookingsProperty InsuranceSecurity & PreventionReliable CleanersDesigning Interiors
Disclosure
We have had the opportunity to become an affiliate partner with many of the companies/services listed below, and we would not recommend them if we did not believe they would be just as helpful to you as they were for us. We may receive a commission when you make a purchase after clicking on one of our links. Doing so will directly support us by helping to keep the lights on so we can continue providing helpful content to our readers for free. And it doesn’t cost you anything extra!
Dynamic Pricing
Airbnb hosts have a great opportunity to maximize their rental income and visibility with dynamic pricing tools. It's an easy decision: not only do these apps help increase revenue, they also provide better data and tracking of pricing trends in your market! All this makes automated pricing the perfect way for any Airbnb host to get ahead.
However, Airbnb's own smart pricing feature has been known to significantly underperform for many hosts, so we recommend these third party tools instead.
However, Airbnb's own smart pricing feature has been known to significantly underperform for many hosts, so we recommend these third party tools instead.
Beyond
Beyond revolutionizes the Airbnb experience with their innovative price algorithm. They collect a trove of information from visitor stats, hotel prices and other nearby listings to give you the best insight into optimal pricing for your rental. Plus - no need to worry about synchronization across platforms or compatibility issues!
TRY BEYONDWheelhouse
Wheelhouse stands out as a must-have tool for Airbnb hosts, offering in depth market insights to inform pricing decisions. With the ability to customize listings with minimum nights stay rules, weekend variability rates and long or short term discounts, hosts can charge what they need.
Plus – Wheelhouse’s flexible payment options make it even more attractive; you'll only pay 1% of your listing's revenue or just $19.95 monthly per listing - perfect if you manage multiple properties!
In our opinion, Wheelhouse has a more sophisticated algorithm for predicting market trends before they happen. Unfortunately, they are only available in ~10,000+ cities and not as widely available as Beyond.
TRY WHEELHOUSEPlus – Wheelhouse’s flexible payment options make it even more attractive; you'll only pay 1% of your listing's revenue or just $19.95 monthly per listing - perfect if you manage multiple properties!
In our opinion, Wheelhouse has a more sophisticated algorithm for predicting market trends before they happen. Unfortunately, they are only available in ~10,000+ cities and not as widely available as Beyond.
Market Research
Airbnb is a huge industry that provides lucrative opportunities for entrepreneurs to make extra income, pursue full-time jobs or even build seven figure businesses. As it advances and becomes more competitive, finding success can be difficult without understanding the market.
To give yourself an edge and maximize your profits, you need targeted data - but obtaining this info manually by scrolling endlessly through listings can be a tedious process. Thankfully, there are now powerful tools available to help shorten research time significantly!
To give yourself an edge and maximize your profits, you need targeted data - but obtaining this info manually by scrolling endlessly through listings can be a tedious process. Thankfully, there are now powerful tools available to help shorten research time significantly!
AirDNA
AirDnA is THE go-to place for Airbnb hosts looking for short term rental data for individual markets. With a subscription, you can access an array of analytics on rental prices and occupancy rates in your area - plus predictions of what any property could earn as an Airbnb! Boasting data from more than 6 million short term rentals worldwide, it's no doubt AirDnA offers invaluable insight into the world of market research!
TRY AIRDNAAll The Rooms
AirDNA may have a Goliath-like stronghold in the short term rental research market, but All The Rooms is here to take on this behemoth. Offering robust access to data from any region for up to 4 years of historical information with their Pro subscription - it looks like David might just win!
Not only does All The Rooms offer comparable insights, one feature that stands out is the ability to create a "Competitor Set" to track the data for competing Airbnb listings. Plus, they have a free tier that is actually useful.
TRY ALL THE ROOMSNot only does All The Rooms offer comparable insights, one feature that stands out is the ability to create a "Competitor Set" to track the data for competing Airbnb listings. Plus, they have a free tier that is actually useful.
Direct Bookings
If you're thinking of getting into the short term rental market, platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo are a great place to start. But in today's ever-changing landscape it is becoming increasingly difficult for hosts to protect their business; these companies can be notoriously strict with policies that often favor guests' frivolous claims at your expense, even going so far as banning users altogether!
That's why having an independent direct booking platform ensures more control over the safety of your own business - giving yourself peace of mind knowing that everything stays in 'your court.'
That's why having an independent direct booking platform ensures more control over the safety of your own business - giving yourself peace of mind knowing that everything stays in 'your court.'
Lodgify
Lodgify takes vacation rental management to a new level, allowing users to create their own websites for each property in just a few clicks. Unlike other Airbnb tools in the same space, Lodgify is also equipped with an impressive channel manager and provides calendar integration - two key features that empower hosts with more control over bookings and listings than ever before.
TRY LODGIFYWP Booking System
The WP Booking System is a powerful Wordpress plugin for tech-savvy individuals, allowing you to create your own completely custom direct booking website and control every aspect of the rental experience. With this system, you can enjoy TOTAL independence from the Short Term Rental overlords!
TRY WP BOOKING SYSTEMProperty Insurance
Many new short term rental hosts are under the assumption that their homeowners insurance policy will cover them in times of need, only to be shocked to find that their policies don't cover business activities. Even worse, many policies will become canceled for this activity.
Airbnb's Host Guarantee requires serious hoops to jump through and doesn't cover everything, and Vrbo doesn't even offer any such compensation for when things go wrong with guests. Now that the industry is starting to mature, getting specialized insurance for running a short term rental business is now possible.
Airbnb's Host Guarantee requires serious hoops to jump through and doesn't cover everything, and Vrbo doesn't even offer any such compensation for when things go wrong with guests. Now that the industry is starting to mature, getting specialized insurance for running a short term rental business is now possible.
Proper
For STR owners looking for comprehensive coverage, Proper Insurance offers one of the only one-stop solutions in all 50 States. While pricey, it beats having to piece together multiple policies from other providers such as Travelers and Allstate just in order to get liability coverage or reimbursement of lost income due to damages - something no rental or property insurance can do on its own.
GET A QUOTESafely
Safely insurance is especially geared for short term rentals. When it comes time to file a claim, you'll find that the process is quick and easy - payments are often settled in just 2-3 days! On top of providing coverage, Safely also screens guests prior to check-in with their extensive database which includes convicted felons, terrorist watchlist members, sex offenders and identity fraudsters - giving hosts total peace of mind when they rent out their home.
Safely also runs every primary guest through The List – their database of guests who previously caused damage to a home due to negligence. Think of it like an independent blacklist!
GET A QUOTESafely also runs every primary guest through The List – their database of guests who previously caused damage to a home due to negligence. Think of it like an independent blacklist!
Security & Prevention
Avoiding bad guests is a critical part of running any short term rental. While it's impossible to predict every malicious actor, being proactive with security devices can help protect your property and peace of mind (as well as collect the evidence you need for filing claims). From noise monitors to security cameras, these tools have been proven reliable for safeguarding against those who would do harm. Below is a list of devices we've found very helpful.
Cameras: Blink Outdoor Wireless
Amazon's Blink camera series has been a game-changer for short term rentals. These wireless, battery powered cameras can be easily mounted to almost any surface and connect directly with your home network - making it effortless to monitor what's happening at your rental property in real time from your phone!
With their easy setup process and on the go alerts, you'll get notified without fail whenever an event is recorded; plus there's even two way audio so that if needed, you can have quick conversations straight through them (though we did not use this feature very much).
GET BLINKWith their easy setup process and on the go alerts, you'll get notified without fail whenever an event is recorded; plus there's even two way audio so that if needed, you can have quick conversations straight through them (though we did not use this feature very much).
Device Monitor: Party Squasher
Having a guest throw a raging party is every hosts nightmare. With the Party Squasher, you can quickly detect if uninvited guests are showing up at your Airbnb! This sensor not only listens for mobile phones in and around the home – even without Wi-Fi connection – but will also notify you via SMS or email when it senses activity exceeding the threshold that you have set; allowing you to get ahead of the party and cancel the reservation before it gets going.
GET PARTY SQUASHERRemote Wifi Smart Lock: Schlage Encode
Upgrade your short term rental with the ease and convenience of a remote wifi smartlock. Say goodbye to lost keys, late-night check-ins, or having to give out physical copies of keys – you can now offer self check in for guests!
Create unique access codes that expire at specific times so each guest has their own designated time frame while cleaners get around the clock entry privileges, all from your smartphone. Plus view activity logs directly! This was easily one of our most favorite purchases for our Airbnb!
GET SCHLAGE ENCODECreate unique access codes that expire at specific times so each guest has their own designated time frame while cleaners get around the clock entry privileges, all from your smartphone. Plus view activity logs directly! This was easily one of our most favorite purchases for our Airbnb!
Reliable CleanERS
Having a reliable cleaning crew is essential for running any successful short-term rental business - especially when back to back bookings require rooms to be turned around quickly. Without the help of professional cleaners, hosts would struggle with daunting jobs like getting units sparkling clean at breakneck speeds!
Turno (Formerly TurnoverBnB)
Make managing the cleaning of your vacation rental simpler and far more efficient with Turno! Keep all of your calendars in a single convenient location instead of jumping between platforms or channel managers. Scheduling cleanings is fast and easy with automated assignments without having to lift a finger - ensuring that each property is sparkling before every new arrival.
TRY TURNODesigning Interiors
Crafting the perfect Airbnb experience starts with stunning interior design. From textures and colors to carefully selected décor, your choices can make or break a guests' stay. For those of us who aren't experts in this area, coming up with an eye-catching design seems like an impossible task; thankfully there are several tools available which allow you envision exactly what it will look like before committing to purchasing all your furnishings!
Planner 5D
Before you can get great photos, your space first needs to be designed well, otherwise you'll just get great pictures of a poor quality room! Transform your space with Planner 5D! This incredible tool not only enables you to design detailed 2D/3D floor plans, but also provides a plethora of thoughtfully crafted objects, materials & textures.
Get an immersive experience through the in-depth interior design video course or bring reality to life by utilizing AI recognition on photos for 3d models - plus 60 photorealistic renderings so you can see exactly what your property will look like.
TRY PLANNER 5DGet an immersive experience through the in-depth interior design video course or bring reality to life by utilizing AI recognition on photos for 3d models - plus 60 photorealistic renderings so you can see exactly what your property will look like.