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Lodgify is one of the fastest-growing platforms in the vacation rental space – and for good reason. In this Lodgify review, we’ll look at how it helps independent hosts and small property managers take control of their business, grow direct bookings, and move away from relying solely on third-party platforms like Airbnb or Vrbo.
Table of Contents
Designed as an all-in-one property management solution, Lodgify includes a centralized calendar, website builder, booking engine, and channel manager, all wrapped into one easy-to-use platform.
Who Is Lodgify Best For?
Lodgify works best for:
Independent vacation rental owners looking to manage listings on Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, and direct channels.
Small property managers with 2–20 properties who want automation without enterprise-level pricing.
Digital nomads and part-time hosts who want to rent out a space but don’t want to deal with the headaches of scattered tools.
Ambitious hosts who are growing fast and want to own their guest relationships (not just give away commissions to OTAs).
This balance of simplicity and scale is a major reason Lodgify is surging in popularity, especially among hosts who care about owning their brand, growing bookings, and building a sustainable business.
In this post, we’ll break down Lodgify’s pricing, core features, user reviews, and how this property management platform stacks up to its top competitors. Whether you’re brand new to hosting or thinking about switching platforms, this guide will help you decide if Lodgify is the best fit for your business.
What Is Lodgify? (A Closer Look at How It Works)
Lodgify goes beyond listing your rental – it’s a centralized control panel for running your entire operation. It brings together everything from booking management to automation and website hosting, so you can manage your listings, pricing, and guest communications from a single dashboard.
Unlike platforms that only help you advertise, Lodgify helps you build your brand and own your guest relationships.
Here’s how it actually works:
Channel Manager: Syncs your listings (availability, pricing, bookings) across major platforms like Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, and Expedia in real time.
Website Builder: Lets you launch a custom, mobile-friendly booking website in minutes with your own branding, domain, and payment system.
Central Reservation System: Allows you to manage all your calendars, guest communications, and pricing rules from one place.
Automation Tools: Supports auto-messages, payment scheduling, and smart rules to help reduce repetitive tasks.
Analytics Dashboard: Lets you track occupancy, revenue, and booking trends to optimize performance over time.
While platforms like Airbnb or Vrbo let you list a property, Lodgify helps you build a brand.
Lodgify is built to give you ownership. You keep guest contact info, set your own policies, and build loyalty through repeat bookings, privileges you don’t get with third-party marketplaces.
In short, if you’re ready to go from “just another listing” to running a fully independent hospitality business, Lodgify gives you the tools to make it happen.
Lodgify Pricing
Lodgify’s pricing structure is based on two factors: the number of properties you manage and the level of features you need. Pricing starts affordably for small portfolios and scales up as your business grows. Some plans include booking fees, while others waive those fees in exchange for a higher monthly rate.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the main tiers and what you get at each level:
Tier | Typical price | Included features | What’s not included |
|---|---|---|---|
Starter | Around $16/month + 1.9% booking fee | - Free 1:1 tailored onboarding | - Booking fees reduce profit margins |
Professional | Around $40/month (no booking fee) | - All Starter features | - Some enterprise features, like owner statements and task management, are not included |
Ultimate | Around $59/month (no booking fee) | - All Professional features | - Might be more than needed for small hosts - Custom pricing may apply for larger operations |
Dynamic pricing add-on | ~0.8% of each booking (optional) | - Automatically adjusts nightly rates based on local demand, seasonality, and occupancy trends | - Adds to operational costs |
Choosing the Right Lodgify Plan
New or solo hosts: Starter is affordable and gives you the essentials to get going, but be mindful of the booking fees.
Growing portfolios (2–10 listings): Professional often makes more sense, especially if you’re aiming to reduce manual work and eliminate booking fees.
Managers and teams: Ultimate is best suited for those who need in-depth reporting, task automation, and accounting features.
Add-ons: Optional features like dynamic pricing can add value, but make the most sense once you have stable traffic and bookings.
Lodgify Alternatives and Competitors Compared
If you’re evaluating Lodgify, you might also be considering other vacation rental software like Smoobu, Guesty, OwnerRez, or iGMS. Some focus more on enterprise-scale features. Others are built with simplicity in mind, but may lack flexibility as your business grows.
The table below breaks down how Lodgify compares to each of these alternatives based on pricing structure, feature depth, target user type, and ease of use.
Platform | Best for | Pricing model | Feature focus | Ease of use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Lodgify | Independent hosts and small-to-midsize property managers | Flat monthly fee, option for % booking fee | Website builder, channel manager, direct bookings | Beginner-friendly |
Smoobu | Solo hosts and side-hustlers | Flat monthly fee | Basic automation, direct bookings, calendar sync | Very easy |
Guesty | Larger operators and vacation rental businesses | Commission-based (3–5% per booking) | Enterprise-level features, integrations, task management | Moderate learning curve |
Guesty for Hosts | Individual hosts or small portfolios (1–3 properties) | Lower monthly fee than full Guesty | Slimmed-down version of Guesty, easier onboarding | Fairly easy |
OwnerRez | Tech-savvy property managers | Modular (pay per feature/module) | Deep automation, trust accounting, custom workflows | Steeper learning curve |
iGMS | Mid-sized hosts managing 3–15 units | Subscription or % per booking | Automation, team management, mobile tools | User-friendly |
How Lodgify Stands Out
All-in-one approach: Lodgify includes a direct booking website builder, while some competitors require third-party tools for this.
Scalability: Unlike Smoobu or iGMS, Lodgify is flexible enough to grow with you from one unit to multiple.
Ownership: Lodgify emphasizes guest data ownership and branding, which isn’t always prioritized by commission-based platforms like Guesty.
How to Get Started with Lodgify
Getting started with Lodgify is quick, and you don’t need a tech background or property management experience to get up and running. Here’s the simplest way to launch your vacation rental website and booking system using Lodgify:
Sign up for a free trial: Head to Lodgify’s website and start a free trial. No credit card required upfront, and you can explore the platform’s core tools before committing to a plan.
Add your property details: Input basic info like your location, nightly rates, amenities, and availability. The setup wizard walks you through everything step by step.
Connect your channels: Sync with Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, or other platforms you already use. Lodgify’s channel manager will automatically sync calendars and booking info.
Customize your website: Choose a theme, upload your logo and photos, and personalize your direct booking site. This is where your brand starts to take shape.
Vacation Rental Management: Best Practices for Beginners
Start with one property: Focus on perfecting your listing and guest experience before scaling.
Use automation early: Enable auto-messages and booking rules to save time from day one.
Set your cancellation and payment policies clearly: Avoid miscommunication and last-minute issues.
FAQs
Does Lodgify charge booking fees on all plans?
No. Lodgify only charges booking fees on the Starter plan. This fee is typically 1.9% per booking. If you upgrade to the Professional or Ultimate plans, the booking fee is waived, and you pay a flat monthly rate instead.
Can Lodgify manage multiple properties under one account?
Yes. Lodgify is designed to support multi-property management from a single dashboard. You can add listings, connect calendars, manage rates, and automate messaging for each property, making it scalable for small property managers or growing portfolios.
How easy is it to switch from Airbnb or Vrbo to Lodgify?
Lodgify makes it relatively easy to switch. You can import listings, sync calendars with platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo using their channel manager, and set up direct booking capabilities. Most users can get started without a developer or IT support.
Does Lodgify provide a built-in blog or content features?
Lodgify includes a very basic blog option, but it’s limited in terms of SEO control and design flexibility. For hosts who want to rank on Google and publish helpful content, a dedicated solution like DropInBlog is a more effective option.
What level of customer support and onboarding does Lodgify provide?
Lodgify offers email and chat support, along with setup guides and onboarding assistance. Higher-tier plans may include priority support, and the platform also has a knowledge base and free resources to help new users get up and running.
Why You Should Add a Blog to Your Lodgify Website
Lodgify gives you a solid website, but its built-in blog is limited. If you want to grow organic traffic, build trust with guests, and rank for helpful content (like things to do nearby, hosting tips, or FAQs), you’ll need a real blogging tool.
That’s where DropInBlog comes in.
You can embed a DropInBlog-powered blog right into your Lodgify website in minutes – no coding required. This gives you:
SEO-optimized blog posts without relying on a developer
Clean design that matches your Lodgify site
The ability to drive more direct bookings through helpful content
Whether you’re writing travel guides, showcasing guest stories, or answering common questions, a blog helps bring traffic to your site, and DropInBlog makes everything about blogging easy.
