Beds24 vs Hostaway: Head-to-Head Comparison
TL;DR: Beds24 and Hostaway both target short-term rental operators. Pick **[Beds24](/beds24-review/)** if: Technical operators who want deep configurability, API access, and low per-unit cost — and don't mind an older-looking UI. Pick **[Hostaway](/hostaway-review/)** if: Operators who want a proven mid-market PMS with broad channel integrations, owner portals, and automation out of the box.
Category: Property Management Software · Beds24 review · Hostaway review
At a glance
| Beds24 | Hostaway | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Power-user PMS with unmatched customization at a low price | Mid-market PMS with the highest-status OTA connections and unified inbox |
| Founded | 2006 | 2015 |
| HQ | Zug, Switzerland | Toronto, Canada |
| Pricing | from $10/mo | quote-based |
| Best for | Technical operators who want deep configurability, API access, and low per-unit cost — and don’t mind an older-looking UI. | Operators who want a proven mid-market PMS with broad channel integrations, owner portals, and automation out of the box. |
| Overall score | 6.0/10 | 6.2/10 |
Feature-by-feature
| Feature | Beds24 | Hostaway |
|---|---|---|
| Channel manager | ✅ Native | ✅ Native |
| Unified inbox | ⚠️ Partial | ✅ Native |
| Direct booking site | ✅ Native | ✅ Native |
| Task management | ⚠️ Partial | ✅ Native |
| AI guest messaging | — | ⚠️ Partial |
| AI that takes actions | — | — |
| Automation rules | ✅ Native | ✅ Native |
| Pricing optimizer | ⚠️ Partial | 🔌 Via integration |
| Open API | ✅ Native | ✅ Native |
| Mobile app | ⚠️ Partial | ✅ Native |
| Multi-calendar | ✅ Native | ✅ Native |
| Accounting / reporting | ✅ Native | ⚠️ Partial |
| Revenue management | ⚠️ Partial | ⚠️ Partial |
Scores by dimension
| Dimension | Beds24 | Hostaway |
|---|---|---|
| Ease Of Use | 4/10 | 7/10 🏆 |
| Features Depth | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Value For Money | 9/10 🏆 | 7/10 |
| Support | 6/10 | 7/10 🏆 |
| Ai Capability | 2/10 | 5/10 🏆 |
| Scalability | 7/10 | 8/10 🏆 |
| Learning Curve | 3/10 | 6/10 🏆 |
| Pricing Transparency | 9/10 🏆 | 2/10 |
Where Beds24 wins
- Value for money — 9/10 vs 7/10
- Pricing transparency — 9/10 vs 2/10
Where Hostaway wins
- Ease of use — 7/10 vs 4/10
- Ai capability — 5/10 vs 2/10
- Learning curve — 6/10 vs 3/10
Which one should you pick?
Pick Beds24 if: Technical operators who want deep configurability, API access, and low per-unit cost — and don’t mind an older-looking UI. Pick Hostaway if: Operators who want a proven mid-market PMS with broad channel integrations, owner portals, and automation out of the box.
Pick by operator profile
| Profile | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Solo host (1-5 units) | Hostaway | Higher profile fit (6.2 vs 5.5). |
| Boutique operator (6-20 units) | Hostaway | Higher profile fit (7.0 vs 6.6). |
| Professional PM (20+ units) | Hostaway | Higher profile fit (7.6 vs 7.0). |
| Enterprise (100+ units) | Hostaway | Higher profile fit (7.7 vs 6.7). |
| Multi-market operator | Hostaway | Higher profile fit (7.6 vs 6.4). |
| Tech-forward, AI-first | Hostaway | Higher profile fit (7.2 vs 5.6). |
| Budget-conscious | Beds24 | Higher profile fit (7.8 vs 5.7). |
Beds24 in one paragraph
Beds24 — Power-user PMS with unmatched customization at a low price. Strengths: Extreme configurability — rules engine handles hotels, hostels, and STR; Published, transparent per-property pricing at the low end of the market; Solid channel manager including expedia-class OTAs and bed banks. Weaknesses: UI is dated and intimidating for non-technical hosts; Limited AI or automated messaging out of the box. Full Beds24 review →
Hostaway in one paragraph
Hostaway — Mid-market PMS with the highest-status OTA connections and unified inbox. Strengths: Highest-status OTA connectivity (Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, Google); Unified inbox with SLA tracking, templates, team assignments, AI replies; Solid direct-booking website builder with conversion widgets. Weaknesses: Pricing is not public; AI scope beyond messaging is lightly documented. Full Hostaway review →
See also
- All Property Management Software comparisons
- Avantio vs Beds24
- Avantio vs Hostaway
- Beds24 vs Guesty
- Guesty vs Hostaway
- Beds24 vs Hospitable
- Hospitable vs Hostaway
FAQ
Is Beds24 or Hostaway cheaper?
Beds24 publishes entry-level pricing; Hostaway requires a sales call, so the answer depends on the quote you get.
Does Beds24 have better AI than Hostaway?
Hostaway scores higher on ai capability — 5/10 vs 2/10.
Which is easier to use, Beds24 or Hostaway?
Hostaway scores higher on ease of use — 7/10 vs 4/10.
Can I switch from Beds24 to Hostaway?
Yes, but plan for migration cost: channel reconnections, template rebuilds, automation recreation, and team retraining. Both Beds24 and Hostaway export reservation history; neither exports their automation rules cleanly. Run both in parallel for at least two weeks before cutting over.