# Keycafe vs Hostaway

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Hostaway at 77% against Keycafe's 28%. Hostaway also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (weekly vs every 6 months). Keycafe's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.3) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 16.4). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Keycafe holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 385 and 449 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 28% of Keycafe's written reviews are positive against 77% of Hostaway's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Keycafe ships an update every 6 months, Hostaway weekly. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Keycafe | Hostaway |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (385 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/keycafe/id1233211301/reviews)** | [4.3 (449 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hostaway-vacation-rental-pms/id1237641501/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 385 | **449** |
| Positive reviews | 28.2% of reviews | **76.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 7 MB | 91 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Keycafe Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1233211300) | [Hostaway](https://appshunter.io/developer/1237641500) |

## What reviewers say

### Keycafe

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/keycafe/id1233211301)

This app facilitates secure key management for various organizations and individuals. It integrates with smart lockboxes to control access, track usage, and verify users in real-time. It's useful for businesses needing to grant temporary access and for individuals participating in the sharing economy.

**Highlights:** Control access to keys by minute, Provide anytime access to staff/guests, Complete access history tracking, Real-time photo ID verification, Manage fleets of keys, Utilize public smart lockbox network

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great idea for service
- 👍 Works flawlessly sometimes
- 👍 Good for contactless key exchange
- 👍 Simplifies key exchanges

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Clunky auto-refill
- 🐛 Impossible to connect/authenticate
- 💰 Very expensive
- 👎 Horrendous user interface
- 👎 System is unreliable

**Reported bugs**

- Bug to authenticate when opening account
- System offline frequently
- Touchscreen unresponsive
- Codes not working
- Box disconnected multiple times

**Requested features**

- Option to turn off auto-refill
- Improve app interface design
- Provide better instructions for setup
- Allow offline functionality for codes
- Improve customer support responsiveness


### Hostaway

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hostaway-vacation-rental-pms/id1237641501)

This AI-powered platform helps professional short-term rental operators manage bookings, automate guest communication, and sync listings across multiple channels. It streamlines operations to increase efficiency and business growth, offering features like dynamic pricing and owner portals.

**Highlights:** AI-powered vacation rental management, Sync listings across channels (Airbnb, Vrbo), Automate guest communication, Dynamic pricing for increased earnings, Unified inbox for reservations and conversations, Direct booking website creation, Owner portals and automated statements

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great features
- 👍 Excellent onboarding and customer support
- 💡 Powerful channel management capabilities
- 🔒 Reliable and secure platform

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 📱 Limited functionality in mobile app compared to web version
- ⏱️ Slow response times from support in some cases

**Reported bugs**

- Notifications not working consistently
- Calendar view issues after recent updates
- Integration problems with certain OTAs

**Requested features**

- Improved mobile app with more features
- Easier cancellation and refund process
- Better multi-property management tools
- Enhanced reporting and analytics


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Keycafe free?

Keycafe is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Hostaway free?

Hostaway is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Keycafe or Hostaway?

Keycafe is rated higher. Keycafe averages 4.7 out of 5 from 385 ratings, while Hostaway averages 4.3 from 449 ratings.

### Do Keycafe or Hostaway have ads?

Keycafe shows ads; Hostaway does not.

### Which is updated more often, Keycafe or Hostaway?

Keycafe ships an update every 6 months, and Hostaway weekly. Most recently, Keycafe was updated on October 29, 2026 and Hostaway on October 29, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*