Host Tools vs Hostfully
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Host Tools
Automate your short-term rental business with this comprehensive tool. Streamline messaging, manage cleaners, sync calendars across platforms, and automate reviews to enhance guest experience and efficiency.
- Automated messaging
- Calendar syncing
- Cleaner management
- Automated reviews
- Dynamic pricing
- Unified inbox
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Save countless hours automating your short-term rental across platforms. Automate messaging, reviews, availability syncing, cleaner management, smart locks, and more. Host Tools helps give your guests a 5-star experience which helps you receive more 5-star reviews. With Host Tool's intuitive and easy-to-use interface, you won't spend weeks trying to learn a new tool. Simply connect your account, set up a few automation rules using built-in templates, and sit back while Host Tools takes over much of the day-to-day management of your short-term rentals. Host Tools will: - Manage all of your listings and reservations across all channels from one single calendar. - Sync your calendars between Airbnb, Booking.com, VRBO, etc. in real-time so you never get a double booking. - Send automated customized messages via the channel's messaging system. Your guests will never know your messages are automated. - Automate cleaner communication by sending an e-mail or text to remind your cleaner of cleaning or anytime you get a new booking, if a reservation is canceled, or changed. - Create a unique URL your cleaners or maintenance people can view at any time to see all cleanings on one calendar. - Manage all conversations from a single inbox, receive notifications via the app or in your browser so you can stay on top of communication. - Accept Booking inquiries and requests automatically. - Automate guest reviews and remind guests to leave a review if they haven't right before the review period ends. - Automatically adjust your price, minimum night requirements, and availability based on rules you set up. - Allow you to set pricing rules to automatically raise or lower your prices set on the criteria that you decide. - Save you time by automating most of what you do as a short-term rental host, while also being the easiest to use PMS available. - Integrate seamlessly with all of the leading vacation rental tools such as August Locks, Pricelabs, TurnoverBnb, etc. *Not all of Host Tools' features are accessible through the app* For any feedback or questions feel free to contact me, Tom, the developer of Host Tools at support@hosttools.com
Hostfully
Manage your vacation rental business on the go with this property management system app. Track reservations, communicate with guests, and oversee operations from any device. Streamline tasks for yourself and service providers.
- Centralized reservation calendar
- Guest communication inbox
- Mobile operations dashboard
- Service provider job assignments
- Template responses
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Hostfully’s property management system (PMS) app allows you to manage the critical parts of your vacation rental business on the go. Whether traveling between two properties or rushing to turn over a property between back-to-back reservations, with Hostfully you’ll never miss a beat. Use the core features of the industry’s leading PMS anywhere, anytime, from any device: - Central Calendar: Get a snapshot of your reservations in a flash. Tap on any reservation to see the guest’s name, price breakdown, and stay details. Quickly switch to the Inbox with another tap. - Inbox and Messenger: Stay in touch with your guests via email or the listing site’s native messenger system. Template responses to common inquiries at your fingertips. - Mobile Dashboard: Leave the office without worrying about dropped leads. Review incoming reservation requests, chat with leads, and track check-ins and check-outs. - Service Hub: Cleaners and service providers can download the app to receive job assignments by date or by job, bypassing logins and preventing delays. With Hostfully’s vacation rental management app, you’ll never feel chained to your desk again!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Host Tools at 4.8 against Hostfully's 3.7. Host Tools also leads on ratings volume (206 vs 50). Hostfully's advantage is monetization model (free vs freemium). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Host Tools holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 206 and 50 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 54% of Host Tools's written reviews are positive against 53% of Hostfully's.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 18, 2026.
| Parameter | Host Tools | Hostfully |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (206 ratings) — better | 3.7 (50 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 53.8% of reviews — better | 52.6% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 206 — better | 50 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Fortnightly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 56 MB | 53 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | See What Sticks Apps | Hostfully, Inc. |
Customer experience
Host Tools
Hostfully
Bugs and requests
Host Tools
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Hostfully
Reported bugs
20 issues- Inbox stopped working
- Messaging feature stopped working
- App is not working
- App keeps lagging
- App logs user off
Show 15 moreShow fewer
- Content does not load or is stuck
- App is not loading anything
- App loads super slowly
- App won't load at all
- Not sending new notifications from clients
- App getting slower every day
- Seeing the 'blue dots of death'
- System not delivering messages to guests
- Texting feature not working
- Random bugs cause property details to change
- Stripe not distributing funds
- App is slower than mobile web
- Calendar does not retrieve data
- Cannot get to the point to enter credentials
- App crashes
Requested features
9 requests- Allow owners access
- Improve notification system
- Fix payment processing issues
- Add desktop features to app
- Improve app loading speed
Show 4 moreShow fewer
- Ensure consistent messaging functionality
- Provide more knowledgeable support agents
- Resolve critical bugs promptly
- Enable rate changes and reservation modifications via app
In-app purchases
Host Tools
No in-app purchases
Hostfully
No in-app purchases








