Host Tools vs Lodgify
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
Lodgify
Manage your vacation rental business on the go. Sync bookings from major platforms, communicate with guests in a unified inbox, and oversee your calendar and team tasks from a single mobile application.
- Sync bookings across multiple platforms
- Unified guest messaging inbox
- Centralized calendar management
- Push notifications for new reservations
- Team task assignment and management
- Direct booking website integration
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Lodgify is the hosting app for independent hosts and property managers. Sync your bookings, reply to guests, manage your calendar and stay on top of every property — from one place, on the go. Whether you have one rental or one hundred, Lodgify keeps your day running while you are not at your desk. WHAT YOU CAN DO Sync bookings across booking sites Connect Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com. Reservations land in one place. Calendars update automatically. Stop double bookings before they happen. Manage your calendar See every booking across every property. Block dates, create reservations, check availability and adjust your schedule from your phone. Reply to guests faster A unified inbox brings every conversation together. Send messages, use saved replies and keep guest communication moving without app-switching. Stay on top of bookings Get a push notification the moment a new reservation comes in. View guest details, edit bookings, send quotes and add notes. Run your team Assign tasks, view your task calendar and keep cleaners and maintenance staff in sync. Built for Real Hosting Lodgify is built for the work hosts actually do between properties, between guests and between cities — quick replies, calendar checks, last-minute changes. Connects with the platforms you already use: - Airbnb - Vrbo - Booking.com - Your own direct booking website WHO IT IS FOR - Independent hosts running short-term rentals - Property managers handling multiple listings - Owners of vacation rentals, cabins, apartments and beach houses - Teams running cleaning, maintenance and turnovers across a portfolio You will need a Lodgify account to use the app. Questions or feedback? We read every message. Reach the team at help.lodgify.com. About Lodgify Lodgify is a hosting platform for independent hosts and property managers. We help hosts run their business, grow direct bookings and manage every guest from booking to checkout — without the overhead of stitching tools together.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Host Tools at 4.8 against Lodgify's 4.2. Host Tools also leads on review sentiment (54% vs 44%). Lodgify's advantage is monetization model (free vs freemium). On price, ratings volume, 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 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 206 and 274 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 54% of Host Tools's written reviews are positive against 44% of Lodgify's.
Host Tools ships an update fortnightly, Lodgify every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on November 7, 2026.
| Parameter | Host Tools | Lodgify |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (206 ratings) — better | 4.2 (274 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 53.8% of reviews — better | 44.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 206 | 274 — better |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 2 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 14.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 56 MB | 105 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | See What Sticks Apps | Codebay Solutions SL. |
Customer experience
Host Tools
Lodgify
User reviews
Host Tools
From 206 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Easy to use and effective
- 👍 Great PMS system
- 👍 Helpful AI integration
- 👍 Strong Airbnb and VRBO connections
- 👍 Easy app for messages and calendar checks
Room to improve
- 🐛 Bad app experience
- 🐛 Cannot see beyond current month
- 🐛 Doesn't work well with Verbo
- 🐛 Basic and buggy app
- 🐛 Calendar sync lag
Lodgify
From 274 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 User-friendly interface and clean design
- 📱 Mobile app enables on-the-go property management
- 🔄 Integrates multiple OTA platforms (Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, Expedia)
- 💬 Unified guest messaging across platforms
- 📅 Centralized calendar management
Room to improve
- 🐌 Extremely slow app load times (30-60+ seconds)
- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezing
- 📱 Mobile app lacks desktop feature parity
- 🔌 Unreliable platform syncing and integration
- 💬 Broken messaging notifications and sync issues
Bugs and requests
Host Tools
Reported bugs
6 issues- Unable to see months beyond the current one in the app
- Calendar sync lag leading to double bookings
- Messaging shows messages under wrong recipient
- Pricelab service loses connection weekly
- App looks nothing like screenshots
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Basic gestures barely work
Requested features
2 requests- Improve app functionality to match desktop
- Better communication regarding price changes
Lodgify
Reported bugs
15 issues- App won't open or gets stuck in loading loops
- Slow performance with 30-60+ second load times
- Constant unexpected logouts every 4 hours or after device switching
- Message notifications not syncing correctly; unread status resets
- Messages missing or not appearing in app despite being on platform
Show 10 moreShow fewer
- Calendar display errors showing booked dates as available
- Quick reply feature not functioning
- Picture and amenity removal from Airbnb not working
- iCal not syncing automatically, requiring manual triggers
- Platform integration failures (Booking.com, VRBO connections)
- Payment processing failures through Stripe
- Auto-message glitch sending multiple property information to guests
- Message read status not clearing after refresh
- App crashes after recent updates
- Keychain password not recognized
Requested features
12 requests- Revenue tracking and analytics on mobile app
- Check-in form management on mobile
- Date picker feature restoration
- Calendar notes and additional information fields
- Damage insurance and advanced payment options for VRBO
Show 7 moreShow fewer
- Session-based booking management (not just night-based)
- Multi-property view filtering
- Desktop feature parity on mobile app
- Automated iCal syncing without manual triggers
- Team communication and collaboration tools
- Per-property revenue dashboard
- Better calendar visual clarity for bookings vs. availability
In-app purchases
Host Tools
No in-app purchases
Lodgify
No in-app purchases







