7 Best Airbnb Apps to Unlock Record Profits in 2024

Attention vacation rental and short term rental property owners! Searching for the top Airbnb tools for hosts?

Airbnb is transforming the hospitality industry, simplifying vacation rentals and maximizing profit. However, managing a vacation rental can be overwhelming.  Trust me, I know!  I own hotels and understand the operational challenges.

From guest communication and coordinating with the cleaning crew to reporting tools and beyond, having the right host tools and property management software in place makes a big difference in your success.

Check out my list of the best apps for Airbnb hosts and recommended software to help you grow your short term rental business.

TL:DR

• Learn about the key tools for short term rental owners, including dynamic pricing, property management, cleaning apps, and more.

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What are the Best Airbnb Apps?

For vacation rental owners, having access to the best tools will help you optimize your business. These Airbnb app tools include property management software, cleaning apps, smart locks, home automation tools, guest communication software, channel managers, and dynamic pricing software.

If you are looking at that list and feeling overwhelmed, don’t worry! You don’t necessarily need all of these right at the beginning. As a fellow hospitality investor, I understand the hurdle of purchasing software when you’re just starting and have drained your bank account to buy rental properties.

To help you get started, I’ve prioritized the list of essential apps that will provide the most benefit to your vacation rental business.

1) Dynamic Pricing Software: Your Ally In Revenue

You want to make as much money in real estate investing as possible — right? Then, you must start with Airbnb pricing tools. These tools help you optimize your listing prices. This Airbnb app uses algorithms and real-time data analysis to adjust prices according to demand, seasonal trends, market data, and competition.

Airbnb tools for dynamic pricing help you maximize revenue, occupancy rates, and market competitiveness, all while offering attractive prices to guests. Certain software also provides features such as calendar management, booking analytics, and integration with property management software to provide a comprehensive approach to rental management.

My recommendations for the best Airbnb tools include Beyond, PriceLabs, and Wheelhouse.

Beyond

Beyond is a revenue management software designed specifically for short-term vacation rental property managers and owners. Its primary function is to offer dynamic pricing recommendations based on real-time market data.

The tool considers various factors such as demand, the day of the week, seasonality, and local events. Its algorithm then adjusts the pricing of your property dynamically to ensure that it is positioned to be booked at the best price at the right time.

In addition to its pricing features, Beyond also includes a market insight dashboard, which provides valuable data and analytics about the performance of your property and the overall market conditions.

PriceLabs

PriceLabs functions similarly to Beyond but has a unique feature called Pacing Reports that provides up-to-date analysis of local markets and comparative insights into performance compared to the previous year. This tool can help hosts and property managers anticipate market trends and adjust their pricing strategies accordingly.

Wheelhouse

In addition to pricing capabilities, Wheelhouse offers tools that assist in strategic decision-making. These include performance analytics, market insights, and a customizable pricing strategy allowing hosts to set pricing rules based on their unique business needs.

2) Property Management Systems: Your Foundation

This is the foundation of your vacation rental business. Property management software helps you coordinate bookings across different OTA channels, manage guest communication, cleaning crews, and reporting tools, and integrate with dynamic pricing tools.

I recommend iGMS, Lodgify, and Hostfully for Airbnb property owners. Here’s why:

iGMS

iGMS is priced in a way that lets new short term rental hosts get started even if they only have one property. I also like the feature that allows you to set up your own direct booking website. As a hotel owner who pays many OTA fees, I’m an advocate of having the opportunity to develop relationships with guests directly.

Lodgify

Lodgify gets high marks because it also has the option to set up your own direct booking website. This software includes a mobile app that enables hosts to handle operations easily while on the go. Lodgify has flexible pricing, making the solution affordable for small investors in the vacation rental industry all the way to large property management groups.

Hostfully

Besides property management features that you would expect from this software, Hostfully has a unique feature that helps vacation rental owners assemble a digital guidebook that can provide local recommendations for guests. Pricing is higher than iGMS and Lodgify because it assumes four properties as the entry point.

3) Cleaning Apps: Spotless Properties And Happy Guests

Cleaning apps for Airbnb owners automate maintaining cleanliness in rentals, connecting property owners and cleaning services. Using these Airbnb tools, owners can schedule cleanings based on booking calendars, trigger tasks when guests check out, and enable staff to report issues.

Some apps offer inventory tracking and host rating systems. Options to check out include:

Turno

Turno automates the process of scheduling, managing, and paying for cleaning services for Airbnb hosts and vacation rental property managers. It provides hosts with a platform to find their properties’ cleaners and schedule cleanings based on their booking calendars. You can also provide instructions on cleaning and disinfection protocols.

The software also includes features like in-app chat, automatic scheduling, and auto payment functionalities for the overall management of vacation rental cleaning.

Properly

Properly allows hosts to create visual, interactive cleaning checklists for their cleaners. It also enables hosts to schedule cleanings directly based on their booking calendar.

4) Smart Locks: Guest Safety and Peace of Mind

As an Airbnb host, you want to ensure your vacation rental is secure and your guests have a great experience. Smart locks can help the property be secure and comfort guests. These tools allow you to control your property remotely and provide access to your vacation rental for guests, cleaning crews, and property managers.

The best smart locks for Airbnb also provide reporting tools to help Airbnb hosts track who has accessed their property and when. You can also integrate smart locks with property management software and channel managers to help Airbnb hosts manage their vacation rentals more efficiently.

Here are some top picks:

Schlage Encode Plus WiFi Deadbolt: This lock has built-in WiFi connectivity.

Yale Assure Lock SL: Offers keyless entry and is easy to install.

Wyze Lock Bolt: Provides secure, keyless access to your home with your smartphone.

5) Messaging Tools: Easily Communicate With Guests

Stay on top of guest messaging with tools to help you streamline operations, respond promptly to guests, and improve property management. These tools allow you to send automated messages to guests, saving time and providing timely information.

They also provide cross-platform communication capabilities for seamless interaction. And these tools automate reviews, boost reputation, and handle scheduling tasks.

iGMS and Lodgify property management systems include guest communication tools as part of their all-in-one software suite. You can also buy separate communication tools, which include options like:

Hospitable

Hospitable is known for its powerful automation capabilities, including the ability to send automated messages, review management, and more.

Host Tools

Host Tools is a simple but powerful tool for automating guest messaging and managing pricing.

6) Channel Managers: Coordinate Across OTAs

A channel manager is a tool that handles online distribution and sells rooms on multiple booking channels simultaneously. It’s useful for hosts listing properties on various online travel agencies (OTAs) like Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia, and others.

The primary function of a channel manager is to provide real-time updates across all platforms. This means when a booking is made on one platform, the availability of the property is immediately updated on all others, preventing double bookings that can be problematic for hosts using multiple sites.

Using a channel manager maintains consistent rate pricing across different channels. This avoids any price discrepancies for the same property listed on different platforms.

Property management systems like iGMS, Lodgify, and Hostfully include channel managers. You can also purchase a separate channel manager from companies like Booking Automation.

Booking Automation

Booking Automation allows hosts to automate the distribution of their listings across multiple booking channels. The software synchronizes availability, rates, and bookings in real-time, helping to prevent double-bookings and ensuring accurate pricing across all platforms.

7) Smart Home Automation: Comfort for Guests and You

With home automation systems, you have the power to control the temperature, lighting, and other features of your property from anywhere. This enhances the comfort of your guests and enables seamless integration with property management software and channel managers for efficient operations.

Smart home devices like Nest Thermostat or Amazon Echo can be used to control temperature, lights, and other aspects of the home for energy efficiency and convenience.

Wrap Up

Getting started with your short term rentals can be a huge learning curve, from preparing your property to setting up your listing to learning how to market your property. Trying to add in the mix can be overwhelming — I get it!

The best Airbnb apps for your short term rental will help you increase revenue and effectively manage daily operations. Take some time to review the list, determine your priorities, and test/try the software to see what works best for you!

Best Airbnb Apps: FAQs

What app connects Airbnb and Vrbo?

Several types of software can connect Airbnb and Vrbo. These include vacation rental management software, property management software, and channel management software.

These tools offer a range of functionalities, such as synchronization of calendars, automated messaging, direct bookings, and third-party integrations.

Some software also provides specific features like financial management, including automated bookkeeping and integration with accounting software.

Does Airbnb have an app for hosts?

Yes, Airbnb does have an app for hosts. The same Airbnb app used by guests also has functionality for hosts.

Within the app, hosts can switch to hosting mode to manage their listings, communicate with guests, and handle bookings.

Additionally, Airbnb offers Host Assist, a collection of apps that help hosts share their space more efficiently. While there isn’t a separate app specifically for hosts, the existing Airbnb app provides many tools for managing short-term rentals.

How do I get free data on Airbnb?

There are several ways to obtain free data on Airbnb:

• Rabbu’s Airbnb Calculator: This tool lets you determine how much any address can earn as a short-term rental. By entering an address, you can receive vacation rental data like Average Daily Rate (ADR), occupancy, and revenue projections for any market in the United States.
• Awning’s Airbnb Market Data: This resource provides free Airbnb data for market research and analysis. It allows you to explore Airbnb market data and statistics by city.
• AirDNA: Although not entirely free, AirDNA tracks the performance data of 10 million vacation rentals on Airbnb and Vrbo. It provides insights on Airbnb occupancy rates, rental revenue, and other key metrics.