Looking to simplify your short term rental operations?
This iGMS review will showcase how their all-in-one platform streamlines everything from listings to cleaning to accounting so you can easily manage properties and focus on tasks like marketing and promotion.
I’ll share the platform’s pros and cons from a user perspective to reveal if it’s the right vacation rental solution for your business needs and budget. Let’s dive in!
TL:DR
- iGMS is cloud-based and designed for hosts and property managers handling multiple accounts on platforms like Airbnb, Booking.com, and Vrbo.
- I recommend iGMS for most vacation rental hosts due to its comprehensive features and value for the price. Not convinced? Try their 14-day free trial.
iGMS Summary
Overall, iGMS is an excellent software for managing short-term vacation rental properties. It’s a flexible solution that is well-suited if you have one property all the way up to hundreds of properties. The software provides comprehensive tools to help you efficiently operate your business and maximize occupancy and revenue.
Automation
Handles routine tasks like guest communication and cleaning schedules.
Listings
Manages listings across multiple sites with real-time syncing.
Bookings
Optimized booking engine with calendar management.
Website
Website builder to set up a direct bookings site for your business.
Analytics
Detailed occupancy, revenue, and demographics reporting.
Integration
Seamless integration with major OTAs and platforms.
iGMS Pros
iGMS Cons
Starts at $19/month
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Do I recommend it?
Yes! iGMS provides the tools you need in a single interface at a flexible price point. This software enables users to get a handle on managing their properties.
If you listed your property on multiple sites like Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com you need this vacation rental management software to manage automated messaging, multi-calendar, payment processing, financial reports, cleaning management, and reviews.
What is iGMS?
iGMS is a cloud-based vacation rental management software developed for hosts and property managers who handle multiple accounts across platforms like Airbnb, Booking.com, and Vrbo.
It offers a range of features, including automated guest communication, team management, and channel management, which are intended to help manage various aspects of short-term rentals.
The software provides a dashboard where users can oversee all aspects of their business to improve operational efficiency and streamline daily tasks.
How does iGMS work?
Think of iGMS as a central hub where everything is managed based on your direction. The way this works is:
- You sign up for iGMS and connect your listings to the software so it can start managing across the different platforms.
- You’ll visit the iGMS marketplace and add other integrations such as dynamic pricing tools, payment processing software, or Turno for cleaning services.
- From there, you’ll customize what you want the automated messages to say for various scenarios when guests have questions. You’ll use message templates to set this up.
Who Created iGMS?
iGMS was founded by two entrepreneurs, Ivan Levchenko and Andrey Karadzyn.
They created the software 2013 to help hosts and vacation rental managers manage multiple accounts across different platforms more efficiently. The software was initially called AirGMS before being rebranded as iGMS.
Top Benefits of iGMS
iGMS is priced for new real estate investors with a single property to professional hosts who own and manage multiple properties.
This flexibility means you can use the software throughout the entire lifecycle of your vacation rental business. Changing software that manages your operations is painful, so having a scalable solution like this is ideal.
This vacation rental software has comprehensive features, including guest communication, channel management across multiple booking sites, operations management, and reporting.
It means this can be your all-in-one platform for your business, and you don’t have to buy many other tools.
Best Features of iGMS
These are the top features that I like about iGMS:
Website Builder
I believe that short-term rental investors benefit from setting up their own direct booking website.
While online travel agency (OTA) platforms like Airbnb or VRBO offer extensive exposure, property owners have limited opportunities to effectively market their properties and build strong relationships with guests.
By having your own direct bookings website, you gain full control over marketing strategies, enabling you to maximize the success of your property.
iGMS is a great tool if you’re looking to save time building one since it has a website builder that seamlessly integrates with scheduling, guest communication, and operational aspects, providing an all-in-one solution for your rental business.
Review Management
One of the roles property owners have is to respond to guest reviews. If you get a great review, this is easy.
However, if you receive a negative review that you disagree with, figuring out how to respond can be tough. iGMS has an automated guest reviews feature to help you automate review responses promptly through its selection of message templates.
Here’s more info on how that works:
iGMS Pricing
iGMS has a pricing calculator that lets you input the number of vacation rental properties and get pricing details.
The cheapest iGMS pricing starts at $19 per month, per property for the Lite Plan. The Flex Plan is $1/booked night with a minimum of $20 per month, per property. Finally, the Pro Plan is $27 per month, per property.
iGMS also offers a free 14-day trial if you want to check it out!
iGMS App Pros and Cons
We all deal with the challenge of trying to find software that meets everything you could possibly want. Unfortunately, this isn’t reality. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of iGMS.
iGMS Pros
- Channel manager capabilities and connects with all the major platforms, including Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com to help you avoid double bookings.
- Value and cost-effectiveness, especially for startups and small businesses.
- Intuitive website builder to help you set up a website and grow direct bookings.
iGMS Cons
- The system is sometimes slow to relay guest messages to hosts, which can cause operational challenges.
- Like any software, there is a learning curve. You will need to take time to set up and learn how to use the system. Fortunately, there are training videos and tools available to help you get started.
iGMS Alternatives
iGMS is a popular option for managing vacation rentals, but there are other property management software options, including:
Software | Key Features |
---|---|
Hostfully | Provides booking pipeline visibility, a property management system, channel manager, booking engine, and guidebooks for guest experience enhancement. |
Lodgify | Offers a centralized property management system that manages calendars, bookings, rates, and payments for all properties. |
Guesty | Known for its ability to integrate with multiple platforms. |
OwnerRez | Noted for its electronic contract management capabilities. |
Beds24 | A property management system and channel manager. |
Hostaway | An all-in-one vacation rental software designed for professional property managers. |
iGMS Airbnb Case Study
One of iGMS’ customers, Lifty Life, transitioned from self-management to property management using iGMS automation tools. Before implementing iGMS, they struggled with timely guest communication, efficient remote cleaning team management, and expanding reach without double bookings.
iGMS automated check-in/out messages to help with prompt and effective responses to guests and assisted with cleaning team management. It simplified listing on multiple rental sites and managed a multi calendar which then reduced double booking risks.
iGMS helped Lifty Life with 80-90% time savings in messaging and managing cleaners.
My Experience with property management tools
I own branded hotels. The hotel brand typically dictates which property management software is used across all of their hotel properties, so I don’t have a say in which PMS tool I use.
However, since I have multiple hotels, I do know what “good” looks like and I am impressed with the capabilities that iGMS provides.
For more in-depth info, check out my article on vacation rental property management systems.
Conclusion: Should You Buy iGMS?
After reviewing the platform, here’s my honest review:
I recommend iGMS for most vacation rental hosts. Its wide range of additional services can automate rental management tasks for properties large and small.
I’m impressed with its capabilities to manage multiple listings and Airbnb accounts, create a direct booking website, direct rich integrations with other software and automation to help you with prompt and effective responses to guest inquiries.
Aside from great service and pricing, they also offer a 24-hour customer support line on Mondays to Fridays.
Could the interface be sleeker? Sure. But the functionality is unmatched for the price. As a hospitality business owner, I think the value is outstanding.
If you’re just starting out your rental business, this vacation rental management software is perfect for you. It’s not that expensive, it scales as you expand your business, and with its additional features, it has a deep set of capabilities.
If you’re still unsure, try their free 14-day trial. Put the advanced features to work for your vacation rentals, and see if the juice is worth the squeeze. For most hosts, iGMS can make juggling multiple properties way less stressful.
iGMS Review FAQs
Does iGMS have an app?
Yes, iGMS has a mobile app that supports both iOS and Android. Key features you can use in the app include:
- Dashboard Metrics: Stay updated on vital metrics such as occupancy rate, financial reporting, and projected monthly revenue through the iGMS Dashboard on the mobile app.
- Calendar Management: You can manage pricing and availability using the Multi-calendar and Single Property Calendar.
- Guest Communication: Communicate with guests using the unified inbox, automated messages, and editable templates provided within the mobile application.
- Cleaning Management: Full control over cleaning and handyman tasks with a customizable cleaning management system.
Note that the Airbnb Listing Editor is not available on the mobile application. You can access this feature via the desktop version.
Can I add team members to my iGMS?
If you’re an Administrator, Manager, or the head of cleaners, and you need help with chat support, managing multiple airbnb accounts, or handling daily operations, you can invite team members to help you and delegate them tasks.
To do this, you need to open the Team & Members section and click on the New Member button. Once there, fill out the team member’s personal information, permissions, and access tab. After setting up their profile, click save, and the invite a new member button.
The invitation will be sent to the team member’s email address.
Does iGMS offer customer support?
Yes. For basic inquiries or technical issues that can be solved without customer support, iGMS has a help desk hosts can refer to.
For more complex questions, their customer support team is available Monday to Friday 24 hours. On Saturday to Sunday, their customer support team is only available from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM EST.
Nic
Nic is an avid real estate investor who partners with her husband on hotel syndications. Prior to hotels, she owned apartment complexes and single-family homes. Her insider expertise makes her the ideal resource for those seeking to grow their income via property investments.