What property management software really costs in 2026, the add-ons and usage fees most hosts miss, and how to work out your software cost per property. Written with Hospitable.
Updated October 2026. Written by the STR Market team with Hospitable. Hospitable is an STR Market partner and sponsored this guide. Hospitable prices were checked on its pricing page on October 27, 2026.
Vacation rental software can cost anything from $0 to well over $1,000 a month. The platform fee is only part of it. Most hosts and property managers also pay for a dynamic pricing tool, smart lock connections, an AI messaging add-on, owner statements and a handful of usage fees, and very few ever add those up.
This guide shows what property management software (PMS) typically costs in 2026, where the hidden costs sit, and how to work out the number that matters most: your software cost per property, measured against the return it brings in.
Here are the published starting prices for popular platforms in our property management software directory. Starting prices rarely tell the whole story, because each plan includes different features, so use this table to see who publishes pricing and then compare what is included.
| Platform | Starting price | Pricing published? |
|---|---|---|
| Hospitable | Free plan; Host from $29/month for 1 property; Professional from $59/month for 2 | Yes |
| OwnerRez | From $40/month for 1 property | Yes |
| Host Tools | From $28/month for 1 listing, billed yearly | Yes |
| Lodgify | From about $14/month on Basic, billed yearly | Yes |
| Hostfully | From $15/property/month plus a platform fee | Yes |
| Guesty | Lite from $9/listing/month; Pro by quote | Partly |
| Hostaway | Custom quote | No |
| Streamline | Custom quote | No |
Starting prices are taken from each provider's website when we last reviewed it. Prices change often, so check the provider's current pricing page before you sign up.
When hosts compare software, they usually compare the headline platform fee. The bigger differences tend to show up in everything around it.
Pricing tools are one of the most common add-ons. PriceLabs, for example, starts at $19.99 a month for one listing. Some PMS platforms include dynamic pricing in the plan, and others expect you to bring and pay for your own tool.
Automatic door codes for each stay save hours of admin and a lot of late night phone calls. Some platforms charge per device or per lock connection, while others include a set number of devices per property.
AI replies are now standard on most platforms, but the pricing is not. Some include AI suggestions in every paid plan, some limit how many you get, and some sell a separate AI messaging product.
If you manage homes for owners, you need clear statements, payouts and reporting. This is often sold as a higher tier or a separate accounting tool.
Look for processing fees on upsells, fees on payouts to cleaners, direct booking transaction fees and payment processing. These are usually a percentage, so they grow with your business.
Ask whether there is a setup or onboarding fee, whether you are tied into an annual contract, and what it costs to leave. A cheaper monthly fee can be outweighed by a long contract.
The best PMS is not always the cheapest one. It is the one that gives you the best net return per property: the most time saved and revenue earned for what you pay. Here is a simple way to compare.
Not sure what your current number is? Our free software cost check adds it up in about a minute and shows the setup that fits your portfolio.
Hospitable publishes its pricing, so you can do this calculation before you talk to anyone. Using its published monthly prices on October 27, 2026:
On Professional, that price includes dynamic pricing, a direct booking website, guest payment collection, and smart lock and thermostat automations with 2 included devices per property. Usage fees still apply, such as a 7% processing fee on custom upsells, a 1.5% fee per clean for teammate payouts (capped at US$5) and transaction fees on direct bookings.
If you would otherwise pay separately for a pricing tool and smart lock connections, those included features are where the per property number changes most.
Hospitable (formerly Smartbnb) is vacation rental software for everyone from single unit hosts to large property managers. It connects Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com and Agoda in one inbox and calendar, with automated messaging, cleaning task automation and upsells.
| Plan | Published price (monthly billing) | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Essentials | Free, unlimited properties | Unified inbox, automated messaging, channel sync, upsells and guest portal, cleaning workflows |
| Host | $29/month for 1 property, +$10 for a second (maximum 2) | Adds the Message AI Assistant, dynamic pricing and a metrics dashboard |
| Professional | $59/month for 2 properties, +$15 per extra property | Adds a direct booking website, smart lock and thermostat automations and guest payment collection |
| Mogul | From $99/month for 3 properties | Adds Inbox AI, owner portal, payouts and statements, accounting and commission tracking |
Every feature can be tried free for 14 days with no credit card, and annual billing saves 12%. Source: Hospitable pricing, checked October 27, 2026. Prices exclude VAT where applicable and usage fees such as payment processing.
STR Market readers get 25% off Hospitable's paid plans for their first 3 months, starting with the free 14-day trial: claim 25% off Hospitable.
For a small host, a paid plan with published pricing typically costs around $15 to $60 a month. Managers with larger portfolios usually pay per property, and some enterprise platforms only quote after a sales call. Add-ons and usage fees can add significantly to the platform fee.
Yes. Some platforms offer a free plan for basic calendar sync and messaging. Hospitable's Essentials plan is free for unlimited properties, with paid plans adding AI messaging, dynamic pricing and more.
Platforms aimed at larger managers often price each deal individually, based on portfolio size, features and contract length. That can work well for big portfolios, but it makes it harder to compare options before a sales call.
There is no single right number, because it depends on what the software replaces and earns back. Work out your all-in cost per property, then compare it against the time saved and revenue gained. A slightly higher fee that includes pricing and smart lock tools can work out cheaper than a lower fee plus separate add-ons.
Yes, dynamic pricing is included on Hospitable's paid plans (Host, Professional and Mogul), according to its pricing page.
Disclosure: Hospitable is an STR Market partner and sponsored this guide, and we may be compensated if you sign up through our links. STR Market rankings are never paid.
