6 Best Free Vacation Rental Software Solutions in 2024

Juggling bookings, guest communication, and finances across multiple channels can overwhelm anyone. Hard to keep guests happy all the time. 

Whether you’re a seasoned property manager or just exploring opportunities in this industry, you know running a vacation rental business is more than a one-person job.

But with free vacation rental software, you don’t have to do it alone! From automating guest communication and tracking your finances to helping you provide exceptional guest experiences, the software lets you focus on what you love while it handles the rest.

This listicle provides in-depth reviews of the best free vacation rental software, highlighting each platform's pros and cons. We've included a handy table to help you compare features and find the perfect fit—all tailored to meet your specific needs, like saving time, simplifying communication, or boosting online visibility.

How did we select and evaluate the best vacation rental software?

At G2, we rank software solutions using a proprietary algorithm that considers customer satisfaction and market presence based on authentic user reviews. Our market research analysts and writers spend weeks testing solutions against multiple criteria set for a software category. We give you unbiased software evaluations - that's the G2 difference! We don’t accept payment or exchange links for product placements on our list. Please read our G2 Research Scoring Methodology for more details.

Top 6 best free vacation rental software of 2024

The free vacation rental software list below contains real user reviews from the best vacation rental software category page. It’s important to note that in the context of this list, software that requires payment after a free trial is considered free. To be included in this category, a solution must:

• Include a booking engine that can be made available online
• Schedule and monitor facility management staff
• Manage the availability of all rental units and their prices
• Provide functions for marketing and sales management
• Facilitate multi-channel communication with customers
• Track and analyze occupancy rates, customer satisfaction, or unit utilization

This data was pulled from G2 in 2024. Some reviews may have been edited for clarity. 

1. Hospitable.com

Hospitable.com is a versatile platform that automates guest communication through AI-powered messaging. It streamlines scheduling for your cleaning team and syncs calendars across platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com. With Hospitable Direct, you can build your own booking website with built-in guest vetting, damage protection, and payment processing.

What users like best:

“Automating all of my guest messages has saved me enormous time. I use the automated message list to see what is coming up in my rentals. The support is top-notch. If I ever have an issue, Hospitable.com ensures everything is fixed. I very much appreciate the town halls as well.

- Hospitable.com Review, Kyle D.

What users dislike:

“Hospitable.com is a powerful platform that can be overwhelming for a newcomer. I did appreciate the two 30-minute onboarding calls, especially since I know only one is typically offered. However, you still need to take the time to ensure all items are set up correctly on the platform and that Hospitable is communicating with other booking sites like Airbnb, VRBO, etc.”

- Hospitable.com Review, Tina J.

2. iGMS (formerly AirGMS)

iGMS (formerly AirGMS) is a short-term rental management software that removes the complexities of your hosting business. This software automates guest communication, reduces the burden of creating cleaning schedules, and syncs calendars across multiple platforms. You can also build a direct booking website easily and gain valuable insights through detailed analytics. 

What users like best:

“iGMS is a handy tool for managing your short-term rentals. I have been using this software for 3 months while synchronized with dynamic pricing tools, saving me countless hours on availability management and calendar synching across short-term rental platforms (Airbnb, Booking, VRBO). 

- iGMS Review, Philip M.

What users dislike:

“I dislike the time delay associated with the message function. Incoming messages are not instant.”

- iGMS Review, James C.

3. Lodgify

Lodgify empowers hosts to create stunning websites, effortlessly manage bookings, and delight guests. With powerful tools like a channel manager and a performance management system (PMS)  for marketing, automation, and analytics, Lodgify untangles complex tasks and helps you grow your rental business.

What users like best:

“The UI is very intuitive, and I became comfortable with it quickly. Additionally, I love Lodgify's support model. As a newcomer to the rental business and PMS solutions, I find support crucial. The best aspect is that Lodgify contacted me first, proactively setting up meetings to explain everything and ensure my success. That is incredibly impressive!”

- Lodgify Review, Chris K.

What users dislike:

“One aspect of the Lodgify calendar has caused us issues. These are the calendar blocks we create manually. Graphically, they do not match the booking system blocks, confusing my staff. Lodgify responded to our requests for changes, and we participated in two or more conference calls with them. They eventually corrected it once for a day, but then it reverted to the original graphic.”

- Lodgify Review, Gregory V.

4. Hosthub

Hosthub is a leading rental management platform that makes your vacation rental business more accessible. It enables real-time calendar synchronization, and manages bookings, and guest interaction. Hosthub’s advanced analytics and direct booking capabilities attract more customers and increase profits. Moreover, the platform’s seamless interfaces and AI-powered chatbots make communication easy.

What users like best:

“User-friendly and featuring various aspects of property management, Hosthub offers some of the best customer support I have experienced.”

- Hosthub Review, Gopi K.

What users dislike:

“Hosthub should include more information about bookings and analytics so we can easily track data on earnings, peak times, and other factors to make necessary business adjustments.”

- Hosthub Review, Divyansh M.

5. OwnerRez

OwnerRez is a robust vacation rental management platform designed for all types of rental property managers and owners. It optimizes operations with powerful tools for booking management, channel distribution, guest communication, and financial reporting. With OwnerRez, you can take advantage of advanced features like dynamic pricing, automated workflows, and customizable guest portals.

What users like best:

“User-friendly, streamlined, comprehensive, and API-connected. Cost-effective with excellent support. The OwnerRez reservation system functions flawlessly without glitches.”

- OnwerRez Review, Jenner R.

What users dislike:

“Not GDPR compliant, the checkout process, the channel bridge, and international capabilities are lacking.”

- OnwerRez Review, Bernard C.

6. Tokeet

Tokeet is smart holiday rental management software tailored specifically for large-scale property operators. It optimizes operations with comprehensive channel management, automated workflow, and dynamic pricing solutions. It also uses comprehensive analytics, guest portals, and seamless interfaces to maximize efficiency.

What users like best:

“I’m using both mobile and web versions, but the native mobile applications for iOS and Android are fantastic. They're fast, intuitive, and make managing large operations effortless!”

- Tooket Review, Ghulam A.

What users dislike:

“Set up listings does take time, and there is a steep learning curve, but this only needs to be done once.”

- Tokeet Review, Jonathan D.

Comparison of the best free vacation rental software 

If you feel overwhelmed by the wealth of information about free vacation rental software, this comparison table will help you with all the important aspects:

Frequently asked questions on free vacation rental software

Q. What are the limitations of free vacation rental software?

Free plans typically have limitations on features like the number of listings you can manage, integrations with listing platforms, or guest communication tools. Some might charge transaction fees or limit access to advanced reporting and analytics.

Q. Is free software secure for your business?

Generally, reputable free vacation rental software providers prioritize data security. Look for platforms that offer secure login protocols and encryption to protect your guest's information and financial details.

Q. How do you choose the best free vacation rental software?

The choice of vacation rental software directly depends on your needs. Ask yourself: do I need help managing calendars, automating communication, or boosting my digital presence? Read reviews, compare features in this listicle, and don't hesitate to take advantage of free trials offered by many platforms.

So long, tedious tasks

Remember, vacation rental software is to help you focus on what matters most – creating an unforgettable guest experience and building a thriving vacation rental business. So, don't wait! Take advantage of these powerful tools and watch your dream vacation rental operation soar to new heights.

We hope this list of the best free vacation rental software helps you find the right solution!

If you want to maximize revenue further, explore channel management software and see how it can connect you with more potential guests.

Edited by Monishka Agrawal