1. Automated Pricing Apps

Automated pricing apps were among the first Airbnb tools to become available to hosts. They offer the best opportunity to improve the results from your Airbnb listing in my opinion. As a result, I think it’s almost a no-brainer to sign-up for one of two reasons.

First off all, smart pricing will almost certainly increase the revenue from your listing.

Secondly, by updated the prices of your listing multiple times a day, your ranking in the Airbnb search results will improves. As a result, your Airbnb listing will have more visibility. This results in more bookings.

One of the best aspects of pricing apps is that they connect directly to your Airbnb listing. This allows these apps t update the prices for you automatically. This means you never have to worry about your prices anymore. You still have some control over your prices though. You can set a minimum and maximum price for your listing if you prefer.

Automated Pricing Benefits

1. Higher revenue
2. Saves time
3. Calendar automatically updated

Beyond Pricing

Beyond Pricing uses a sophisticated algorithm to calculate optimal prices for your Airbnb listing. They use lots of data, such as visitor stats, hotel prices and other Airbnb listings in your neighbourhood.

Special offer: Sign up for Beyond Pricing now and get a free 30-day trial and $60 dollars in credit

Read my Beyond Pricing review and tutorial here

Beyond Pricing is the first automated pricing app that appeared on the market. I’ve personally used it for years and I really liked it. My revenue improved, it saved me time and my calendar was always updated. It costs 1% of your Airbnb revenue and is available in most major markets worldwide.

Price Labs

Pricelabs covers more markets than any of the other pricing apps. They have a neat customisation option, you can set minimum night stays through the app. The apps also allows you to easily manage multiple listings from the dashboard.

Pricelabs charges $19.99 per month for the first listing. The price then drops for additional listings, all the way to $4.99 per month for customers with 100+ listings. Hosts outside of the US and Europe enjoy a 50% discount.

Wheelhouse

Wheelhouse stands out from other pricing app because of the market insights it offer. You can see how comparable listings in your area are performing. This is a very useful tool that can help you decide how to set prices.

The app also offers a lot of customisation options. You can set minimum nights stay, weekend variability, long-term discounts and last minute discounts. Wheelhouse charges 1% of your Airbnb revenue for clients with less than 10 listings, and 0.75% for those with more than 10. Read the in-dept Wheelhouse review or sign-up for your 30-day free trial.

2. Automated Messaging

Automated messaging apps do pretty much what they say they do: they send automatic messages. This not only saves you time, but it also guarantees that your response time is always super fast, which improves your listing’s search rank.

Here’s how it works. You connect your Airbnb listing to your messaging app and you pre-compose a number of messages to send, based on different events. For example, you can send an automated response when you get a booking request. Something like “Thanks for your inquiry, I’ll get back as soon as I can.”

You could also automatically send a message one day before your guest checks in, to provide check-in instructions or directions for example.

The main concern that I’ve seen amongst hosts who consider using a messaging app is that they worry that automated messages come across as not personal. However, these apps provide shortcodes like #guest_name# and many others that you can use to ensure that your guests will feel like you’re messaging them personally.

Hospitable

The most impressive part about Hospitable is its use of artificial intelligence. The app recognizes certain keywords in a guest’s message, such as “wifi” or “parking,” and will respond with a message that covers that topic. Pretty smart! Pricing starts at $15 a month for one listing. Sign-up for a free trial or check out this very detailed Hospitable review.

Hospitable is one of my favorite Airbnb tools. It’s an automated messaging app that can save you lots of time by sending messages to your Airbnb guests on your behalf when you’re not able to respond yourself. This guarantees a perfect response time, which can help improve your listing’s search ranking. It comes with a lot of smart features, such as language recognition and flight delay notifications.

Aviva IQ

AvivaIQ is a free service that allows Airbnb hosts to send automated messages to their guests. The app is very simple in design, which makes it easy to use.

Hosts can create message templates to create custom messages and schedule delivery times, so that the guests receive the message when it’s relevant.

AvivaIQ doesn’t have all the functionality that Hospitable offers, but on the flip side it’s free and its intuitive design will certainly appeal to some hosts.

3. Airbnb Market Research

If you don’t have time to manage your Airbnb listing, but don’t want to pay the hefty fees that short-term management companies charge (typically 20-30% or more), using an online management service is a good option. These companies can manage all the activities that can take place online, such as sending messages and coordinating cleanings and check-ins with your cleaner or check-in manager.

The drawback is that you still need to find someone to do the cleanings and check-ins unless you choose to do keyless check-ins of course. The good news is, you’ll be saving a lot of money, as online apps charge a fraction of what a full-service management company would, at around 3 to 5% of your Airbnb revenue.

AirDnA

I’d say AirDnA is a must for anyone looking to expand their Airbnb business or increase the profitability of their current business.

There a lot of information you can see for free, but if you really want to dive in you can purchase a subscription. Prices start at $39.99 a month for neighborhood plans and $149.00 for entire cities.

There’s no doubt about it, AirDnA is the market leader in market research for Airbnb hosts. You can spy on the competition in your area, see exactly how much there are making, what their occupancy is, and much more.

You can even fill in any address in the US and get a prediction of what a property could earn as an Airbnb, based on the analysis of over 4 million short term rentals around the world.

Mashvisor

Mashvisor is an investment tool that uses reliable data sources, such as MLS, Airbnb and Redfin, to make accurate projections about the potential income for properties all around the US.

Simply type in any city and immediately get an overview of the best investment opportunities. This way you can analyze areas that you’re not familiar with. You can see average income, home prices and Airbnb occupancy rates.

Mashvisor is a useful tool for those who are looking to invest in a new Airbnb property. Imagine having to go through dozens of listings yourself trying to figure out potential revenue. Sign-up now to get 35%, use coupon code GPFYP.

4. Online Guidebooks

A major reason why travelers prefer to stay at Airbnbs over hotels, is that they want to have a more local experience. They want to live like a local. This is why one of the best things you can do as a host is to provide your guests with local recommendations.

There are many ways you can provide information to your guest. You can write emails, send messages, word documents or a PDF. But by far the most professional, elegant and efficient way is to provide your guests with a beautifully designed online guidebook.

Sounds great, but not everyone is a designer, including me. But don’t worry, there are a number of apps available that can help you put together an amazing guidebook with very little effort.

Online Guidebook benefits

1. Improves guest experience
2. Streamlines communication
3. Saves time

Hostfully

I’ve personally used Hostfully and been very happy with it. My guests love it, it saves me time and makes me look professional. The best is, it’s free to use, unless you get the PRO version, which costs $9.99 a month. Read my Hostfully review for more information.

Try it now to get a two month free trial with coupon code PAD.

Hostfully provides beautifully designed online guidebooks to their members. You can easily compose your own personal guidebook on the Hostfully website, and simply provide your Airbnb guests with a unique URL so that they access it from any device. They can access it on web, mobile and even print it out. That’s it, your guests will have everything they need to make the most of their stay.

Touch Stay

Touch stay works very similar to Hostfully. All your content is stored in one single online location. Their mobile web app packages that content in an easy and beautiful way. You can share your guest welcome book by sending guests a link. They don’t need to sign up or download an app.

I personally haven’t used Touchstay, but the guidebooks I’ve seen look good. They provide some additional functionality, such as the ability to add Tripadvisor reviews to your inside tips as well as using Google Places to add your local tips. Unlike Hostfully, there’s no free version. Subscriptions start at $6.99 a month.

5. Online vacation rental management apps

If you don’t have time to manage your Airbnb listing, but you don’t want to pay the hefty fees that short term management companies charge (typically 20-30% or more), using an online management service is a good option. These companies can manage all the activities that can take place online, such as sending messages and coordinating cleanings and check-ins with your cleaner or check-in manager.

The drawback is that you still need to find someone to do the cleanings and check-ins, unless you choose to do keyless check-ins of course. The good news is, you’ll be saving a lot of money, as online apps charge a fraction of what a full-service management company would, at around 3 to 5% of your Airbnb revenue.

Your Porter

You can manage not just Airbnb listings, other platforms that are supported are Homeaway, TripAdvisor, Wimdu, 9flats and Booking.com.

Your Porter app is available on iOS and Android. You can use it for free for one listing, if you want to manage multiple listings plans start at $5 per month.

=> Use coupon code PAD and get $20 off the first month.

Your Porter app is the first mobile solution for Airbnb management, ideal for hosts who travel a lot and don’t always have access to a stable work environment. You can manage all your listings straight from your phone.

Your Porter comes with a wide range of features, such as automated messaging, multi-calendar management, auto inquiry response, automated reviews and daily task settings to manage your team.

iGMS

iGMS uses iCal integration to enable it’s users to sync all calendar data from Airbnb, VRBO, Homeaway, Booking.com, TripAdvisor and any other booking platform.iGMS is available for free, although the free plan doesn’t include all features. To get access to all the functionality, you’re looking at $20 a month. If you sign-up now, you’ll get a free trial for the paid subscription and a $30 bonus. Use coupon code GPFYP30. For more info, check out my iGMS review.

iGMS is to my knowledge the first company to provide all-in-one Airbnb management services. You can manage all your listings form a single interface.To save you some time, iGMS features messaging templates that you can use to send standard messages (such as check-in instructions) to your guests instantly. It also features automated messaging, task scheduling, review management and much more.

GuestBook

GuestBook is a hospitality platform designed at enhancing the experience for both hosts and travellers after the booking has been made. It helps hosts become a better and more efficient hosts, through the use of suite of tools.

GuestBook offers automated messaging, task management for cleaners, and an early check-in or late check-out service that hosts can offer their guests for a fee.

The day-to-day management of your properties and guests can be done on mobile. A desktop version is available as well.

What’s unique about GuestBook is that it allows your guests to download the app and gain access to transportation options on their way into town and information about the neighbourhood.

Lodgify

Prices start at $29 per month for single listings and $59 per month for multiple listing hosts. Sign-up for a free 14-day trial and use code GPFYP to receive 10% off your subscription or read my extensive Lodgify review.

Lodgify is vacation rental management software that stands out from other Airbnb tools in the management category because it actually lets you build your own vacation rental website. This helps you be independent from third party listing sites like Airbnb, VRBO and Homeaway.

The website is easy to build and comes with lots of functionality, such as a payment portal and channel management tools so that you can manage all your listings in one place.

Fantastic Stay

Fantastic Stay offers a 24/7 guest communication service, along with several other services for a very reasonable price: 3 to 5% of the Airbnb revenue, based on the number of listings.

Fantastic Stay uses a team of experienced receptionists to answer all your guest’s inquiries in four different languages – English, French, German and Russian. It uses a smart system to ensure that all questions are answered within less than one hour.

They can respond to messages in your name or start the communication by introducing themselves under their own names and then explaining that they help you (the host) with your Airbnb rental.

Special offer: sign-up for Fantastic Stay now and get 15% off the regular price.

6. Other apps for Airbnb hosts

Below you find other apps that can help you earn more, save time and manage your Airbnb more efficiently. You can get paid in advance, sell extra services to your guests, research optimal Airbnb locations and much more.

Your Welcome

The app costs $8 a month. There’s no initial sign-up cost, once your subscription starts they will mail the tablet to your home. If it gets stolen, they will provide a new one for you.

The extra services will probably pay for the $8 a month subscription fee that Your Welcome charges. If you sign-up now, you’ll get 30% off by using coupon code GPFYP.

For more info, check out the YourWelcome review.

YourWelcome allows Airbnb hosts to provide their guests with a professional tablet. The tablet is like a digital guidebook, you can add all sorts of information for your guests.

In addition, the tablet can also add a new revenue stream to your rental. Guests can use it to book services such as a late check-out, bike rental or a mid-stay cleaning.

NoiseAware

NoiseAware allows Airbnb hosts and other short term and vacation rental managers to proactively monitoring noise levels at their homes.

This is particularly helpful for hosts who don’t allow parties at their property. If there’s a lot of noise, good chance your guests are hosting some sort of festivity. Or they could be listening to loud music of course.

Either way, if you want to keep the peace with your neighbours (which can be essential to your business), you want to know if your guests are breaking the house rules. Read my NoiseAware review for more info.

Properly

Properly allows hosts to create interactive checklists to show cleaners exactly how to perform an Airbnb turnover. This is useful, because an Airbnb turnover is much more than just a cleaning. It’s making your space ready to receive the particular group of guests that you’re hosting.

If you’re hosting a big group, you want to add extra towels. If there’s a baby in the group, bring out the baby kot. Every turnover should be customized, and Properly helps you do exactly that.

You can also use properly to schedule cleanings, sync bookings and much more. Plans range from free to $9 a month for unlimited cleanings and use of all features.

Keycafe

Keycafe is an app that hosts can use to allow guests the convenience of a self check-in, using physical keys. It’s basically a lockbox service, and it is in the category of Airbnb tools that help guests perform self check-ins.

The way it works is that lockboxes are places in local establishments in your neighbourhood, often cafes. You simply store your keys at the nearest location.

When your guests arrive, you can remotely grant them access to your keys. You’ll be notified when your keys are picked up and dropped off.

Keycafe provides an excellent service for those hosts who can’t or don’t want to use a smartlock or have their own lockbox.

The service is available is most major cities in the US and Canada as well as London, Paris and Amsterdam. It costs $19.99 per month for unlimited pickups and storage.

RankBreeze

Not only can you use this toolkit for your own listings, you can also gain insight on competitors and gather intel on properties you’re going to co-host.

As a special deal for the GPFYP family, RankBreeze is giving us an introductory offer on any of their plans for only $10. Check it out here

RankBreeze helps Airbnb hosts maximize their search visibility with a suite of software and services aimed at improving rankings and booking rates.

Understanding that search optimization is important for hosts, Rankbreeze provides ranking data from multiple viewpoints and gives hosts the ability to test different ranking strategies for their true effectiveness.

RemoteLock

RemoteLock is cloud-based access control that has created an internet platform that lets you access doors remotely. With this tool, hosts can let guests enter the property without need for any keys at all. It’s an amazing tools for hosts that have multiple properties and for those who have listings abroad. One of the cool things is that you can integrate it directly with Airbnb. That way, every time you get a booking on Airbnb, RemoteLock is automatically triggered and you get a new code.

It’s perfect for hosts concerned about safety and key management.

GPFYP readers get $25 off with the code GP25

Try RemoteLock out today

Breezeway

Breezeway‘s property care and operations platform helps coordinate, communicate, and verify detailed work, and deliver the best service experience to clients.

With tools for intelligent task scheduling, dynamic quality assurance, real-time work coordination, automated guest messaging, supplies management, detailed owner reporting, and more, Breezeway helps thousands of vacation rental managers and hospitality operators increase their operational efficiency, eliminate hours of manual work, and boost service revenue.

Legends X members can book a demo here and get free implementation!

7. Which Airbnb tools and services are right for me?

The amount of Airbnb tools that are currently available to hosts is quite overwhelming. How do you know which Airbnb tools are best for you? To help you choose, I’ve created a few different categories and selected the tools that I would use.

For New Airbnb Hosts

If you’re a new host, I’m guessing you are starting out with one listing. I wouldn’t go overboard singing up for different tools and services right away, as it may be too much to process. Get familiar with Airbnb first. However, there are a few Airbnb tools that I believe are essential because they significantly improve the guest experience and help you get more bookings.

I would start with the following tools:

Hostfully: to provide an online guidebook to your guests

Beyond Pricing: to calculate optimal prices and keep your calendar updated

Hospitable: to send automated messages and keep your response rate and response time perfect

RankBreeze: to improve and track the position of your listing in the search results

Boostly: to create a high-converting direct booking website

Seasoned Airbnb hosts

Once you have a bit more experience and you know that you’ll be doing Airbnb for a long time, you can invest a bit more and add to your Airbnb tools list. Here’s a few good options to consider:

Lodgify: to create a website for your listing, providing you with independency and branding

NoiseAware: to prevent noise complaints from neighbors and police involvement by monitoring noise levels in your property

YourWelcome: to provide your guests with information and make extra revenue by offering services to your guests

If you have more than one Airbnb listing or if you are listing on several platforms, I also recommend AirGMS to automatically manage your listings.

Of course this doesn’t mean that the other tools aren’t good and I encourage you to check them all out to see what’s the right fit for you.