Boostly, Lodgify, and OwnerRez: 3 Direct Booking Options For Your Short-Term Rental

Are you tired of paying high fees and commissions to third-party platforms like VRBO and Airbnb? Do you want to have more control over your bookings, pricing, and guest communication? If so, you might want to consider using a direct booking option for your short-term rental business.

A direct booking platform is a software tool that helps you create and manage your own website, where guests can book your properties directly. However, not all direct booking options are created equal. In this article, we’ll compare three popular options: Boostly, Lodgify, and OwnerRez. We’ll look at their features, integrations, pricing, and pros and cons to help you decide which one suits your hosting goals.

Boostly

Boostly is a WordPress solution that helps hosts create and launch their own direct booking website and integrate it with other platforms like Airbnb, Booking.com, or VRBO. Hosts work with a personal project manager to build and test their new site and are given full control of ongoing management. This option offers custom plugins and marketing and channel management tools to increase engagement for your listings. Boostly offers up-front pricing for building your site and additional monthly fees.

Pros

• Full control over your design and content
• Integrate your own branding
• Project guidance and testing throughout the website-building process
• Marketing support and training through their Facebook, Linkedin, and Youtube offerings
• Money-back guarantee and a payment plan

Cons

• Up-front costs may be prohibitive
• Development can take up to six weeks
• Technical skills are necessary for ongoing management of your website

If you are looking for a WordPress solution that focuses on marketing and direct bookings, Boostly may be a good option for you. But if you need more features and integrations to manage your properties, you may want to consider Lodgify or OwnerRez instead.

Lodgify

Lodgify is a website builder and a channel manager that allows you to create your own direct booking website and integrate it with other platforms like Airbnb, Booking.com, or Vrbo. Lodgify offers a full management system for calendars, bookings, rates, and payments across multiple properties.

Guests can book direct through your Lodgify site, since it integrates with your booking platforms such as Airbnb, VRBO, Expedia.com, and Booking.com. Lodgify offers several payment tiers based on host needs and business goals which gives you options as your business grows.

Pros

• Centralized dashboard to manage all your reservations, rates, and policies. 
• Free onboarding service
• Mobile app
• Multiple  integration options
• 7- Day free trial

Cons

• Options can be overwhelming
• Steep learning curve for those who are not tech savvy
• Pricing may be challenging for a small business

Lodgify may be the best option for you if you’re hoping to get set up right away and have more control over your costs based on your business needs.

OwnerRez

OwnerRez is a property management software that offers features like automated emails, payment processing, and reporting and integrates with Airbnb, Booking.com, VRBO, and even newer platforms like Houffy. 

Hosts can create a website using the OwnerRez builder or add their widgets or plugins to your existing site. Multiple marketing and messaging tools are available to help hosts simplify processes and increase engagement. 

Pricing is based on the number of properties you have. Basic features are included with the initial monthly price, however, premium a la carte services can be added based on your business needs. Additionally, OwnerRez will help you with setup through their ProConnect service for an extra cost. This process can take 3 or more weeks to complete.

Pros

• Flexible pricing is based on the features you want and the number of properties you have
• No commissions, no guest fees or per-booking fees
• 14-day free trial
• Tools for tracking and reporting rental data

Cons

• OwnerRez learning curve can be steep
• User interface needs updating

OwnerRez may be your best option if you need feature-rich management software for your rental business and have the time to learn and implement all of its features. However, some users have indicated that there are so many features that it can take a while to fully enjoy all it has to offer.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many options for short-term rental hosts to choose from when searching for direct booking resources. The benefits of direct booking include simplified management of multiple listing channels, marketing and communication tools to increase visibility and engagement, and the ability to diversify your rental sources so you aren’t fully reliant upon a single platform. If you would like to increase your bookings and profits, you may want to consider options like Boostly, Lodgify, and OwnerRez. 

Do you use Boostly, Lodgify, or OwnerRez for direct booking? Or do you have experience with another option? Let us know in the comments!