. 
The OTAs do a great job in providing most property managers with a steady stream of bookings. So do we really need to build our own website?
Well, if you want to have any sustainable approach to your future business and build a meaningful relationship with your guests, then the answer is most definitely yes.
QUICKLY COMPARE PROVIDERS • FULL LIST OF WEBSITE PROVIDERS
Here are 10 compelling reasons to develop our own short-term rental website where guests can book directly.
- Reduce booking commissions with OTAs
- Promote your own brand
- Control the guest experience
- Own the guest data (no masked email addresses)
- Communicate without restrictions with enquirers and guests
- Apply your own payment methods
- Apply your own cancellation policies
- Owning your reviews
- Customise your listing platform with additional videos, floor plans, blog etc
- Build a personal connection with your guests
Website Builders, Designers and Software Providers
There are numerous solutions available to short-term rental property managers looking to build a new direct booking website for their businesses. Here we will explore a few.
Website Designers
For any non-tech savvy property managers or those without any time to invest, paying a website designer to create a direct booking site may be a wise investment.
Professional website designers will typically ask for anything from $1000-$3500 to create your website however this will depend on the number of pages required and technical integration. They will usually create the website on an open-source tool like WordPress, Joomla or Drupal.
A few things to be be aware of when taking on a designer for your new site.
- He/she walks you through the essentials so you know how to make basic changes and add new content.
- Make sure you fully own the website domain and have full administrator access to hosting and the content management system.
- Ensure you have a solid agreement in place about on-going maintenance and site handover, if necessary.
- Do not expect a website designer to necessarily have any SEO experience.
Example – Boostly
Website Builders
There are several short-term rental website builders which provide simple drag-and-drop services for anyone to create their own website.
Example – Promote My Place, Webready
Property Management Systems (PMS)
Many short-term rental property management systems (PMS) now offer some type of direct booking website included as part of a monthly/annual subscription.
Examples – Bookster, Guesty, Hostaway, Hostfully, iGMS, Lodgify, Hosthub, Smoobu, Uplisting, Zeevou
Quickly Compare Providers
| Provider | Service | Pricing | Wordpress | Free Trial | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bookster | PMS | From £20 per month (1 property) | Free Trial | Try Bookster | |
| Boostly | Website Design | From £99 | Yes | Try Boostly | |
| Guesty | PMS | From €27 per month | 14 Days | Try Guesty | |
| Hostaway | PMS | From $100 per month | Try Hostaway | ||
| Hosthub | Channel Manager | $599 one-off | Yes | Try Hosthub | |
| Hostfully | PMS | From $79 per month (up to 4 listings) | Try Hostfully | ||
| iGMS | PMS | From $14 per month | 14 Days | Try iGMS | |
| Lodgify | PMS | From $11 per month (1 property) | 7 Days | Try Lodgify | |
| Promote My Place | Website Builder | £69 per year | 14 Days | Try Promote My Place | |
| Smoobu | PMS | From €19 per month (1 property) | Try Smoobu | ||
| Uplisting | PMS | From $100 per month | 14 Days | Try Uplisting | |
| Webready | Website Builder | From Free | Try Webready | ||
| Zeevou | PMS | From £14 per month (1 property) | 30 Days | Try Zeevou |
Full List of Direct Booking Website Providers
Lodgify Websites
Lodgify’s ease-to-use vacation rental website builder offers SEO-optimized templates available in over 30 languages, custom page creation options, and a secure booking system. Guests can book with confidence knowing that Lodgify integrates with the most competitive payment gateways (Stripe, Braintree, Paypal, and Payyo) as well as credit card processing.
Lodgify is ideal for both single and multiple property owners, allowing hosts to collect guest reviews, send instant quotes, and set flexible rates, promotions, coupons, and add-ons. With 24/7 monitoring and daily back-ups, Lodgify empowers owners to manage their websites safely and securely. Some additional features include: advanced reservation system, centralized dashboard, SSL encryption, responsive and mobile-optimized templates, fast and secure hosting, custom domains, multiple currencies, unlimited storage and bandwidth, integration with third party tools and plugins.
Additional Services / Integrations:
Advanced reservation system, channel manager, website builder, vacation rental website templates, embeddable booking widget, payment processing, property management tools, centralized dashboard, task management features, owners portal, guest management tools, automation tools, automated messaging, reporting, performance analytics, revenue and payments tracking, owners’ mobile app, guests’ mobile app, Airbnb API integration, Vrbo API integration, Booking.com API integration, Expedia API integration, iCal calendar sync, third party integrations (Pricelabs, Revyoos, Chekin, Superhog, Lynx, Zapier, Mailchimp, Google Analytics, etc.)
Pricing:
Starting from $11 per month (one rental, bi-yearly plan)
Awards / Accreditation:
Airbnb Preferred Software Partner, Vrbo Preferred Connectivity Partner, Booking.com Premier Partner.
Reviews:
Free Trial:
7-day free trial. No credit card required, no set up fees, no obligations.
Hosthub Websites
We build it for you with your content and deliver it ready to book * Yours to keep forever * No monthly fees * User-friendly & responsive (mobile optimized) design * Unlimited properties, first one for free * Super SEO friendly (Built on WordPress) * Ready to sync with all your channels (when you subscribe for Hosthub channel manager) * Direct booking enabled, payment processing enabled * Stripe & Paypal out of the box, dozens of other payment processing options available * Choose from multiple themes and layouts * Use your own domain * On-site reviews from your guests * You are free to move your site wherever and whenever you want * 2 hours of training for the operation of your site and tutorial on how to add new content included in the price.
Additional Services / Integrations:
70% discount for the Hosthub channel manager with every website.
Pricing:
$599 one-off
Reviews:
Free Trial:
30 day free trial for the channel manager
Bookster Websites
You can choose a template website or a custom website for your business. Template websites are complimentary with any package. Built to maximise conversion, they use the best technology to move guests from searching to booking with availability calendars, online booking systems, and accepting payment in multiple currencies.
All websites are integrated within Bookster, displaying your best photos, videos, maps, and property descriptions for maximum attraction as well as an About us page for building relationships and displaying trust to your guests. All websites are designed for mobile responsiveness and can use your own domain name, to maximisie ranking on the search engines like Google. Custom websites are designed from scratch with our web design team, to build websites bespoke to your needs. This can include A/B testing to test out designs, wording and images, landing pages for maximum conversion from search engines and review integrations.
Additional Services / Integrations:
Bookster offers you a wide range of services and tools directly within Bookster, without the need for heaps of 3rd party suppliers. Our favourite two are: Integrated email marketing suite: Contact your guests automatically, at the time you want, with the messages you want for maximising that guest relationship. The Guest Area – Minimise your workloads, providing guests with the information they need before, during, and after their stay, as well as collecting their payments, all automatically. We always get great feedback from property managers for this tool!
Pricing:
From £20 a month for 1 property. No contracts required.
Reviews:
Free Trial:
Free trial for as long as you need it. No credit card required.
iGMS Websites
With the iGMS intuitive Website Builder, you can set up your website and start generating direct bookings within minutes. No coding knowledge is needed — all you have to do is click the “Create Website” button and convert your Airbnb listing into a fully functional professional website. Whether you get reservations from OTAs or your direct booking website, you can rest assured that they will be synced via the iGMS Channel Manager. Using the iGMS integration with Stripe, you can bill your direct booking guests safely and in line with your pricing policies. Refine your direct booking website by adding your logo, cover image, and customized domain name. Creating and managing a direct booking website is free for iGMS customers, regardless of the subscription plan they use.
Additional Services / Integrations:
iGMS enables you to operate Airbnb, Booking.com, and HomeAway/Vrbo accounts via a single intuitive interface, with access to the same advanced functionality through the mobile app. This ensures that no double bookings will creep in, since the corresponding dates will be blocked on all other platforms. You can benefit from numerous features such as automated guest messaging & reviews, tools for team coordination, channel manager, financial reporting, cleaning tasks automation, payment processing, and more.
Pricing:
Starting from $14 per property/ per month.
Awards/Accreditations:
Airbnb Preferred Software Partner 2022, GetApp Category Leaders 2022, Top-Rated Vacation Rental Software by Software World, G2 Spring Leader 2022.
Reviews:
Free Trial:
A free 14-day trial is available (no credit card required, no setup fees).
Webready Websites
Stand out online with a professional website for your vacation rental that displays beautifully on all device sizes. Using our multi-language interface choose from an unrivaled set of website templates, then customize the design to fit your unique professional needs. Webready templates were designed exclusively for the short-term rental industry and fit one or many rentals.
The Webready booking engine seamlessly fits your Webready template and provides an easy booking experience for your guests. Even more, you and your guests stay safe with SSL security. Webready connects to apps that can take your business to another level. Connect a channel manager and stay synced across all your channels. Keep your rates and availability updated on your website in real-time, implement advanced dynamic rates, or automatically communicate with your guests. Allows you to create invoices for each booking, schedule invoices to be sent automatically as needed, and manage your payment gateways.
Additional Services / Integrations:
With Webready you’ll be able to easily use the app in your language, maximize earnings with Upsells by offering guests products and services, and gain extra functionality on your website by using our Custom Code component.
Pricing:
From free
Reviews:
Free Trial:
No credit card is required on the free plan and there is no time restriction on this plan.
Hostfully Websites
Hostfully provides an end-to-end solution for Vacation Rental Managers to automate tasks, increase revenue, and scale their businesses. With any package, the software provides a customizable out-of-the-box template website. For Pro & Premium subscriptions, clients are able to white-label the URL, customize Header & Footer via Meta scripts as well as optimize SEO through META HTML fields & Google analytics fields. For clients with existing websites, Hostfully provides various Booking & Search Widgets that can be integrated into any WordPress website.
In addition to that, Hostfully also provides API access for Premium clients for additional customization of their direct booking website. The booking widgets offer discount code capability, multi-language, and multi-currencies. On the listing level, the software provides a quarterly availability calendar, a beautiful location map as well as an intuitive and clean interface to easily browse through photos and listing highlights.
Additional Services / Integrations:
Hostfully’s Integration Zone benefits clients to connect to over 45+ API integrated leading software partners. Features include: 2-way Channel Management, built-in CRM, unified inbox, revolutionary guest pipeline management, automated messaging, automated Airbnb reviews, quotation builders, owners portals with financial reports, analytics, cleaning portals, digital signature enabled rental agreements, digital check-in forms, and logistic reports. In addition to that, Hostfully provides the fastest customer support in the industry, monitored 7-days a week by property management professionals
Pricing:
Starts at $79/month for up to 4 listings with a 10% discount for yearly payment.
Awards / Accreditation:
VRMB Keystone Awards 2019 & 2021, Software Advice Front Runners 2020, GetApp Category Leaders 2021, FC Customer Success Awards 2021
Reviews:
Free Trial:
Hostfully’s Digital Guidebooks include a 14-day trial. No free trials for the Property Management Software.
Promotion:
Use promo Code YTGHIF350 to get 2-months free with Hostfully Guidebooks, and $100 off a property management platform subscription.
Guesty Websites
How can you get the most out of Guesty while maintaining your own website? No worries, that’s why Guesty created the Booking Engine API. Using this dedicated API, you will be able to build your own booking engine based on Guesty data. You can completely customize your booking flow by using features like advanced search filters, support for multi-units and complex structures, and getting a specific price quote per search to provide the best experience for your guests and increase your conversion rate.
You can be confident that your availability and rates are always up to date because you are directly connected to Guesty’s core system. Guesty automatically syncs API reservations, which can be accepted or held until the owner approves them. Using the API, you will be able to fully control your marketing strategy, domain ownership, and lead management through the use of your preferred software for seamless integration
Additional Services / Integrations:
Guesty is a one-stop solution for professional property managers and includes features like Unified inbox, Channel Manager, Multi-Calendar, Tasks, Analytics, Owners Portal, Pre-Stay Tools, and much more. Guesty is integrated with the world’s top online travel agencies, as well as over 100 third-party solutions. From dynamic pricing tools to noise monitoring technology to keyless entry systems. This ecosystem of vetted and approved tech tools shares our same goal: making property management easier.
Pricing:
Contact us today to discuss custom pricing models tailored to your needs.
Awards / Accreditation:
Short Term Rental Platform of the Year 2021 – Prop Tech Breakthrough Award
Reviews:
Zeevou Websites
Growing a short-term rental business is no one-person feat. Not only do OTAs charge hefty commission fees, they demand control and hold you back from growing your brand, as you want. Do you want to be in full control and increase your profit by getting more bookings? You can have an SEO-friendly website that helps you attract more potential guests and traffic to your business, no matter if you are a paid or free user.
Additional Services / Integrations:
Community Support Direct Booking Website Automated Booking Process Guest Vetting 3-D Secure Payment Links Check-in Management Automated Security Deposits Extended Stays Upsell Add-ons Automated E-mails & SMS Multi-unit Calendar iCal Import & Export Payment Gateway Integrations Dynamic Pricing Integrations Messaging Integrations Rental Agreement Integrations Zeevou Direct Integration Google My Business Integration Online Learning Materials Webinars & Masterminds Partner Success Manager Unified Inbox 2-way API Sync (200+ channels) Custom Domain Premium Support Premium Access to Zeevou Academy Small-Group Business Support Rate Rules Check-out Management Cleaning App Real-time Reporting OpenAPI Maintenance Management Task Management Unlimited Seats Custom CSS All Integrations
Pricing:
Spark: Free Glow: 14 £ for one property Blaze: 26 £ for one property (Recommended) Dazzle: 48 £ for one property (Coming Soon)
Awards / Accreditation:
Keystone award 2021, The Shortyz 2020.
Reviews:
Free Trial:
Zeevou offers a 30-days money-back guarantee.
Hostaway Websites
Hostaway offers a number of direct booking website solutions that fit the needs of all size of property managers and web development skills. Choose from their beautiful templated websites, WordPress plugin, or use Webhooks to access Hostaway’s open API and build a custom solution.
All Hostaway websites are mobile friendly, customizable, and integrated with the Hostaway property management and channel management systems. Calendars, rates, descriptions, photos, and policies remain synced within Hostaway’s Vacation Rental Software and your other sales channels such as Airbnb, VRBO, Booking, and Expedia. Hostaway is one of the only channel managers that supports coupon codes on their direct websites. Plus Hostaway has a direct integration with both Stripe and Braintree (Paypal Service) to accept secure credit card payments from guests.
Additional Services / Integrations:
Customizable Solution, Free Web Hosting for Hostaway Booking Engine Websites, Google Analytics Tracking, Search Engine Optimization Features, Integration with Blogs and Social Media, Securely Accepts Credit Cards via Stripe or BrainTree, Channel Management, Included in Standard Hostaway Subscription, 24/7 Technical Support and Support of Coupon Codes.
Pricing:
Packages start from $100 per month.
Awards / Accreditation:
SoftwareWorld’s Top 10 list of top vacation rental software solutions for 2021. Also selected by G2, GetApp Software Advice and SourceForge as one of the top vacation rental software providers of 2021.
FIND OUT MORE
Uplisting Websites
The Uplisting direct booking website works out of the box. No code or development is required. You can take your first direct booking in minutes – genuinely! – The website and listing pages are created automatically after connecting your Airbnb account. – Fast loading and conversion-focused. You will get more direct bookings. – Take 3DS and SCA guest payments via Stripe. Get paid instantly. No chargebacks. Offer payment plans for guests (eg. pay 10% upfront and the remainder 30 days before check-in) – all automated. – Optimized for both mobile and desktop. – Use your own custom domain name. – Syncs availability instantly with Uplisting and other channels.
Additional Services / Integrations:
Manage short-term rentals & bookings, message guests, take payment, and so much more. All in one easy-to-use platform (that never double-books). – Channel management — the most reliable channel manager in the industry. Uplisting is an official software partner of Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo and Google. – Multi-calendar for all reservations and listings across channels – Features designed to help property management companies grow: – Automated guest messaging – Automates guest reviews – Unified inbox management – Cleaning and housekeeping management – Guest identity verification – eSign rental agreements built-in – Integrations with PriceLabs, Beyond, Rented, Minut, Safely and more.
Pricing:
Included for free with any Uplisting subscription. No commissions, no setup fees, and no contracts. An Uplisting subscription costs $20 per month per property with a minimum $100 per month starting point. 0% commission on your hard earned bookings!
Awards / Accreditation:
“Best Ease of Use”, “Best Value”, “Best Customer Support” – Capterra 2021
Reviews:
Free Trial:
14 day free trial. No credit card required.
Boostly Websites
As a busy hospitality owner, you’ll love our WordPress websites that are built-for-you.
Simply provide us with your text and photos, and leave the rest to our expert team! Guaranteed to work (and take your business to new heights), or your money back.
Pricing:
Lite: £99 Standard £1999 Premium £5000.
£25 a month
Awards / Accreditation:
CPD accredited.
Smoobu Websites
Smoobu offers availability calendars, booking system, Stripe, PayPal, multi-currency, custom content, custom css, custom branding, discounts management, upselling, own domain, 25 languages, maps, photos, fully responsive, SEO, videos, etc. No commissions!
Additional Services / Integrations:
Channel Manager, Rates Synchronisation, PMS, Booking Website, Booking System, Automated Messaging, Unified Inbox, Guest Guide, Check-in Online, Calendar Widget, Invoicing, Airbnb Reviews.
Pricing:
First property 19 EUR per Month, additional properties 5 EUR per Month (yearly payments 20% discount)
Reviews:
Awards / Accreditation:
Airbnb Preferred Software Partner
Free Trial:
14 days – no credit card required
Promote My Place Websites
PromoteMyPlace.com is specially designed for holiday rental owners like you. It offers everything you need to get a high-performing website for your holiday let, simply and quickly, at minimal cost to you.
Our Website Creation and Editor Tool is specially designed to make creating your holiday let website as easy as possible. You won’t need any technical knowledge or additional software.
Step-by-step, you can quickly and simply create a stunning website with all the features you’d expect from a professional holiday rental site. And if you get stuck at any time, we’re here to help.
Additional Services / Integrations:
Copywriting, SEO, website review services
Pricing:
£69 per year.
Free Trial:
14 days – no credit card required