What are the Advantages of Property Management Software? (Top 10)

In this article, we’ll be talking about ten popular property management software (PMS) systems. Below, you’ll find a brief description of each PMS that links to a more detailed article about it. We’ve also included some helpful charts to help you compare all of the property management software options.

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Streamline: Best Range of Features

Streamline was founded in 2005, and it’s a true all-in-one software with an impressive set of features. There are 16 main features, including CRM/lead management, a phone system, revenue and yield management, triggers and automation, distribution channels, business intelligence reporting, an integration marketplace, a reservation portal, homeowner acquisition, property care, guest satisfaction, trust accounting, a partner portal, a travel agent, mobile apps, and open API.

The Vacation Rental Marketing Blog stated that Streamline was a software “with no real weaknesses.” It earned an average of 4.6 stars from 65 reviews on GetApp. According to user reviews, Streamline is intuitive, powerful, and easy to use. One common complaint from users is that the customer service ticket system could be more timely and efficient.

Rentals United: Best Channel Management System

Rentals United was founded in 2015. It’s a cloud-based channel management system with several features: a channel manager, guest planner, guest communication, book direct pages, quality checker, and data studio.

At the Short Term Rentalz’s 2021 Shortyz event, Rentals United was awarded the title of Best Vacation Rental Channel Manager. It earned a rating of 4.0 stars from 129 total reviews. Users enjoyed Rentals United’s design and layout and said it was simple to use. However, some had issues with customer service, and others had problems with double bookings.

Guesty: Most Awarded PMS

Founded in 2013, Guesty functions as an end-to-end solution for vacation rental property owners and property managers. It has a long list of features, including accounting tools, analytics, automation tools, branded booking websites, a channel manager, extended stays, a mobile app, a multi-calendar, multi units, open API, an owners portal, payment processing, pre-stay tools, reporting tools, revenue management, task management, a unified inbox, and 24/7 guest communication.

Guesty was shortlisted for four 2021 Travolution Awards. In 2020, it won the Travolution Award for Champions of Customer Experience. It was also shortlisted for two 2021 Shortyz Awards. 160 total user reviews rated Guesty an average of 4.6 stars, praising its continuous improvement and useful multi-calendar. Some users complained about the customer service ticket system and the fee for canceled bookings. However, this is also one of the best vacation rental management software packages available on the market.

OwnerRez: Best User Ratings and Reviews

OwnerRez has been around since 2009 and has seven main features: channel management, messaging, websites, accounting, payment processing, property management, and integrations. It uses web-based rather than cloud-based software.

On average, OwnerRez scored five out of five stars from 87 total reviews. Users loved OwnerRez’s customer service and helpful training and support materials. There were very few complaints, but some users said the PMS was flexible almost to a fault because there was so much room for user error.

RentPath: Best Digital Marketing Solution

RentPath has been around the longest out of the ten property management systems and was founded back in 1989. However, the difference between it and the nine other systems in this article is that it’s intended for long-term rental properties and is more of a marketing tool than a PMS. It features search ads, social media ads, reputation management, and a contact center.

According to 14 testimonials, RentPath scored an average of 4.7 stars. While there weren’t many reviews to look through, one did say that RentPath provided the data needed to make important business decisions.

Hostaway: Best Worldwide PMS

Founded in 2015, Hostaway has offices all over the world. Its features fall into eight main categories: property management, communication, analytics and reporting, automation tools, a channel manager, marketing, services, and operations.

Hostaway is a premium partner with Airbnb, Expedia, Booking.com, Vrbo, and HomeAway. It was shortlisted for two 2021 Shortyz awards and earned an average of 4.7 stars out of 166 total reviews. Users enjoyed the terrific onboarding process and customer support staff. The only complaints were that users can’t use the American date format and that Hostaway can be complicated for some.

Track: Best Modules

Track was founded in 2000 and has three modules that users can mix and match to fit their needs. The modules are the Hospitality CRM, the Vacation Rental PMS, and the Pulse Contact Center. Each has several additional features and tools.

Track won two Keystone Awards from the Vacation Rental Marketing Blog in 2019 and 2021. Industry veterans even called Track a “software of the future.” In user reviews, this PMS scored an average of 4.4 stars from a total of 10 reviews. Users said the software was easy to set up and use, but some complained of issues with combining leads and waiting on answers from customer support staff.

Barefoot Technologies: Most Robust and Customizable Platform

Barefoot Technologies has been around for over two decades since it was founded in 1998. Its features include the Barefoot Agent 4.0 Platform, plus trust accounting, CRM and lead management, revenue management, upsell and concierge services, website integrations, partnerships and APIs, and a resort solution.

On average, Barefoot Technologies earned 4.5 stars from 32 total reviews. Praise for Barefoot centered on how customizable and robust it was, and many users also had great customer service experiences. However, some users had issues with the due date-based accounting tools and busy interface.

Lodgify: Best Pricing

Founded in 2012, Lodgify is an all-in-one solution with six main features. There’s the property management software (which contains additional tools), the channel manager, the website builder, the booking system, templates, and integrations.

Lodgify is a preferred or premier partner with Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, and Expedia. According to 337 user reviews, it received an average rating of 4.3 stars. In the reviews, users loved the growth they’d seen in their vacation rental businesses since beginning to use Lodgify. They also appreciated its low price in comparison to other PMS options. Complaints had to do with a lack of reporting functionalities, the overly simple website builder, and issues connecting to various channels.

365villas: Best Mobile Functionality

365villas was founded in 2010, and its main selling point is that it’s built for use on any device. It has two main plans, the Professional and the Enterprise. Within the Professional Plan, features include the reservation manager, unified communications, payment management, inquiry management, integrated email, email templates, automated messaging, rental agreements, business reports, online payments, and white labeling.

Out of 137 reviews, 365villas earned an average of 4.7 stars. Users raved about the time they saved by using this PMS, and some even said they were able to scale their business quite a bit thanks to 365villas. While there were very few complaints in the reviews, some suggestions for 365villas were to improve the analytics and to fix problems with calendars not syncing correctly.

Property Management System Comparison Charts

Features

Features	Streamline	Rentals United	Guesty	OwnerRez	RentPath	Hostaway	Track	Barefoot Technologies	Lodgify	365villas
Unified Communications	✓	✓	✓	✓	✘	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
CRM/Lead Management	✓	✘	✘	✘	✓	✘	✓	✓	✓	✓
Phone System	✓	✘	✘	✘	✓	✘	✓	✘	✘	✘
Automation Tools	✓	✘	✓	✘	✘	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Channel Manager	✓	✓	✓	✓	✘	✓	✓	✘	✓	✓
Reports/Analytics	✓	✓	✓	✓	✘	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Accounting	✓	✘	✓	✓	✘	✘	✓	✓	✓	✓
Open API	✓	✘	✓	✘	✘	✓	✘	✓	✘	✓
Integrations	✓	✘	✓	✓	✘	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Multi-Calendar/ Reservation Management	✓	✓	✓	✓	✘	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓

Training & Support

Training & Support	Streamline	Rentals United	Guesty	OwnerRez	RentPath	Hostaway	Track	Barefoot Technologies	Lodgify	365villas
Webinars	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✘	✓	✓	✓
Videos	✘	✘	✘	✓	✓	✓	✓	✘	✓	✓
Live Online Training	✓	✓	✓	✓	✘	✓	✘	✓	✓	✓
In-Person Training	✓	✘	✓	✓	✘	✓	✘	✓	✓	✘
Online Documents	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✘	✓	✓	✓
Knowledge Base	✘	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✘	✓	✓
FAQs	✓	✘	✓	✓	✘	✓	✓	✘	✓	✓
Forum	✓	✘	✓	✓	✘	✓	✓	✘	✓	✓
Email Help Desk	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Chat	✘	✓	✓	✓	✘	✓	✘	✘	✓	✓
Phone Support	✓	✘	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✘
24/7 Live Rep	✓	✘	✘	✘	✘	✓	✘	✘	✓	✓

Important Stats & Pricing Information

PMS	Year Founded	Average User Rating	Phone Accessibility	Pricing
Streamline	2005	4.6/5	✓	Must request
Rentals United	2015	4.0/5	✘	Starts at $231/month
Guesty	2013	4.6/5	✓	Must request
OwnerRez	2009	5/5	✓	Starts at $35/month
RentPath	1989	4.7/5	✓	Must request
Hostaway	2015	4.7/5	✓	Starts at $100/month
Track	2000	4.4/5	✘	Must request
Barefoot Technologies	1998	4.5/5	✘	Starts at $800/month
Lodgify	2012	4.3/5	✓	Starts at $12/month
365villas	2010	4.7/5	✓	Starts at $69/month