10 Property Management Solutions for Short-Term Rentals
Not every host needs a full-service property manager, and not every host wants to do it all alone. Here are 10 solutions to help you find your sweet spot.
Key Takeaways
- STR management tools help you manage properties by automating most repetitive tasks.
- Many hosts choose to outsource cleaning and use tools like iGMS for team management.
- Full-service property management companies handle everything for you, but they'll take a hefty cut of your revenue for it.
Property owners who run vacation rentals have a few options to choose from. They can manage everything themselves using vacation rental software to take care of the repetitive tasks, hand it all off to a short-term rental management company, or mix and match by outsourcing only the parts they don't want to deal with.
A property manager will take a lot off your plate, but their cut of your income can add up fast. A tool like iGMS, on the other hand, is a lot easier on your wallet and you can outsource only a part of the work like cleaning.
We broke down all your options so you can figure out what actually works for you.
10 Property Management Solutions for Vacation Rentals:
- Self-management
- iGMS
- Guesty
- Hostaway
- Hospitable
- Vacasa
- Evolve
- Awning
- Local property managers
- Software + outsourced cleaning and maintenance
1. Self-Management With Vacation Rental Management Software
Airbnb hosts can manage their rentals on their own. What many find out down the line is that what starts as a fun side hustle can quickly turn into a second full-time job.
It's time-sensitive work. Tight turnaround windows between guests call for serious organization, and there's not much room for error.
Guests expect instant replies and they ask questions at all hours, even late at night, early in the morning. And the same questions keep coming up over and over, such as check-in details, WiFi, and parking.
It can quickly go from passive income to a 24/7 support role. Unless you get some help. The easiest, most cost-effective way to do that is through automation.
What property management software does?
STR management tools help you manage properties by automating most repetitive tasks. Vacation rental property management software puts everything you need to run your rentals in one place. Instead of switching between platforms like Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, and your own direct booking website, you can manage your listings, bookings, payments, and guest messages from one dashboard.
What are the essential features of property management software?
When purchasing a PMS for short-term rentals, pay attention to these features:
- Channel management — Keeps calendars, pricing, and listing details in sync across platforms, reducing the risk of double bookings.
- Unified inbox — Brings all guest messages from platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo into one place, so you avoid switching tabs.
- Automated task management — Organizes and schedules cleaning, maintenance, and turnovers.
- Guest communication automation — Sends scheduled messages such as booking confirmations, check-in instructions, reminders, and post-stay follow-ups automatically.
- Direct booking website — Lets you create a branded site to accept reservations directly.
- Payment processing — Handles secure payments, deposits, and refunds in one system.
- Analytics and reporting — Provides insights into occupancy, revenue, pricing performance, and guest trends to help you make better decisions.
What are the best STR management tools?
When deciding on the best property management software for your Airbnb business, this is what you need to know.
iGMS
iGMS is a vacation rental management solution designed from the ground up for short-term and mid-term rental hosts and property managers to help them grow their business. It has a desktop version and a carefully designed mobile app for iOS and Android, rated 4.8 on the App Store, to help you stay organized even when you're not at home, glued to a computer screen.
We make sure you respond to guests instantly, never have issues with double bookings, and your cleaning and management team stays organized without you having to text them back and forth every day.
- iGMS will manage all your channels from one place, including Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, and your own direct booking website built by iGMS.
- Automated messaging system uses AI to answer common questions from guests.
- You keep control over all your guest communication from the same interface and unified inbox.
- Automatically assign your cleaning and maintenance team.
- We securely process your payments and invoices via Stripe.
- In-depth market insights and advanced reporting tools will guide your hosting journey to increase revenue.
The Pro plan starts at $18 per property per month, billed annually. For hosts who'd like more flexibility and who'd like to pay only for the actual number of days their properties have a reservation, with a Flex plan, you pay $1 per booked night (minimum 20 bookings).
2. Full-Service Property Management Companies
Full-service property management companies handle guest-facing operations for rental properties by acting as the main point of contact throughout the stay. The company provides assistance by responding to inquiries, managing bookings, coordinating check-in and check-out, and addressing any issues that arise.
Guests can contact the team at any time, and staff are available to assist and answer questions, helping ensure a smooth and consistent experience from reservation to departure.
What do property managers do?
With a professional property management company, you get a perfect hands-off experience. They will do all the tasks for you:
- Marketing and listings — Creating and optimizing listings to increase visibility and bookings
- Dynamic pricing — Adjusting rates based on demand to maximize revenue
- Guest management — Handling inquiries, check-ins, and ongoing support to resolve problems.
- Organizing vendors — Handling maintenance issues and upkeep, scheduling regular maintenance.
- Cleaning operations — Coordinating cleaning, inspections, and restocking between stays.
- Compliance and reporting — Meeting local regulations and tracking financial performance.
What are the biggest vacation rental property management companies?
If you want to hand off your vacation rental to a management company, you can look into local service providers or companies that operate all across the US. Here are some of the most well-known property management firms that work nationwide:
Vacasa
Vacasa stands out for its nationwide scale and hands-on support, including dynamic pricing, 24/7 guest services, a solid network of local teams, and listing management. They operate in hundreds of markets across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Belize.
Pricing isn't listed upfront, you'll need to reach out for a quote, but it typically runs between 25–35% of revenue. For that fee, you get full-service property management. Vacasa is now owned by Casago.
Evolve
Evolve has been around since 2011 and operates nationwide, making it a solid option regardless of where your property is located. They charge a 10-15% fee that covers listing management, pricing optimization, and guest communication, including 24/7 support for guests and owners.
Cleaning and maintenance aren't included in the package. You'll need to handle those yourself or coordinate with local vendors. This model works really well for owners who live near their property and already have a local support system in place.
Awning
Awning is a full-service short-term rental management company operating all over the country across all 50 U.S. states. It handles the entire Airbnb workload, including listing optimization, guest communication, bookings, dynamic pricing, and 24/7 support, along with coordinating cleaning, maintenance, and property inspections.
Awning also offers short-term rental furnishing services and short-term rental insurance, giving hosts an all-in-one setup and protection solution. The fee typically starts at 10% of revenue, but expect a higher rate for a typical rental property.
What is the typical pricing model of short-term rental management companies?
Professional property managers and vacation rental management companies take from 10% to a whopping 50% of your revenue. Usually, the fee sits somewhere between 15-35% for full-service property management.
Pros and cons
Pros of STR Property Management Companies
- They work with many clients and have tons of data, so they know what's actually working in the market.
- You get to sit back and enjoy while they are committed to handling all the day-to-day stuff.
Cons of STR Property Management Companies
- You give up a lot of control over how guests are treated and how your property is run.
- Cost. Their fees can eat up a big chunk of your revenue.
3. Combine Software with Outsourcing
A lot of rental owners end up going with a hybrid approach where they use software to automate the day-to-day stuff while keeping control over their business.
In that case, owners will still need to hand off some of the more time-consuming tasks.
What services get outsourced
- Cleaning services help owners maintain consistent guest satisfaction without being on-site, which directly impacts reviews and occupancy. Many hosts choose to outsource cleaning.
- Maintenance services involve working with trusted local vendors who handle repairs and ongoing upkeep. However, owners still need to respond to maintenance requests and coordinate everything.
- Laundry services save time and simplify operations for high-turnover properties, ensuring a steady supply of clean, hotel-quality linens.
- Accounting is usually outsourced due to its complexity. Tracking income, reconciling fees and payouts, categorizing expenses, and staying compliant with taxes and STR regulations can be challenging for non-accountants.
How software supports the hybrid model
Vacation rental management software like iGMS is perfect for a hybrid model. Team management feature coordinates work with cleaners and vendors. Invite team members or a cleaning company to join your platform, assign roles, and oversee their responsibilities and work completion.
How to Choose the Right Property Management Solution
Choosing the right setup depends on several key factors, including the number of properties, your time availability, experience level, revenue goals, and the desired level of control over operations.
Owners and investors should consider how much maintenance management they want to handle versus delegate, what internal resources they have available, and whether they need to budget efficiently across a growing portfolio. The right solution should match both operational capacity and long-term investment goals.
| Option | What it is | Best for | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-management with software | Owners use STR management tools to automate bookings, messaging, pricing, and operations | Owners who want full control | You have to do the cleaning tasks yourself, handle guest requests and marketing |
| Property management companies | Full-service providers handle bookings, guest communication, pricing, cleaning, and maintenance management | Investors with large portfolios or limited time/resources who want a hands-off approach | Higher fees reduce margins and limit your control |
| Hybrid model | Software + outsourced services (cleaning, vendors, accounting) | Owners who want to scale efficiently while still retaining control | Requires some coordination between tools and external vendors |
Final Thoughts
Choosing a reliable property management solution is crucial for a successful STR business.
If you think of iGMS as a car, it’d be Tesla. It is an innovative, intelligent and intuitive system that can help grow your business and help it to stand out in the short-term rental market. So, how about setting your vacation rental business on autopilot?
