Guesty vs. Guesty Lite (Guesty for Hosts)
Getting confused between Guesty and Guesty Lite (also known as Guesty for Hosts) is completely understandable. These are, in fact, two entirely different systems.
The story began in 2021, when Guesty acquired Your Porter. Initially, it continued under the old brand, then became Guesty for Hosts, and eventually transitioned to Guesty Lite. Despite the rebranding, the core product remains the same. Guesty and Guesty Lite are separate software platforms with non-overlapping features, distinct pricing models, and a full signup process required to switch from one to the other.
To provide a clearer picture, we’ll also include Hospitable, the top-rated vacation rental software on G2 for 2024–25.
Check the table below for a TL;DR comparison
| Guesty | Guesty Lite | Hospitable | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Enterprise-class for property managers. | Short-term rental automation for individual hosts. | Short-term rental automation for individual hosts and property managers. |
| Platforms | 11 channels | Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo | Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, Agoda, Google Vacation Rentals |
| Number of properties | 4+ | 1-3 | Any |
| iCal support | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Direct bookings | ✅ | ❌ Limited: no websites | ✅ |
| Cost | enterprise pricing +setup fee | starting $39/month | starting $29/month |
| Free trial | ❌ | ✅ 14 days | ✅ 14 days |
G2 ratings
Capterra ratings
Guesty vs. Guesty Lite vs. Hospitable: Executive Summary
Guesty
Guesty is arguably the most recognized brand in the vacation rental software market. It is a powerful, enterprise-level platform built for property management companies, complete with the typical pros and cons of such systems: steep learning curve, annual contracts, no free trial, setup fees, and a range of advanced features that mainly benefit large companies with complex operations.
Guesty Lite
Guesty Lite (formerly Guesty for Hosts / YourPorter) is intended for individual hosts managing up to three listings. It offers basic automation tools but lacks essential capabilities like direct booking functionality, which is important—even for hosts with a single property.
Hospitable
Originally created for individual hosts, Hospitable has evolved into a full-featured property management system—while still prioritizing simplicity and ease of use. That’s why it consistently receives the G2 Best Usability badge. While free orientation is available, most users find the platform easy to navigate right from the start.
You’ll get a 14-day free trial, clear pricing, and the only PMS with dynamic pricing built in at no extra cost.
Compare Guesty vs. Guesty Lite vs. Hospitable using the tables below
Communication automation and AI
| Guesty | Guesty Lite | Hospitable | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled messages | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Guest reply drafts with AI | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Full guest reply automation option | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Automated upsells of vacancy nights | Through integrations | ❌ | ✅ |
| AI assistant for performance analysis | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Reviews automation with AI | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Operations
| Guesty | Guesty Lite | Hospitable | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team management and reminders | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Self-check-in with smart locks | ✅ paid add-on | ✅ paid add-on | ✅ Included, starting from the Pro tier |
| Smart thermostat management in-sync with bookings | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ Included, starting from the Pro tier |
| Dynamic pricing | ✅ paid add-on | ✅ paid add-on | ✅ Included in all plans |
Integrations
| Guesty | Guesty Lite | Hospitable | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Data tools | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Direct booking website builders | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Cleaning | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Dynamic pricing | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | |
| Guest portals | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Guest verification | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Guidebooks | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Home automation | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Marketing | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Monitoring | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Smart locks | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Smart thermostats | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Direct booking
| Guesty | Guesty Lite | Hospitable | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website builder | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Payment processing | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Google Vacation Rentals Partner | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
Property management solutions
| Guesty | Guesty Lite | Hospitable | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reporting dashboards | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Owner statements | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Expense management | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Professional accounting integration | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
G2 ratings (Spring 2025)
Usability index
Results index
Implementation index
Relationship index
What do 15,000 successful hosts have in common? Hint: it’s not luck.
They discovered the tool that reduces hassle, boosts revenue, and keeps their guests happier than ever. Since then, they love Hospitable.
Hospitable is our go-to property management software. It is truly the best in the industry!
Automated guest messaging with Hospitable has been a game-changer for us, reducing the time we spend on guest communication by 90%.
I love how simple it is to learn and use. You can have it all set up and running in just one afternoon.
Automates all of the tasks I don’t want to deal with myself.
We love the peace and quiet of limited guest messages that we must manually respond to!
Guesty vs. Guesty Lite vs. Hospitable: summary
Choosing between Guesty, Guesty Lite, and Hospitable is fairly straightforward, as each is designed for a different type of user:
- Individual hosts with 1–3 listings: Hospitable offers more automation, broader channel support, including direct bookings, and better affordability.
- Individual hosts with 4+ listings or co-hosts: Hospitable continues to be the more intuitive, efficient choice, providing essential features at a significantly lower cost.
- Small property management companies: This category requires closer comparison. Hospitable wins on ease of use and value, while Guesty offers more extensive property management tools.
- Large property managers and hotels: Guesty is the better fit here, with advanced enterprise capabilities like multi-unit management, CRM, and owner portals.
Hospitable Advantages
- Smarter automation: Auto Inbox automates guest messaging, Copilot provides on-demand performance insights, and automated upsells help boost occupancy.
- Built-in dynamic pricing: Available to all users on all plans, at no extra cost.
- Smart thermostat integration: Reduces energy waste during vacant periods.
- Scales with your business: Easily expand from a few listings to dozens on the same platform.
- No hidden fees: Transparent pricing with no contracts or long-term commitments.
Guesty Advantages
- Multi-unit support: Best suited for hotels, B&Bs, and other multi-unit operations.
- CRM and lead management: Tools designed for managing direct bookings and guest relationships.
- Owner management: Features for handling owner communications and revenue distribution.
- Broader integrations: Access to more booking channels and a wider ecosystem of partners.
