With such a wide range of property management softwares (PMS) available, there are many factors to consider when choosing the best option for your vacation rental business. At the base level, a PMS will include a booking engine that allows you to accept reservations independently from OTAs like Airbnb/VRBO. Outside of this primary feature, each PMS has unique functionality offerings that make them distinct.

Here are a few questions to consider when choosing the right PMS for your vacation property.

How will you handle bookings across platforms?

If your property is listed on multiple OTAs (Airbnb, VRBO, etc), you’ll need to determine how to sync calendar availability across channels. Many PMS's offer a channel manager. feature that will allow you to make updates to all of your listings, across multiple platforms, at one time. A channel manager also syncs your calendar availability so that reservations on one platform are reflected on all other platforms, helping you avoid double booking.

If you choose a PMS without a channel manager feature, you will need to purchase a standalone service that syncs calendar availability across your listings or manage each platform manually.

How will you communicate with guests?

Many PMS systems integrate with OTAs (such as Airbnb) to funnel guest communications from multiple platforms into one inbox. Some PMS’s also offer automated messaging features that allow you to schedule communications with guests regarding check-in, house rules, etc. If you’d like to communicate with guests through texting, you might choose a PMS that offers SMS messaging capability.

The messaging features you require will differ depending on how many properties you manage, how many channels you accept booking through, and how you prefer to communicate with your guests.

Does your PMS integrate with your other softwares?

If you are already using certain tools and softwares to manage your property, such as a website hosting platform or a payment processing service, you’ll want to ensure your chosen PMS offers integrations with those tools. This will help you create a smooth, seamless experience for yourself and guests.

How will you handle payment processing?

It’s important to have a secure and reliable method for accepting payments from guests. Some PMS’s are equipped with a payment processor, while others require you to source your own payment processing service. Make sure the PMS you choose integrates with your chosen payment processing method.

Many PMS’s offer simple accounting features that help you analyze your cash flow and track profits and losses. When choosing your PMS, it may be helpful to consider the level of detail that you need in financial reporting and whether your chosen software has that capability.

How much support will you need to get started?

PMS’s offer different levels of customer service support, both on an ongoing basis and when you are first starting out. If you’re completely new to vacation rental management, it might be valuable to choose PMS that offers onboarding support to help you with initial setup and integrations.

How will you build and manage your website?

To accept online bookings, you’ll need a website for your property. If you already have a website, or are comfortable building your own, all you need to do is make sure that your chosen PMS integrates with your website platform.

If building a website from scratch feels overwhelming, choose a PMS with a website feature built in. Most PMS’s with website building features offer templates that you can fill in with details and photos relevant to your property.

How will you manage cleaning and maintenance?

If you outsource to a cleaning company or hire professional cleaners, you may want a PMS that allows you to assign tasks to your cleaners. With many PMS systems, you can give your cleaning team access to automated cleaning checklists, send notifications to your cleaners, and track the cleaning status of your properties.

Do you need a digital guidebook?

Some PMS’s include functionality to create a digital guidebook with local recommendations for your guests. It’s often possible to monetize these recommendations and receive incentives for sending your guests to local restaurants and attractions. If your PMS does not offer this feature, you can purchase it from an independent vendor.

Do you manage your rental from your mobile phone?

If you find yourself doing vacation rental tasks on the go, you may want to choose PMS that has a mobile app. This makes messaging guests, managing cleaners, and other tasks easy to complete from your mobile device.

What pricing structure makes sense for you?

Different PMS’s utilize different pricing structures. Most require a monthly fee, and some require a start-up fee, as well. If you manage multiple properties, you might choose a PMS that charges per property, or opt for one that charges a flat fee. Analyze the pricing structure before making a purchase decision, and decide the pricing model and rate that make sense for your business.