Alternatives · Vacation Rentals
Hostex alternatives
As of Nov 13, 2026, the best Hostex alternative for most people is Hospitable (2.6 GPA), first in our ranking of vacation rental tools. It's also the best free one.
Hostex compared with 7 alternatives: Hospitable, Hosthub, Smoobu, Hostaway, Hostfully and 2 more.
Hostex is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $4.9 per property / month, shown on the yearly view. 1 of the 7 alternatives is free or has a free plan. 4 more offer a free trial.
Listings checked up to Nov 13, 2026 · Where the facts come from
Black Friday: is there a Hostex sale?
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| HostexThis tool | Free trial · from $4.9/mo | Trial only | Web |
| Hospitable | Free plan · from $25.52/mo | Yes | Web, iOS, Android |
| Hosthub | Free trial · from $21.6/mo | Trial only | Web |
| Smoobu | Free trial · from €29/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android |
| Hostaway | Paid | No | Web, iOS, Android |
| Hostfully | Paid | No | Web, iOS, Android |
| Host Tools | Free trial · from $28/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android |
| Hosty | Free trial · from $10/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android |
Price against what you get
Hostex starts at $4.90 a month and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. None of the 5 alternatives on this chart both scores higher and starts lower.
Hospitable and Hosthub score higher without starting lower.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
How each one differs from Hostex
Hospitable
Guest messaging, channel sync and operations for short-term rentals
- Hospitable starts at $25.52 per month for 1 property, billed annually ($29 billed monthly).
- Hospitable has a free plan, which Hostex lacks.
- Hospitable also lists iOS and Android apps.
Suits: Hosts who want a free plan that covers unlimited properties
Hosthub
Channel manager and PMS for vacation rentals, priced per rental
- Hosthub starts at $21.6 per rental / month for 1 rental, billed yearly ($27 billed monthly).
- Hosthub does not cover tasks, which Hostex does.
Suits: Owners with one to a few rentals who mainly need reliable calendar sync
Smoobu
Vacation rental channel manager and booking system, priced by unit
- Smoobu starts at €29 per month for 1 unit, plus 0.9% per booking (Professional Flex).
- Smoobu also lists iOS and Android apps.
- Smoobu also covers invoicing and reports.
- Smoobu does not cover tasks and shared inbox, which Hostex does.
Suits: Hosts in Europe with a few apartments, guest houses or B&Bs
Hostaway
Vacation rental PMS and channel manager for property managers
- Hostaway also lists iOS and Android apps.
- Hostaway also covers reports and whatsApp messaging.
- Hostaway does not cover tasks, which Hostex does.
Suits: Property managers running a few to a few hundred short-term rental listings
Hostfully
Vacation rental property management software and digital guidebooks
- Hostfully also lists iOS and Android apps.
- Hostfully also covers reports.
Suits: Property managers growing a short-term or mid-term rental portfolio
Host Tools
Guest messaging, calendar sync and direct booking for short-term hosts
- Host Tools starts at $28 per month for 1 listing, billed yearly ($30 billed monthly).
- Host Tools also lists iOS and Android apps.
- Host Tools also covers workflow automation.
- Host Tools does not cover tasks, which Hostex does.
Suits: Hosts with a handful of listings who mainly need messaging automation
Hosty
Airbnb-focused management software with a channel manager and app
- Hosty starts at $10 per active listing / month.
- Hosty also lists iOS and Android apps.
- Hosty also covers calendar, workflow automation and reports.
- Hosty does not cover tasks, which Hostex does.
Suits: Managers running several Airbnb accounts who want one dashboard
Limits worth knowing in Hostex
- The pricing page shows a Monthly and a Yearly (save 33%) toggle; only the yearly figures were readable, so monthly-billed prices are not listed here.
- Basic is limited to up to 2 properties; Vrbo integration, owner statements and open API access start on Pro.
- The Premium plan shows a Contact us button rather than a self-serve checkout.
- The pricing page says each rental unit counts as a property, and reducing the property count has to wait until the contract term ends.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to Hostex?
The alternatives to Hostex in this directory are Hospitable, Hosthub, Smoobu, Hostaway, Hostfully, Host Tools and Hosty. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Hostex.
Is there a free alternative to Hostex?
Yes. Hospitable has a free plan alongside paid ones.
Which Hostex alternatives work on Android?
The Hostex listing does not include an Android app. Hospitable, Smoobu, Hostaway, Hostfully, Host Tools and Hosty list one.
Which Hostex alternatives work on iOS?
The Hostex listing does not include an iOS app. Hospitable, Smoobu, Hostaway, Hostfully, Host Tools and Hosty list one.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 24, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.