Hostex vs Smoobu (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Hostex if

• Fits if you manage a few rentals and want the lowest channel manager price
• Works for hosts who sync Airbnb, Booking.com and Vrbo in one calendar

Look elsewhere if

• Tight if you have more than 2 properties, as Basic stops there
• Watch out: Vrbo, owner statements and open API access start on Pro
• Watch out: only yearly prices were readable, and the monthly-billed prices are not listed here
• Watch out: every rental unit counts as a property, and cutting the count waits for the term to end
• Skip it if you want self-serve checkout on top tier, as Premium shows Contact us

Pick Smoobu if

• Fits if you rent a few apartments or a B&B in Europe and pay in euros
• Works for hosts who list on Booking.com and Expedia as well as Airbnb

Look elsewhere if

• Watch out: subscriptions are billed in euros, and the dollar and pound prices on the page are only estimates
• Pricey if you add units or people: each extra unit is €12 a month before discounts, and write-access accounts start at €12
• Not for you if you want dynamic pricing built in, as it's a separate product, with two months free on Pro+
• Tight if you manage for owners, since no owner statements or cleaning tasks are on record
• Watch out: cancelling takes 30 days' notice and only ends the plan at the next renewal

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.

Smoobu

• Subscriptions are billed in euros; the dollar and pound prices on the page are estimates at the exchange rate.
• Each extra unit adds €12 a month before discounts, and extra write-access accounts start at €12 a month.
• Plans can be cancelled with 30 days' notice, and cancellation takes effect at the next renewal.
• Smoobu Dynamic Pricing is a separate product; Pro+ includes two months of it free.

Hostex

Channel sync and price calendar

Updates bookings, rates and availability across connected channels from one calendar, with bulk edits by date, property or platform.

Unified inbox and HostGPT

Messages from every booking channel in one inbox, with an AI assistant that learns from a knowledge base and hands questions to staff when it cannot answer.

Automated messages and reviews

Triggered and canned messages, automated translation, and review sending and replying for guest reviews from booking channels.

Direct booking site builder

Builds a branded booking website with a custom domain and embeddable booking widgets. The pricing page says there is no booking fee.

Tasks and team accounts

Assigns cleaning tasks for each reservation, notifies cleaners of changes, and gives team members sub-accounts with set permissions.

Owner reports and financial tracking

Records income and expenses, and generates monthly reports to deliver to property owners.

Smoobu

Channel manager

Connects Airbnb, Booking.com and Expedia by API and syncs availability with over 100 booking portals, with price sync on every plan.

Booking engine and website builder

Take direct bookings with Stripe or PayPal through a booking system and a website you build in Smoobu, on your own domain on every plan.

Guest communication

Personalized message templates sent on a schedule, online check-in, a digital guest guide and guest records (CRM).

Invoicing

A newer invoicing system is included, and Pro+ adds e-invoicing; both depend on market availability.

Team accounts and statistics

Add team members with their own access, and track performance with built-in statistics.

Apps and API

iOS and Android apps for bookings on the go, full API access, and connections to more than 40 other apps.

Hostex

• Basic$4.9

  per property / month, yearly view (monthly figure not read)

  For individual hosts, up to 2 properties. Unified inbox, HostGPT AI replies, automated messages and tasks, booking site builder, team accounts and reporting.

• Pro$7

  per property / month, yearly view (monthly figure not read)

  For professional managers. Adds Vrbo integration, guest guide, multi-unit management, Google Vacation Rentals distribution, owner statements and open API access.

• Premium$10.5

  per property / month, yearly view (monthly figure not read)

  For enterprises, sold through contact. Adds dedicated high-performance sync, priority support and onboarding, and custom integrations on request.

Smoobu

• Professional Flex€29

  per month for 1 unit, plus 0.9% per booking

  Everything in Professional Prepaid, but with a 0.9% fee on each booking instead of a higher subscription. Each extra unit adds to the monthly price.

• Professional Prepaid€31.50

  per month for 1 unit, billed yearly (€35 billed monthly)

  No booking fee. Channel manager, booking website, invoicing, apps and API. Extra units from €9.60 each; €128.70 a month at 10 units, billed yearly.

• Pro+€49.50

  per month for 1 unit, billed yearly (€55 billed monthly)

  Adds e-invoicing, two months of Smoobu Dynamic Pricing free, prioritized support and two write-access accounts, where available in your market.

Hostex

• Annual discount

  Save 33% with yearly billing

  The pricing page offers a yearly billing option marked as saving 33% against monthly payments.

Smoobu

• Annual discount

  Save 10% yearly or 20% on a two-year plan

  Smoobu's pricing page gives 10% off annual plans and 20% off two-year plans, which brings Professional Prepaid to €28 a month for one unit.