Managing holiday rentals is becoming increasingly complex and competitive. With platforms such as Airbnb and Booking, technology can make all the difference between wasting hours and gaining peace of mind and securing bookings.
That’s why choosing the right software can make all the difference between wasting time and securing bookings. In this article, we compare two popular solutions – Bookipro and Smoobu – to help you decide which one is best suited to your business.
Is it designed for climbing or for beginners?
Bookipro: designed from the outset for professional managers and large portfolios
It allows you to manage multiple properties and landlords whilst retaining control, without having to switch systems as your business grows.
On the other hand, whilst Smoobu is well suited to individual hosts or small-scale managers thanks to its simplicity and user-friendliness, as the number of properties increases, that very simplicity can prove insufficient, and more robust systems are needed to manage more complex operations.
True automation vs basic automation
Bookipro: Takes it a step further by viewing automation as a strategic tool.
The aim is to minimise manual intervention in key business processes. Tariff management, internal organisation and decision-making are supported by integrated systems, allowing managers to focus more on growth than on carrying out day-to-day tasks.
Smoobu offers practical features that help save time on repetitive tasks, but these are more focused on day-to-day operations than on overall business optimisation. Furthermore, certain more advanced features, such as dynamic pricing, are not always fully integrated and may require additional tools.
Who offers a more efficient and transparent settlement system for property owners?
Bookipro: features a much more comprehensive system for settling payments with property owners.
It allows you to automate payment calculations, generate clear reports and maintain organised financial management within the system itself.
Although Smoobu allows property owners to be granted limited access and visibility over bookings, its focus is not on the comprehensive financial management of the business. This means that the distribution of revenue, commissions or payments often requires manual work or external tools.
Which one offers better support and training?
Bookipro: offers a more personalised approach.
Direct support and training are included to quickly resolve queries, access tutorials and webinars that teach you how to get the most out of the platform, and reduce the learning curve, even if you’ve never used a PMS before. Furthermore, each client is assigned a dedicated support representative, with a direct phone number and email address, ensuring that any issues or queries are resolved quickly and personally.
Smoobu offers accessible support for all users, primarily via support tickets and live chat, available in several languages and with responses provided during working hours; however, direct telephone support is not immediately available, which limits personalised interaction and the speed at which issues are resolved.
Which platform offers advanced management features with clear reports?
Bookipro: you don’t have to rely on plugins or external tools.
From the same dashboard, you can view detailed metrics on occupancy, revenue per property, booking trends and rate effectiveness. Everything is designed to enable managers to make strategic decisions without wasting time exporting data or cross-referencing information from different sources.
In Smoobu, when you need to delve deeper into trends, performance by property or analyse the impact of dynamic pricing, the tools provided are limited and often require you to export data to external spreadsheets or use additional add-ons.
Summary of key differences
| Bookipro | Smoobu | |
|---|---|---|
| System approach | Ready to scale up and professionalise | More suited to small-scale managers |
| Automation | Advanced and strategic | Basic and practical |
| Settlement of accounts by property owners | Automated and centralised | Manual or limited |
| Support and training | Personalised support with direct contact | Direct, personalised interaction is not available |
| Advanced management and reporting | Comprehensive metrics on occupancy, revenue and rates integrated into the dashboard | Basic statistics; requires data export or add-ons |
If you’d like to find out more or try Bookipro, please don’t hesitate to contact us.Our team will help you find the best solution for your holiday rental business.
