Does Hostfully's built-in channel manager cover enough OTAs, or do I still need Rentals United?

For most operators distributing across Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com, Hostfully's native channel manager is sufficient. Rentals United adds value mainly when you need reach into dozens of regional or niche OTAs beyond the mainstream three.

Rentals United targets large portfolios — is Hostfully too small-scale by comparison?

Hostfully's sweet spot is 5-200 listings with Growth, Pro, and Enterprise tiers. Rentals United's Business and Enterprise tiers are built for 100-500+ properties, so very large operators may find Rentals United's scale-oriented distribution more aligned with their needs.

Can I use both Hostfully and Rentals United together?

Yes. Hostfully is a named PMS partner of Rentals United, so you can run Hostfully as your PMS and layer Rentals United on top for expanded OTA reach if your distribution strategy demands it.

Comparison

Hostfully vs Rentals United

Pricing, pros and cons, and buyer-fit side-by-side. Pick the one that matches your operation — or see why neither should.

Property Management Software

Hostfully

Vacation rental property management software with strong channel distribution and owner-facing tools

Best Overall

A strong all-around STR PMS for managers graduating into multi-channel operations

From $15/listing • No free trial

Full review →Is it worth it?

Property Management Software

Rentals United

Channel manager with 90+ OTA distribution for professional property managers

Best for Enterprise

Deepest OTA channel catalog for managers who already run a PMS

Contact sales • No free trial

Full review →Is it worth it?

Visit Hostfully →Visit Rentals United →

✓Editorial verdict

Which Should You Pick: Hostfully or Rentals United?

Pick Hostfully if you want a single PMS that bundles channel distribution, guest communication, owner reporting, and direct bookings in one platform starting at $15/property/mo on Growth (1–50 listings), before a platform fee whose amount Hostfully does not publish. Pick Rentals United if you already run a PMS and need a dedicated channel manager with 90+ OTA connections to maximize distribution breadth beyond what any built-in channel manager offers.

Editorial perspective from the Hostfully side; factual claims about Rentals United are drawn from its review.

Pricing Side-by-Side

Hostfully

Full pricing →

From $15/listing • No free trial

Growth

$15/property/mo

1-50 listings

Full-scale property management solution
Channel manager and direct booking site
Unified inbox with templates and triggers
Mobile app
Owner portal and owner financial reports
Platform fee applies (amount unconfirmed)

Try Hostfully

Pro

$25/property/mo

1-199 listings

Everything in Growth
Dedicated Customer Success Manager
Additional onboarding support
Annual business review
Better fit for growing multi-property teams
Platform fee applies (amount unconfirmed)

Try Hostfully

Enterprise

Custom quote

Custom

Everything in Pro
Tailored onboarding
Priority customer support
Additional 1:1 customer success meetings

Try Hostfully

Rentals United

Full pricing →

Contact sales • No free trial

Contact sales

Rentals United does not publish numeric pricing. The vendor's pricing page lists property-band tiers (Pro for 5-99 properties, Business for 100-499, Enterprise for 500+) and states 'Our prices are tailored to your business.' Capterra confirms 'Starting Price: Contact vendor for pricing' and 'Free Trial: Not available.' Confirm pricing directly with Rentals United sales.

View full pricing →

Try Rentals United

What each tool does well — and where it falls short

What Hostfully does well

Broad STR-specific feature set without forcing separate channel manager and owner portal tools
Strong multi-channel distribution and direct API connectivity across major OTAs
Good fit for growing vacation rental managers that need owner-facing workflows

What Rentals United does well

Connects to 90+ listing channels including niche regional OTAs
Every tier advertises certified API connections to 50+ channels and access to 90+ listing channels in total, which is the platform's core differentiator versus PMS-bundled channel managers.
API described by integrators as robust and well-documented
A Capterra reviewer called the API 'absolutely phenomenal' and 'unbelievably robust, brilliantly documented,' and the vendor publishes API documentation as a top-level resource.
Preferred-partner status with Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com
Named preferred-partner programs with the largest OTAs can reduce listing-quality friction for managers routing inventory through Rentals United.
Broad PMS interoperability for managers who already have a stack
The partner page lists integrations with Guesty, Track, Hostfully, Escapia, and Streamline, making it a natural distribution layer behind an existing PMS.

Where Hostfully falls short

Higher starting cost than lightweight PMS options for solo hosts
Enterprise-grade breadth can be more software than a 1-3 listing host needs
Some advanced pricing and implementation details still require a sales conversation

Where Rentals United falls short

Interface described as click-heavy and dated
A GetApp reviewer noted that 'navigation through the system requires more clicks than necessary,' which adds up to real daily operator time at scale.
Reports of double-booking incidents and billing disputes
A GetApp reviewer (jeffrey D.) wrote 'They cost me tens of thousands in double bookings and did not pay any of the fees.' This is a minority report but operationally serious when it happens.
No transparent pricing and no free trial
Capterra lists 'Starting Price: Contact vendor for pricing' and 'Free Trial: Not available,' so buyers cannot evaluate cost without a sales call.
Sub-5-listing portfolios are not the core ICP
The vendor's Pro tier starts at 5-99 properties, with only a 'We can still help!' note for smaller portfolios — signaling smaller hosts will not get the typical onboarding path.

Which Should You Pick

Pick Hostfully if

Small-to-mid-sized vacation rental managers running 5-200 listings across multiple channels who need a full STR operating system with channel distribution, owner-facing tools, and guest messaging in one platform.

Skip Hostfully if

You're a hobbyist with one or two listings who only needs basic messaging automation or simple calendar sync — Hostfully is more software than you need at that scale.

Pick Rentals United if

Professional property managers with 20+ listings already running a PMS who need maximum OTA distribution breadth across niche regional channels in addition to Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com.

Skip Rentals United if

You have fewer than 5 listings, want self-serve transparent monthly pricing, or only need the top 3 OTAs.

Where Hostfully and Rentals United actually differ

Hostfully is a full PMS with built-in channel management; Rentals United is a channel manager that sits behind an existing PMS rather than replacing one.
Hostfully publishes transparent tiered pricing starting at $15/property/mo; Rentals United requires a sales conversation with no public pricing.
Hostfully bundles guest communication (unified inbox with InboxAI), a direct booking site, and an owner portal that Rentals United does not provide on its own.
Rentals United connects to 90+ listing channels with 50+ certified API integrations, giving it broader OTA reach than most PMS-native channel managers.
The two platforms are not mutually exclusive — Rentals United lists Hostfully as a named PMS partner, so operators can pair them if built-in distribution is not enough.

Common objections

Does Hostfully's built-in channel manager cover enough OTAs, or do I still need Rentals United?: For most operators distributing across Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com, Hostfully's native channel manager is sufficient. Rentals United adds value mainly when you need reach into dozens of regional or niche OTAs beyond the mainstream three.
Rentals United targets large portfolios — is Hostfully too small-scale by comparison?: Hostfully's sweet spot is 5-200 listings with Growth, Pro, and Enterprise tiers. Rentals United's Business and Enterprise tiers are built for 100-500+ properties, so very large operators may find Rentals United's scale-oriented distribution more aligned with their needs.
Can I use both Hostfully and Rentals United together?: Yes. Hostfully is a named PMS partner of Rentals United, so you can run Hostfully as your PMS and layer Rentals United on top for expanded OTA reach if your distribution strategy demands it.

Keep Digging

Hostfully

A strong all-around STR PMS for managers graduating into multi-channel operations

Full Hostfully review →Is it worth it?

Rentals United

Deepest OTA channel catalog for managers who already run a PMS

Full Rentals United review →Is it worth it?