Head-to-head comparison · Updated July 2026
Hostaway vs iGMS
A triple-crown enterprise PMS against an affordable, mobile-first alternative built for 2-50 unit operators.
“Triple crown” OTA partner status and AI-driven automation for scaling teams
Flat per-property pricing from $20/month with a dedicated mobile app for field teams
The quick verdict
Hostaway (80/100) brings triple-crown OTA partner status, AI automation for 93% of guest messaging, and a 100+ app marketplace — but at custom pricing that typically starts near $40/listing plus a setup fee. iGMS (75/100) is built for smaller teams: flat pricing from $20/property/month (2-10 units) down to $18/property (11-50 units), a genuine mobile app for field management, and team task scheduling — without the enterprise price tag or sales-demo gate. If you’re running 50+ listings and want maximum automation, Hostaway justifies the cost. If you manage 2-50 units and want affordable, straightforward pricing with a real mobile app, iGMS is the better fit.
…you’re scaling past 50 listings and want the deepest automation and OTA partnerships, with budget for custom pricing.
…you manage 2-50 properties and want affordable flat pricing plus a proper mobile app for on-the-go management.
Hostaway vs iGMS at a glance
Scores come from our hands-on testing rubric — how we test STR software. Vendors can’t pay for placement.
| Our score | 80/100 | 75/100 |
| Best for | Scaling operations (50+ listings) wanting deep automation | 2-50 unit hosts wanting affordable flat pricing + mobile app |
| Starting price | Custom quote, typically $40+/listing + setup fee | $20/property/month (2-10 units), $18/property (11-50) |
| Integrations | 10/10 — 100+ marketplace apps | 7/10 — core OTAs, RemoteLock/August/Yale locks |
| Automation | 9/10 — AI automates 93% of messaging | 8/10 — solid automated messaging & review requests |
| Mobile app | Web dashboard, accessible anywhere | Dedicated iOS/Android app for field teams |
| Ease of use | 7/10 | 9/10 |
| Setup | 6/10 — 2-8 hours, sales demo required | 8/10 — no setup fee, billed monthly |
| Team scale | 9/10 — scales to 10,000+ listings | 7/10 — built for 2-50 units |
| Full review | Hostaway review → | iGMS review → |
Score battle: rubric results side by side
Sub-scores from the same testing rubric we apply to every tool in the property management software directory.
The full breakdown
4 dimensions that actually decide which tool fits, based on running both on real listings.
01Pricing & transparency
Winner: iGMSiGMS’s published flat rate is roughly half Hostaway’s typical per-listing cost.
iGMS charges $20/property/month for 2-10 properties, dropping to $18/property for 11-50, with no setup fee and monthly billing — a $100 onboarding add-on is optional, not required.
Hostaway’s pricing requires a sales quote and typically starts around $40+/listing with a $100-500 setup fee — its own review flags the lack of transparency directly. Volume discounts bring larger portfolios down toward $20/listing, closing the gap only at real scale.
- Starter: ~$40+/listing, custom quote
- Growth: $20-40/listing, volume discounts
- Enterprise: custom deal
- Standard: $20/property/month, 2-10 properties
- Pro: $18/property/month, 11-50 properties
- Enterprise: custom, 51+ properties
02Automation & integrations
Winner: HostawayHostaway’s AI messaging and 100+ integrations outscale iGMS’s solid but simpler automation.
Hostaway scored 9/10 on automation and 10/10 on integrations, with AI handling an estimated 93% of guest and staff messaging across a 100+ app marketplace spanning cleaning, insurance, screening and AI tools.
iGMS scored a respectable 8/10 on automation with centralized messaging, automated check-in instructions and review requests, but its own review flags limited integrations beyond core OTAs and no native dynamic pricing.
03Mobile & team management
Winner: iGMSiGMS is built around a real mobile app and shift scheduling — genuinely useful for field-based cleaning and maintenance teams.
iGMS ships a dedicated iOS/Android app plus team task management with shift scheduling and task templates, making it a practical fit for small teams juggling turnovers and guest issues on the go.
Hostaway is fully functional via its web dashboard from anywhere, and includes team scaling tools built for much larger operations, but doesn’t market a dedicated mobile app as a standout feature the way iGMS does.
04Ease of use & setup
Winner: iGMSiGMS scored 9/10 on usability with straightforward monthly billing; Hostaway requires a guided, multi-hour setup.
iGMS scored 9/10 on usability and 8/10 on setup, billed monthly with no long-term commitment or setup fee required to get started.
Hostaway scored 7/10 and 6/10 respectively — there’s no self-service free trial, and its own review notes setup typically takes 2-8 hours of guided configuration.
Current pricing, plan by plan
Pulled from our reviews and re-checked against vendor pricing pages. Always confirm on the vendor site before committing.
1-20 listings, basic PMS, channel management, automation
$100-500 setup fee, custom pricing required
20-100 listings, advanced features, marketplace access
Commission-based option: 2% of monthly revenue
100+ listings, custom solutions, dedicated support
White-label options, API customization
2–10 properties, messaging, calendar sync, automation rules
No setup fee, billed monthly
11–50 properties, team management, reporting, mobile app
$100 one-time onboarding assistance optional
51+ properties, custom integrations, dedicated support
Includes API access and SLA
Which one should you choose?
Choose Hostaway if…
- You’re managing 50+ listings and want the deepest automation available
- “Triple crown” OTA partner status with Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com matters
- You want AI handling the bulk of guest and staff messaging
- You have budget for custom pricing and a guided onboarding process
- You need built-in dynamic pricing rather than a separate tool
Choose iGMS if…
- You manage 2-50 properties and want affordable, published flat pricing
- A dedicated mobile app for field teams (cleaners, maintenance) is a priority
- You want to start today without a sales demo or setup fee
- Shift scheduling and task templates would genuinely help your team
- You’re fine pairing iGMS with an external pricing tool like PriceLabs
The bottom line
Hostaway and iGMS both score well, but for different-sized operations. Hostaway’s triple-crown OTA status, AI-driven automation and 100+ app marketplace are built for property managers scaling well past 50 listings who can justify custom pricing and a longer onboarding process.
iGMS keeps things affordable and mobile-first: flat published pricing under $20/property, a genuine app for field teams, and no sales gate to get started. For hosts running 2-50 units who want solid automation without enterprise costs, it’s the more practical choice.
Hostaway vs iGMS: FAQ
Not sold on either? Also consider
Free unlimited-property plan with the strongest automation of any PMS at that price.
Read reviewOur highest-scored PMS (95/100) once you outgrow either platform.
Read reviewAnother flat-fee alternative, at $29/property with unlimited listings.
Read reviewCompare every property management software option we’ve tested — scores, pricing and best-for in one table.
Best Property Management SoftwareWe test every tool hands-on and vendors cannot pay for rankings or scores. Some links are affiliate links — if you buy through them we may earn a commission at no cost to you, which funds independent testing. See our disclosure.