As vacation rental platforms evolve in 2025, property owners—especially in markets like Greece—are seeking more control, automation, and tax-compliant solutions. Whether you’re managing one Airbnb or a portfolio of 50 short-term rentals, choosing the right tech stack can transform your profitability and peace of mind.
This comprehensive review compares Lodgify, Hosthub, and Guesty, with special attention to how they interact with Airbnb and Booking.com, including commission rates, tax obligations, and branding control.
Overview of Lodgify, Hosthub, and Guesty
Lodgify: All-in-One Website Builder & Channel Manager
Lodgify offers a robust suite designed for property managers who want to create a direct booking website and manage listings across Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, and more. It includes:
- Customisable website builder (your own domain)
- Booking engine with integrated payments (e.g., Stripe)
- Multi-channel calendar synchronisation
- Guest messaging automation
- Mobile app and analytics
Ease of Use: Highly intuitive interface, great for solo operators and smaller teams.
Pricing: Starts at around US $32/month for one property. Multi-property packages (25–50 listings) can reach US $200–350/month.
Ideal For: Hosts who want branding control, avoid OTA commissions, and scale direct bookings.
Hosthub: Best-in-Class Channel Syncing – Built in Greece
Hosthub (formerly Syncbnb) is a channel manager first, offering lightning-fast synchronisation across 200+ booking platforms. Its real-time 2-way sync is unmatched in reliability.
Key features include:
- Calendar and rate sync across Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, Agoda, etc.
- Expense tracking
- Unified inbox
- Analytics dashboard
- Email automation
- Basic website widgets (no full website builder)
Ease of Use: Extremely user-friendly; praised for setup support and Greek-language UI.
Pricing: From US $28/month per property. Includes 14-day free trial.
Ideal For: Greek property owners or managers listing across multiple OTAs, needing sync accuracy, tax compliance, and local support.
Guesty: The Scalable Powerhouse for Property Managers
Guesty is tailored to professional property management companies or large portfolios. It offers a full-stack PMS with:
- Automated messaging
- Task management
- Owner portal
- Dynamic pricing integrations (PriceLabs, Wheelhouse)
- Reporting and accounting tools
It comes in two flavours:
- Guesty for Hosts (up to 3 listings): Free to start, ~3–5% commission per booking.
- Guesty Pro: Custom pricing for 5+ listings; includes full API access and enterprise-level support.
Ease of Use: Requires onboarding; steeper learning curve.
Ideal For: Agencies or hosts managing 5+ properties, needing automation, team features, and advanced integrations.
Airbnb vs Booking.com: Control, Commission, and Taxation
Airbnb
- Host Fee: ~3% flat for most hosts (higher in some countries).
- Guest Fee: Airbnb also charges guests a separate service fee.
- Tax Collection: In countries like Greece, Airbnb automatically collects and remits occupancy/tourism taxes.
- Control: Moderate. Hosts manage content and pricing, but platform limits branding and communication until after booking.
- Payouts: Typically within 24–48 hours post check-in.
Booking.com
- Commission: Averaging 15%, but can range between 10–25%.
- Guest Fees: No guest-side fees; all cost burden on hosts.
- Tax Collection: Not automatically handled. Hosts in Greece must manage tourist taxes independently.
- Control: Minimal. Limited communication prior to booking, no guest screening.
- Payouts: Typically delayed due to invoice cycles; can take 1–2 weeks.
Tax Implications & Local Regulations (with Greek Focus)
Short-term rentals in Greece are strictly regulated. Platforms like Airbnb are legally required to report host earnings directly to Greek tax authorities.
Key tax-related requirements include:
- Property Registration Number (PRN): Mandatory for all listings.
- AADE reporting: Income must be submitted monthly via MyProperty.
- Earnings Tax Brackets:
- 15% on income up to €12,000
- 35% from €12,001–35,000
- 45% for over €35,000 annually
Software compliance:
- Lodgify: Hosts must manually export reports and calculate taxes.
- Hosthub: Built-in tax reporting tools tailored to Greek regulations.
- Guesty: Advanced reporting tools export Excel sheets suitable for accountant use.
At-a-Glance Comparison Table
| Feature | Lodgify | Hosthub | Guesty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Builder | Yes (full-featured) | No (only widgets) | Yes (Pro plan only) |
| Channel Sync (Airbnb, BDC) | Yes | Yes (best-in-class) | Yes |
| Unified Inbox & Messaging | Yes | Yes | Yes (advanced automation) |
| Greek Tax Tools | Manual exports | Built-in local support | Accountant-ready reports |
| Support in Greek | No | Yes | No |
| Pricing | ~$32/month | ~$28/month | Free–5% or custom |
| Best For | Solo hosts | OTA-focused Greek hosts | Agencies / large portfolios |
Pros & Cons Summary
| Platform | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Lodgify | Direct booking engine, easy setup, solid automation | Manual tax handling, basic analytics |
| Hosthub | Local tax tools, lightning-fast OTA sync, Greek-language UI | No dedicated website builder |
| Guesty | Enterprise-level PMS, dynamic pricing, task/owner portals | Steep learning curve, complex pricing model |
| Airbnb | Tax collection in Greece, fast payouts, high traffic | 3% host fee, limited control, guest screening restrictions |
| Booking.com | High traffic, international presence | Up to 25% commission, no guest filtering, no auto-tax setup |
Final Verdict: What’s Best for Homeowners in Greece?
Choosing the right solution depends on your business model, property count, and comfort with digital tools.
For Brand Builders: Lodgify
Perfect for those who want to drive direct bookings, own their branding, and avoid commission fees from Airbnb or Booking.
For Locals Who List on Multiple OTAs: Hosthub
With Greek-language support, local tax compliance tools, and best-in-class synchronisation, Hosthub is a standout choice for Greek STR operators.
For Portfolio Managers & Agencies: Guesty
Powerful automations and analytics make Guesty a must for anyone managing 5+ properties or offering professional property management services.
