It’s exciting to own and manage short-term rental properties because you can see your investment grow—but it’s also a lot of work.
Using a property management company to automate your operations is a smart move. But many property management companies handle thousands of units, so smaller accounts (1-10 units) don’t always get the support they need.
That’s why we’ve analyzed 13 of the most responsive and best short-term rental management companies that will:
- Help you automate guest communications
- Manage your multi-calendar
- Implement a dynamic pricing strategy to boost your revenue
We’ll also cover pros and cons to help you choose the best short-term rental management company for your needs.
Table of contents
- Short-term rental property management: What to look for
- National short-term rental companies
- State-specific short-term rental companies
- Which short-term rental platform is best?
- Frequently asked questions about the best short-term rental management companies
Short-term rental property management: What to look for
You need a short-term rental management company to ensure your STR is always looking good and ready to host guests.
There’s a lot to keep on top of when managing short-term rental properties, and you can’t be everywhere at once. A good property management company (PMC) will maximize your vacation rental income while reducing the hours you spend managing your properties.
It does this by using vacation rental management software (VRMS) to automate tasks and manage certain operations remotely, leaving you free to focus on the face-to-face elements of your job.
To find the right PMC to streamline your business, you need to pay close attention to these factors
- Pricing model
- What your responsibilities will be
- How flexible the service is
- How much ownership you keep over your listings
Pricing model
Pricing is important when choosing a PMC, but it shouldn’t be your deciding factor. In fact, going for the cheapest option can put your STR at risk. Inexpensive PMCs could cause a few issues like
- Double bookings
- Unregistered bookings
- Last-minute cancellations
- Poor guest communication
- Bad reviews
If you can’t commit to a monthly fee on top of other expenses like mortgages, insurance, or cleaning and maintenance, you should opt for a PMC that charges a percentage of your bookings, so you only pay for the services you receive.
What your responsibilities will be
Some companies manage your operations from end to end, including the “boots on the ground” jobs like property maintenance. You should find out what responsibilities you’ll keep before you enter any partnership.
Most companies will offer property management services like
- Channel management
- Dynamic pricing
- Guest communication
- Keyless check-in and check-out
Some may also offer more advanced services, including
- Interior design and decor
- Social media management
- Website creation
Your ability to choose which responsibilities you keep depends on the flexibility of the PMC you select.
Flexibility
Your chosen package should allow you to have some control over your property while delegating repetitive admin and tasks outside your skillset to the PMC. A flexible contract is also a cost-efficient one.
Listing ownership
It’s critical that you hire a company that will manage but not own your listings. Many companies design, write, promote, and maintain your listings under their own branding, which can be problematic for your business.
Not only does it stop you from building your own short-term rental business brand but, if you decide to switch, you’ll lose the reviews, certifications, and any rewards like the Airbnb SuperHost batch. So you’ll need to start all over again to build brand awareness.
National short-term rental companies
Once you find the right short-term rental property management company for your vacation rental business, you’ll get passive income without extra work. Here are some of the best options to manage your STR:
1. Jetstream
Jetstream manages your STR operations using cutting-edge technology handled by a responsive and attentive team.
Jetstream it’s a hybrid vacation rental management company that will handle all the remote aspects of your business using top-notch software integrations. It was created under the LeaveTown umbrella, but it’ll also help you boost bookings on Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, Expedia, and TripAdvisor.
Main features
- Shared-success model: Jetstream is more than a vacation rental management company, it’s your business partner. There are no upfront costs, and we only get paid when you do.
- 24/7 multilingual guest communication: many similar companies offer 24/7 guest communication, but our guest-facing team can answer queries in 11 different languages.
- Ownership of your listings: Jetstream manages but doesn’t own your listings. You can leave whenever you want and maintain full ownership of your OTA profiles and reviews. It also offers white labeling, meaning it works under your brand.
- Marketing and listings promotion: Jetstream’s marketing team will optimize your listings to perform well, generate promotional content, and support you to create your own direct booking website.
- Vacation rental cleaning scheduling: if you work with different cleaners and contractors, Jetstream uses Operto Teams to coordinate their schedules, using live calendar syncing to make sure everything happens on time.
Things to consider
Jetstream doesn’t provide in-person services. You’ll always have our support remotely, but you’ll need to hire additional cleaning and maintenance staff to handle what happens on-site at your property.
That said, Jetstream will help coordinate your team’s schedules to ensure your property is ready to receive every guest.
Pricing
Jetstream charges zero upfront costs because we genuinely believe we can make your STR profitable. You’ll benefit from our services but only pay once you get bookings. Jetstream works on a commission-only fee structure.
2. Vacasa
Vacasa is a property management company and a booking engine.
Vacasa is a US-based vacation rental company that comes with its own booking engine. This business aims to improve the guest experience, which is why it offers advice on interior design and decorations, and professional cleaning services.
Main features
- Listing optimization: Vacasa takes professional pictures of your property, creates a 360-degree tour, and writes property descriptions.
- Permits and regulations: this company is aware of the regulations of the states it operates in and will advise and get the required operating permits.
- Boots-on-the-ground work: Vacasa has its own cleaners, plumbers, electricians, and handymen to take care of in-person tasks.
- Interior design and decorations: you can choose to get advice in terms of interior design and home decorations that follow short-term rental market trends.
Things to consider
Vacasa only operates in Mexico, Costa Rica, Belize, and most states in the US apart from:
- North Dakota
- Minnesota
- Iowa
- Nebraska
- Kansas
- Arkansas
- Mississippi
- Ohio
- Kentucky
- West Virginia
- Connecticut
- Rhode Island
- New Jersey
So, Vacasa may not be the right choice if you have properties outside the USA or in one of the states listed here. Also, you’ll lose your reviews if you change companies as Vacasa lists under its own brand.
Lastly, some guests staying at Vacasa’s properties share that units and customer service don’t always meet their expectations*.
Pricing
Vacasa doesn’t publish prices on the website. Some industry websites share details of owner commission rates and guest booking fees, but we were unable to find reliable, first-hand sources to confirm these.
3. Evolve
Evolve offers to increase your STR occupancy rate at a lower fee and higher flexibility.
Evolve is a VRM company that provides property managers with a lighter, more versatile, and more affordable alternative to Guesty or Vacasa. It’s one of the least expensive platforms but offers limited solutions.
Main features
- Risk-Free guarantee: Evolve offers a six-month risk-free period where it guarantees you’ll get your money back if you’re unsatisfied with their services.
- Flexible: Evolve can adapt to your needs and doesn’t set a limit for personal use days. That means you can use your vacation home for personal affairs as much as you want.
- Damage protection: when using Evolve, guests pay $14.25 a night for Assurant cover, which means it’ll pay up to $3000 in property damage. It also offers liability insurance up to $1 million in coverage for property owners.
- No upfront costs: just like Jetstream, Evolve only gets paid once you do.
Things to consider
The downsides to Evolve are that you don’t own your listings and it only works in the US. Also, some users reported* they aren’t always thrilled with the service because:
- The nightly rates Evolve sets don’t necessarily follow market trends
- Cleaning and maintenance services provided by partners don’t always meet their expectations
Pricing
Evolve is one of the most affordable VRM solutions. It takes a 10% commission on any secured booking and offers a Risk-Free Guarantee.
4. VTrips
VTrips will promote your listing on big OTAs like Booking.com but will do it under its name.
VTrips is a full-service vacation rental property management company with a portfolio of 7,000 units. Its team works 24/7 to track the performance of your listings and adjust your nightly rates in real time. While VTrips manages your channel distribution, it invites leads to book directly through its website.
Main features
- Full-service agency: VTrips handles your complete vacation rental operations. It uses software to handle dynamic pricing and channel distribution. Plus, it has a dedicated team doing the boots-on-the-ground work (cleaning, technical, and maintenance).
- Marketing initiatives: this company creates a marketing strategy for each client using VTrips’s internal database. It offers social media management, email marketing, SEO, and direct phone calls to increase your bookings.
- Direct bookings: one of the biggest benefits of this company is that it directs its marketing efforts to people to book directly on the VTrips website. That way, you can save money on OTA fees.
Things to consider
VTrips is a US-based company that manages properties in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, South Carolina, Maryland, New Mexico, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. It’s not available worldwide.
VTrips also publishes listings on its own site and under its own branding. This means that if you decide to end the contract, you’ll need to start all over again to build your brand and visibility.
Some Glassdoor employee reviews mention that VTrips has experienced a high turnover rate at times. That means you may have to adjust to different management styles and representatives from time to time. VTrips also has some negative reviews from guests*.
Pricing
VTrips doesn’t disclose its prices online as they’re only available through a personalized quote.
5. Casiola
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Casiola is a full-service management company for short-term rentals. It will grow your business and increase your income but does it under its own brand name, not yours.
Casiola is an all-in-one vacation rental management company. It handles your listings across different channels, answers guests on a timely basis, and takes care of cleaning and maintenance.
Main features
- Easy to set up: Casiola helps you prepare and get your property ready to market without hassles. They can also do interior design and professional photography if needed.
- Listing optimization: this company has experts writing your listing’s description and title to increase conversions. Additionally, it optimizes your listing to rank higher on each OTA after a search.
- Boots-on-the-ground: Casiola has a team of cleaning and maintenance professionals that will ensure your property is always ready to welcome your guests.
- Airbnb Superhost certification: since it promotes your listings under its name, you get your properties published with the “Superhost” credential, which builds trust with guests.
Things to consider
This is a US-based company, its operations are mostly located in Florida, but it’s now managing property in Aruba as well.
Casiola owns your listings, which means you have no control over your branding. Keep this in mind when you choose a vacation rental management company because if you end the contract, you’ll lose all of your reviews and market presence.
Pricing
Casiola offers two different pricing plans. One is based on performance: Casiola charges 20% of your profits, without income limitations. On the other plan, you get a fixed income every month and the remaining revenue goes to Casiola.
Despite your location, there’s a short-term rental management company ready to help you streamline your operations
State-specific short-term rental companies
Here are some US state-specific property management companies that will handle your operations and have deep knowledge of each state’s specific regulations.
New York
- Cityami: This luxury property management company based on Broadway offers a tailored approach to your STR management. Their services include:
- 24/7 guest communication and care
- Inspection of major appliances (TVs, ACs, sound systems)
- Handling any emergency with their network of plumbers, electricians, and handymen
- Weekly payments
- It also operates in Miami, Washington D.C., Phoenix, Waikiki, and Belgrade
- MyVRHost: They’re property managers and homeowners, so they treat your property as one of their own. You’ll find these among their services:
- Creation of professional listings and channel management on OTAs
- Sales team 24/7 available to answer prospect questions
- Guest screening
- Key handover
- Cleaning and property maintenance
- They also operate in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sonoma County, Napa Valley, Seattle, San Diego, Lake Tahoe, and Nashville
California
- Venture Yours: This Long Beach-based company manages properties on Airbnb and Vrbo. Some of the things it covers include:
- Professional photography and copy for your listings
- Frequent quality inspections
- Housekeeping and key turnover
- Decoration and consumables (shampoo, soap, hand lotion)
- Maintenance and repairs
- Speed Keyz: This property management company manages your STR in Los Angeles and Orange County. Some of the services it offers include:
- Airbnb, VRBO, and other OTA listings management
- Interior design and decor at request
- Professional photography and copy for your OTA listing
- Manage bookings and payments
- Guest screening
- Housekeeping and restocking consumables
- Scheduling reparations and maintenance checks
Texas
- Hoststarter: Manage your STR operations end-to-end in Dallas, Arlington, Plano, and Forth Worth in Texas. Some of the services it provides include:
- Sourcing Airbnb and VRBO profitable properties for purchase
- Cleaning services
- Furnishing and decorating your STR property
- Helping you sell your property
- Managing calendar and guest communications
- Goldnest: This property management company helps you maintain your STR in Houston or Dallas from afar. Amongst its services, you’ll find:
- Handling the purchasing process
- Design, furnishings, and decorations for your property
- Promoting your property on Airbnb
- Maintaining the property and handling reparations
Massachusetts
- Cleaning Collaborative: This is much more than a cleaning company. The owner, Jessica Larsen, has been working in the vacation rental cleaning industry for years. She’s one of Jetstream’s most trusted partners. Her services include:
- Vacation rental management
- Key handover and maintenance
- Cleaning, staging, and creation of Matterport 3D tour
- Home Share Managers: Based in Boston, this property management company will take full control of:
- Listing promotion on OTAs
- Managing check-ins and outs
- Cleaning and key turnover
- Dynamic pricing strategies
- Restuffing consumables
Which short-term rental platform is best for your business?
Self-managing an STR can be time-consuming, leading to burnout and mistakes. Delegating your business to a full-service vacation rental management company allows you to increase your revenue and earn a passive income. However, doing so means you may not be able to build your own brand as many companies advertise your listings under their own brand.
Vacasa or a state-specific STR management company is your best choice if you don’t want to hire your own cleaning and maintenance teams to handle your properties in person. But, like most of the options on this list, you won’t keep ownership of your listings. So you won’t get to build your own brand or even keep your great reviews if you need to switch providers.
If you want control over your brand, listings, and overall decisions, as well as a partner that can grow with you, consider a company like Jetstream. You’ll get a dedicated team of experts to work on your property operations. We’ll distribute and market your listings under your brand while automating most of your processes and handling guest queries around the clock.
*Guest and owner ratings and opinions can change over time if a provider addresses the issues raised in reviews. Always check the most up-to-date information available and ask around before making a decision about which property management company to hire.
Frequently asked questions about the best short-term rental management companies
How much will a short-term rental management company charge?
Each short-term rental management company has a different pricing strategy based on the services they offer and the size of your portfolio. Some may charge a fixed fee and others will charge a percentage of the booking.
Companies like Vacasa can charge up to 35% per booking, while others like Jetstream, charge around 12%.
Should I use a property management company for my Airbnb?
You should use a property management company for Airbnb if you have additional time constraints that are making it difficult to focus on growing your STR business.
Managing an Airbnb is a lot of work and, if you want to reach Superhost status, you need to be responsive to guests 24/7. Property management companies like Jetstream can help automate processes like guest communications, dynamic pricing, and channel management so you can enjoy the benefits of having an Airbnb with minimal hassles.
Do property managers manage Airbnb properties?
Some property managers specialized in short-term rentals and can manage your Airbnb. You need to check if the managers you’re considering offer that service.
