Best channel managers for vacation rentals and hotels

“Hospitality is about trying to support multiple functions in one space,” says Miguel McKelvey from WeWork. Managing multiple properties across various online booking platforms can be a real headache. If you're struggling with booking channels, availability updates, and overbooking risks, a property channel manager might be your solution.

Wondering if you need any channel management solutions? Think about synchronization with OTAs and metasearch sites like Trip-com. Once your customers book a room, room availability is updated — everywhere, all at once. These are just tip-of-the-iceberg features you get from integration with channel managers. But before integrating, you need to choose the best channel manager, right?

This guide will help you pick the best-fit channel manager among dozens on the market based on your niche, workflows, and budget. Let’s get this party started!

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What is channel management software?

What’s the simplest channel manager definition? It’s a central hub for accommodations, synchronizing room availability and pricing across booking platforms. The channel management function is a plus for more organized, up-to-date information.

86% of hoteliers report that ease of use in their channel manager PMS sync and integration with their revenue management system is essential for day-to-day operations. It gives you a chance not to miss valuable opportunities like last-minute booking, ensure rate parity, and make your operations much faster. Results are impressive — 80% of hospitality operators report it’s a great booster for their processes. 

How is this achieved? Channel management solutions offer some major benefits for your business:

• Sync rates and reservations across your PMS, OTAs, and metasearch sites
• Automatically update room availability everywhere
• Prevent unauthorized discounts
• Reduce overbooking risks

Whether you're looking for the best channel manager for vacation rentals or a hotel channel manager, these tools make your operations much more efficient. Some even offer a free channel manager for hotels and rentals to get you started.

What exactly does a channel manager do? 

So how does channel management work? You've just received a booking on Booking.com. In the blink of an eye, your channel manager updates your availability on all other connected platforms – be it Expedia, Airbnb, or your own website. Why is this so important? Because 700+ million room nights are booked through OTAs yearly. That's a lot of potential guests for your property.

Let's break down why using a travel channel manager is a game-changer:

• It saves tons of time. 

How long will it take to update rates and availability on 10+ channels manually? Probably hours. Now imagine doing it with a single click. Some hoteliers report saving up to 20 hours per week with channel manager solutions. 

• It Increases your revenue. 

By enabling you to quickly adjust prices across all platforms, you can capitalize on demand fluctuations. Properties using channel managers have reported a 20% revenue boost.

• It helps you reach further.

Connect to a multitude of OTA channel managers and other booking platforms with ease. Some of the best hotel channel manager software boast connections to over 400 distribution channels. No spoilers yet, we’ll show you our top picks below.

• It prevents overbooking.

Nothing ruins a guest's experience (and your reputation) faster than an overbooking. Channel managers keep your inventory in sync across all platforms, dramatically reducing this risk. This is the power of distribution channels in hospitality industry.

• It makes you data-driven.

Most channel software comes with robust reporting tools, giving you insights into which channels perform best, and allowing you to refine your strategy continually.

With a growing OTA monopoly and competition, having a property channel manager is a must. But to decide what solution will fit you best, let’s figure out the functions they might have — and how they can boost you. Now that we figured out “what is channel manager” and “what does it do” questions, let’s separate it from another solution — GDS, as they have similarities.

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What is the difference between channel manager and GDS?

A property channel manager is a software solution that helps accommodation providers manage their listings and bookings across multiple online travel agencies (OTAs) and booking platforms. On the other hand, global distribution systems (GDS) are networks that connect travel service providers to travel agencies. 

Here are 5 main differences between GDSs and channel manager solutions:

1. Channel managers are great for hotels, vacation rentals, and other accommodation providers, while GDSs cater to travel agencies, airlines, hotels, and car rental companies.
2. Channel managers provide two-way XML connectivity with various channels, while GDSs operate as a network connecting providers and agencies.
3. Channel managers allow simultaneous distribution across multiple channels, while GDS aggregates inventory from various providers for travel agents.
4. Another difference is in the booking process. Channel managers enable direct bookings through various online channels, unlike GDS which facilitates bookings made through travel agents.
5. Pricing control is another big one. A channel manager allows property owners to manage rates across channels, while in GDS, providers set rates and display them for travel agents.

The solution you pick will play a great role in your future scaling and day-to-day processes. So how do you choose between a GDS vs a channel management system?

Your business size and audience are important factors to consider. If you're a small to medium-sized property focusing on direct bookings and OTA distribution, opt for a channel management solution. 

For larger hotels or chains targeting corporate travelers and working with travel agencies, integrating with a GDS is more beneficial. Some businesses may benefit from using both systems to maximize their reach and efficiency.

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How to choose the right channel management solution?

When managing your property's online distribution, selecting the right channel management solution is a strategic step that defines your future growth. Let's explore the types of channel management systems available and things to consider when making a choice. 

Types of channel management software

There are two main types of channel management systems: standalone and integrated. What are their main differences?

Standalone channel managers are independent software solutions that focus on managing distribution across various online channels. They offer flexibility and can often integrate with existing PMSs. 

Unlike the standalone ones, integrated channel managers are built into larger property management or central reservation systems. They provide seamless connectivity between your operational software and distribution channels.

The choice between standalone and integrated solutions depends on your property's existing tech stack and specific needs. Smaller properties benefit from an all-in-one integrated solution, and large hotels with established systems prefer a more flexible standalone channel manager.

But for a fully informed choice, consider all the features a channel management tool has to offer. 

Key channel managers features 

Choose functionality that aligns with your business goals, property type, and other needs:

• Channel connectivity, or the ability to connect to a wide range of OTAs, GDSs, and metasearch engines. The more channels available, the greater your potential reach.
• Real-time synchronization. Ensure the channel manager offers real-time OTA sync to prevent overbookings and maintain rate parity across all platforms.
• Property type support. Choose a solution that caters to your specific property type, whether it's a hotel, vacation rental, B&B, or hostel.
• Booking engine integration. A built-in or easily integrated booking engine can help drive direct bookings through your website.
• PMS integration. Seamless integration with your property management system is important for efficient operations.
• User-friendly interface. What’s this about? Look for an intuitive dashboard that makes it easy to manage rates, availability, and reservations across all channels.
• Reporting and analytics. Good reporting features can help you track performance and make data-driven decisions.
• Mobile accessibility. A mobile app or responsive design allows you to manage your distribution on the go.
• Support and API documentation. Ensure the provider offers comprehensive support and resources to integrate with various channels and your infrastructure.
• Pricing model. Consider whether a fixed-rate or commission-based pricing structure better suits your business model.

Popular solutions like SiteMinder, Cloudbeds Channel Manager, and STAAH offer many of these features. However, it's essential to evaluate each option based on your specific needs and budget. Let’s explore the best channel management solutions on the market.

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Best channel manager for vacation rentals and B&B

Now let's talk about the best options of channel managers for hotels and vacation rentals on the market. These distribution channel management tools are different in many ways. With years-honed expertise in hotel management software development and consulting, we've compiled a list of top options, categorized by their strengths and integration capabilities.

For vacation rental and B&B owners, we have compiled a list of great channel management solutions with moderate pricing plans and various distribution channels. 

Track: Best fitting channel manager for vacation rentals

Track is a great choice for short-term vacation rental owners and managers. It integrates with popular channels like BookingPal, NextPax, and Red Awning, ensuring wide distribution. Track also syncs directly with major OTAs, so if you need a channel manager with booking.com and Airbnb integration options, this increases your visibility greatly.

What makes Track stand out is its comprehensive payment and dispute management solution. This feature speeds up the financial side of your rental business, saving you time and headaches. Additionally, Track offers a Github repository, making it easy for owners to integrate the system with their existing setup. 

Hosthub: Best channel manager for short-term rental properties

Hosthub shines as one of the best channel manager for short-term rentals, offering connections to over 200 channels. This wide range includes niche platforms like Canopy and Stars glamping channel, helping you reach diverse audiences. What sets Hosthub apart is its Vrbo API connection and sync so you can tap into the massive market.

Hosthub's Open API allows for custom integrations, making it adaptable to your specific needs. Their pricing is also flexible, starting at just $13.6 per rental per month for up to 5 properties. This scalable pricing model makes Hosthub an excellent choice for short-term rental owners.

Your.Rentals: Property channel solution for rental managers

Your.Rentals excels as a property channel manager for rental owners and managers. It offers connections to 35 channels and 50+ short-term rental websites, providing broad exposure for your properties. A standout feature is their Direct Booking, which allows you to accept bookings directly, saving on OTA commissions.

Your.Rentals standard plan includes dynamic pricing. The 7.5% service fee might seem high at first glance, but it includes a full channel manager service, making it cost-effective for many rental managers. This combination of wide distribution, direct booking capabilities, and dynamic pricing makes Your.Rentals a powerful tool for maximizing revenue.

Octorate: Best channel manager for small B&B operators

Octorate is tailor-made for small B&B operators, offering over 110 distribution channels and with PMS-channel manager integrations, GDSs like Sabre, Juniper, Xenia HS, and Alliance Réseaux. Plus, tools like Analytics, Reputation Checker, and Rate Shopper help small operators compete with larger properties. Octorate also connects to metasearch engines like Tripadvisor and Trivago, expanding your visibility even further.

With pricing starting at just $30/month, Octorate offers excellent value in a channel manager B&B sector. The platform's comprehensive feature set, including a booking engine and mobile app, provides small operators with tools typically reserved for larger properties. 

Enviivo: Channel manager for B2B and boutique accommodations

Enviivo is another great channel management example. It caters to boutique hotels and B&Bs, covering an impressive 27,000+ properties. It connects to all major OTAs, including Airbnb, VRBO, and Expedia, so your property is visible where it matters most. A cool feature is Enviivo's fully automated Payment Manager, which streamlines the often complex process of managing payments from multiple channels.

Enviivo also offers a robust Booking Engine and a user-friendly mobile app, providing a complete solution for managing your property on the go. These features, together with its strong focus on boutique accommodations, make Enviivo a great channel manager for bed and breakfast properties.

Cubilis: Booking channel manager for medium-sized properties

Cubilis is a powerhouse for medium-sized properties, boasting 400 partner connections and hotel channels, as well as links to over 200 booking sites. It stands out with connections to Trivago, TripAdvisor, and Google Hotel Search. Cubilis also offers PMS connectivity with popular systems like Mews and Protel, ensuring smooth operations.

Priced at €40/month plus €15/month for support, Cubilis offers excellent value for its comprehensive feature set. It also offers a 14-day trial, so you can enjoy a free channel manager for vacation rentals during this period and onboard your team. This balance of features and affordability positions Cubilis as an excellent choice for growing properties ready to take their distribution to the next level.

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Best hotel channel manager software

Choosing the best channel manager software makes a big difference in a hotel’s distribution strategy and overall efficiency. With these channel managers, hotel revenues improve greatly.

These systems help you manage your inventory across multiple channels, sync rates and availability in real-time, and often integrate with your existing PMS. So what’s on our list of hotel channel managers?

Siteminder: Comprehensive hotel distribution channel management system

The first one in our hotel channel manager comparison is Siteminder. This is a shining player in hotel distribution channel management. With connections to 400 distribution channels and coverage of 35,000 hotels worldwide, it's an awesome solution for properties of all sizes. Siteminder's channel manager is ranked #1, offering integration with major OTAs and GDS systems.

What makes Siteminder one of the best hotel distribution systems is its all-in-one approach. It offers a top-ranked booking engine, real-time analytics, and a mobile app for on-the-go management. 

Pricing starts at €69/month for the basic plan, offering excellent value considering the comprehensive feature set. A trial also lets you try out this hotel channel manager for free.

The platform's ability to handle large volumes of data and transactions makes it ideal for large hotel chains.

Cloudbeds: All-in-one PMS and channel manager for hotels

Cloudbeds offers a unique proposition as a channel manager and PMS solution. This integrated approach, together with a sync with over 300 OTAs, ensures your property has maximum visibility across various booking platforms. 

One of Cloudbeds' standout features is its commission-free booking engine and in-built payment processing. These capabilities make Cloudbeds a great choice for hotels looking to simplify their operations, ensure smooth payments, and increase visibility.

innRoad: Hotel PMS and channel manager with GDS connectivity 

What makes innRoad a distinguished option in hotel online distribution channel management? It has its own native GDS integration, a valuable feature for hotels looking to tap into the travel agent market. This hotel PMS and channel manager combo offers connections to hundreds of OTAs, providing broad distribution for your property.

A key advantage of innRoad is that it’s a commission-free hotel channel manager offering direct bookings, which can boost your bottom line. innRoad also provides hotel payment processing, simplifying your financial management as part of channel management for hotels.

RateTiger: Channel management tools for luxury hotels

RateTiger caters specifically to the luxury hotel market. With connections to 450 channel and technology partners, including major OTAs and GDS systems, RateTiger offers extensive distribution for high-end properties.

One of RateTiger's excellent features is its 2-way XML connectivity to GDS systems like Amadeus, making it easier to manage your presence in the travel agent market. The platform also offers a Room Rate API with dynamic pricing.

RateTiger's integration with Expedia Virtual Card streamlines payment processing, a valuable feature for hotels dealing with a high volume of bookings. Its tailored pricing and focus on premium features and integrations make it an ideal choice for luxury hotels to give them a competitive advantage.

Ripe: Leading property channel manager for independent hotels

Why is this tool on our list of channel managers for hotels? Ripe positions as a leading property channel manager for independent hotels. It offers connections to major OTAs like Booking.com and Expedia, ensuring your property has visibility on the most popular booking platforms.

One of Ripe's unique features is its Ripe Search Widget, which allows easy integration of your hotel's availability and rates into your website. This can help drive more direct bookings, reducing reliance on OTAs. Ripe also offers both commission-based and commission-free pricing models, giving hotels flexibility in how they manage their distribution costs, making it one of the best channel managers for small hotels.

A flexible pricing structure, combined with a focus on independent hotels, makes Ripe an attractive option for properties looking to maintain their independence. With this channel management system, hotel visibility and profits can be tracked and improved.

Aiosell: Smart hotel distribution channel manager

The last one on our list of channel managers for hotels is Aiosell. It offers a smart approach to hotel distribution channel management. It covers over 300 hotels in more than 20 countries. What makes Aiosell a truly smart solution? It integrates channel management with revenue management and analytics, offering a more holistic approach you can rely on.

Aiosell's pricing is modular, allowing hotels to pick and choose the features they need. A standout feature of Aiosell is that its channel manager is free when you purchase any of their other products. This is a cost-effective way for you to access channel management capabilities while also having other tools on board — like their Revenue Management System, including analytics and a rate shopper.

This flexible way makes Aiosell an attractive option if you want to gradually expand your distribution and revenue management capabilities.

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Best OTA channel managers

Why are these solutions important? An effective OTA channel manager helps you maximize your visibility and bookings across these platforms and cut the time and effort of managing multiple OTA relationships. Let's explore some of the best options available.

Katanox: Channel management solution for digital nomads

The digital nomad market is growing, and Katanox is a great option for them. This modern channel management solution specializes in hotels, travel resellers, and short-stay rentals, so it provides flexible accommodation needs for today’s travelers.

What sets Katanox apart is its B2B payment solution which integrates with major PMS systems like Mews and Cloudbeds, ensuring smooth operations for properties of various sizes.

Katanox provides detailed API documentation, making it easy for you to customize the platform to your needs. Also, it recently expanded its integration with TrustedStays to enable GDS capabilities and synced with Hopper to make its OTA reach even further. All this said, this channel manager is great for online travel agents to make the most out of their distribution.

HyperGuest: Distribution channel management software for B2B bookings

HyperGuest is a new word in the B2B booking space, making it a top choice for distribution channel management software focused on business-to-business transactions. With 25,000+ live properties and connections to 150 channel managers and property management systems, HyperGuest offers extensive reach for you.

A standout feature of HyperGuest is its e-GDS connectivity, which can be particularly valuable if you need to increase your visibility among travel agents and corporate bookers. Interestingly, HyperGuest is free for accommodation providers, instead generating revenue from the demand side of the equation. This pricing model makes it amazing if you want to expand your B2B distribution without additional costs.

RezGain: Global channel management system for diverse accommodations

RezGain offers a comprehensive global channel management system that caters to a wide range of accommodations, from hotels to vacation rentals. With connections to over 400 channels and integration with major GDS systems like Sabre and Amadeus, RezGain provides extensive distribution options.

One of RezGain's key strengths is its XML API Integration, which connects with various property management systems and booking engines. The platform also offers sophisticated tools for rate management and room type mapping, crucial for properties with complex inventory. So if you need a versatile, full-featured channel management solution — RezGain is for you.

Bokun: Channel management platform for tours and activities

Mainly known for tours and activities, Bokun also offers robust channel management capabilities that can benefit accommodation providers. The platform boasts thousands of connections to resellers and OTAs in its marketplace, providing extensive distribution options.

Bokun stands out with its REST API, allowing for custom integrations and extensions of the platform's functionality. This can be particularly valuable for properties that offer tours or activities.

Bokun provides tiered pricing, and this flexible pricing model makes it an attractive option for properties of various sizes, particularly those looking to integrate accommodation and activity offerings.

STAAH: OTA channel manager for multiple property types

STAAH works well for various property types, from hotels to vacation rentals. The platform connects to over 200 channels, ensuring broad distribution across major OTAs and niche booking sites.

One of STAAH's key features is its SwiftBook booking engine, which helps properties drive more direct bookings alongside their OTA presence. They also offer a mobile app, so you can update rates from any device. Its versatility across different property types and its balance of OTA connections and direct booking tools make STAAH a great choice for comprehensive, flexible channel management.

To sum up, the market for off-the-shelf channel management solutions gives you good options to choose from. But for some businesses, a ready-made approach isn’t the optimal way to boost your margins and reach. Custom software development for travel tailors technology to your needs and helps you keep updated with the growing market without switching to different tools and payment plans as your business grows.

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Which channel manager system is best?

Picking the best hotel channel management software for your property is a big deal. It's not just about getting your rooms on different websites — it's about making your life easier and your business more profitable. Whether you're running a cozy B&B or a big hotel chain, there's a channel manager out there that's just right for you, and we hope these channel manager tips will help you make an informed decision. 

As an experienced travel agency software development company, we help businesses integrate the right channel management solutions. We know our way around custom travel and hotel API integrations, and we're here to help you set up the channel manager that'll work best for you. With the right solution and our tech expertise, you'll be on your way to smoother operations and bigger profits in no time.

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FAQ

What is a channel manager?

A channel manager is a software tool that helps property owners manage their listings and bookings across multiple online travel agencies and booking platforms.

What does a channel manager do?

A channel manager synchronizes your property's availability, rates, and bookings across various distribution channels in real time, preventing overbookings and ensuring consistent information across all platforms.

What is the difference between a channel manager and a PMS?

A Property Management System (PMS) is used for managing the day-to-day operations of a property, while a channel manager specifically handles distribution across online booking platforms. Many modern solutions integrate both functionalities.

What is the best channel manager for hotels?

The best channel manager depends on your specific needs, but popular options include SiteMinder, Cloudbeds, and RateTiger for hotels of various sizes. All these options allow you to increase your sales by channel management software that works for your business. Your goal is to choose various PMS channel manager, booking engine, and metasearch integrated options.

What is the best channel manager for vacation rentals?

For vacation rentals, top options include Track, Hosthub, and Your.Rentals, each offering features tailored to short-term rental properties.

Are there free channel managers available?

While many channel managers offer free trials, fully free options are limited. Some, like Aiosell, offer a free channel manager when you purchase other products, so you can find channel manager hotel free of charge for a limited time or for good.

Can a channel manager help with direct bookings?

Yes, many channel managers include a booking engine for your website, helping you increase direct bookings alongside OTA bookings.

Are my options limited to the list you provided?

No, we only summarized the ones we specifically recommend for various types of businesses. There are plenty of other options available, like Booking Expert channel manager, Easy Booking channel manager, Room Cloud serviced apartment channel manager, Beds24 hostel channel manager, Stardekk, Booklogic, and more.