Comparison
Direct booking options for small hosts, compared
Short answer: For an independent host with a few properties who already lists on Airbnb or Vrbo, KeepItDirect is the simplest way to get your own direct booking website. We build it for you, it costs $149 once plus a flat $19 a month with no booking commission, the calendar syncs both ways with Airbnb and Vrbo, and you approve every guest before they book. Lodgify, OwnerRez, Hostfully and Hostaway are software you set up and run yourself; they make more sense for large portfolios and teams.
Side by side, for one property
| Product | Who builds it | Control over who books | Cost for one property | Fees on your bookings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KeepItDirect | Done for you: we build it from photos or an existing listing you provide, in about 48 hours. You review it before it goes live and manage it in a simple Host Portal | Request-to-book: you vet and approve every guest, with an optional deposit to hold the dates. Two-way calendar sync with Airbnb and Vrbo | $149 one-time setup + a flat $19/mo | No booking commission. Guests pay you by Venmo, Zelle, Cash App, or card through your own Stripe account (standard Stripe card fees apply) |
| Lodgify | You build and maintain it yourself with a no-code builder; onboarding call included | Instant online booking | Starter (website builder) $26/mo billed yearly; Professional $47/mo billed yearly | 0% booking fee; 1% on online gateway payments plus the gateway fee |
| OwnerRez | You build and maintain it yourself from templates; 14-day free trial | Instant online booking and quotes | $40/mo minimum for the first property, plus $15/mo for a Hosted Website (so $55/mo with a site) | No booking fees; card processing applies |
| Hostfully | You set it up and run it, with onboarding from the Hostfully team | Full PMS with online booking | Growth from $15 per property per month plus a $99/mo platform fee | Growth: 1% payment gateway fee and 0.85% direct booking fee (waived on Pro, $25 per property per month plus platform fee) |
| Hostaway | You set it up and run it after a sales demo and onboarding | Full PMS with an instant booking engine | No public price; custom quote per listing after a demo | Not published |
Sources: Lodgify pricing · OwnerRez costs and fees and pricing · Hostfully pricing and platform fee · Hostaway pricing.
Competitor prices were read from each company’s own pricing or help pages on October 20, 2026 (ET) and are shown for one property in US dollars, before tax. Prices change, so check the linked page before you decide. KeepItDirect is not affiliated with any company named here.
KeepItDirect vs Lodgify → · KeepItDirect vs Hostaway →
Instant booking vs approving every guest
Lodgify, OwnerRez, Hostfully and Hostaway are built around instant booking. That is convenient, but on your own website it also means less control over who books your house. Instant booking on your own site lets strangers book without the guest reviews or host protection you get on Airbnb.
KeepItDirect is request-to-book. Guests pick dates and see the price, then send a request. You vet the guest and approve or decline, and you can ask for an optional deposit to hold the dates.
Built for you, not by you
With Lodgify, OwnerRez, Hostfully or Hostaway, you build and maintain the site yourself. KeepItDirect is done for you: we build your site from photos or an existing listing you provide, in about 48 hours. You review it before it goes live, and you manage rates, blocked dates and booking requests in a simple Host Portal.
What you get with KeepItDirect
- No booking commission and a flat $19 a month after the $149 setup.
- Two-way calendar sync with Airbnb and Vrbo: platform bookings block your site, and the direct bookings you approve go back to Airbnb and Vrbo.
- Request-to-book so you approve every guest, with an optional deposit.
- Guests pay you directly: Venmo, Zelle, Cash App, or cards through your own Stripe account.
- Keep your listings. Airbnb and Vrbo stay exactly as they are.
- Built for independent hosts with a few properties, with a simple Host Portal for rates, blocked dates and requests.
When a PMS like Hostaway or OwnerRez makes more sense
- You manage a large portfolio or work with a team, cleaners and owners.
- You want a channel manager that pushes rates and availability to Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com from one place.
- You want automated guest messaging, dynamic pricing, owner statements and reporting.
- You want guests to book and pay instantly, without your review.
If that is you, Lodgify, OwnerRez, Hostfully or Hostaway are built for it. If you have a few homes and want your own booking site without running software, KeepItDirect is the better fit.