The scope of third-party solutions that can be integrated with a vacation rental software largely depends on the specific software a property manager is using. While some vacation rental and short-term property management platforms have very limited ability to sync with external tools, others can connect and push data to a wide range of outside solutions. 

Some of the most popular categories of vacation rental technology solutions that property managers can link to their central management platforms include:

1. Booking Channels

Online travel agencies (OTAs) are complete with all the guest booking technology property managers need to collect reservations. These can be synced with certain vacation rental software, allowing for easy updating of listings, prices and calendars across all integrated channels from one dashboard.

By connecting booking channels to a centralized vacation rental software that houses all their guest, listing and reservation data, property managers ensure that there is an effective flow of communication across channels and reduce risks like double bookings and missed inquiries. 

Examples: Airbnb, Booking.com, TripAdvisor, Agoda, HomeAway

2. Dynamic Pricing Solutions

When synced with the property manager’s vacation rental software, dynamic pricing solutions can adjust listing prices on a manager’s behalf, reducing or increasing them to reflect supply and demand and maximize both occupancy and revenue.

Examples: Beyond Pricing, Price Labs and Wheelhouse

3. Keyless Entry Systems

Vacation rental technology like a keyless entry system allows guests to access the rentals they’ve booked without keys, through temporary passcodes or other technologies. The benefit of syncing these solutions with a central management platform is that the keyless entry systems can then access relevant data about upcoming reservations, automatically generate passcodes for these reservations and send the passcodes or other access measures to guests prior to their arrival. 

This is a form of guest management software that eliminates the need to coordinate with guests to arrange key exchanges. 

Examples: Lynx Automation, Vikey, RemoteLock and PointCentral

4. Key Exchange Facilitators

For property managers who prefer to use keys, there are technologies that facilitate easy key exchanges with guests. These, too, can be synced with reservation and guest data so that guests automatically receive instructions to access the keys to their rentals at the appropriate times.

Examples: Sharebox, KeyNest

5. Automation Technology

Another form of smart technology for vacation rentals is home automation, which  helps short-term property managers improve their guest experience and stay on top of activity at their rentals, controlling access, thermostats and other sensors. 

Examples: Operto, PointCental, Rabbu, Parakeet

Other automation technologies focus on facilitating smooth coordination between team members, simplifying the check-in/check-out process and enhancing guests’ experiences throughout their stay.

Examples: CheKin, Wishbox, Breezeway, YourWelcome

6. Cleaning and Maintenance Solutions

Short-term rental cleaning and maintenance providers allow you to outsource these tasks to professionals. When you sync these solutions with your vacation rental software, you give providers access your calendar and reservation details, allowing them to dispatch staff to the appropriate addresses at the appropriate times.

Examples: Properly, Doinn, 

7. Business Intelligence Software

With access to all the data on your central vacation rental management platform, third-party business intelligence solutions can analyze your occupancy rates, income per listing, income per season and other parameters in order to generate practical insights into your business performance.

Examples: StayIntel, Key Data, Transparent

8. Vacation Rental Insurance Providers

To reduce the risks involved in allowing the public to stay at their listings, property managers can take out  insurance policies tailored specifically to the needs of short-term rentals. When integrated with your vacation rental software, your insurance providers will  have all the data they need to build and activate your policy.

Examples: Safetly, Guardhog

Other Services

Other valuable integration options include:

• Luggage storage solutions, so your guests can explore the city without their belongings before and after checkout.  Examples: Knock Knock City, Stasher

• Payment processors to enable you to collect payments from guests.  Example: Stripe

• Accounting software to make organizing your finances smoother and simpler.
  Example: BookingTrust