I’m Kayla. I host three places and help friends with theirs. I’ve built my own direct booking sites. I’ve also broken them. So, yeah, real life here.
You want the short take? I’ll give it, but I’ll also share what really happened with each tool. The good, the bad, the “why is this button gray.”
Here’s the thing. Your “best” depends on your number of homes, how much time you have, and how picky you feel about design vs. control. I like pretty websites. I also like bookings that just work.
My quick picks
- Best all-in-one for most hosts: Lodgify
- Best for power rules and nerd stuff: OwnerRez (with their hosted site or a widget)
- Best looking site with easy edits: Wix + a booking widget (OwnerRez or Lodgify)
- Best budget for one small place: WordPress + MotoPress Hotel Booking
- Best for teams and lots of units: Uplisting site (simple, but strong)
If you want to see how these options stack up against even more contenders, I keep an eye on the yearly reviews over at Website Builder Awards.
For a deeper dive that mirrors the advice you’re reading right now, check out their recent rundown of my own picks in “The Best Website Builders for Vacation Rentals – What I Actually Use.”
Now let me explain how each one did for me.
1) Lodgify: My Lake Cabin “Bluebird Cabin”
I built Bluebird Cabin on Lodgify. I finished the first draft in two days. I had a “Book Now” button, taxes set, pet fee, and Stripe for payments. Apple Pay worked on my phone. That felt nice.
If you’re still researching platforms, Lodgify themselves publish an annually updated comparison of the best vacation rental website builders that highlights exactly where each tool shines (and where it doesn’t).
What I liked:
- Templates made for vacation rentals. They already had rooms, amenities, maps.
- Calendar sync with Airbnb and Vrbo was clean.
- Auto emails felt human after a few tweaks.
- I could add a damage deposit without a headache.
What bugged me:
- The blog was limited. I wanted a better local guide page.
- SEO tools were fine, but not fancy.
- Support was helpful, yet slow on one Sunday.
Real results:
- Before, I got 1 direct booking a month. After launch, I got 4 to 6 in summer.
- My cabin shows up for “lake cabin name + town.” Not crazy SEO, but enough.
Price note: You pay a monthly fee. Some plans add a small fee per booking. Stripe also takes a cut. It’s still worth it if you push direct.
Who should use it: If you want one tool for site + bookings + channels, and you don’t want to mess with code.
2) OwnerRez: My Beach Duplex “Seaglass Duplex”
OwnerRez is a beast. In a good way. I first used their simple hosted site. It was plain, but fast. Then I moved the front end to Wix and embedded the OwnerRez booking widget. That gave me a pretty site with rock-solid rules.
What I liked:
- Rate rules are so clear. Weekend vs. weekday. Min nights. Gap night tricks.
- Triggers and emails are sharp. I send door codes and upsells without stress.
- Taxes and reports make my CPA smile.
What bugged me:
- Setup is not “cute.” It takes time. Read the docs. Twice.
- The hosted site design is basic. Works, but not wow.
- Add-ons add up. Still fair for what you get.
Real results:
- I launched the simple site first. It caught two bookings in week one.
- After I moved to Wix + the widget, photos looked better. I got a wedding group for the duplex because the gallery felt more polished.
Who should use it: Hosts who need power. If you love rules, fees, triggers, and clean accounting, this is your home base.
3) Wix + A Booking Widget: Pretty and Fast Edits
For Seaglass Duplex, I used Wix for the design and embedded the OwnerRez widget. I made a big photo header, clear buttons, and an FAQ page. The mobile menu is tidy. I can tweak a headline in one minute.
What I liked:
- Easy drag and drop. Nice galleries. Solid mobile view.
- I wrote simple SEO titles and meta. That helped.
- I added a beach guide with map pins. Guests love that.
What bugged me:
- Wix by itself can’t handle complex vacation rental rules.
- You need a booking engine from somewhere else. I used OwnerRez. Lodgify also embeds fine.
Real results:
- I posted the link in a local Facebook group. We got three direct bookings in the first week.
- Guests say the site feels “less busy” than Airbnb. That helps trust.
Who should use it: If you want control of the look, and you’re okay pairing it with a real booking tool.
4) WordPress + MotoPress Hotel Booking: My Tiny Home “Red Fern Tiny”
I built a small WordPress site for my tiny home. I used shared hosting and the MotoPress Hotel Booking plugin. I picked a clean theme and kept it simple.
MotoPress also keeps a handy roundup of the best hotel website builders that doubles as a checklist for must-have features—even if you’re only running one petite vacation rental.
What I liked:
- One-time plugin cost deals pop up. Good value.
- I set a 50% deposit, late checkout, and coupons.
- iCal sync with Airbnb worked well for one listing.
What bugged me:
- Updates broke checkout once. I had to restore a backup. Not fun.
- You manage hosting, SSL, speed, spam, all of it.
- If you scale past two places, it gets heavy.
Real results:
- It converts fine from Instagram. People love tiny homes.
- My cost per month is low. Time cost is high.
Who should use it: Tinkerers and budget folks with one or two places, who don’t mind updates and backups.
5) Uplisting Site: My Cousin’s 12-Unit “Station Lofts”
I helped my cousin move 12 units to Uplisting. We used their direct booking site. It’s clean and fast, not flashy.
What I liked:
- Reliable rates, holds, and deposits. Less double booking risk.
- Strong guest screening and pre-auth for damage.
- Good for teams. Cleaner access and tasks are tidy.
What bugged me:
- The website design is simple. It won’t wow design snobs.
- The price fits pros more than hobby hosts.
Real results:
- We snagged a month-long corporate stay right after launch.
- The site loads quick on 4G. That helped travelers book on the go.
Who should use it: Multi-unit managers who care more about ops than fancy layouts.
Honorable quick mentions
- Hospitable Direct Booking: I set up a quick site during a storm cancel week. It took 15 minutes. Stripe worked. It’s basic, but it saved a weekend.
- Guesty Websites: Nice for big teams. Setup help is good. It can cost more and feels heavy for one or two places.
- If you also run a side-service like turnovers or commercial cleaning, you might find inspiration in this case study on building a cleaning business website six different ways. It shows how the same tech we use for rentals can power a whole different revenue stream.
- Curious about diversifying your income beyond real estate? Many hosts explore online content platforms too. Before you dive in, here’s an eye-opening look at how much money cam girls really make that reveals average hourly earnings, tipping habits, and platform fees so you can decide if that side-gig fits your risk-reward profile.
- Mississippi hosts who field the inevitable “so, what’s there to do after 10 p.m.?” question can steer travelers toward local adult-scene roundups like Skip-the-Games Vicksburg, which compiles nightlife spots and casual-meetup options so you don’t have to maintain that after-dark guide yourself.
Real talk: what actually matters
- Clear “Book Now” button on every page.
- Photos first. Bright, wide shots. Add a simple floor plan if you can.
- Straight rules. Pets? Parties? Parking? Don’t make folks guess.
- Payment trust. Show Stripe or the card logos. People feel safer.
- Taxes correct the first time. Fixing later is a pain.
- A short local guide. Coffee, hikes, kid spots. Keep it sweet.
My scorecard (feelings, not lab tests)
- Lodgify: 9/10 for most hosts. It just works. I wish the blog had more.
- OwnerRez: 9/10 for power. Looks meh alone, shines with a pretty shell.
- Wix + widget: 8/10. Lovely, but you need a real engine behind