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VacayDirect

Best vacation rental website builders

Thirteen ways to get a rental website, compared without the affiliate links.

One of these is ours. To keep ourselves honest, every price and fee below was read on the vendor’s own website in September 2026, each entry links to its source, and each one lists its drawbacks, ours first.

The short answer

The best vacation rental website builder depends on who does the work. If you want it done for you at a flat monthly price, VacayDirect. If you’ll build it yourself on top of your booking software, CraftedStays. If you’re starting from nothing and want one tool, Lodgify. If you want maximum back-office control, OwnerRez. On the tightest budget, Houfy.

All thirteen at a glance
BuilderWho does the workPublished priceFee on direct bookingsTrial
VacayDirect(ours)Done for you$99/mo, or $199/mo with a human team. No setup fee.NoneNo trial; month to month
CraftedStaysSelf-serve builder$89.99/mo for the first 2 properties, then $8 per property. Blog add-on $30/mo. Done-for-you setup from $1,500.None14 days, no card
LodgifyIncluded with booking softwareWebsite builder starts on the Starter plan, $33/mo list. The $18 Basic plan doesn't include it. Pricing varies with property count.0% on every plan7 days, no card
OwnerRezIncluded with booking software$40/mo for the first property, plus $15/mo for the Hosted Websites feature. Additional properties on a sliding scale.None14 days
HospitableIncluded with booking softwareDirect is included on Professional ($59/mo, 2 properties) and Mogul ($99/mo, 3 properties). Not on the $0 or $29 plans.Yes. Direct Basic: 1% host fee. Direct Premium: 4% guest + 3% host, or 7% host-only.14 days
HostfullyIncluded with booking softwareFrom $15 per property per month plus a platform fee (amount not published). Direct booking site included on every plan.Growth plan: 0.85% direct booking fee plus 1% payment gateway fee. None on Pro.None advertised; demo only
GuestyIncluded with booking softwareLite (1 to 3 listings) from $9 per listing per month. Pro and Enterprise by quote. Advanced website tiers are a paid add-on.Guesty describes website bookings as commission-free14 days, Lite only
HostawayIncluded with booking softwareNot published. The pricing page is a quote form.Not stated on the pages we readNot stated
HoufyMarketplace + builderFree plan with a one-time $5.99 verification. Lite $7.99 and Premium $11.99 per listing per month; the pricing page lists website builder tools under Premium.0% host commission. Guests pay a 5% connection fee on bookings through certain software integrations.Free plan available
BoostlyDone for youNot published. Pricing is discussed on a call.Not statedNone; sales call
OwnerWebsSelf-serve builder$55/mo or $599/yr, including hosting and domain.None30 days; pay only at launch
Vacation Rental DeskSelf-serve builder$12 per rental per month; bulk tiers from $150/mo for up to 15 rentals.None30 days
WixGeneral website builderSee wix.com/plans; prices vary by country. You need a plan that accepts payments to take bookings.None stated by WixFree plan; 14-day money-back on paid plans

Prices and fees as published on each vendor’s site, September 2026. Vendors change pricing often; follow the source link in each entry before you decide.

How we compared them

Four questions that matter more than feature lists

  1. Who does the work?

    Building, writing and maintaining a site is the real cost. A cheap builder you never finish is more expensive than a service.

  2. What does it really cost?

    The published monthly price, plus the add-ons you need for it to be a working website: the builder itself, a blog, setup.

  3. Is there a fee on direct bookings?

    The point of going direct is to stop paying per booking. Some tools quietly reintroduce it.

  4. Does anyone produce the content?

    A site with five pages ranks for your name. A site with fifty useful local pages gets found by strangers.

VacayDirect

Done for you

Best for: Owners who want a site and won't build one

This is ours, so weigh it accordingly. We build the site from your existing website or listing, embed your booking system's checkout, and publish local guides and guest pages every week.

Price
$99/mo, or $199/mo with a human team. No setup fee.
Fee on direct bookings
None
Trial
No trial; month to month

In its favour

  • You don't build, write or maintain anything
  • Works with any booking system that offers a widget or booking link
  • Ongoing local content is included, not an add-on you have to fill

Worth knowing

  • New service with a small customer base
  • No booking engine of its own: rates and availability come from your booking system's widget rather than a native search
  • Costs more per month than a self-serve builder if you'd happily do the work yourself

Source: vacaydirect.com/pricing, September 2026.

CraftedStays

Self-serve builder

Best for: Hands-on operators on a supported booking system

A dedicated direct booking website builder that sits on top of Hostaway, Guesty, Hospitable, OwnerRez or Hostfully, with native property search and live rates inside the site.

Price
$89.99/mo for the first 2 properties, then $8 per property. Blog add-on $30/mo. Done-for-you setup from $1,500.
Fee on direct bookings
None
Trial
14 days, no card

In its favour

  • Deep sync with five booking systems
  • Built specifically for rental conversion
  • Publishes its own research on AI search

Worth knowing

  • Requires one of the five supported systems
  • You build and write it yourself unless you pay for onboarding
  • Blog tools cost extra

Source: craftedstays.co/pricing, September 2026.

Lodgify

Included with booking software

Best for: First-time direct owners who want one tool

Booking software with a channel manager, booking engine and a no-code website builder in one subscription.

Price
Website builder starts on the Starter plan, $33/mo list. The $18 Basic plan doesn't include it. Pricing varies with property count.
Fee on direct bookings
0% on every plan
Trial
7 days, no card

In its favour

  • One login for calendar, channels, payments and site
  • No booking fee
  • Quick to get something presentable online

Worth knowing

  • Template-based design
  • Website builder isn't in the cheapest plan
  • You write all the content

Source: lodgify.com/pricing, September 2026.

OwnerRez

Included with booking software

Best for: Power users who want control of the back office

Highly capable booking software. Hosted Websites is a paid premium feature switched on inside your account; a WordPress plugin is a separate one.

Price
$40/mo for the first property, plus $15/mo for the Hosted Websites feature. Additional properties on a sliding scale.
Fee on direct bookings
None
Trial
14 days

In its favour

  • Deep channel, accounting and automation features
  • Transparent published pricing
  • No booking fees or contracts

Worth knowing

  • Website is an extra charge on top of the base subscription
  • You write the content

Source: OwnerRez: Costs & Fees, September 2026.

Hospitable

Included with booking software

Best for: Small hosts already automating with Hospitable

Messaging-led booking software whose Direct product adds a site builder, embeddable booking widget, guest portal and rental agreements.

Price
Direct is included on Professional ($59/mo, 2 properties) and Mogul ($99/mo, 3 properties). Not on the $0 or $29 plans.
Fee on direct bookings
Yes. Direct Basic: 1% host fee. Direct Premium: 4% guest + 3% host, or 7% host-only.
Trial
14 days

In its favour

  • Strong guest messaging automation
  • Friendly to small hosts
  • Widget can be embedded in any site

Worth knowing

  • Per-booking fees on direct reservations
  • Direct isn't on the entry plans
  • You write the content

Source: Hospitable Help: pricing, September 2026.

Hostfully

Included with booking software

Best for: Managers who care about the guest journey

Property management platform known for digital guidebooks, with a brandable direct booking site on all plans.

Price
From $15 per property per month plus a platform fee (amount not published). Direct booking site included on every plan.
Fee on direct bookings
Growth plan: 0.85% direct booking fee plus 1% payment gateway fee. None on Pro.
Trial
None advertised; demo only

In its favour

  • Direct booking site on every plan
  • Known for its digital guidebooks
  • White-label options

Worth knowing

  • Platform fee isn't published
  • Booking fee on the entry plan
  • No free trial

Source: hostfully.com/pricing, September 2026.

Guesty

Included with booking software

Best for: Operators planning to scale past a handful of listings

Operations software for professional managers with a lighter edition for small hosts. Guesty Websites comes in Basic, Advanced and a done-for-you Advanced Plus tier.

Price
Lite (1 to 3 listings) from $9 per listing per month. Pro and Enterprise by quote. Advanced website tiers are a paid add-on.
Fee on direct bookings
Guesty describes website bookings as commission-free
Trial
14 days, Lite only

In its favour

  • Scales to hundreds of listings
  • A done-for-you website tier exists
  • Large integration marketplace

Worth knowing

  • Website tier prices aren't published
  • Most pricing is by quote
  • Built with multi-listing operators in mind

Source: guesty.com/pricing, September 2026.

Hostaway

Included with booking software

Best for: Growing managers who'll take a sales call

Channel management software with a no-code direct booking website builder, templates, a built-in booking engine and real-time availability sync.

Price
Not published. The pricing page is a quote form.
Fee on direct bookings
Not stated on the pages we read
Trial
Not stated

In its favour

  • Strong channel management
  • Big marketplace of connected tools
  • Booking engine can be linked or embedded

Worth knowing

  • No public pricing
  • Aimed at multi-listing managers
  • You build and write the site

Source: hostaway.com direct booking, September 2026.

Houfy

Marketplace + builder

Best for: The tightest budgets

A commission-free listing marketplace with an AI website builder on top, including a booking engine, calendar and custom domain support.

Price
Free plan with a one-time $5.99 verification. Lite $7.99 and Premium $11.99 per listing per month; the pricing page lists website builder tools under Premium.
Fee on direct bookings
0% host commission. Guests pay a 5% connection fee on bookings through certain software integrations.
Trial
Free plan available

In its favour

  • Very low cost
  • No host commission
  • Marketplace exposure as well as a site

Worth knowing

  • Houfy's own pages disagree on whether the builder is free or needs Premium
  • A guest fee applies on some bookings
  • Your site lives inside their ecosystem

Source: houfy.com/pricing, September 2026.

Boostly

Done for you

Best for: Owners who want coaching along with the build

A custom WordPress direct booking website built by Boostly's team, bundled with a CRM, group coaching and courses. Their site says it integrates with 27+ booking systems.

Price
Not published. Pricing is discussed on a call.
Fee on direct bookings
Not stated
Trial
None; sales call

In its favour

  • Genuinely done for you
  • Coaching and courses come with it
  • Wide booking system support

Worth knowing

  • No public pricing
  • WordPress needs ongoing maintenance
  • Their site states both 30 and 35 days to launch

Source: boostly.co.uk, September 2026.

OwnerWebs

Self-serve builder

Best for: Owners without booking software who want everything in one simple tool

Self-serve rental website builder with its own booking engine, Airbnb and Vrbo calendar sync, and Stripe or PayPal payments.

Price
$55/mo or $599/yr, including hosting and domain.
Fee on direct bookings
None
Trial
30 days; pay only at launch

In its favour

  • Booking engine included, no separate software needed
  • Simple flat price
  • Blog and unlimited pages

Worth knowing

  • Calendar sync rather than full channel management
  • You build and write it
  • Smaller ecosystem

Source: ownerwebs.com/pricing, September 2026.

Vacation Rental Desk

Self-serve builder

Best for: Low-cost template sites with built-in reservations

Template-based rental website builder with reservation software, availability search, blogging and owner statements.

Price
$12 per rental per month; bulk tiers from $150/mo for up to 15 rentals.
Fee on direct bookings
None
Trial
30 days

In its favour

  • Cheap
  • Commission free
  • Reservations built in

Worth knowing

  • Calendar sync covers dates only
  • Card processing and your own domain need the paid plan
  • You build and write it

Source: vacationrentaldesk.com, September 2026.

Wix

General website builder

Best for: People who enjoy designing their own site

A general-purpose builder with a vacation rental landing page. Nightly bookings run through the Wix Hotels by HotelRunner app.

Price
See wix.com/plans; prices vary by country. You need a plan that accepts payments to take bookings.
Fee on direct bookings
None stated by Wix
Trial
Free plan; 14-day money-back on paid plans

In its favour

  • Total design freedom
  • Huge template and app library
  • Calendar sync with booking platforms

Worth knowing

  • Not built for rentals; booking is an add-on app
  • Content and search visibility are up to you
  • All of the work is yours

Source: Wix Help: Wix Hotels, September 2026.

Questions

Choosing a rental website builder

What is the best vacation rental website builder?

It depends on who does the work. For owners who want the site built and run for them at a flat price, VacayDirect ($99/mo, no setup fee). For hands-on operators already using Hostaway, Guesty, Hospitable, OwnerRez or Hostfully, CraftedStays ($89.99/mo for two properties). For a first-time direct owner who wants one tool for calendar, payments and website, Lodgify, whose website builder starts on its $33/mo Starter plan. We make VacayDirect, so treat our own ranking with appropriate suspicion and check the sources.

How much does a vacation rental website cost?

Published prices checked in September 2026 range from free (Houfy's free plan, with a one-time $5.99 verification) and $12 per rental per month (Vacation Rental Desk), through $33 to $99 a month for most builders, to $1,500 and up for done-for-you setup at CraftedStays. Several vendors, including Hostaway and Boostly, don't publish prices at all.

Do vacation rental website builders charge a fee on direct bookings?

Some do. Hospitable's Direct Basic carries a 1% host fee and Direct Premium charges 4% to the guest plus 3% to the host, or 7% host-only. Hostfully's Growth plan has a 0.85% direct booking fee plus a 1% payment gateway fee. Houfy charges hosts nothing but guests pay a 5% connection fee on bookings through certain software integrations. Lodgify, OwnerRez, CraftedStays, OwnerWebs and VacayDirect charge no booking fee. Card processing applies everywhere.

Is a builder included with my booking software good enough?

Often, yes, for getting a working site online. The limits are usually design, which is template-based, and content, which nobody writes for you. If the site exists mainly so repeat guests have somewhere to book, the bundled builder may be all you need.

Can I use Wix or Squarespace for a vacation rental?

Wix can take nightly bookings through the Wix Hotels by HotelRunner app on a plan that accepts payments. We found no nightly or vacation rental booking feature described on squarespace.com; its booking product is an appointment scheduler. With either, you can embed your booking software's widget instead.

How did you choose and rank these?

We didn't rank them one to thirteen, because the right answer depends on how much of the work you want to do. We grouped them by who does the building, recorded only prices and fees we read on each vendor's own website, and stated each one's drawbacks, including our own.

Spotted something out of date? Email hello@vacaydirect.com and we’ll correct it.

Let's get your place its own front door.

A 20-minute call. We'll look at your current site or listing, tell you what we'd build and answer anything. No pitch deck.