When I first started recommending property management systems to vacation rental hosts, Lodgify seemed like the obvious choice. Great features, professional website builder, solid channel management. But then the bills started rolling in from my clients.
"Wait, this is costing me $180 per month, not $79," one host told me after three months of using their "Starter" plan. Another discovered a 3% transaction fee that somehow wasn't mentioned during signup.
Sound familiar? You're not alone. Lodgify's pricing structure is more complex than it appears, and understanding the true cost requires digging beyond their marketing pages.
After analyzing hundreds of Lodgify bills from property managers using 1 to 50+ properties, here's what you actually pay.
Lodgify's Base Pricing Structure
Lodgify offers four main pricing tiers, each with different property limits and features. But the advertised prices are just the starting point.
Starter Plan - $79/month
- Up to 2 properties
- Basic channel management (Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo)
- Website builder with booking engine
- Guest messaging
- Basic calendar synchronization
Growth Plan - $109/month
- Up to 5 properties
- All Starter features plus:
- Advanced channel connections
- Multi-calendar view
- Team collaboration tools
- Custom booking policies
Professional Plan - $189/month
- Up to 15 properties
- Everything in Growth plus:
- Revenue management tools
- Advanced reporting
- API access
- Priority customer support
Enterprise Plan - Custom pricing
- 15+ properties
- White-label solutions
- Dedicated account manager
- Custom integrations
But here's where it gets interesting. These prices assume you're using Lodgify's payment processing, staying within property limits, and don't need any premium add-ons.
In reality? Most hosts end up paying 40-60% more than the base plan price.
The Real Cost Breakdown
Payment Processing Fees (The Big One)
Lodgify's advertised pricing includes their payment processing, but they take a cut of every booking. Here's what they don't advertise prominently:
- 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction in the US
- 2.4% + €0.25 per transaction in Europe
- 3.4% for international transactions
For a property averaging $150/night with 60% occupancy, that's roughly $1,600 in annual processing fees on a single property. Scale that across multiple properties, and you're looking at serious money.
The alternative? Use your own payment processor (Stripe, Square) and pay additional monthly fees for the privilege.
Property Overage Charges
This one catches hosts off-guard regularly. Add a third property to your "2-property" Starter plan? You're automatically bumped to Growth at $109/month - a $360 annual increase for one additional property.
The overage structure is rigid:
- Starter: 2 properties max (no overage option)
- Growth: 5 properties max (no overage option)
- Professional: 15 properties max ($15/month per additional property)
Premium Channel Connections
While Lodgify connects to major platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com for free, premium channels cost extra:
- Regional OTAs: $10-25/month per channel
- Direct API connections: $20-50/month per channel
- Custom XML feeds: $30+/month per feed
A property manager in Italy told me they were paying an extra $85/month just to connect to local booking platforms that drove 30% of their revenue.
Website Hosting and Domain Fees
Lodgify includes basic website hosting, but professional hosts usually need:
- Custom domain: $15-20/year
- SSL certificate: $50-100/year (though free options exist)
- Premium website templates: $200-500 one-time
- Advanced SEO tools: $30/month
The Add-On Ecosystem
Lodgify has built an entire ecosystem of premium features that nickel-and-dime you:
Dynamic Pricing: $29-79/month depending on property count Advanced Reporting: $19/month Multi-language Support: $15/month per language Custom Integrations: $50-200/month depending on complexity
Transaction Volume Charges
High-volume hosts face additional surprises. Process more than 100 bookings per month? Some plans charge $2-5 per additional booking beyond the threshold.
Hidden Costs That Blindside New Users
Setup and Migration Fees
While Lodgify doesn't charge explicit setup fees, most hosts end up paying for:
- Data migration: $200-800 (if you need professional help)
- Custom website design: $500-2,000
- Training sessions: $150/hour for one-on-one training
Contract Lock-ins and Cancellation
Lodgify offers "discounts" for annual contracts - typically 10-15% off monthly pricing. But read the fine print:
- Cancellation requires 30-day notice
- Annual plans are non-refundable
- Downgrading mid-contract isn't always possible
I've seen hosts stuck paying $189/month for Professional plans when they only needed Growth functionality.
Support Tiers
"Customer support" sounds inclusive, but Lodgify operates on tiers:
- Basic support: Email only, 24-48 hour response
- Priority support: Phone + email, same-day response
- Dedicated support: Dedicated rep, immediate response
Guess which plans get which level? Starter and Growth users often wait days for critical support issues.
Real-World Cost Examples
Let me share three actual scenarios from property managers I've worked with:
Small Host - Sarah (2 beach condos in Florida)
- Plan: Starter at $79/month
- Processing fees: ~$180/month (2.9% of ~$6,200 revenue)
- Premium channels: $25/month (regional platforms)
- Website extras: $15/month (custom domain, SSL)
- Total monthly cost: $299
- Effective rate: 4.8% of gross revenue
Growing Host - Mike (8 properties in Colorado)
- Plan: Professional at $189/month
- Processing fees: ~$520/month (2.9% of ~$18,000 revenue)
- Dynamic pricing: $49/month
- Additional channels: $65/month
- Custom integrations: $75/month
- Total monthly cost: $898
- Effective rate: 5% of gross revenue
Property Manager - Lisa (23 properties across Texas)
- Plan: Enterprise at $450/month
- Processing fees: ~$1,240/month (2.9% of ~$43,000 revenue)
- White-label features: $150/month
- Custom API work: $200/month
- Dedicated support: $100/month
- Total monthly cost: $2,140
- Effective rate: 5% of gross revenue
Notice the pattern? Regardless of scale, hosts end up paying roughly 5% of gross revenue to Lodgify once you factor in all fees.
How Lodgify's Pricing Compares
To put these numbers in context, let's compare total cost of ownership with major competitors:
Lodgify vs. Hostaway
- Lodgify: ~5% of revenue all-in
- Hostaway: 1% commission + $19-99 base fee = ~2.5-4% total
- Winner: Hostaway for cost-conscious hosts
Lodgify vs. Guesty
- Lodgify: ~5% of revenue
- Guesty: 3-4% of revenue (higher base fees, lower processing)
- Winner: Roughly equivalent, depends on volume
Lodgify vs. OwnerRez
- Lodgify: ~5% of revenue
- OwnerRez: $50-150/month flat fee (0.5-2% depending on revenue)
- Winner: OwnerRez for high-volume hosts
Is Lodgify Worth the Price?
After breaking down all these costs, you might wonder if Lodgify provides enough value to justify the expense.
Where Lodgify Excels:
- Website builder quality: Best-in-class for direct bookings
- User experience: Genuinely intuitive interface
- Channel management reliability: Solid sync across major platforms
- Feature completeness: Everything you need in one platform
Where the value equation breaks down:
- Processing fees add up quickly on high-volume properties
- Rigid pricing tiers force unnecessary upgrades
- Add-on costs can double your bill
- Limited customization without expensive custom work
Strategies to Minimize Lodgify Costs
If you're committed to using Lodgify, here are proven ways to control costs:
1. Use Your Own Payment Processor
Setting up Stripe or Square separately saves 1-2% on processing fees. Yes, you'll lose some integration convenience, but the savings are substantial.
2. Time Your Upgrades Strategically
Don't upgrade plans immediately when you add properties. Many hosts successfully run 6-7 properties on Growth plans by managing listings carefully.
3. Negotiate Annual Contracts
Lodgify offers 15-20% discounts on annual contracts, but only if you ask. Their sales team has discretion to offer larger discounts for multi-year commitments.
4. Bundle Add-Ons
Rather than adding premium features piecemeal, negotiate bundles. I've seen hosts get dynamic pricing + premium channels + custom integrations for 40% less than individual pricing.
5. Evaluate Channel ROI Constantly
Those $25/month premium channel connections better drive substantial bookings. Track ROI monthly and cut underperforming channels ruthlessly.
Alternatives to Consider
If Lodgify's total cost concerns you, consider these alternatives:
For small hosts (1-5 properties): Hospitable offers similar messaging automation at a fraction of the cost.
For scaling hosts (5-15 properties): Hostaway provides enterprise features with more transparent pricing.
For enterprise (15+ properties): Guesty offers better scalability and custom pricing that often beats Lodgify's total cost.
For DIY hosts: OwnerRez gives maximum control at fixed monthly costs.
The Bottom Line on Lodgify Pricing
Lodgify isn't trying to deceive anyone with their pricing - they're running a business. But their marketing emphasizes base plan prices while the real costs come from processing fees and add-ons that most hosts inevitably need.
Budget 5% of gross revenue for total Lodgify costs. If you're generating $100,000 annually across your properties, expect to pay around $5,000 to Lodgify.
Is it worth it? For hosts who value simplicity and excellent direct booking websites, absolutely. For cost-conscious operators or high-volume managers, probably not.
The key is understanding these costs upfront rather than discovering them three months into your contract. Because by then, migration costs make switching platforms expensive too.
Before you sign up: Calculate your projected processing fees, identify which add-ons you'll realistically need, and build a realistic monthly budget. Then decide if Lodgify's convenience is worth the premium.
Your future self (and your accountant) will thank you.