Smoobu vs Lodgify
Smoobu and Lodgify solve different halves of the same problem. Lodgify is a website builder that added a channel manager. Smoobu is a channel manager that added a direct booking widget. Which matters more to you determines which wins.
At a glance
| Smoobu | Lodgify | |
|---|---|---|
| Core product identity | Channel manager with direct booking add-on | Website builder with channel manager add-on |
| Pricing transparency | Published on website, per-property flat rate | Published, but can be confusing (tiers + add-ons) |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial, no credit card | Free trial available (features vary by plan) |
| Channel manager strength | Excellent — purpose-built, real-time sync | Good — solid but secondary to the website product |
| Direct booking website | Embeddable widget — depends on your existing site | Full website builder included — no external site needed |
| CMS / blog | None — bring your own site | Built-in CMS and blog capabilities |
| German UI & support | Native German interface + support team | Limited German localisation |
| Übernachtungssteuer | Data export for Berlin filing (raw data for uenst-2a — manual submission required) | Not supported |
| OTA integrations | ~50 channels (all DACH-relevant) | ~50 channels (global focus) |
| Setup time | 1–2 days for channel sync | 3–7 days including website setup |
| Best property count | 1–15 properties | 1–20 properties |
The fundamental difference
This comparison comes down to one question: do you already have a website, or does building one feel overwhelming?
You have a website (or will build one separately)
Smoobu wins. You embed its booking widget on your existing site, connect your OTAs, and have a working channel manager running in a day or two. You're not paying for a website builder you don't need, and the channel sync is more reliable because that's what Smoobu was built for first.
This is the path I took with Seumi — custom site, Smoobu widget, Stripe for direct payments. Total OTA commission on direct bookings: 0%.
You want one tool that does everything
Lodgify wins. You get a professional-looking property website, booking engine, and channel manager in one subscription. No need to think about hosting, themes, or embedding widgets. The tradeoff: you're dependent on Lodgify's website builder, and the channel management piece is a supporting feature, not the lead product.
For operators who want to get online quickly with minimal technical overhead, this is a reasonable choice.
If you operate in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland
Smoobu's DACH advantage
- Übernachtungssteuer: Smoobu provides the underlying data (departure dates, revenue, host fees) for Berlin's quarterly city tax filing. The actual uenst-2a return must be filed manually via the Berlin tax portal — Smoobu does not generate or submit the form automatically. But the structured data export saves significant time compared to manual tracking each quarter.
- German support team: Submit a support ticket in German, get a response in German. No awkward translation layer when something breaks at midnight before a check-in.
- DACH OTA coverage: FeWo-direkt, Holidu, and other DACH-specific channels are first-class integrations, not afterthoughts.
- SEPA-aligned payment flows: Designed for the European payment context from the start.
Lodgify in DACH
- Interface is primarily English, with partial German localisation on the guest-facing website.
- No Übernachtungssteuer support — you need a separate tracking system for Berlin city tax.
- DACH-specific OTAs (FeWo-direkt, Holidu) are available but may require more setup compared to the big global channels.
- Customer support is English-first. German support quality varies by the specific agent.
Pricing comparison
Both products publish pricing online — which is already better than Hostaway. The catch with Lodgify is that the headline price often doesn't include the channels or features you actually need.
Smoobu
- Flat rate per property — all features included at each tier
- Channel manager, messaging, booking calendar, direct booking widget all included
- No surprises — what you see on the pricing page is what you pay
- Monthly billing available, no annual commitment required at lower tiers
- 14-day free trial, no credit card needed
Lodgify
- Tiered pricing based on number of properties and features
- Channel management often requires a higher tier — check the feature matrix carefully
- Website builder and CMS included across all plans
- Annual billing common; monthly billing available at a premium
- Can become expensive at higher property counts where Smoobu's flat-rate tiers are more competitive
Always check current Lodgify pricing directly — they update their plans regularly. This reflects the general structure as of June 2026.
Rule of thumb: If you need both a website builder and a channel manager, Lodgify's bundled price may be comparable to paying separately for a website host + Smoobu. If you already have a site (or are building a custom one), Smoobu alone is almost always cheaper.
Which one is right for you?
- You have an existing website or plan to build a custom one
- Channel management is your primary need — keeping OTA calendars in sync
- You operate in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland
- You file Übernachtungssteuer in Berlin and want it automated
- You want to be running in 1–2 days with minimal setup
- You're comfortable managing your own site separately from your channel manager
- You don't have a website and want one included in your subscription
- You want a single vendor for website, booking engine, and channel sync
- A professional-looking property website is as important as the channel management
- You operate primarily outside the DACH market
- You're comfortable with a more complex initial setup in exchange for an all-in-one tool
The verdict
If you operate in the DACH market and your priority is solid channel management — keeping Airbnb, Booking.com, and your direct site in sync without double bookings — Smoobu is the cleaner choice. The channel manager is better, the German-language support is real, and the Übernachtungssteuer automation is a meaningful time-saver.
Lodgify makes most sense if you genuinely need a website builder included and don't want to manage a separate hosting setup. That's a real convenience, and for some operators it's the right trade.
My take: most operators reading this page already have a site or are planning a custom one. In that case, Smoobu at a lower price point, with better channel management and DACH-specific features, wins.
Disclosure: I use Smoobu to manage my own property (Seumi in Berlin). The affiliate link below earns me a small commission if you sign up — at no extra cost to you. This comparison reflects my honest experience and publicly available information as of June 2026.
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