Amenitiz or Smoobu: which channel manager should you choose for your vacation rental?

1. Overview of the two tools

Amenitiz is an all-in-one solution dedicated primarily to independent hoteliers, guesthouses and small tourist establishments. Launched in 2018 in Barcelona, the platform offers a turnkey website, booking engine, channel manager and management tools. It stands out for an approach very focused on branding and direct marketing.

Smoobu, on the other hand, is aimed more at owners of vacation rentals, B&Bs or Airbnb apartments. Created in Germany, this solution is more technical, but also more flexible. It offers a channel manager, a PMS, a basic website and tools for automating communications with travelers.

2. Interface and ease of use

In terms of user experience, Amenitiz features an intuitive interface and meticulous design. The tool is designed to be accessible to non-technical professionals. The site editor is highly visual, the menus are clear, and you quickly feel at ease. It’s a good choice for beginners who want to save time.

Smoobu is slightly more technical, with a sober, functional interface. The organization is logical, but there are sometimes more options to configure. On the other hand, more experienced users will appreciate Smoobu’sflexibility of configuration.

✅ Advantage: Amenitiz for ease of use, Smoobu for customization.

3. Channel manager: platform synchronization

At the heart of both solutions is the Channel Manager, which automatically synchronizes your schedules and rates with OTAs (Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, etc.). In this respect, both tools offer real-timebidirectional synchronization (iCal or API, depending on the platform).

• Smoobu stands out for its rich integrations (over 100 channels supported) and advanced management of rates, taxes and conditions. It’s ideal for multi-broadcasters.
• Amenitiz offers more limited coverage, but all major platforms are well supported. Synchronization is smooth, but less flexible than with Smoobu.

✅ Advantage: Smoobu for connection diversity and fine-tuned OTA management.

4. Website and booking engine

One of Amenitiz’s strengths lies in its high-endwebsite editor. You can create a professional site with a responsive, multilingual, fully customizable design. It includes an integrated commission-free booking engine, with secure payment options.

Smoobu also offers a website, albeit a more rudimentary one. The tool lets you generate a mini-site with photos, description and booking engine. It’s handy for getting started, but limited in terms of branding and user experience.

✅ Advantage: Amenitiz for the quality of the website and the integrated booking engine.

5. Management tools and automation

Both tools integrate a PMS (Property Management System) with unified calendar, reservation tracking, invoicing and rate management. Functionalities are fairly similar, but Smoobu offers more customization options, especially for owners managing multiple properties.

When it comes to automation, Smoobu is particularly effective: multilingual automatic messages, responses to travelers, tasks for cleaning staff, etc. Amenitiz also offers automations, but they are a little more limited.

✅ Advantage: Smoobu for its wealth of management and automation features.

6. Customer support and guidance

Amenitiz focuses on personalized support. Each customer benefits from coaching on how to get started, and customer support is available by chat, e-mail and telephone in French. A real plus for beginners.

Smoobu offers email and chat support, but no individual coaching. The help is effective, but geared more towards autonomous users. Numerous tutorials are available online.

✅ Advantage: Amenitiz for human support and initial guidance.

7. Pricing

Both platforms operate on a monthly or annual subscription basis, with no commission on bookings.

• Amenitiz offers a higher entry price, from €79 excl. tax/month, but this includes a professional website.
• Smoobu starts at €29 excl. tax/month, with additional options as required. The price is more advantageous for smaller homeowners.

✅ Advantage: Smoobu for competitive pricing, Amenitiz for all-in-one solution including site.

8. Who should choose Amenitiz or Smoobu?