Compare vacation rental apps
AppBuild.diy compared with 5 providers and the option to vibe code your own app: prices, fees, contracts and whether you get your own branded app.
Best for: vacation rentals businesses that want their own branded app on the App Store, Google Play and the web, starting free with 0% AppBuild commission on paid plans.
Your business. Your own app.
A look inside AppBuild: event app home example, upcoming events example, event details example, digital ticket example.
See vacation rentals apps
Providers in this comparison
Touch StayDigital guest guidebook
Hostfully Digital GuidebooksDigital guidebook (also a PMS)
Works alongside AppBuild
HospitableSTR PMS / host automation
Works alongside AppBuild
Enso ConnectGuest experience platform for STR
DuveGuest experience platform for rentals and hotels
- Vibe coding
Build from scratch with Lovable, Claude, Base44 or similar tools
Price and features at a glance
| Provider | Type | Starting price (as published) | Your own branded app | Order / booking fees | Contract / trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 AppBuild.diy | Branded app builder for local businesses | Free (up to 10 users); $49/month or $299/year; $99/month or $499/year | Yes — App Store, Google Play and web | 0% AppBuild commission on paid plans; Stripe card fees apply | No contract; free plan |
| Vibe coding | Build from scratch with Lovable, Claude, Base44 or similar tools | Variable: AI subscriptions / credits, plus hosting, database and any paid services as usage grows. Free allowances may apply; not a fixed all-in price. | Bespoke branding and features; store packaging and submission require additional setup | Depends on your chosen payment provider and services; processing fees still apply | Depends on the tools and services you choose; free tiers may have limits |
| Touch Stay | Digital guest guidebook | Own page uses a calculator, no figure in page text. Third-party: about $99/yr for one property, scales by property count (third-party: rakidzich.com) | No (third-party describes it as a web page guests bookmark) | Not stated | Free trial; annual or monthly billing |
| Hostfully Digital GuidebooksWorks alongside AppBuild | Digital guidebook (also a PMS) | Free plan $0 (1 guidebook); Pro price not shown; Enterprise quote. PMS from $15 per property per month + platform fee | No (web-based, "works on all devices & platforms") | "1% Stripe fee" when using Guidebook Marketplace for upsells | Free plan; "cancel anytime" |
| HospitableWorks alongside AppBuild | STR PMS / host automation | Essentials free; Host and Professional prices not shown in page text; Mogul quote | No store app stated; "guest portal" in Essentials; custom branding in Mogul | Teammate payouts 1.5% to 2.5% per clean capped at US$5; dynamic pricing $5/property after 3 free bookings | 14-day free trial, no card |
| Enso Connect | Guest experience platform for STR | Not published (demo/quote) | Not stated | Not stated | Month-to-month, quarterly or annual; 30 days' notice; trial after demo |
| Duve | Guest experience platform for rentals and hotels | Basic "Minimum package: $120 / month" | No store app stated: branded "Web-app", white labeled | Not stated | Not stated |
How AppBuild differs
- vs Touch Stay: Touch Stay is a web guidebook priced per property; AppBuild gives the host a store app plus PWA with push notifications to guests before, during and after a stay.
- vs Hostfully Digital Guidebooks: Hostfully guidebooks are web-based; AppBuild adds an App Store/Google Play presence and push, and works alongside Hostfully as a PMS.
- vs Hospitable: Hospitable is a PMS with a guest portal; AppBuild is the guest-facing branded app and works alongside it.
- vs Enso Connect: Enso is quote-only; AppBuild publishes pricing from free.
- vs Duve: Duve's guest app is a web app from $120/mo minimum; AppBuild includes native store apps.
Where AppBuild is strong
- Your own branded app on the App Store, Google Play and the web, starting free with every feature for up to 10 users.
- No per-ticket or per-booking fee from AppBuild.
- Works alongside Eventbrite, Hostfully and Hospitable.
Where others may suit you better
- Not a hotel property-management system or channel manager.
- Lighter church admin and giving tools than dedicated church software.
Key features by provider
| Provider | Market | Key features | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Touch Stay | UK + US + AU + EU (USD, GBP, AUD, EUR calculator) | Digital guidebook for STR, B&B, glamping, campsites | touchstay.com, rakidzich.com (includes third-party figures) |
| Hostfully Digital Guidebooks | US + global | Digital guidebooks, upsell marketplace; PMS with 120+ integrations | hostfully.com, hostfully.com |
| Hospitable | US + global | Unified inbox, channel sync (Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, Agoda), guest portal, direct booking website (Professional) | hospitable.com |
| Enso Connect | US + CA + global | Guest portal, upsells, automation | ensoconnect.com |
| Duve | Global (USD shown) | Online check-in, branded guest web app, messaging, upsells | duve.com |
| Vibe coding | Depends on your chosen tools | Full design freedom. Ordering, bookings, loyalty, permissions and integrations must be built, tested and maintained. Native push, certificates and store submissions need additional technical work or a service such as AppBuild. | lovable.dev, claude.com, base44.com |
Gaps in published data: Touch Stay price is third-party only (calculator did not expose figures); Hostfully Guidebook Pro price not shown; Hospitable paid tier prices not shown; Enso not published.
Build from scratch with AI, or start with AppBuild?
Lovable, Claude, Base44 and similar tools are a genuine alternative in any industry. A bespoke build gives you more control over the design and business logic. AppBuild offers a shorter route to launch for supported business needs, with ready-made capabilities you can add without building each one yourself.
| Consideration | AppBuild.diy | Vibe coding |
|---|---|---|
| Time to market | Start with ready-made pages and features; configure your content and services. Store review still takes time. | A prototype can be quick; production testing, payments, permissions and store preparation add work. |
| Costs | Published plan price, plus applicable payment processing, store-account and third-party service costs. | Variable: AI subscriptions / credits, plus hosting, database and any paid services as usage grows. Free allowances may apply; not a fixed all-in price. |
| Flexibility & ease of use | Add supported capabilities such as loyalty, bookings and ordering through the builder; less freedom than a fully custom product. | Bespoke layouts and logic; each new capability needs implementation, testing and ongoing maintenance. |
| Push & app stores | AppBuild provides push and app infrastructure, subject to setup requirements and store approval. | Native push certificates, signing and store submissions are technical work, not automatically solved by generating a website. |
| Ongoing responsibility | Shared business-app framework and managed infrastructure; you manage your business content and settings. | You are responsible for security, data access, updates and the services behind your app. |
These approaches can work together: build your bespoke experience with AI, then use AppBuild to wrap your app and add supported native capabilities such as push notifications. Wrapping does not automatically add AppBuild’s business features to your custom app.
Tool pricing and allowances vary: Lovable pricing · Claude pricing · Base44 pricing. Check the services your project actually needs.
AppBuild pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/month | Up to 10 app users. Your own app on iPhone, Android and the web. |
| Business | $49/month or $299/year | Up to 1,000 app users. 0% AppBuild commission on orders. |
| Business Pro | $99/month or $499/year | Unlimited app users. 0% AppBuild commission on orders. |
Card processing fees are charged by Stripe on top of any plan and are not set by AppBuild. Full details on the pricing page.
More comparisons
Start freeLast checked 7 October 2026. Competitor prices come from their own public pages, linked below each table. Where a price isn't published we say so. Spotted something out of date? Tell us via support.