Lolla vs HostBuddy
HostBuddy AI is guest messaging software for short-term rental hosts and property managers, connected to their PMS.
Lolla is an AI front desk for independent hotels, inns, hostels and vacation rentals: it drafts a reply to every guest message, in the guest's language, and you approve it or let autopilot send it.
We read HostBuddy's site, and its listings in PMS marketplaces, on October 25, 2026. Each fact about HostBuddy links to the page it came from. If something has changed, email support@lollaai.com and we will fix it.
The facts, row by row.
| Feature | Lolla | HostBuddy |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Independent hotels, inns and B&Bs, hostels and vacation rentals | Short-term rental hosts and property managers; it says it has powered 25,000+ properties and processed 40M+ messageshostbuddy.ai, checked October 25, 2026 |
| Price | $39 (Starter), $99 (Pro), $199 (Scale) a month per property, in US dollars; 2 months free on yearly billing | $7 (Pro), $10 (Elite) or $12 (Ultimate) per property per month, 2 months free on annual billinghostbuddy.ai, checked October 25, 2026 |
| Free trial | 14 days free on Starter; Pro and Scale are billed from day one | 2 weeks free on every planhostbuddy.ai, checked October 25, 2026 |
| Guest channels | Booking.com, Airbnb (listings connected through the Beds24 API), Expedia, website chat, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, TikTok (Business accounts) and email (a connected Gmail or Yahoo mailbox) | Messages from the connected PMS and a website chat widget; channels outside the PMS, such as WhatsApp and OpenPhone, from the Elite planhostbuddy.ai, beds24.com, checked October 25, 2026 |
| PMS and channel managers | Beds24 only, for now | 20 PMS and channel managers, including Beds24, Guesty, Hostaway, Hospitable, Hostfully, Lodgify, OwnerRez and Smoobuhostbuddy.ai, checked October 25, 2026 |
| Phone calls and SMS | Not yet: no phone calls or SMS | No phone answering listed; alerts to the team by email, SMS and Slackhostbuddy.ai, checked October 25, 2026 |
| Sending and escalation | Every reply waits for approval until the owner turns on autopilot; refunds, complaints and booking changes are held for a person even on autopilot | Answers guests on your behalf, can be scheduled to cover set hours, and flags action items for the teamhostbuddy.ai, checked October 25, 2026 |
| Beyond replies | A catalog of rooms, tours and services the AI can offer and price, pre-arrival messages, and an operations calendar for wake-up calls and pickups | Gap night, early check-in and late checkout upsells, guest journeys, insights and a mobile apphostbuddy.ai, checked October 25, 2026 |
Where each one is better.
Where HostBuddy is better
- Much cheaper for a few rentals: $7 a month per property on Pro, against $39 for Lolla Starter.
- Connects to 20 PMS and channel managers. Lolla connects to Beds24 only.
- Gap night, early check-in and late checkout upsells, guest journeys and a mobile app.
- A long track record with rental hosts: it reports 25,000+ properties.
Where Lolla is better
- Built for hotels, inns and hostels as well as rentals: a catalog of rooms, tours and services the AI can offer and price, and an operations calendar for wake-up calls and pickups.
- Instagram, Facebook, Telegram, TikTok, WhatsApp and email land in the same inbox as Booking.com, Expedia and Airbnb on every plan; HostBuddy adds channels outside the PMS from its Elite plan.
- Every reply waits for your approval until you turn on autopilot, and refunds, complaints and booking changes are held for a person, even on autopilot.
- Properties in Egypt can pay in Egyptian pounds, and guests are answered in Arabic.
Choose by how you run your property.
Pick HostBuddy if you run vacation rentals on a PMS other than Beds24 and want the lowest price per listing.
Pick Lolla if you run a hotel, inn or hostel on Beds24, or need social and messaging channels in the same inbox as your booking channels.
Common questions.
Is Lolla a good HostBuddy alternative?
Pick Lolla if you run a hotel, inn or hostel on Beds24, or need social and messaging channels in the same inbox as your booking channels. Pick HostBuddy if you run vacation rentals on a PMS other than Beds24 and want the lowest price per listing.
How much does HostBuddy cost compared with Lolla?
HostBuddy: $7 (Pro), $10 (Elite) or $12 (Ultimate) per property per month, 2 months free on annual billing (hostbuddy.ai, checked October 25, 2026). Lolla: $39 (Starter), $99 (Pro), $199 (Scale) a month per property, in US dollars; 2 months free on yearly billing.
Which PMS do HostBuddy and Lolla connect to?
HostBuddy: 20 PMS and channel managers, including Beds24, Guesty, Hostaway, Hospitable, Hostfully, Lodgify, OwnerRez and Smoobu (hostbuddy.ai, checked October 25, 2026). Lolla: Beds24 only, for now.
Do HostBuddy and Lolla answer phone calls?
HostBuddy: No phone answering listed; alerts to the team by email, SMS and Slack (hostbuddy.ai, checked October 25, 2026). Lolla: Not yet: no phone calls or SMS.
Lolla against other tools.
Try Lolla on your own guest messages.
14 days free on Starter. Every reply waits for you.