The Smoobu alternative with deeper automation, hands-off distribution, and a free platform

How Hububb describes Smoobu

Their tagline (as we summarise it): Budget-friendly PMS popular with European vacation rental hosts

Their positioning: Budget-friendly vacation rental PMS with a strong European user base, offering channel management and basic automation at a lower price point than most competitors.

Where Smoobu is strong (we acknowledge)

• Low price point with transparent published pricing
• Simple interface suitable for new hosts
• Solid channel management for European OTAs alongside Airbnb and Booking.com

Where Hububb wins

• No service provider marketplace. Cleaning and maintenance sits entirely outside the platform
• Automation capabilities are limited relative to more established PMS products
• Feature set is relatively sparse; hosts with complex needs often outgrow it

Comparison table. Hububb vs Smoobu

Feature breakdown

Service marketplace built in. Not an afterthought

Smoobu covers basic channel management and booking sync at a low price. But when a guest checks out, coordinating cleaners, maintenance, or linen is entirely outside Smoobu. Typically managed via WhatsApp or phone call. Hububb includes a marketplace of vetted local service providers directly in the platform, with automated job creation on checkout.

• Browse and book vetted local cleaners, handymen, and linen services
• Or invite your existing team. Free, with no per-seat fees
• Automatic job creation triggered by confirmed checkout
• Photo proof, ratings, and job history alongside your bookings

Go live on every OTA without managing every account

Smoobu connects to OTAs you’ve set up yourself. Meaning you maintain separate accounts on Airbnb, Vrbo, Expedia, Hotels.com, and every other channel. With Hububb, you only connect Airbnb and Booking.com directly. For Vrbo, Agoda, Expedia, Hotels.com, Trivago, trip.com, and other channels, Hububb lists on your behalf. Managed by experts who know how each platform ranks, prices, and converts.

• Connect your own Airbnb and Booking.com accounts
• Hububb lists on Vrbo, Agoda, Expedia, Hotels.com, Trivago, trip.com, and more on your behalf
• Channel-specific optimization handled by Hububb’s team
• One dashboard, one login, every OTA

One inbox. Even for channels other PMS tools can’t reach

Smoobu can only sync your guest messages for channels that expose a messaging API. Typically just Airbnb and Booking.com. The 6 channels Hububb manages on your behalf. Vrbo, Agoda, Expedia, Hotels.com, Trivago, and trip.com. Don’t expose messaging APIs that PMS tools can integrate. Hububb solves this differently: because we manage your listings on those channels, we capture messages directly and forward them into your unified inbox. You read and reply from one place. Even on the OTAs no one else can sync.

• Every guest message routed to one inbox
• Includes channels without messaging APIs (Vrbo, Agoda, Expedia, Hotels.com, Trivago, trip.com)
• Reply from Hububb. Message goes back through the OTA’s channel
• No more logging into half a dozen partner portals

Grows with you beyond the basics

Smoobu is often a first PMS for hosts who are just starting out. Many hosts find they need to move on once their portfolio or complexity grows. Hububb is designed to scale from one property to fifty without requiring a platform change or a significant price step-up.

Hububb is a channel. Not just a tool

Smoobu is software you bolt onto channels Airbnb, Booking.com, and Vrbo bring you. Hububb is software AND its own demand layer. Hububb Stay routes bookings from corporate travel managers, insurance relocation firms, health-travel networks, and longer-stay booking partners directly to eligible Hububb-listed properties. Different demand profile, different stay lengths, different revenue. 5% per booking, no setup cost. Eligibility opens up once your listings hit 4.7+ on Airbnb with 10+ reviews. An upgrade path most hosts cross within their first season.

• Direct partnerships: corporate travel, health travel, insurance relocation, medium-stay platforms
• Typical stay 5-30 nights. Different economics from OTA weekend travelers
• 5% per booking, no monthly fee for the demand
• Eligibility: 4.7+ rating on Airbnb, 10+ reviews

Migration story

How to switch from Smoobu to Hububb

Most hosts complete the switch within a day. Hububb connects directly to your existing OTA accounts. No re-listing needed.

• Connect your Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com accounts to Hububb
• Confirm calendars, rates, and availability sync from your existing OTA listings
• Cancel your Smoobu subscription when ready (both can run in parallel for one billing cycle)
• Invite your existing cleaners and service providers (works anywhere), or browse Hububb’s marketplace for vetted pros

Frequently asked questions

Is Hububb cheaper than Smoobu?

Yes, for almost any portfolio. Hububb’s platform is free. You only pay a small fee per channel for OTAs like Expedia, Vrbo, or Agoda that Hububb lists on your behalf. Smoobu uses a tiered monthly subscription per property. For most hosts, total Hububb cost is a fraction of Smoobu’s monthly bill.

Does Hububb work well for European vacation rental hosts?

Yes. Hububb is globally available. Sign up from any country. The platform supports Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, and other major OTAs in European markets and worldwide. Our vetted service-provider network is currently live in several European countries plus other regions; the invite-your-own option for cleaners and other providers works in any country.

What does Hububb offer that Smoobu doesn’t?

Hububb lists your property on Vrbo, Agoda, Expedia, Hotels.com, Trivago, trip.com, and other OTAs on your behalf. You don’t need to set up or manage those accounts yourself. Smoobu requires you to maintain each OTA account independently. Hububb also has a built-in marketplace of vetted local service providers. Cleaners, handymen, linen services. And deeper automation rules for scaling hosts.

I’m a new host. Is Hububb too complex for me?

No. Hububb is designed to be approachable for hosts just starting out, with setup that takes less than a day. You can start with the features you need and expand as your portfolio grows.

Does Hububb bring me bookings, or just manage them?

Both. Hububb manages your listings across Airbnb, Booking.com, and the channels Hububb lists on your behalf (Vrbo, Agoda, Expedia, Hotels.com, Trivago, trip.com). And Hububb operates its own demand pool. Hububb Stay. That routes corporate, health, insurance, and longer-stay bookings to eligible properties. Listings with a 4.7+ Airbnb rating and 10+ reviews qualify, at 5% per booking. Smoobu doesn’t bring demand. It manages distribution to OTAs you already have or list on yourself.