Tag
Tools
15 posts on the RentTools blog tagged Tools.
WiFi for vacation rentals: speed, router, and LTE failover
The Mbps number guests actually need, the router that doesn't crash by month four, and the 4G backup that turns three nights of outage into a non-event.
host-tipstools
Wi-Fi setup for short-term rentals: speed, mesh, and guest-network math
How much Wi-Fi speed a short-term rental actually needs, when a single router beats mesh, and why a guest network is not optional in 2026 — with worked numbers and real hardware picks.
host-tipstools
Weekend pricing premium math: what to charge for Friday and Saturday
How much more to charge for weekend nights — measuring your own demand premium from occupancy-by-day, a weekly revenue grid, three markets scored, and why a 2-night weekend minimum beats the premium itself.
pricinghost-tips
Smart lock vs lockbox: 12-month cost math for short-term rental hosts
A worked spreadsheet comparing smart locks, lockboxes, and in-person check-in. Total cost over 12 months at 5, 10, and 20 stays per month — plus the failure modes nobody prices.
host-tipsautomation
Short-term rental occupancy rate: the denominator that lies
Your occupancy rate moves 10 points depending on what you divide by. Here are the three numbers — gross, available, paid — and which one to actually chase.
pricinghost-tips
Security deposit for a direct booking: the hold, not the charge
A damage deposit on a direct booking isn't a charge — it's a Stripe pre-authorization hold. The 7-day window that eats it, the right amount, and the chargeback trap.
host-tipspricing
Noise monitoring for short-term rentals: Minut vs NoiseAware vs Roomonitor
A 12-month cost comparison of Minut, NoiseAware, and Roomonitor for short-term rental hosts — plus the threshold setting that decides whether you catch the party or annoy quiet guests.
host-tipstools
Linen inventory for short-term rentals: how many sets per listing
How many sheet sets and towel sets you actually need per short-term rental — the laundry-cycle math, the dryer bottleneck, and what new hosts always get wrong.
cleaninghost-tips
Furnishing a short-term rental: the startup cost and payback math
What it costs to furnish an Airbnb from empty — an itemized capex list for a 1-bed and 2-bed, the cost per bedroom, and the nights it takes to earn it back.
host-tipspricing
Free property-management tools for short-term rental hosts in 2026
A 2026 roundup of free property-management software for Airbnb and Booking.com hosts. Managed-free, self-host-free, DIY combos, and where each one breaks.
host-tipscalendar-sync
Dynamic pricing for short-term rentals: PriceLabs, Wheelhouse, Beyond
A worked comparison of PriceLabs, Wheelhouse, and Beyond Pricing for short-term rental hosts — fees, lift, break-even at 1, 3, and 8 listings, and the three settings that decide whether the tool earns its keep.
host-tipspricing
Direct booking website math: when escaping OTA commission pays off
A worked P&L on Airbnb's host cut vs a direct site's 3% Stripe fee — and the repeat-guest rate that decides whether your own booking page pays off.
host-tipspricing