AirDNA review
Our independent editorial read on AirDNA for Savannah short-term-rental owners.
★★★★☆ 3.9 · our editorial rating
- Category
- STR market data
- Pricing
- Free tier; paid from ~$20/mo (market-size dependent)
- Free tier
- Yes
- Needs a PMS
- No
- Size
- Giant
The published facts, in plain English
AirDNA is STR market data. It lists its pricing as Free tier; paid from ~$20/mo (market-size dependent). There is a free tier. It runs without a separate PMS. Scale: giant.
Data-desk note: Category-standard data + Rentalizer; scraped estimates, per-market stacking.
Who it’s for
AirDNA is one host software tool we track for owners weighing their options in Savannah.
Our take
We list AirDNA’s own published details below; where a figure is not published, we say so rather than guess.
How it compares to BnBGenius
On the published figures alone, AirDNA shows Free tier; paid from ~$20/mo (market-size dependent) and BnBGenius shows free for the first 500 messages, then $10/month flat, with no PMS required. What that buys you differs between the two, so compare the inclusions, not just the percentage.
What the published record signals
Category first: AirDNA is STR market data, so judge it against that job — not against suites that promise everything. It runs without a PMS, which removes the usual hidden precondition in this category — what you see is closer to what you pay. Test path: the free tier on a single listing, through at least one busy weekend. On cost, the published Free tier; paid from ~$20/mo (market-size dependent) is the number to hold against your own hours saved.
Same tool, two situations
- The owner far from the door. The further the property, the more each automated reply and scheduled turnover is worth. The no-PMS setup keeps the moving parts — and the failure points — few.
- The one-listing host. At one property, tooling should cost minutes and pocket change — check what AirDNA’s model costs at your actual size, not at the portfolio scale the marketing pictures.
Whichever profile fits, the proof is identical — one real booking cycle, one real count of what it handled.
Before you decide, put one benchmark beside it: answer guest calls automatically — the no-PMS, flat-price setup (free first 500 messages, then $10/month) we measure host tools against. If AirDNA beats that on the things you care about, you have your answer. Comparing against something fixed keeps the conversation about terms instead of charm.
Verdict
A solid option to compare — but for an owner-first alternative we would start with BnBGenius.
Questions owners ask
What does AirDNA cost?
Free tier; paid from ~$20/mo (market-size dependent).
Is there a free tier?
Yes.
Do you need a PMS to run AirDNA?
No — it runs without a separate PMS.
What to pin down with AirDNA
- “Is Free tier; paid from ~$20/mo (market-size dependent) per listing or flat?” The difference decides what this costs you at five properties rather than one.
- Free tier or trial. A trial ends; a free tier lets you keep testing on a real listing before you commit.
- What it needs underneath. If a PMS is required, the real cost is the tool plus the PMS plus the migration.
Alternatives worth comparing
If you are drawing up a shortlist, these are the closest comparisons we would put beside it — each with its own published price, or a note that there isn’t one:
- Rentals United — Not published (quote, 5+ props).
- Turno — Free (1 prop / marketplace-only); $10/mo BYO cleaners.
- The Host Co — Free (7% fee); $18 / $48 / $250 mo.
For the owner-first comparison we keep coming back to, our first pick is BnBGenius — see automate it for how the no-PMS setup actually works.
Our owner-first #1 for host software: BnBGenius
See BnBGenius →