hejGuide vs Smoobu — Which is right for you?
Smoobu and hejGuide compete most directly on price and on the 1-5-listing ICP. The big delta: hejGuide ships the AI Connection (beta) so your own AI assistant can work in every module, plus digital guidebooks, task automation, and review management that Smoobu doesn't include.
AI Connection in every module, full guest stack, similar entry price.
Quick comparison
| hejGuide | Smoobu | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price (1 listing) | €0 (Free) or €19 (Starter) | ~€23/mo |
| Free plan | ✓ | Limited / trial |
| AI Connection (MCP) | ✓ (beta, Starter+) | ✗ |
| Digital guidebooks | ✓ | ✗ |
| Online check-in | ✓ | ✓ |
| Channel manager | ✓ (via Channex) | ✓ |
| Task automation & housekeeping | ✓ | ✗ |
| Review management | ✓ | ✗ |
| Products & upselling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Guest portal | ✓ | ✗ |
| EU data hosting (GDPR) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Native mobile app | ✓ (iOS) | Basic |
| Per-booking commissions | Never | Some plans |
Pricing comparison
What you actually pay per month
| Properties | hejGuide | Smoobu |
|---|---|---|
| 1 listing | €0 (Free) or €19 (Starter) | ~€23/mo |
| 3 listings | €27/mo (Starter) | ~€35-45/mo |
| 5 listings | €45/mo (Pro) | ~€55-65/mo |
hejGuide prices: Starter plan. All prices excl. VAT.
Where hejGuide wins
Connect your own AI assistant
Smoobu does not have a native AI Connection. hejGuide's AI Connection (beta) is a Model Context Protocol server at mcp.hejguide.com that lets you connect Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, n8n — anything that speaks MCP — directly to your hejGuide account. 64 tools across 14 modules. AI drafts, you publish.
Digital guidebooks included
Beautiful, mobile-first welcome guides in 9 languages, with local area places, house rules, and WiFi info. Smoobu doesn't include guidebooks — hosts pair Smoobu with separate tools like Touch Stay or Hostfully Guidebooks.
Task automation & housekeeping
Tasks auto-create on check-in and check-out events, with checklists, team assignments, and photo uploads. Smoobu doesn't include native task management or housekeeping workflows.
Review management
Monitor and reply to Airbnb and Booking.com reviews from your hejGuide dashboard. Collect private feedback after checkout. Not part of the Smoobu product.
Products & upselling
Let guests order extras (late checkout, breakfast, bike rental) from their phone. Charges auto-bill to the folio. Not available in Smoobu.
No per-booking commissions
hejGuide never charges per-booking fees. Some Smoobu plans add a per-booking percentage.
Free plan for one listing
A genuinely free tier with one listing, calendar, guest portal, guidebook, and mobile app. (The AI Connection requires Starter+.)
Where Smoobu might be better
We believe in being honest about our competitors
Longer track record
Smoobu has been around since 2016 and has a larger user base. If you value an established brand with extensive documentation, Smoobu has the edge.
Website builder
Smoobu includes a basic direct booking website builder. hejGuide focuses on the post-booking experience (guest portal, guidebook) rather than the booking site.
More direct API channels
Smoobu connects to several booking platforms via direct API. hejGuide uses Channex as a channel-management layer.
The verdict
If you've been on Smoobu for years and switching cost outweighs the feature gap, stay where you are. But for hosts shopping now, hejGuide offers what Smoobu doesn't: the AI Connection (beta) across every module, digital guidebooks, online check-in, task automation, review management, upselling, and a guest portal — at a similar or lower price. For most independent hosts with 1-5 listings, hejGuide is the more complete platform.
Frequently asked questions
Does Smoobu have an AI Connection like hejGuide?
Is hejGuide really cheaper than Smoobu?
Can I switch from Smoobu to hejGuide?
Does hejGuide have a channel manager like Smoobu?
Does hejGuide charge booking fees?
Ready to try hejGuide?
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