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Tokay and Hostaway both answer guest messages with AI. Tokay is the complete front desk: six agents, the host in control, one flat price, live in about ten minutes. Hostaway is a property management system sold on a 12 or 24 month contract with no published price, where the AI drafts replies by default and the host opts in to auto-reply topic by topic. Here is how they compare.
Side by side
Hostaway facts are from public material as of October 2026; check their site for the current figure.
| Tokay | Hostaway | |
|---|---|---|
| Answers guests 24/7 in their own language (10+) | YesThai, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Russian and more | AI Replies; drafts by default |
| Sends on its own, one topic at a time, after a supervised start | Yestwo weeks supervised, then per topic | Opt-in auto-reply per topic |
| Asks you instead of guessing when a fact is missing | Yes | Not stated |
| Price recommendations every morning, two-day undo | Yes | Not stated |
| Expense records from bank slip photos | Yes | No |
| Monthly bill watchdog | Yes | No |
| Nightly cleaning brief, updated on changes | Yes | Not stated |
| Review replies drafted the morning they land | Yes | Not stated |
| One morning summary of what needs you | Yes | No |
| Cleaners and contractors reached on LINE | Yes | No |
| Works without a PMS | Yesconnects to Airbnb, Booking.com and Vrbo directly | It is the PMS |
| Connected in about ten minutes | Yes | Onboarding fee reported |
| Channel manager | Tokay connects to Airbnb, Booking.com and Vrbo directly, so most hosts under 25 listings never need one | Yes; Agoda by iCal only |
| Guest messaging on WhatsApp and LINE | Coming soon | Not stated |
| Smart locks | Coming soon | Yes |
| Price per listing per month (as of October 2026) | $29, or $24 billed yearly | No published price; reported $80 to $175 per month for 1 to 4 listings |
| Per-message fees or commissions | None | Not stated |
| Contract | Monthly, stop any time | 12 or 24 months |
| Money back | Full refund within 30 days | Not stated |
The Tokay edge
Six agents, not one feature
Hostaway's AI Replies is one feature inside a PMS: it drafts a message, and the host either sends it or has switched that topic to auto-reply. Tokay's six agents do the day's work. Pam answers guests around the clock. Ivo reviews prices every morning and you approve. Angela turns bank slips into expense records and flags a bill that has not arrived. Sam writes tomorrow's cleaning brief and rewrites it when a late checkout is agreed. Andy drafts a reply to every review. Leo sends one morning message with what needs you.
You stay in charge of every decision
Both tools let you choose topics. The difference is what happens around that switch. Tokay starts with two weeks where every reply comes to you to approve, edit or deny with a tap, so you see how Pam answers before trusting her with anything. Price changes can be undone for two days. Anything unusual, upset, sensitive or uncertain always comes to you first, and when a fact is missing Pam asks instead of guessing. Hostaway's per-topic opt-in covers sending; the pricing, the books and the cleaning brief are not behind a switch because they are not done for you.
Guests answered in their language, not just translated
Pam replies in the guest's own language, more than ten of them including Thai, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean and Russian, on Airbnb, Booking.com or Vrbo where the guest already wrote. Cleaners and contractors are reached on LINE, which is where staff in Thailand actually are.
One price with nothing variable
Tokay publishes its price: $29 per listing monthly or $24 yearly, $24 / $20 from 10 listings, $19 / $16 from 25, the whole team included, no per-message fees, no commission. Hostaway publishes no price; hosts report $80 to $175 per month for 1 to 4 listings, a 12 or 24 month contract, and an onboarding fee. The free CoHost app does not change the contract behind it.
No PMS, no setup project
Hostaway is a system you move into, with an onboarding process and a fee reported for it. Tokay connects to your listings in about ten minutes, nothing to install, and starts after one short call about your rules.
Where Hostaway stops
Hostaway is a PMS with a channel manager at its core and AI replies as a feature. With it, the host still does by hand:
- Guest replies on every topic not yet opted in: the AI drafts, you send. Tokay supervises two weeks, then you switch topics on, and Pam asks you when a fact is missing.
- Pricing: no stated morning review with recommendations and undo. Tokay's Ivo does it daily and you approve.
- Expenses and bills: no bank slip to expense record, no bill watchdog. Tokay's Angela does both.
- Cleaning: no stated nightly brief rewritten on changes and sent to cleaners on LINE. Tokay's Sam does that.
- Reviews and the morning: no stated drafted review replies or one morning summary. Tokay's Andy and Leo cover both.
- Agoda, a major channel in Thailand, by iCal only, so that part is manual either way.
Pricing side by side
Prices as of October 2026, per month.
| Listings | Tokay (monthly / yearly, per listing) | Hostaway |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 4 | $29 / $24 | No published price; reported $80 to $175 per month, 12 or 24 month contract |
| 10 | $24 / $20 | Quote |
| 25 | $19 / $16 | Quote |
Tokay's launch price is kept for life if you join before 31 March 2027, with a full refund within 30 days and monthly billing you can stop any time. With Hostaway you ask for a quote and sign for a year or two. Tokay prices are at /#pricing.
How you start
- Connect your Airbnb, Booking.com and Vrbo listings. About ten minutes, nothing to install.
- One short call to tell Tokay your rules in plain sentences: wifi, check-in, house rules, price floors.
- Two supervised weeks where every reply comes to you first. Then switch on what Tokay may send on its own, one topic at a time.
Questions hosts ask
Can I use Tokay with Hostaway? Tokay connects to Airbnb, Booking.com and Vrbo directly; it does not plug into Hostaway. Two tools answering the same guest means two replies, so you pick one, and Tokay is the one that answers in the guest's language, reviews prices, keeps the books and briefs the cleaners at one published price.
What does Hostaway cost? As of October 2026 Hostaway publishes no price. Hosts report $80 to $175 per month for 1 to 4 listings, a 12 or 24 month contract and an onboarding fee; check their site. Tokay is $29 monthly or $24 yearly per listing, month to month, with a 30-day refund.
Does Hostaway's AI reply on its own? By default it drafts for approval; the host opts in to auto-reply per topic. Tokay also switches on per topic, after two supervised weeks, and adds what Hostaway leaves out: Pam asks you when a fact is missing, prices can be undone for two days, and five more agents handle prices, expenses, cleaning, reviews and the morning summary.
For more options see /resources/hostaway-alternatives. Hostaway's site is at https://www.hostaway.com.
Book a demo and see Tokay answer your own guests.
