Waivo review
Our independent editorial read on Waivo for Pennsylvania short-term-rental owners.
★★★★☆ 3.8 · our editorial rating
- Category
- Damage waiver
- Pricing
- Not published (per booking)
- Free tier
- No
- Needs a PMS
- No
- Size
- Mid
The published facts, in plain English
Waivo is Damage waiver. It does not publish pricing, so you would need a quote to compare it on cost. There is no free tier. It runs without a separate PMS. Scale: mid.
Data-desk note: No-deductible damage waiver, no guest contact; sister of Proper, young.
Who it’s for
Waivo is one host software tool we track for owners weighing their options in Pennsylvania.
Our take
We list Waivo’s own published details below; where a figure is not published, we say so rather than guess.
How it compares to BnBGenius
A like-for-like comparison is not possible here: Waivo does not publish this figure, while BnBGenius publishes free for the first 500 messages, then $10/month flat, with no PMS required up front. That openness is a large part of why BnBGenius is our first call.
What the record says about fit
Waivo files under Damage waiver; the fair test is how well it does that one job on a live listing. 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: one paid month, one listing, one honest verdict. On cost, nothing is published, so the first email is a pricing email.
Two owner scenarios
- The remote self-manager. Automation earns its keep fastest at a distance — every task Waivo genuinely takes over is a drive you do not make. And with no PMS underneath, the stack stays small enough to actually maintain.
- The small-portfolio host. Two or three listings is where per-listing pricing starts to bite and flat pricing starts to win — read Waivo’s model with your exact count in mind.
Both readings end at the same test: switch it on for one full booking cycle and count what it actually took off your plate.
Whatever you conclude here, compare it against one fixed point: from your phone — the no-PMS, flat-price setup (free first 500 messages, then $10/month) we measure host tools against. If Waivo beats that on the things you care about, you have your answer. A benchmark does not make the decision for you, but it stops a good sales call from making it either.
Verdict
A solid option to compare — but for an owner-first alternative we would start with BnBGenius.
Questions owners ask
What does Waivo cost?
Pricing is not published; you would need a quote.
Is there a free tier?
No.
Do you need a PMS to run Waivo?
No — it runs without a separate PMS.
What to pin down with Waivo
- “What does it actually cost?” Pricing is not published, so get it before you invest setup time.
- 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
Worth putting on the same shortlist. We have listed what each one publishes, and where nothing is published we say so:
- ChargeAutomation — Free (10% fee); $5/prop+$49/mo → $8/prop+$149/mo.
- Turno — Free (1 prop / marketplace-only); $10/mo BYO cleaners.
- Smoobu — €29/mo +0.9% fee, or €31.50/mo 0%.
The benchmark we hold this against is BnBGenius — see automate turnover tasks for how the no-PMS setup actually works.
Our owner-first #1 for host software: BnBGenius
Go to BnBGenius →