TrueCap vs Lodgify: underwrite the STR, then run it
By TrueCap · built by a Philadelphia rental investor
Lodgify is short-term rental software for hosts and property managers — direct-booking website, channel manager across Airbnb / Vrbo / Booking, and reservation tools. TrueCap is a pre-purchase underwriting calculator that helps investors screen an STR acquisition. TrueCap's Short-term Rental mode is a beta revenue screen: it models revenue as nightly rate × occupancy and does not fully model platform fees, turnover, lodging tax, seasonality, or local STR eligibility. Different stages, potentially complementary tools.
Free analyzer: no card or signup
TL;DR
Use TrueCap when
- You're evaluating a property as a potential STR.
- You want cap rate, DSCR, cash flow before buying.
- You want to compare LTR vs STR scenarios on the same property.
- You're not yet hosting guests.
Use Lodgify when
- You operate STRs and need a website + channel manager.
- You want to add a direct-booking channel.
- You have compared its current plan, payment, and channel costs.
- Its hosting workflow fits your team and listing count.
Feature-by-feature
Side-by-side on every dimension that matters for a comparison-shopping investor.
| Feature | TrueCap | Lodgify |
|---|---|---|
| Lifecycle stage | Pre-purchase — underwrite the STR deal | Post-purchase — host + manage STRs |
| Cap rate / CoC / DSCR analysis | Yes — full engine, editable rent input | Not among Lodgify's plan features; its site links a vacation rental calculator and an Airbnb calculator |
| 10-year projection | Pro — rent + expense + appreciation | Not among Lodgify's listed plan features |
| Starting values (rent/rate/tax) | Editable HUD rent and FRED rate benchmarks; manual local property tax | Not among Lodgify's listed plan features |
| Direct-booking website builder | No | Yes, from the Starter plan: no-code website builder and booking widget |
| Channel manager (Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking) | No | Yes: unified calendar and inbox for Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com on every plan |
| Guest messaging | No | Unified inbox on every plan; automated messages on Professional and Ultimate |
| Reservation system | No | Yes: unified calendar on every plan; custom rates and payments from Starter |
| Sweet spot | Real estate agents with investor clients, and rental investors weighing an offer on a specific listing | Hosts and property managers |
| Free tier | Yes — core cap rate, CoC, DSCR, and cash flow | No permanent free tier; time-limited trial — confirm current terms |
| Pricing (entry tier) | Free core; paid Pro — see live pricing | Paid Basic, Starter, Professional, and Ultimate plans — see live pricing |
Lodgify plans and features were checked against its pricing page in October 2026. Plan and trial details can change. See Lodgify's official pricing page for current terms.
How TrueCap and Lodgify fit together
- Find an STR-friendly property. MLS, off-market, or existing STR for sale.
- Build an STR revenue range. Use current market evidence or a third-party STR data source, then verify the assumptions.
- Underwrite in TrueCap. Plug AirDNA's monthly revenue into the rent field. Run cap rate, DSCR, cash flow.
- Continue due diligence. Verify local STR rules, insurance, financing, taxes, expenses, and revenue evidence before deciding.
- Set up Lodgify. Build your direct-booking site, connect Airbnb / Vrbo / Booking, configure your calendar.
Want the underwriting half on its own? The free vacancy rate calculator turns vacant nights and turnover cost into the occupancy haircut an STR pro forma actually needs, and our short-term rental underwriting playbook walks through the rest of the assumptions. Then hand the address to the full TrueCap analyzer for cap rate, DSCR and cash flow in one pass.
Common questions about TrueCap vs Lodgify
Quick answers to the questions investors comparison-shopping these tools actually ask.
Is TrueCap a Lodgify alternative?
No — different stages. Lodgify manages STRs you already own. TrueCap underwrites whether to buy the property as an STR in the first place. They cover different stages, so a host can use both.
Lodgify vs Hostaway — which one?
Compare each vendor's current quote, listing requirements, channel coverage, direct-booking tools, automation, integrations, support, and implementation terms. The better fit depends on the portfolio and workflow; neither has a universal size cutoff.
Does Lodgify have a free tier?
Lodgify does not currently publish a permanent free tier. It publishes a time-limited trial and paid Basic, Starter, Professional, and Ultimate plans. Check its official pricing page for the current rate, trial, property-count rules, and included features.
Can TrueCap model STR revenue?
Yes, in two ways. Enter your expected monthly STR revenue in the rent field and put vacancy and operating costs in the expense fields. Or use the Short-term Rental mode, a beta revenue screen that takes a nightly rate and occupancy. TrueCap doesn't pull AirDNA or Mashvisor data automatically; you'd use those alongside.
Should I get a Lodgify direct-booking site?
It can be useful when you can generate direct demand and the net economics work for your portfolio. Compare Lodgify's current subscription, payment, marketing, support, and operating costs with the channel mix you actually use. Airbnb publishes multiple service-fee structures, so use your account's current terms instead of assuming one percentage or guaranteed payback.
On price, plainly
Tools in this space run from free to well above TrueCap — check Lodgify's live pricing for their current number. What TrueCap's price buys is the decision layer, not more calculation: an Offer Ceiling for your targets, Buy Box fit with reasons, the downside stress test, and assumptions that are source-labeled instead of silently defaulted. Whether that workflow justifies the price depends on your volume, verification process, and existing tools.
Screening listings for investor clients? TrueCap for agents keeps a client roster and screens each deal against the Buy Box of the client you assign it to.
Underwrite the next deal — free.
TrueCap free covers cap rate, CoC, DSCR, and monthly cash flow. Your first complete decision also includes the Offer Ceiling. Pro adds 10-year cash-flow and equity projections, sensitivity, the Offer Ceiling, co-branded share links, and PDF reports; see live pricing for current terms. No card to start.
About TrueCap
TrueCap is built by one person, a rental investor in Philadelphia. It started as the tool he wanted for his own underwriting — a way to get from an address to a source-labeled first-pass answer — and it's still how he runs the deals he considers.