Comparison
Helpy Travel and BetterSTR both give short-term-rental hosts a free digital guest guide. The difference is what comes included: Helpy Travel builds an AI concierge, automatic translations and bookable services into the guide itself, while BetterSTR keeps the guidebook free and sells AI chat, translations and a branded domain as paid add-ons.
Last updated July 2026
Choosing a guest-guide tool
BetterSTR's digital guidebook is free forever for unlimited properties and guests; Helpy Travel publishes one guest guide free at €0. If you only need an informational guidebook, both do the job well — the real difference is what comes included versus what you switch on later as a paid add-on.
Helpy Travel's AI concierge answers guest questions on the free plan. On BetterSTR's pricing page the AI chat assistant is a premium feature you pay for — from $0.50 per reservation or $2.99 per property a month, with a 12-week trial on new properties.
Helpy Travel automatically translates each guide into 5 languages — English, Italian, Spanish, German and French — for guests, at no extra cost. BetterSTR offers one-click translation too, but as a paid one-time add-on charged per language.
Every Helpy Travel guide is a web page on its own dedicated address, with a QR code and link, and it turns into a revenue path: bookable services, curated experiences and local recommendations are part of the guide, included.
BetterSTR is a strong choice if you want a free guidebook for many properties with PMS channel sync, the widest set of languages as paid add-ons, or its hardware ecosystem — an in-room tablet, a TV welcome screen and Wi-Fi marketing.
Both products change. Check each vendor's current pricing and features before you decide — this page links BetterSTR's own pricing and help pages below.
Decision guide
The right pick depends less on a feature checklist than on what you want included in the guide from day one.
Do you want the AI concierge and translations working from the start, or are you happy to switch them on later as paid add-ons?
Compare a dedicated web page per property against a shared platform URL, and whether a branded domain is included or a yearly add-on.
If you also need PMS channel sync or in-room hardware, weigh BetterSTR's ecosystem; if you want local services and experiences bookable inside the guide, weigh Helpy Travel's.
Factual table
The BetterSTR column is based on BetterSTR's public pricing and help pages, checked 27 July 2026 and linked below. Pricing can change — confirm current details before deciding.
| Feature | Helpy Travel | BetterSTR |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Free forever — one published guide at €0, no card. | Free forever — unlimited properties and guidebooks at $0, no card. |
| Guest access | A public web guide per property on its own dedicated address, with QR code and link; no app. | Guidebook on a BetterSTR URL with QR code and link; a branded custom domain is a paid add-on (from $9.95/year); no app. |
| AI concierge | Built-in AI concierge answers guest questions, included on the free plan. | AI chat assistant is a premium feature — from $0.50/reservation or $2.99/property per month, with a 12-week trial on new properties. |
| Translations | Automatic translation into 5 languages, included free. | One-click translation as a paid one-time add-on, $2 per language (BetterSTR's help docs list 14 languages). |
| Services & bookings | Bookable services, experiences and local recommendations built into the guide, included; 0% platform fee on the paid plan (5% on free). | Upsells and extras built into the guide, with a per-transaction platform fee. |
| Channel / PMS sync | Not a PMS — you set the guide up directly. | Auto-syncs with Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com and 13+ property managers. |
| Scaling to more properties | One flat €14.99/month to publish more than one guide. | Guidebook stays free for unlimited properties; premium features priced per property or per reservation. |
| Best fit | Hosts who want the AI concierge and automatic translations included, each property on its own address, with bookable local services. | Hosts who want a free unlimited-property guidebook with PMS sync and hardware, buying AI and translations à la carte. |
FAQ
Publish your first property guide free, with an AI concierge and automatic translations built in, plus bookable services and experiences for guests.
Related guides
Keep comparing guest guide options and host workflows with these Helpy Travel resources.
