Airbnb and XERO integrations which one to choose

Posted on by

To feed Airbnb reservation invoices into Xero for tracking fees, collected money, and properties, you can use a combination of tools and integrations to automate and streamline the process. Here’s what you can use:

1. Xero Airbnb Integration Tools

 

  • Xero Airbnb Integration (via third-party apps):

Zapier: You can set up automated workflows (Zaps) to send Airbnb reservation details, including sales invoices, directly to Xero. With Zapier, you can map fields like booking fees, collected money, and nominal accounts.

  • How it works: With a Zapier integration, you can create workflows (Zaps) that trigger actions in Xero based on Airbnb reservations. For example, when a new reservation is confirmed on Airbnb, Zapier can create a sales invoice in Xero with all relevant details like fees, payments received, and property information.
  • Pushing to Xero: Zapier automates the process, ensuring that the sales invoice is created in Xero whenever the trigger conditions (like a new booking) are met.
  • Free Plan: Zapier offers a free plan with limited functionality, including a limited number of “Zaps” (automated workflows) and tasks per month.
  • Paid Plans: If you need more Zaps, automation, or advanced features like filters, multi-step workflows, or higher task limits, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan. Plans start from around $19.99/month.

 

Hostaway: This property management system integrates with Airbnb and Xero, syncing reservations and sending the correct financial data (fees, payments) into Xero.

  • How it works: Hostaway integrates with both Airbnb and Xero. When a reservation occurs on Airbnb, Hostaway automatically sends the reservation details (including any service fees, cleaning fees, and rental income) to Xero, creating a sales invoice.
  • Pushing to Xero: Hostaway pushes the reservation details directly into Xero as sales invoices, eliminating the need for manual data entry.
  • Pricing: Hostaway offers integrations with Airbnb and Xero as part of its property management system. However, it’s a paid service, with pricing that typically starts at around $100-$300/month, depending on your business needs and the number of properties you manage.

 

Guestline: This is another property management system that supports Airbnb and Xero integration, automating the creation of invoices and tracking payments.

  • How it works: Guestline is a property management system that also integrates with Airbnb and Xero. It automatically syncs reservation details, including payment and fee information, and generates corresponding sales invoices in Xero.
  • Pushing to Xero: Guestline ensures that reservation-related invoices are sent to Xero automatically, so you don’t have to create them manually.
  • Pricing: Guestline also integrates with Airbnb and Xero. It is a property management system, and its pricing varies depending on your property’s size and features. Pricing typically starts at around $100/month, but this can increase based on your requirements.

 

Smoobu: This vacation rental management system integrates with both Xero and Airbnb, automatically syncing invoices, tracking fees, and making sure the correct nominal accounts are used.

  • How it works: Smoobu integrates with Airbnb and Xero, allowing reservation data from Airbnb to be automatically synced with Xero. It generates invoices with the appropriate fees and payment details and sends them to Xero.
  • Pushing to Xero: Smoobu handles the process of pushing reservation details directly to Xero as sales invoices.
  • Pricing: Smoobu offers a property management solution with Xero and Airbnb integration. It starts at around $20/month for the basic plan, with higher-tier plans available for larger operations and more features.

 

TallyBreeze: is a property management tool specifically designed for vacation rentals and short-term rental businesses, such as those listed on Airbnb. It connects your Airbnb accounts with Xero for seamless integration of reservation details, including sales invoices, payments, and fees.

  • How it works: TallyBreeze automatically pulls Airbnb reservation data (such as rental income, cleaning fees, Airbnb service fees, and other charges) into Xero as sales invoices.
  • Pushing to Xero: When an Airbnb reservation occurs, TallyBreeze automatically creates a sales invoice in Xero, capturing the correct income and associated Airbnb fees.
  • Pricing: The core tool itself is paid, and the pricing starts from $29/month. The subscription cost includes the integration features with both Airbnb and Xero.

 

2. Manual Integration via Xero Bank Feeds and Invoices

If you prefer to handle the process manually:

  • Xero Bank Feeds: Link your Airbnb bank account to Xero to automatically import payments made to you, including reservation payments and service fees. Once imported, you can reconcile these transactions against your invoices.
  • Xero Sales Invoices: Manually export Airbnb reports and create sales invoices in Xero for each Airbnb reservation, inputting the correct fees and amounts. You can then track payments received and assign the right nominal accounts (e.g., income, fees, VAT).
  • Cost: Xero offers bank feeds, but you may need to have a Xero subscription to access this feature, which starts from £12/month (for the starter plan) or higher depending on the level of features you need.
  • Bank Feed Fees: There may also be small charges associated with setting up direct bank feeds for Airbnb payments, depending on your bank and location.

3. Property and Fee Tracking in Xero

  • Tracking Categories in Xero: Set up tracking categories in Xero for properties. This way, you can track revenue, expenses, and fees for each property separately.
  • Nominal Accounts: Ensure you have set up the correct nominal accounts in Xero (e.g., for rental income, Airbnb fees, cleaning fees, etc.). When creating invoices, you can select the correct nominal accounts based on the type of transaction (income, fee, etc.).

4. Automated Invoice Generation

  • Automate Invoicing for Airbnb Fees: You can use integration tools like Zapier to trigger an automatic invoice generation in Xero whenever a reservation is confirmed on Airbnb, which will include the proper fees and payments for each booking.

5. Xero’s Custom Invoice Templates

  • Create custom invoice templates in Xero to include Airbnb-specific details, such as reservation ID, guest name, collected money, and any additional fees. This ensures all relevant details are captured for each booking.

Key Takeaways:

  • Zapier has a free plan, but most users will need a paid plan for full functionality.
  • Hostaway, Guestline, and Smoobu are all paid property management systems, with pricing depending on the number of properties you manage.
  • Xero’s bank feeds are available with a subscription, but the integration with Airbnb itself isn’t native, so using a third-party tool would require a separate subscription.

By combining these tools and integrations, you can effectively automate the invoicing and property tracking process in Xero for Airbnb reservations, ensuring the correct nominal accounts are selected and your finances are organized.