The Best Pricing Tools for Colorado Short Term Rentals (And How to Use Them Right)

evergreenescapesco
May 1
3 min read

You're looking at your Airbnb calendar for your Colorado mountain property. Same nightly rate for the whole year: $200.

But demand fluctuates wildly. Summer weekends? You could charge $300 or more. Tuesday nights in February? $120 is realistic.

Static pricing is leaving money on the table. Dynamic pricing tools fix that, but only if you're using them correctly.

Why Dynamic Pricing Matters

A Colorado mountain property near Pikes Peak or in Divide has wildly different demand across seasons:

Summer weekends (June-August): High demand, premium pricing justified
Winter holidays (Dec 20-Jan 1): Ski season, peak demand
Shoulder seasons (April-May, Sept-Oct): Moderate demand
Off-season (Jan-March, Nov): Low demand, heavy discounting needed to maintain occupancy

If you charge $200 per night year-round:

In peak season, you're leaving $50 to $100 per night on the table
In off-season, you might be getting zero bookings at that rate

Dynamic pricing software automatically adjusts your rates based on demand, competitor pricing, local events, and historical data. It maximizes revenue by charging what the market will bear.

The Best Tools for Short Term Rental Owners

1. Airbnb's Built-In Smart Pricing

Airbnb has native pricing tools integrated directly into your listing. They're free.

Pros: No learning curve, works directly within Airbnb, uses Airbnb's own data

Cons: Limited customization, conservative (often underprices your property), no integration with other platforms

If you're listing on Airbnb only and want something simple, Airbnb's smart pricing is a starting point. But it's usually not aggressive enough for Colorado mountain properties in high-demand markets.

2. PriceLabs

PriceLabs is specifically designed for short term rental operators. It pulls data from your Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, and other platforms to set optimal pricing.

Pros: Integrates with multiple OTAs (Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com), sophisticated algorithms based on demand, competitor pricing, and seasonality, customizable rules (you set minimum and maximum rates, blackout dates, etc.), proven to increase revenue 10-25% for most users

Cons: Approximately $15 to $30 per month per property, requires setup and monitoring

For most Colorado short term rental owners, PriceLabs is the sweet spot. It's affordable, effective, and handles multiple platforms.

3. Beyond Pricing

Beyond Pricing works similarly to PriceLabs but with a different algorithm and interface.

Pros: Clean, intuitive dashboard, strong for multi-property operators, good customer support

Cons: Slightly more expensive than PriceLabs, more "set and forget" (less customizable)

Good if you have multiple Colorado properties and want simplicity.

4. Hospitable (If You're Using a Property Management System)

If you're using Hospitable as your property management system, their pricing tools are built in. Many professional cohosts use Hospitable to manage operations and pricing simultaneously.

Pros: Integrated with your entire property management workflow, centralized dashboard for bookings, messaging, pricing, professional operators know the tool well

Cons: More expensive overall (Hospitable costs more than just a pricing tool), overkill if you're self-managing a single property

How to Actually Use These Tools (The Strategy)

Having a pricing tool doesn't mean setting it and forgetting it. You need a strategy.

Set meaningful floors and ceilings. Tell the tool: "Never go below $120 per night. Never go above $350 per night." These guardrails prevent bad pricing decisions.
Account for local events. Summer weekends near Pikes Peak, Colorado Springs races, ski season in nearby mountains. These drive demand spikes. Your tool should know about them.
Adjust for competitor activity. If a new property lists near you at $180 per night, your tool might suggest dropping to $170. That's sometimes right. And sometimes you should stay firm and let them compete. Monitor, don't blindly trust.
Review weekly. Pricing tools aren't magic. They're data-driven, but they can miss context. You own the property. Review suggested prices weekly and override when necessary.
Test and measure. Try a pricing tool for 3 months. Track your actual revenue, not just occupancy. Some tools work better for certain properties than others.

The Reality Check

Dynamic pricing tools typically increase revenue 12-20% for Colorado mountain properties. But that assumes:

Your property is competitive (amenities, photos, location)
Your reviews are solid (guests trust the listing)
You're managing checkouts and turnover smoothly
You're using the tool actively (not set-and-forget)

A pricing tool won't fix a poorly-maintained property or bad reviews. It optimizes revenue for properties that are already solid.

Which Tool Should You Use?

Self-managing, single property? Start with Airbnb's smart pricing or PriceLabs ($15 to $20 per month).

Multiple properties or multi-platform listings? PriceLabs or Beyond Pricing ($25 to $60 per month total, scales with properties).

Using a professional cohost or property management system? Use what your operator recommends. Most good operators have negotiated integrations with pricing tools.

The tool is a weapon. But you're still the strategist.

Tony and Natalie manage top Colorado vacation properties using data-driven strategies and professional tools. They help owners optimize revenue without sacrificing guest experience.