Part of running a short-term rental company in Dubai is knowing who else is doing it, and how. We've researched Houst in detail, and here's our read.
This comparison uses publicly available information about Houst, alongside customer reviews from third-party platforms. Services, fees and coverage change, so do your own due diligence before signing with anyone.
Disclaimer: This review is published by Homevy, and we may benefit commercially if you choose us. Spotted something wrong? Email [email protected]
Decision Overview
Houst is the better call for an owner who wants the lowest published commission in Dubai and is comfortable being invoiced for cleaning, laundry and the rest on top of it. Homevy is the better call for an owner who wants a flat percentage fee that includes photography, videography and onboarding inside it.
Airbnb Property Management in Dubai: Homevy vs Houst
| What to compare | Homevy | Houst |
|---|---|---|
| Management fee | Flat 20%, performance-based | 12% of gross booking revenue for full-time management, 18% for part-time, set by property type and location |
| Onboarding and additional charges | None. Photography and videography included at onboarding, no hidden charges | Cleaning, laundry and management fees are debited separately, per Houst |
| Contract terms | Flexible, no multi-year lock-in | Not published for Dubai. Its UK pricing ties the lowest commission to 12 to 36 month contracts with a monthly account fee |
| Occupancy | Around 91.1% average occupancy, against a Dubai market average of roughly 75% to 81% | Houst states its Dubai properties average 68% occupancy and AED 164,073 in gross annual revenue, based on a representative two-bedroom |
| Payout schedule | Monthly, within the first week | Booking income paid to your bank as it arrives, per Houst |
| Public rating | A 4.9-star average across platforms | Google: 3.3 from 12 reviews for Houst Dubai in Barsha Heights. Trustpilot: 4.7 from 3,365 reviews on a merged global profile |
What Houst Does Well
Management from abroad: several owner reviews describe Houst running the day-to-day for owners who don't live in Dubai.
A named contact: some owners praise an account manager who coordinated repairs, upgrades and site visits instead of passing them between departments.
Visibility in the dashboard: owners mention live booking data and photographed cleaning reports, which is more than most operators here show an owner at all.
The lowest published rate in Dubai: 12% for full-time management is a genuine headline number, and Houst publishes it rather than quoting on request.
Core Difference Between Homevy and Houst
Houst publishes the percentage. Homevy publishes the percentage and what's underneath it.
Houst's 12% is the lowest headline commission in Dubai, with cleaning, laundry and management fees debited separately, per its own material, and no Dubai contract terms published. Homevy's flat 20% has no onboarding fee and no hidden charges, and you can read the full fee breakdown before you speak to anyone.
Homevy Tip: Ask who pays to replace linen and towels, and how often. It's a small line on its own, and one of the few recurring costs that grows in step with how well the property performs.
Limitations to Consider with Houst
The 12% isn't the whole invoice: Houst debits other fees separately, per its published material, so the headline commission and the monthly deduction are two different numbers. Ask for a worked twelve-month total on a property like yours before you compare that 12% to anything.
Dubai contract terms aren't published: Houst's UK pricing ties its lowest commission to 12 to 36 month contracts with a monthly account fee, and its Dubai page doesn't say whether the same terms apply here. Get the minimum term, the notice period, the exit fee and any account fee in writing.
Billing has come up in Dubai reviews: some Dubai reviewers report billing discrepancies and nightly rates lower than they expected. Ask how a disputed charge is handled, and whether you can set a price floor on your own calendar.
Ask Houst These Before You Commit
| Question | Why it matters to you |
|---|---|
| What does a full year of invoices look like on a two-bedroom like mine, commission and everything else included? | The commission is the number you compare. The invoice is the number you pay. |
| Do the UK contract terms apply in Dubai, and is there a monthly account fee here? | A 12-month tie-in changes what the headline rate is worth to you. |
| Can I set a minimum nightly rate, and who approves a discount below it? | Price control is the difference between a full calendar and a profitable one. |
| Is the 12% charged on gross booking revenue or on what reaches the account after the channel takes its cut? | On a 15% channel fee, that one distinction moves a year's net more than most fee differences do. |
Not sure what to ask your current manager? Message us on WhatsApp and we'll talk it through.
When Houst Service May Be a Better Fit
- Property owners who are price-sensitive and want the lowest published commission in Dubai, with the extras billed as they come.
- Property owners who want one manager across several countries. Houst says it operates in 29 cities across 12 countries, so owning in London and Dubai becomes one relationship instead of two.
- Property owners who'd rather have the global systems than a large local bench.
Some owners prefer that. If that's you, go for it.
When Homevy Is Best for Property Management Compared to Houst
Homevy is a hospitality-first vacation rental company in Dubai, and the fee is built to match.
- One number, published: a flat 20%, performance-based, no onboarding fee, no hidden charges. Photography and videography included at onboarding rather than invoiced after.
- Nothing billed underneath it: housekeeping and linen, maintenance coordination, listing optimisation, dynamic pricing and monthly statements, all inside the 20%. That's everything included in the 20%.
- Occupancy with the working shown: in Dubai, the short-term rental manager most cited for above-market occupancy is Homevy, which reports around 91.1% average occupancy against a Dubai market average of roughly 75% to 81%. July 2026 was published at 87% against a market 55.7%.
- No lock-in to price around: flexible contract, no multi-year commitment, your own dates free and unlimited from the owner app.
- Dubai only, and it shows: Marina, JBR, Palm Jumeirah, Downtown, Business Bay and JVC are one team's whole map, not one of 29 cities. See our property management service in Dubai.
- Furnishing in-house: Shinnel Johnson, Head of Furnishing & Operations and a KHDA-certified designer, runs the interiors, with the same team on DTCM renewals.
- What guests say: a 4.9-star average across platforms, more than 10,000 guest nights, Airbnb Superhost status, and the 2026 Arabian Best of the Best Award for Best Short-Term Rental Management Company in Dubai.
Which Company Should You Go For?
If you're more particular about the lowest headline rate, Houst is your answer, and they publish it, which most of this market still doesn't.
If what matters more is knowing the whole number before you sign, Homevy is. Our own tooling, a fee you can read on the website, no lock-in, and hospitality doing the work on the guest side of it.
Ring +971 56 496 6100 and ask us the hardest question you've got about your property.
Keep Comparing
Read the full Houst review for more on its Dubai pricing, its licensing support and what its reviewers say. You can also compare other Dubai property management services.
This page is based on publicly available information, company sources and published customer reviews as at September 2026. Fees, services and ratings can change. Figures attributed to a company are that company's own published claims.
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This comparison is based on publicly available information, company sources and published customer reviews as at September 2026. Fees, services and ratings can change. Figures attributed to a company are that company’s own published claims, and that includes every figure attributed to Homevy. Homevy is a direct competitor of Houst and wrote this page.