Do I need a PMS alongside Xentra? iCal, Channex, or PMS in comparison
What iCal, the channel manager in Xentra, and a standalone PMS each provide, what each PMS can do, and PriceLabs without a PMS.
Updated on November 6, 2026
Do I need a PMS alongside Xentra?
Xentra works with and without a PMS. There are three ways your bookings come in:
| Method | What you get | What is missing |
|---|---|---|
| iCal calendars (free) | Dates, synced approximately hourly | No guest contact details, no messages from channels, no financial data. For automations to run, you enter the guest email and phone number yourself. |
| Channex directly from Xentra (included in the Xentra Pro plan) | Airbnb, Booking.com, VRBO/FeWo-direkt, and Expedia connected directly: real-time bookings with guest data, channel messages in your inbox for Airbnb and Booking.com (VRBO/FeWo-direkt has no message channel via the channel manager, and Expedia usually does not either: reply there in the portal inbox or via email), prices and availability go from Xentra to the channels, read and reply to reviews | You do not need a standalone PMS for this |
| Connect an existing PMS | Real-time bookings with guest data, with most integrations also messages | You continue to manage prices and availability in the PMS; it costs its own subscription |
Available systems under Integrations, PMS & iCal, with what each connection can do
Which PMS can do what with Xentra
Under PMS & iCal, each connection shows whether it supports bookings, webhooks (real-time), writeback, and messages. The overview for this can be found in PMS integrations: which PMS can do what. In short: Smoobu, Guesty, Hostaway, Lodgify, and Beds24 bring bookings, real-time, writeback, and messages; iLoca as well, writeback there only into single-line custom fields. Reviews come from the PMS only via Beds24, and there only read-only.
You can find PMS pricing on the providers' websites.
Does a PMS have built-in dynamic pricing like PriceLabs?
None of the PMS connected to Xentra includes market-based dynamic pricing that matches PriceLabs. All of them can do seasonal pricing and simple rules (minimum stay, weekend surcharge), but no prices that adjust automatically to the market.
PriceLabs without a PMS
Xentra is an official partner of PriceLabs. Connect PriceLabs directly under Integrations, Marketplace: Xentra sends your calendar to PriceLabs, PriceLabs sends back the prices. You do not need a PMS for this.
How to skip a PMS
- Use the channel manager in Xentra for the channels, or the iCal sync if you only have one unit.
- Use the pricing rules in Xentra for seasonal adjustments.
- Connect PriceLabs directly to Xentra if you want dynamic pricing.
How to fully move from Smoobu or another PMS to Xentra: see Replacing Smoobu: Xentra as a full PMS.