Dynamic Pricing is a pricing tool in your Holidu Host Account that helps you set nightly rates for your property based on what guests actually paid for similar properties in your region. This guide explains how Dynamic Pricing works, how to set it up, and how to keep your prices current.

What is Dynamic Pricing?

Dynamic Pricing is a pricing logic built on real booking data. It compares your property with similar properties in your focus region and recommends a nightly price curve for the next 14 months. Instead of building each season by hand, you start from a recommended curve, adjust it to your needs, and apply it to your calendar.

Demand changes over time, so Dynamic Pricing keeps generating new price recommendations. You decide how to handle them:

• Apply recommendations yourself: review each suggested price and apply it with one click.
• Let Holidu adjust your prices: turn on Optimize prices in the Automatic pricing section, and Holidu adjusts your prices for you, within the price limits you set (if any).
• Keep your calendar priced ahead: turn on Keep calendar open so that prices for new dates are added and your calendar always stays priced 14 months in advance.

Key benefits of Dynamic Pricing

• Set up a complete 14-month pricing calendar in a few guided steps.
• Base your prices on completed, non-cancelled bookings of similar properties in your region.
• Respond to seasonal demand without manually updating every date.
• Preview all changes before they are applied.
• Stay in control, with the option to edit any date, price, or minimum stay at any time.

How to set up Dynamic Pricing

Step 1: Open Dynamic Pricing

Log in to your Holidu Host Account and go to the Pricing tab. If you have a new listing or no seasons configured yet, you will see an empty state. Click Get started to launch the guided setup.

Step 2: Choose your tier (category)

Select the category that defines which group of similar properties you want to compete with:

• Budget: priced like the cheapest approximately 15% of similar properties in your area.
• Comfort: priced around the average of similar properties.
• Premium: priced like the top approximately 15% of similar properties in your area.

If enough data is available for your property, Holidu highlights the best-fit category with a "Recommended for you" badge.

Similar properties are properties in your same focus region with the same maximum occupancy, based on completed, non-cancelled Holidu Homes bookings. They are not based on listed prices or on other platforms such as Airbnb or Booking.com. This comparison group is fixed and cannot be manually adjusted.

Step 3: Review your price curve

After you choose a category, a suggested 14-month price curve appears, based on seasonality and local demand. Adjust it with two controls:

• Price level: shifts the entire curve up or down to set your overall nightly rate.
• Seasonal difference: controls how much prices vary between seasons, from flat year-round pricing to a more pronounced seasonal curve.

Below these sliders, you will find the Automatic pricing section, which includes the Optimize prices and Keep calendar open toggles and optional price limits.

Step 4: Set your season rules

The guided setup groups your 14 months into season types: Peak, High, Mid, and Low, based on local demand. For each season type, set the following once. The settings apply to every date in that season:

• Minimum stay
• Weekend markup
• Check-in and check-out days

Step 5: Preview and apply your prices

Before anything is applied, you will see a preview comparing your new nightly rates with your current rates. Review the preview and click Apply prices.

Important: applying the guided setup overwrites your existing prices and season settings, including any manual changes you made to individual days. You will see the new and current prices before you confirm, and you can still fine-tune any date afterwards.

Step 6: Adjust anytime

Nothing is locked in. You can edit specific dates, prices, and minimum-stay rules directly in the calendar at any time. You can also reopen Dynamic Pricing to change your price level, seasonal difference, or Automatic pricing settings (Optimize prices, Keep calendar open, and price limits). To save these changes, go through the setup again and click Apply prices. As described in Step 5, this overwrites your existing prices and season settings.

Keeping your prices up to date

• Holidu refreshes the underlying booking data weekly, so your similar properties comparison gradually reflects what is happening in your market.
• As demand shifts, Holidu surfaces price recommendations that you can apply with one click.
• If you prefer not to review recommendations manually, use Automatic pricing. You can return to manual pricing at any time.

Using Automatic pricing

The Automatic pricing section is part of the setup wizard, on the same screen as your price level. It includes two toggles and optional price limits. You can use either toggle, both, or neither.

• Optimize prices: adjusts your prices once a week, based on demand and your property's performance.
• Keep calendar open: adds prices for new dates once a month, so your calendar is always priced 14 months ahead.
• Price limits (optional): a Min price and a Max price that both toggles respect.

For details on when each toggle runs and what it does or does not change, see the Automatic pricing: Optimize prices and Keep calendar open article in the Host Knowledge Base.

Frequently asked questions

Will my existing prices be overwritten?

Yes. Applying Dynamic Pricing replaces all your current prices and settings, including manual adjustments to individual days. You will see a comparison of your new and old prices before you confirm, and you can edit individual days at any time afterwards.

What are the pricing seasons (Peak, High, Mid, Low)?

These are demand-based groups that organize your year into pricing periods. Peak has the highest demand and Low has the quietest periods. You can adjust the settings for each season type before your final prices are applied.

Can I still control my minimum stay?

Yes. Dynamic Pricing suggests minimum stay rules based on demand, but you can edit them manually at any time. Automatic pricing does not change your minimum stay.

Can I adjust my prices later?

Yes. You can reopen Dynamic Pricing at any time to change your overall price level or seasonal difference. You can also edit specific dates and price ranges directly in the calendar.

What does Budget, Comfort, or Premium mean?

The category defines which group of similar properties you want to compete with. Budget means you are priced like the more affordable end of your local market. Comfort means you are priced around the average. Premium means you are priced like the top-end properties in your area.

Are cleaning fees or taxes included in these prices?

No. The suggested prices are nightly rates only. Cleaning fees, taxes, and other charges are managed separately and are not affected by Dynamic Pricing.

What if I want to go back to managing prices manually?

You can do this at any time. The price curve is a starting point, not a commitment.

Is the minimum price the lowest amount I will ever receive for a booking?

No. The minimum price applies to your nightly base rate. Active discounts, such as a 10% weekly discount or a 15% last-minute deal, are calculated on top of your nightly rate. This means the final price a guest pays can be lower than your minimum setting. Your price limits apply to both Optimize prices and Keep calendar open.

Will this change the price of bookings I have already received?

No. Confirmed reservations keep the price they were booked at. Dynamic Pricing only updates rates for nights that are currently available and unbooked.

Why do the similar properties prices not match what I see on Airbnb or Booking.com?

The price range is based on completed bookings within Holidu's own portfolio, not on listed or asking prices on other platforms. Some difference is expected.

Can I adjust the comparison area or radius used for the price curve?

No. The comparison area, which is your focus region, is fixed. You can fine-tune your own price level within the selected category using the Price level slider.

How does Dynamic Pricing handle extra-guest surcharges?

Dynamic Pricing calculates prices for the full number of adults your property accommodates. If you charge a base rate for fewer adults than your full capacity, lower the price level in the wizard accordingly, because the suggested curve is calibrated for your full capacity. For example, if your property sleeps 6 adults but your base rate covers 4 guests, lower the price level to reflect the base rate.