See exactly what the first 5 minutes look like.
A real walkthrough of how you’ll go from “I just heard about Staykey” to “my first guest has their portal link” — no smart devices required.
- 30-day free trial
- Cancel anytime
- Smart devices optional
Pick your path
Three ways to run access. Pick the one that fits today.
All three use the same guest portal. The difference is how access codes get handled behind the scenes — and you can switch between them anytime.
Walkthrough below is tailored for Static codes · switch paths anytime.
The walkthrough
Six steps. About five minutes.
Each step is a screen in the in-app wizard. Skip anything you’re not ready for — the wizard remembers where you left off.
Create your account
Sign up with your name, mobile, and email. SMS consent lets us send you critical alerts about your stays — nothing marketing.
- Name, email, and mobile number
- Quick SMS consent for stay alerts
- No card required to see the dashboard
Choose your plan and start your trial
Pick Host ($15/property/mo) or ProHost ($25/property/mo, adds Cleans). Your card is collected but nothing is charged for 30 days. Cancel anytime.
- 30-day free trial on either tier
- Upgrade or downgrade whenever
- ProHost is the one to pick if you work with a cleaner
Host
Selected$15/mo
Per property. Everything you need to run one or more rentals.
ProHost
$25/mo
Adds Cleans — confirmation-first turnover management.
Card on file, not charged.
Your card is collected to hold your account. Nothing is charged for 30 days. Cancel anytime before then.
Add your first property
Give your property a name, drop in the address, and pick how access works. You can change access modes later — this is just your starting point.
- Address, time zone, check-in/check-out
- Pick Static codes, Portal only, or Smart access
- Wi-Fi and house rules go here; local guide auto-populates
Property name
Address
Access mode
Static codes
Enter your own codes
Portal only
No codes, just the portal
Smart access
Smart lock, automated codes
Import your bookings
Forward your Airbnb and Vrbo booking emails to one Staykey address and every reservation appears with the guest’s name and reservation code — plus their phone number on Vrbo. Or connect a calendar feed; both import your bookings.
- One forwarding address for all your listings
- Guest name and reservation code on every stay, plus a phone number on Vrbo
- Any iCal feed imports your bookings too
Staykey import address
Upcoming stays
Smith Family
Apr 22 → Apr 27
Chen Party of 4
May 3 → May 6
Patel
May 12 → May 18
Invite your cleaner
On ProHost? Invite your cleaning company so they can see and confirm every turnover. On Host? Skip — you can always add this later.
- Email invite, they get their own portal
- Turnovers auto-created from checkout times
- Confirmation-first: nothing’s done until they say so
Company name
Primary contact email
We’ll email them a portal invite.
Maria gets her own login to see cleanings, mark them done, and flag anything that needs your attention.
On Host? Skip this — you can invite a cleaner later from settings.
Share your first guest link
Each stay gets a unique link built from the reservation ID. Send it yourself, or drop Airbnb’s confirmation-code shortcode into a scheduled message and every future guest gets it automatically.
- One link per stay — no app for guests
- Automate delivery with Airbnb Scheduled Messages
- Works for SMS, email, or however you message guests
Smith Family · Apr 22 → Apr 27
Portal readyAirbnb scheduled message
Hi {first name} — your guest portal is ready: s.staykey.co/{confirmation code}
Sends 24h before check-in · Every booking · No host action
The whole thing
Five minutes, six steps, first guest link live.
Total
~5 min
Smart-lock setup adds a few minutes to sign in with your lock’s app, or ~15 minutes for Home Assistant hub pairing and a test stay. You can do that any time after your first link is live.
Want the complete read-through?
We wrote a ~12-minute guide that expands every step above — including the Home Assistant path, email import for Airbnb and Vrbo, the full Scheduled Messages automation, and a go-live checklist to run before your first guest arrives.
Read: How to set up Staykey for your first rentalHow to Set Up Staykey for Your First Rental
- Sign up and choose your plan
- Add your first property
- Import your bookings
- Share your first guest link
- Add smart devices (optional)
- Set up Cleans (optional)
- Verification checklist
Before you sign up
Common questions.
The things hosts ask us most before they start. Short answers here — the full guide and help center have depth.
Ready to see it for yourself?
Start your 30-day free trial and go from signup to your first guest link in about five minutes.
30-day free trial · Cancel anytime