Turno vs Properly: Best Cleaning App for STR Hosts

Cleaning coordination remains the single highest-friction operational task for short-term rental hosts. A missed turnover means a one-star review. A cleaner who ghosts you at 2pm on a Saturday means scrambling through your phone contacts while a guest waits in their car. Our team has lived this chaos across hundreds of properties, and we've tested every major cleaning coordination tool on the market. This Turno vs Properly 2026 comparison breaks down which platform actually works when you're managing real properties with real cleaners who have real scheduling conflicts. We'll cover pricing at scale, feature gaps that matter, and the operational gotchas neither company mentions in their marketing. Try Turno Free for Your Portfolio →

🧹 What Is Turno?

Turno (formerly TurnoverBnB) launched as a cleaner marketplace and evolved into a full cleaning coordination platform. The core value proposition: connect your booking calendar, and Turno automatically creates cleaning tasks, notifies your assigned cleaners, and handles confirmation workflows. The marketplace component sets Turno apart. If your regular cleaner calls out sick, you can post the job to Turno's network of vetted cleaners in your area. This backup system alone justifies the platform for many operators. Turno takes a cut from marketplace cleaners but charges nothing when you use your own cleaning team. Turno integrates directly with Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, and most major PMS platforms including Hostaway, Guesty, and Lodgify. Calendar sync happens via iCal or direct API depending on your stack.

📋 What Is Properly?

Properly positions itself as a cleaning quality assurance platform first, scheduling tool second. The headline feature is photo-verified checklists—cleaners photograph each completed task, and you (or your operations manager) can review the photos remotely before approving the turnover. This inspection-forward approach appeals to hosts who've been burned by cleaners cutting corners. Properly also offers a cleaner marketplace, though it's smaller than Turno's network in most US markets. Properly's interface emphasizes task management and property-specific checklists. You can build detailed cleaning protocols with photos showing exactly how each space should look post-clean. The platform then guides cleaners through each step.

🔧 Our Experience Testing Both Platforms

Our team has deployed WiFi infrastructure at 50+ STR properties through SkyYield, which means we're onsite during turnovers constantly. We see how cleaners actually interact with these apps in the field—not just how the dashboards look from an office. With Turno, we've observed cleaners completing check-ins on their phones in under 30 seconds. The app is lightweight, notifications are reliable, and the cleaner UX prioritizes speed. Most cleaners we've talked to prefer Turno because it doesn't slow them down. Properly's cleaner experience is heavier. Photo verification adds 10-15 minutes per turnover in our observation. Some cleaners appreciate the clarity of photo checklists. Others find it micromanaging and have told us directly they charge more for Properly jobs to compensate for the extra time. The reliability difference matters at scale. We've tracked notification delivery across both platforms. Turno's push notifications reach cleaners consistently. Properly's notification system has had sporadic delays—usually not catastrophic, but enough that we've seen cleaners miss time-sensitive updates during back-to-back turnover days. One operational reality neither platform advertises: both struggle with same-day booking turnovers. If a guest books at 10am for a 4pm check-in, you need a cleaner confirmed within minutes. Turno's marketplace responds faster in our experience, but neither platform truly solves the last-minute scramble. You still need cleaner relationships and backup plans.

⚙️ Key Features Compared

Auto-Scheduling

Turno's auto-scheduling pulls checkout dates from your calendar and creates cleaning tasks automatically. You set buffer times (we recommend minimum 4 hours between checkout and check-in), assign default cleaners per property, and the system handles the rest. When a booking changes, Turno updates the cleaning task and re-notifies the cleaner. Properly offers similar auto-scheduling but adds an approval step by default. Tasks get created, but cleaners must accept them through the app. This adds a confirmation layer but also adds friction—we've seen tasks sit unconfirmed because cleaners missed the notification or forgot to tap accept. Winner: Turno for operational simplicity. Properly's confirmation workflow makes sense philosophically but creates more failure points.

Cleaner Marketplace

Turno's marketplace is significantly larger. In major US metros, you'll find dozens of available cleaners. In secondary markets, coverage varies but is generally adequate. Turno vets cleaners with background checks and reviews from other hosts. Properly's marketplace exists but feels like an afterthought. Coverage is spottier, and the vetting process is less transparent. If marketplace access is a priority, Turno is the clear choice. Winner: Turno decisively.

Quality Verification

This is Properly's core strength. Photo checklists with required verification shots give you documented proof of cleaning completion. If a guest complains about cleanliness, you have timestamped photos showing the property's condition post-clean. Turno added photo features in recent updates but they're optional and less integrated into the workflow. Cleaners can upload photos, but the system doesn't enforce verification the way Properly does. Winner: Properly if quality documentation is your primary concern.

Cleaner Payments

Turno handles payments to marketplace cleaners automatically. For your own cleaners, you can process payments through Turno or handle them externally. The platform tracks completed jobs either way. Properly integrates payments similarly but charges higher processing fees. Both platforms support tipping. Winner: Tie—both handle payments adequately.

PMS Integration Depth

Turno offers deeper integrations with major PMS platforms. The Hostaway and Guesty integrations pull guest counts, which lets you adjust cleaning scope automatically for larger groups. Properly's integrations are more surface-level—calendar sync works, but metadata doesn't flow as reliably. If you're running a sophisticated PMS stack, Turno plays nicer with your existing tools. Check our best PMS software guide for platforms that integrate well with both cleaning tools. Winner: Turno for integration depth.

Inventory and Supply Tracking

Properly includes basic inventory management—cleaners can flag low supplies during turnovers. Turno added similar features but they're less mature. Neither platform replaces dedicated inventory management. For properties at scale, you'll want a separate system. See our STR inventory management breakdown for dedicated solutions. Winner: Properly slightly, though both are basic.

💰 Pricing Breakdown

Plan	Turno	Properly
Free Tier	Yes - unlimited properties, basic features	No free tier
Entry Paid Plan	$8/property/month (Pro)	$25/month base + $5/property
10 Properties Monthly	$80/month	$75/month
25 Properties Monthly	$200/month	$150/month
50 Properties Monthly	$400/month	$275/month
Marketplace Fee	Platform takes cut from cleaner payment	Similar structure, higher percentage
Annual Discount	~20% with annual billing	~15% with annual billing

For most operators, Turno's free tier handles basic needs. The Pro tier adds priority support, custom branding, and advanced reporting. Properly has no free option, which creates a barrier for hosts testing the platform. Lock In Turno Pro Annual Pricing →

👍 Pros and Cons

🎯 Who Each Platform Is For

Choose Turno if:

• You're scaling from 5-30 properties and need operational efficiency
• Cleaner marketplace access is important (backup coverage)
• Your cleaners are experienced and don't need hand-holding
• You want a free tier to test before paying
• PMS integration depth matters to your stack
• You prioritize speed over documentation

Choose Properly if:

• You've had consistent quality issues with cleaners
• You manage luxury properties where photo documentation protects against guest disputes
• You're training new cleaners and need visual guidance
• Your portfolio exceeds 40 properties (pricing advantage kicks in)
• Quality verification is worth the operational overhead to you

Skip both and use manual coordination if:

• You have 1-3 properties with one reliable cleaner
• Your cleaner lives next door and you text them directly
• You self-clean your properties

For hosts evaluating their entire operational stack, our complete STR tech stack guide covers how cleaning software fits with PMS, dynamic pricing, and guest communication tools.

🏆 Final Verdict: Turno vs Properly 2026

For STR operators scaling a portfolio in 2026, Turno delivers better value for most use cases. The combination of a functional free tier, the largest cleaner marketplace, and lower operational friction makes it the practical choice for hosts focused on efficiency. Properly isn't a bad platform—it's just solving a different problem. If your operation has been plagued by cleaning quality issues and you're willing to pay the time premium for photo verification, Properly's documentation workflow provides accountability that Turno doesn't match. The real-world test: ask your cleaners which platform they prefer working with. In our experience across dozens of STR properties, cleaners consistently favor Turno's lighter app and faster check-in flow. Happy cleaners mean reliable turnovers, and reliable turnovers mean five-star reviews. Our recommendation for most readers: start with Turno's free tier. Test it across a few turnovers with your existing cleaners. If scheduling and backup cleaner access solve your problems, upgrade to Pro when you need the features. If you find yourself constantly questioning whether the property was actually