Comparison Guide
The Turno Alternative for Hosts Who Already Have a Cleaner
Turno (formerly TurnoverBnB) is the biggest player in the STR cleaning market. It is great if you need to find a cleaner. If you already have one, the pricing math gets weird fast. Here is an honest look at when to pick Turno, when to pick PrepBnB, and how to do the numbers.
By Alex Stelea, founder of PrepBnB · Last updated
Full disclosure: PrepBnB is our product, so we are biased. We have tried to write this page the way we would want a competitor to write about us — with the real numbers, the places Turno is genuinely the better choice, and the places we think PrepBnB wins. Decide for yourself.
When Turno is the right choice
Turno's moat is its cleaner marketplace. If you are in a major US metro and you do not have a trusted cleaner yet, Turno's vetted-cleaner matching is the fastest way to get one. The marketplace is genuinely useful, and the product is free if you exclusively use marketplace cleaners. For hosts without a cleaner, Turno is usually the first tool we recommend people try.
Where the math changes: hosts with their own cleaner
If you already have a cleaner you trust, the marketplace is irrelevant — you just want scheduling, a checklist, and photo proof. Turno charges a per-property subscription for hosts using their own cleaners. On top of that, payments routed through the platform incur Stripe/card fees. Host reviews on Capterra and STR forums describe real monthly costs in the $40–$60 range for a 10–12 turn/month host — not the headline "free" you see on the pricing page.
PrepBnB is a flat monthly fee with no per-clean or card processing charges. The free tier covers 1 property forever — which is where most of our users live. If you run your cleaner payments through Zelle or Venmo (most solo hosts do), we do not touch that flow. You mark a job paid in the dashboard and get a per-cleaner running total. That is it.
PrepBnB vs. Turno — feature comparison
| Feature | PrepBnB | Turno |
|---|---|---|
| iCal auto-sync (Airbnb/VRBO) | ||
| AI-generated checklists | ||
| Cleaner uses your cleaner (no marketplace pressure) | ||
| Zelle/Venmo-friendly payment tracking | ||
| No cleaner app install required | ||
| Flat monthly pricing | ||
| Free tier for 1 property | ||
| Per-clean or card processing fees |
full support · partial or conditional · not supported.
How to do the math on your own turnover volume
Rough back-of-envelope for a host with their own cleaner:
- Turno: per-property monthly fee for hosts with their own cleaner, plus card processing if you route payments through the app. At 10+ turns/month this typically lands in the $40–$60/mo range per published reviewer reports.
- PrepBnB: free for 1 property, flat $29/mo for unlimited. No per-clean fee, no payment processing charge.
The crossover point is around 5 turns/month. Under that, the Turno marketplace is probably still worth it if you do not have a cleaner. Above that, with your own cleaner, PrepBnB is cheaper and drops the marketplace pressure entirely.
Where PrepBnB has gaps vs. Turno
We would rather tell you the truth than lose your trust:
- No cleaner marketplace. If you do not have a cleaner, PrepBnB cannot help you find one. Start with Turno or a local referral, then come to PrepBnB once you have your person.
- No native mobile app. PrepBnB is a web app optimized for mobile. Your cleaner opens a link in their browser — which we think is the right trade-off (no install, no login) but it means no app icon on the home screen.
- Smaller company. Turno has raised venture funding and has a big team. PrepBnB is a solo founder shipping weekly. The upside is fast fixes; the downside is less redundancy.
- No in-app chat. Turno has a messaging thread between host and cleaner. PrepBnB relies on email + whatever channel you already use with your cleaner. If you want a bundled chat inside the tool, Turno wins here.
Who should switch from Turno to PrepBnB
Yes, switch if: you already have a trusted cleaner, you are tired of the marketplace pressure, you pay your cleaner via Zelle/Venmo and do not need another payment rail, and your monthly Turno bill is higher than $29.
Stay on Turno if:you rely on the marketplace to source cleaners, you want the in-app chat, or you manage a portfolio large enough that the per-property cost is offset by the platform's maturity.
Try PrepBnB in parallel if: you are not sure. The free tier lets you run your listing on PrepBnB for a few weeks and compare what your cleaner actually prefers.
Try PrepBnB Free — No Credit Card Required
Bring your cleaner, keep your Zelle, skip the marketplace. Free for 1 property, forever.
Get started freeFrequently asked questions
Does Turno require my cleaner to install an app?
Yes. Turno's cleaner workflow runs through their cleaner-side app, which is part of why they take a fee — they're maintaining a marketplace experience even when you bring your own cleaner. PrepBnB sends the checklist over email and runs in the cleaner's browser, so cleaners with no app can still use it.
Why is Turno still a good fit for some hosts?
If you don't have a cleaner — or yours just bailed — Turno's biggest value is the marketplace itself. You can post a job and get a same-day cleaner in most US markets. PrepBnB doesn't replace that. The 'Turno alternative' question only makes sense if you already have a reliable cleaner.
How does PrepBnB pricing compare to Turno for one property with your own cleaner?
PrepBnB is free for one property with no per-clean or card-processing fees. Turno's per-clean fees and processing percentage scale with turnover volume. For a property turning 10–20 times per month, the difference is usually $50–$200/month going to Turno fees that don't exist in PrepBnB.
Can I migrate my Turno cleaners over without re-onboarding them?
Yes — invite each cleaner by email from PrepBnB and they receive a one-tap join link. They don't download an app. The first job you assign will email them the property's checklist directly.
Does PrepBnB handle iCal sync from Airbnb and VRBO?
Yes — paste your Airbnb iCal feed (and your VRBO feed if applicable) and PrepBnB auto-creates a cleaning job for every checkout. Same model Turno uses, no marketplace fee.
What about payment processing? Turno handles cleaner payouts.
PrepBnB tracks payment status (unpaid / requested / paid) and emails the host a 'pay your cleaner' link with Zelle/Venmo details after each completed job. We don't process card payments — most STR hosts pay cleaners via Zelle or check anyway, which avoids the percentage Turno takes off the top.
Related guides
Thinking of leaving Turno?
Get a 1-page Turno → PrepBnB migration checklist + the printable cleaning checklist.