If you list your property on multiple platforms (Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo...), you know the risk: a double booking can quickly turn a good day into a nightmare. The solution? Sync your calendars via iCal links. Here's how, step by step.
What is iCal synchronization?
iCal (or iCalendar) is a standard format used by all booking platforms to share calendar information. It's like a common language everyone understands:
- Airbnb, Booking, Vrbo, Google Calendar... all use this format
- An iCal link exports your calendar to another service
- Sync can be bidirectional or unidirectional
- No installation or technical skills required
💡 The iCal format was created in 1998 and remains the universal standard for calendar data exchange. It's free and offered by all serious platforms.
Step 1: Get the iCal link from Airbnb
Here's how to find your iCal link on Airbnb:
- Log into your Airbnb host account
- Go to "Calendar" for your listing
- Click "Availability" in the top right
- Then "Sync calendars"
- Copy the link in the "Export calendar" section
💡 Important: copy the EXPORT link (not import). This link allows other services to read your Airbnb calendar.
Step 2: Get the iCal link from Booking.com
For Booking.com, the process is in the extranet:
- Log into your Booking.com extranet
- Go to "Rates and availability"
- Click "Calendar sync"
- Copy the provided iCal link
- You can also import an external calendar here
💡 Booking.com can take up to 24h to reflect imported changes. For cleanings, it's recommended to use a third-party tool that centralizes everything.
Step 3: Get links from other platforms
Other platforms also offer iCal links:
- Vrbo: Calendar > Settings > iCal
- Google Calendar: Settings > Integrate calendar > Secret address
- Smoobu: Property > Calendar > Export iCal
- Lodgify: Calendar > Sync > iCal
- Guesty: Property > Calendar > iCal Settings
💡 If you use a channel manager (Beds24, Smoobu, Lodgify...), you can often get a single iCal link that already includes all your platforms.
Step 4: Centralize with Easyical
Once you have your iCal links, centralize them in Easyical:
- Create your free Easyical account
- Add a new property
- Paste your iCal links (Airbnb, Booking, etc.)
- Configure your check-in/check-out times
- Your reservations appear automatically
💡 Easyical's advantage over simple inter-platform sync: cleaning schedules are generated automatically and your team can access them directly.
Mistakes to avoid
Some common pitfalls to avoid during sync:
- Don't confuse import and export links
- Don't sync the same calendar in a loop (conflict risk)
- Verify time zones are correct
- Don't forget to resync after major changes
- Test with a fake reservation before relying on it
💡 If you manually block dates on one platform, make sure this change will sync to others (it's not always automatic).
Conclusion
Syncing your calendars is the essential first step to peacefully managing multi-platform rentals. Once set up, you can go further by automating cleaning schedules, team communication and even invoicing. With the right tools, multi-platform management becomes a breeze.