STR TV and BetterSTR TV do a similar job: a branded welcome screen, house guide and upsells on the rental’s own television, with streaming sign-ins cleared between guests. The big differences are price, where you can use it, and what else comes on the screen.
Start free, no card requiredSTR TV is a US-focused guest TV platform priced per property, from about $20.82 a month, plus around $75 hardware per TV. It covers welcome screens, house guides, upsells, direct-booking leads and streaming logout well, and adds a channel line-up of local and network video. BetterSTR TV covers the same core job, works in any country, and its welcome screen is free forever. All Premium features are free for the first 2 weeks, then Premium is $4 per TV a month, or as low as $2/month prepaid. Our pre-loaded box is $35, or use an Android TV device you already have.
STR TV is sold as a paid subscription from day one, with a 14-day trial, a 30-day money-back guarantee and optional paid white-glove onboarding. That makes sense for professional managers in the US who want a done-for-you package.
BetterSTR TV starts free and stays free for the welcome screen, so a host with one cabin and a host with two hundred units can both switch it on without a budget conversation. Premium features (guest name and dates from your PMS, upsells, smart home, voice answers from your guidebook and more) are a per-TV add-on when you want them, and they sit alongside our free digital guidebook in one account.
A full Android TV home screen for the room’s own television:
A guest TV platform for US vacation rentals:
| Feature | BetterSTR TV Free to Start | STR TV |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | Welcome screen free forever; Premium $4 per TV, from $2 prepaid | From about $20.82 per property (volume discounts) |
| Hardware | Your own Android TV device, or our box at $35 | About $75 per device |
| Onboarding | Plug in, scan a QR code; free help | Self-serve, or $150 white-glove onboarding |
| Where it works | Any country | US and Puerto Rico |
| Welcome screen by guest name | Yes, from your PMS | Yes |
| House guide & WiFi | Yes, the same guide as the guest’s phone | Yes |
| Streaming logout at checkout | Yes | Yes |
| TV wakes for arrival | Yes | Yes |
| Upsells & extras | Yes, paid by card on the guest’s phone | Yes |
| Casting from guest phones | Yes, wiped at checkout | Not advertised |
| Phone remote | Yes (Premium) | Not advertised |
| Smart home: climate, lights, blinds & locks | Air-con temperature & mode, lights, fans, blinds, locks and scenes on the TV and the guest’s phone; auto on/off at check-in & checkout (Home Assistant or Shelly, Premium) | Not advertised |
| Open API & Claude MCP | REST API plus a Claude MCP server: control TVs, send guest messages and update properties and bookings by asking Claude. API docs | Not advertised |
| Fleet management | Bulk-update screensavers, settings, content and app versions in one go: by property, tag, building, city or the whole fleet | Central dashboard, global or per-unit changes |
| Full remote control of each TV | Power on and off, reboot and drive the TV remotely from your portal | Not advertised |
| Guest activity for troubleshooting | Power on/off history, which apps are in use and whether a guest is casting | Content analytics |
| Background music with volume control | Music of your choice, with the volume set from your portal | Ambient music |
| Marketing screensaver | Your photos and branding, upsells, your other properties and local restaurants & tours (yours or paid sponsors), updated across the fleet | Ambient channels and local promotions |
| Voice questions answered from your guide | Yes, on mic remotes (Premium) | Not advertised |
| Video channels | Live TV and streaming apps | Local, real estate and STR Network channels |
| Best fit | Hosts anywhere who want to start free and scale per TV | US managers wanting a paid, done-for-you package |
BetterSTR TV replaces the Android TV home screen itself, so pressing Home always brings guests back to your branded welcome page. From there they get your guidebook, WiFi QR, weather, local tours, Netflix and YouTube, casting and live TV, and checkout clears their sign-ins. It is one platform with your guidebook, WiFi marketing and upsells, at a price that starts at zero.
To be even-handed: STR TV has built a polished product for US vacation rentals. Its per-property price does not go up when you add more TVs, it captures direct-booking leads and private feedback, and it offers a white-glove setup service with a dedicated account rep. Its channel line-up of local and network video suits hosts who like ambient content playing when nobody is browsing. Before you choose it, check which channels will play on your TVs: its own app listing describes an STR Network channel featuring other vacation homes. If you manage US properties with several TVs each and want a fully paid, hands-on service, it is worth a look.
If you are outside the US, or you want to try a guest TV without a monthly bill, BetterSTR TV is the easier start: install it on an Android TV device you have, or plug in our box, and the welcome screen is free from day one. If you run US properties and are happy paying per property for a managed package, STR TV is a reasonable choice. Running BetterSTR TV costs nothing to try, so you can test both side by side.
If you are looking beyond STR TV, these are the options hosts usually compare. Prices for other companies are as published at the time of writing, so check their sites.
Welcome screen, guidebook, WiFi QR, upsells and streaming, managed over the air. Free to start.
Start free, no card needed Explore BetterSTR TVYes. Both put a branded welcome screen, house guide, WiFi details and upsells on the rental’s own TV and clear streaming sign-ins between guests. BetterSTR TV’s welcome screen is free forever, it works in any country, and it adds casting, a phone remote, smart home controls and voice answers from your guidebook.
STR TV is published from about $20.82 per property a month with volume discounts, plus around $75 per device and optional $150 onboarding. BetterSTR TV’s welcome screen is free forever; Premium is $4 per TV a month, or as low as $2 prepaid, and our pre-loaded box is $35.
STR TV supports properties in the US and Puerto Rico. BetterSTR TV works in any country, with weather, activities and currency shown for the property’s own location.
BetterSTR TV runs on any Android TV or Google TV device, including many smart TVs and inexpensive HDMI sticks. On a Samsung, LG or Fire TV, plug in our $35 box and it works on any TV with HDMI.
For most hosts, BetterSTR TV does the same welcome-screen job for far less, works in any country, and turns the TV into the guest’s whole entertainment hub. STR TV remains a fair pick for US managers who want a paid, done-for-you package priced per property. Also compare BetterSTR TV vs WelcomeScreen and BetterSTR TV vs GuestBox, or see the full BetterSTR TV product page.