If you host on Airbnb or VRBO and your place has a pool, hot tub, dock, kayaks, paddle boards, a boat, a fire pit or a trampoline, you have probably thought about asking guests to sign a waiver. The hard part is not deciding to do it. It is picking a tool that fits how a vacation rental actually runs: guests you never meet in person, bookings that come in through several platforms, and check-in that happens with a door code.
This guide covers what to look for in a waiver app for short-term rentals, how pricing usually works, and when Simple Waivers is a good fit and when it is not.
What a vacation rental host actually needs from a waiver app
Most waiver software was built for gyms, trampoline parks and tour operators, where guests sign on a tablet at a front desk. A rental host has a different checklist.
- Guests sign on their own phone, before arrival. There is no front desk. The waiver has to work from a link in a booking message, with no app to download and no account to create.
- One link that works on every platform. The same link should work in Airbnb messages, VRBO messages, direct booking emails and a QR code taped inside the boathouse.
- Every adult can sign, and parents can sign for kids. A family of six might need two adult signatures and a parent signing for four children. The app should handle a parent or guardian signing on a minor's behalf.
- A signed PDF you can download. If something happens, you want a document showing who signed, when, from what device and exactly what wording they agreed to.
- Your own wording for your own risks. A generic release is a start, but you should be able to add terms about the lake, the hot tub rules or who may drive the boat.
- A way to see who has not signed. A dashboard that shows signed and unsigned guests before check-in day.
- Pricing that fits seasonal hosting. Many rentals are busy for 4 months and quiet for 8. Paying a large monthly fee all year for a summer property adds up.
How waiver software pricing usually works
Most waiver tools charge a monthly subscription that includes a set number of signed waivers, with higher tiers for more volume. Some add per-waiver fees above the limit, and some charge extra to keep your records stored while an account is paused. Entry plans across the market commonly start around $20 a month. Before you pick any tool, check 3 things on its pricing page: how many signatures are included, what happens if you go over, and what it costs to keep old waivers stored during your off-season.
For reference, Simple Waivers pricing as of October 2026:
- Free: 10 signed waivers a month, no card required, no expiry.
- Event Pass: $29 one time for a single event, up to 150 waivers over 90 days. Nothing renews.
- Starter: $19 a month for up to 100 waivers a month.
- Pro: $39 a month for up to 300 waivers a month.
- Unlimited: $89 a month for unlimited waivers.
- Archive: $5 a month to keep every signed waiver during the off-season, with no new signatures.
Current prices are always on the pricing page.
Quick math for a typical rental: A lake house with 20 summer bookings and 4 adults per booking needs about 80 signatures a season. That is often under 30 a month, which fits a Starter plan in peak months and the free plan or Archive in the quiet ones.
Where Simple Waivers fits well
- Short-term rental hosts with a pool, hot tub, dock, boat, kayaks or other amenities that carry real injury risk.
- Hosts who want guests to sign from a booking message link or a QR code, with no app download.
- Families and groups, since a parent or guardian can sign for each child.
- Hosts using Hostaway, Guesty, Lodgify, OwnerRez or Hospitable who want the waiver sent automatically when a booking comes in, through a Zapier or Make connection. See the integration guide.
- Seasonal properties, because of the free plan, the one-time Event Pass and the $5 Archive plan.
When a different tool may fit better
Simple Waivers is built to be simple, and that means it is not the right tool for everyone. If you run a high-volume venue that checks guests in on tablets at a front desk, needs a waiver built into a point-of-sale or ticketing system, or wants enterprise features like staff roles across many locations, a larger platform such as Smartwaiver or WaiverForever may be a better match. Compare their current plans directly, since pricing in this category changes often.
Does a waiver actually protect a vacation rental host?
A waiver is one layer of protection, not a replacement for insurance or a safe property. Courts in many U.S. states have enforced clear, conspicuous releases of ordinary negligence signed by adults, but some states limit them, waivers signed by parents for minors are treated differently from state to state, and no waiver covers gross negligence. Read what makes a waiver enforceable and whether a parent can sign for a child, keep your short-term rental insurance in place, and have a local attorney review your wording. This guide is general information, not legal advice.
Setting it up in about 10 minutes
- Create a free account and start a new waiver for your property.
- Name the activity, for example "Stay at Lakeview Cabin, including use of the dock, kayaks and hot tub," and add any property-specific terms.
- Copy the link and the QR code.
- Add the link to your booking confirmation message template on Airbnb, VRBO or your property management system.
- Check your dashboard a few days before check-in and send a reminder to anyone who has not signed.
Frequently asked questions
Can I require Airbnb guests to sign a waiver?
Many hosts ask guests to sign one, and Airbnb's rules on what hosts may require can change, so check Airbnb's current host policies and put the requirement in your listing's house rules before guests book. Asking for a waiver after a booking without any notice in the listing tends to cause friction.
What is the best waiver app for a vacation rental with a pool or dock?
Look for a tool where guests sign from their own phone before arrival, parents can sign for children, you can add terms for your specific amenities, and every signature is saved as a downloadable PDF with an audit trail. Simple Waivers was built for exactly that case and is free for up to 10 waivers a month.
Do guests need to download an app to sign?
Not with Simple Waivers. Guests open a link or scan a QR code and sign in their phone's browser.
How much does a waiver app cost for a short-term rental?
Many tools start around $20 a month. Simple Waivers has a free plan with 10 waivers a month, a $19 Starter plan for up to 100 a month, and a $5 Archive plan to keep records during the off-season.
Free waiver terms you can copy for your amenities: pool, hot tub, kayaks and paddleboards, boat and dock and lake swimming.
Waivers for your situation: short-term rentals, pools and boats and lake days.
Start collecting digital waivers today
Simple Waivers makes it easy to create, share, and store signed waivers online. Set up your first waiver in minutes, with 10 free waivers a month and no card required.
This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. Waiver enforceability varies by state and activity type. Consult a licensed attorney for guidance specific to your situation.