OurSharedPlace vs. Google Calendar: Which Is Right for Your Shared Vacation Home?
When you share a vacation property with family or friends, you need a booking system everyone can use. Here's an honest comparison of two approaches.
If you co-own a vacation property, you've probably already thought about using Google Calendar to coordinate bookings. It's free, everyone knows how to use it, and sharing is straightforward. For many families, a shared Google Calendar works fine for years.
But as co-ownership groups grow, as rental income enters the picture, or as disputes arise about who gets prime dates, the limitations of a basic calendar become apparent. That's where purpose-built tools like OurSharedPlace come in.
This comparison is designed to help you figure out which approach fits your situation. Neither solution is universally better; it depends on your group's size, complexity, and needs.
At a Glance
| Feature | Google Calendar | OurSharedPlace |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | $79/property/year |
| Booking requests | ||
| Approval workflow | ||
| Usage quotas | ||
| Fairness tracking | ||
| Expense splitting | ||
| Document storage | ||
| Guest/renter access | Limited | |
| Airbnb/VRBO calendar sync | Manual | |
| Photo gallery | ||
| Maintenance to-dos |
When Google Calendar Is Enough
For many co-ownership situations, a shared Google Calendar genuinely works well. You might not need anything more if:
Small group of 2-3 co-owners
With just a few people, coordination is simpler. Everyone can text each other before booking, and conflicts are rare.
High trust, low conflict
If everyone communicates well and there's never been tension about who gets what dates, a simple calendar may be all you need.
No rental income to track
If the property is purely for personal use with no rentals, you don't need income tracking or external calendar sync features.
Everyone uses Google already
If your whole family is on Gmail and uses Google Calendar daily, there's zero learning curve.
If all four of these describe your situation, Google Calendar is probably fine. No need to pay for something you don't need.
Where Google Calendar Falls Short
As shared properties get more complex, the cracks in a basic calendar approach start to show:
No Access Control
Anyone with edit access can modify or delete any booking, including someone else's. One accidental change can cause a double-booking disaster.
No Approval Process
It's first-come-first-served by default. There's no way to request a date and have it reviewed before confirmation.
No Fairness Metrics
Who used the cabin 45 nights last year vs 12? You'd have to count manually. There's no built-in tracking.
No Role Levels
You can't give a property manager view-only access while owners can book. It's all-or-nothing sharing.
No Financial Tools
Property expenses, rental income, who owes whom: none of this integrates with a calendar. You need separate spreadsheets.
No Central Hub
Where's the WiFi password? The plumber's number? The property deed? With Google Calendar, that's all scattered elsewhere.
Real Scenarios: Side by Side
Scenario: Two siblings want the same holiday weekend
Google Calendar
Whoever creates the event first wins. The other sibling sees it after the fact and has to call to negotiate. Awkward text exchanges follow. Resentment builds.
OurSharedPlace
Both siblings submit booking requests. The designated admin (maybe a parent or neutral party) sees both requests and decides based on established fairness rules (e.g., who had it last year). Everyone receives automatic email notifications.
Scenario: Property is also rented on Airbnb
Google Calendar
You have to manually copy dates between your family calendar and Airbnb. Miss one sync and you get a double-booking. Rental income tracking requires a separate spreadsheet.
OurSharedPlace
Export your calendar as an iCal feed that Airbnb and VRBO can subscribe to. Blocked dates sync automatically. Rental income gets tracked in the built-in finance module.
Scenario: A pipe bursts and you need the plumber's number
Google Calendar
You dig through old emails. Text the family group chat. Wait for someone to respond. Meanwhile, water is everywhere.
OurSharedPlace
Open the Contacts section. The plumber, electrician, property manager, and all key vendors are listed with phone numbers and notes. One tap to call.
Scenario: End-of-year family meeting about property usage
Google Calendar
Someone has to manually count each family's booked nights from the calendar. Arguments about whether certain events "count" ensue. No one agrees on the totals.
OurSharedPlace
Pull up the usage report. Each member's approved nights are automatically tallied. Clear data makes for productive conversations about next year's allocations.
What OurSharedPlace Adds Beyond a Calendar
OurSharedPlace isn't just a calendar. It's a complete shared property management platform:
Request-and-Approval Booking
Members submit booking requests. Admins approve or decline based on your group's rules. Everyone gets email notifications. No more racing to claim dates.
Annual Usage Quotas
Set maximum nights per member per year. The system tracks usage automatically and prevents bookings once someone hits their limit.
Three-Tier Access Control
Admins manage the property and approve bookings. Members can book and view everything. Guests get view-only access, perfect for renters or extended family.
Financial Tracking & Expense Splitting
Log property expenses and rental income. The system calculates who owes whom and suggests settlements. No more spreadsheet chaos.
Document Cloud
Store the deed, insurance documents, maintenance records, and house manuals in one secure location. Everyone can access what they need.
Contacts, To-Dos, Photo Gallery, Blog
Vendor contacts, recurring maintenance tasks, shared photos, and a property blog for updates and house rules. Everything your co-ownership group needs, centralized.
The Cost Question
Google Calendar is free. OurSharedPlace costs $79 per property per year. Is it worth it?
Consider the math:
- $79/year works out to about $6.58/month, or roughly $1.65/month per family if you have 4 co-owners
- One avoided conflict over a holiday weekend is worth more than $79 in family harmony
- One prevented double-booking with a paying renter could cost you hundreds in refunds and bad reviews
- Hours saved not manually tracking expenses and counting nights adds up over a year
For properties with 2-3 owners who rarely have conflicts, Google Calendar is genuinely fine, and you should use it. For larger groups, properties with rentals, or families that have experienced scheduling tension, $79/year is a small price for peace of mind.
Switching from Google Calendar
If you decide OurSharedPlace fits your needs, switching is straightforward:
Create your property in OurSharedPlace
Takes about 5 minutes. Start with a 14-day free trial.
Enter any existing bookings
Add upcoming reservations from your Google Calendar so nothing falls through the cracks.
Invite your co-owners
Send email invitations. Everyone gets their own login and can start booking.
Retire the Google Calendar
Once everyone is using OurSharedPlace, stop updating the old calendar to prevent confusion.
The Bottom Line
Stick with Google Calendar if:
- You have 2-3 co-owners max
- You've never had scheduling conflicts
- No rental income to track
- Everyone trusts everyone completely
Choose OurSharedPlace if:
- You have 4+ co-owners
- Prime dates cause tension
- You rent on Airbnb/VRBO
- You want expense tracking
- You need fairness documentation