- A printed folder works best for stable details and one property.
- A digital guide wins when details change or you manage several homes.
- Most hosts do best with both, a link for everything and a card for the Wi-Fi.
Every host needs a welcome book. The question is where it lives: in a folder on the kitchen table, or on a page guests open on their phone. Both have their place. Here is how they compare, and how to choose for your situation.
Where a printed folder works well
A printed welcome book needs no signal, no battery and no link. It feels personal, it fits a home with character, and for some guests paper is simply more pleasant to read.
It works best when:
- The details rarely change. Same codes, same router, same bin days.
- You host one property, close to where you live.
- Your guests arrive in daylight and have time to read.
Where a digital guide wins
The weakness of a printed folder shows the moment something changes, and the moment a guest needs information before they are inside.
- It reaches guests before arrival. The check-in steps are on their phone while they are still travelling, which is exactly when they need them.
- It stays correct. Change a code or a check-in time once and everyone with the link sees it, including guests who booked months ago.
- It scales. One structure, reused for every property with only the details swapped.
- It is always at hand. Guests look up the Wi-Fi password or a restaurant tip from the beach, not only from the kitchen.
A side by side comparison
| Printed folder | Digital guide | |
|---|---|---|
| Available before arrival | No | Yes |
| Update after a change | Reprint | Edit once |
| Works without internet | Yes | Needs a connection to open |
| Several properties | One folder each | One structure, reused |
| Local tips with map links | Printed addresses | Links and distances |
The answer for most hosts: both
In practice the best setup combines them. Keep everything in a digital guide that you send before arrival and update in one place. Leave a small printed card in the home with the Wi-Fi details and your phone number, for the moment a connection or a battery lets a guest down.
For a closer look at the differences, see our comparison of GuestPorta and a printed welcome book.
FAQ
Do guests prefer printed or digital?
Guests prefer whatever answers their question fastest. Before arrival that is always digital, because the folder is still in the house. During the stay many guests use both.
Is a digital guide more work to set up?
Not really. The content is the same as a printed folder. The difference is that updating it later takes minutes instead of a new print run.
What should stay on paper?
The Wi-Fi name and password and your phone number, on a small card. That covers the moment the internet is down or a guest's phone battery is empty.
The GuestPorta team builds digital guest pages for hosts and property managers, and writes about guest communication for short-term rentals.
