What Are Some Other Hosting Platforms (Besides Airbnb)?

When it comes to short-term vacation rentals, there may be only one name that comes to your mind and that is Airbnb. There can be no doubt that Airbnb is an excellent hosting platform but it was not the first and many believe it is not the best.  It is, however, one of the largest and most used platforms out there, being used by millions of owners around the world to get bookings for their properties.  However, there are many other hosting platforms that are equally as good if you decide you want to compare or even list your property on more than one platform to get optimal bookings.  

(Listed in alphabetical order, you can click on the links.)

Booking.com

This is a wonderful option for owners who can list their properties for free on this platform. The company charges a booking fee per booking only. This company is believed to book hotel rooms for its customers at unbelievable rates. But it also books homes and apartments for travelers moving across the globe.

FlipKey (TripAdvisor)

This is a popular hosting platform that lists more than 3000 vacation rentals around the world. All hosts are duly verified, and customers can book accommodation that is best suited to their budget and requirements based upon reviews posted on the website of the company. You cannot share rooms with other travelers on FlipKey. You either book whole property or a single private room for yourself.

HomeAway

HomeAway is a very popular hosting service that matches the requirements of guests with those of hosts around the world. You will find listings of more than 1.2 million vacation homes in 190 countries of the world. Bookings are handled online by the company. This service aims to provide cheaper accommodation options to travelers than hotel rooms. 

Homestay

This is a hosting platform that is loved by travelers because of the genuine hosting experience they receive from their hosts. It gives travelers are feeling of staying with a local. You will find that this platform has properties in all parts of the world and users have only good words to say about the accommodation and the experience they have after using this platform. The only downside with this hosting platform is that it has much fewer properties than AirBnB or HomeAway.

VRBO (also owned by Homeaway)

Vacation Rentals by Owner, or simply VRBO, is a great hosting platform having more than a million properties across the globe. It is actually a company older than AirBnB, having started its short-term vacation rental business in 1996. The company did not charge a commission from the host initially but started charging a booking fee in 2016. With VRBO, you can book a vacation home for a longer duration and in some states, like Florida, VRBO is actually used by more guests as a booking platform than Airbnb.  This is because it’s been around longer and old habits die hard.  Some STR owners say, and I must agree, that you get more money per night through VRBO but, in some cases, a higher vacancy rate.  It still means you may make more off of VRBO than you would off of Airbnb.  I think it’s best to compare for your area and Airdna can shed some light on that for you.  Plus, sometimes it's good to do your own testing. Try each out and see.

I find that certain cities and states have travelers who prefer one platform over another.  Younger people may prefer Airbnb but families who travel year after year to Florida do a majority of their booking on VRBO.  Who's your target guest?  Find out where they are.

Now go and grow! 

Michelle R Russell

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