What’s better, Airbnb or Vrbo? For vacation rental property owners or hosts, choosing the right platform to list their property can significantly impact their success.
Vacation rentals beat hotel accommodations regarding cost efficiency and additional perks, so you should align with an advertising platform that delivers the right features.
Two dominant market platforms, Airbnb and Vrbo, serve unique traveler profiles and property ownership requirements.
Is Airbnb or Vrbo better for your property? The selection depends on who your target market is, what types of properties you offer, and which profit levels you wish to attain. For example, Airbnb vs. Vrbo fees for hosts impact host profitability significantly.
Airbnb’s hosting flexibility is best for small accommodations, whereas Vrbo is better for large-family residences.
Among travelers who need to find the most affordable option, is Vrbo or Airbnb less expensive?
Prices between these properties and booking rules differ substantially, making complete platform comparison essential. For hosts and travelers alike, comprehensive traveling guides can help navigate these platforms and maximize their benefits.
This guide provides all the information whether you’re looking to compare Airbnb and Vrbo in terms of cost comparison booking system evaluation and assistance-based assessment.
We will explore both systems’ features, advantages, and drawbacks to help you select your ideal match.
Airbnb vs. Vrbo – Key Differences
1. Accommodation Types
Airbnb and Vrbo serve two distinct traveler needs because their accommodations differ. Traveling through Airbnb or Vrbo determines the guest experience and shapes the future hosting plan of accommodation owners.
Vrbo: Vacationers can find complete accommodation properties, including houses combined with apartments and condos. It does not typically list shared spaces like private room options, campsites, or exceptional lodging types like treehouses. Vrbo functions best for groups like families who need fully private lodging that offers generous vacation space.
Airbnb: Airbnb provides multiple lodging options to suit all traveler needs, including everything from communal spaces to personal rooms, complete homes, campsites, and boutique hotel accommodations.
Through their platforms, you can access various types of accommodation, from the most romantic Caribbean resort rentals to the best travel destinations worldwide.
For those who love quirky and one-of-a-kind stays, Airbnb’s unique offerings, like yurts and tiny houses, make it stand out.
If you’re a host wondering is Vrbo or Airbnb better for owners, the choice depends on your target audience. Vrbo is better for owners focusing on private, high-quality vacation homes, while Airbnb matches well with guests looking for exclusive experiences and accommodation choices.
Are Airbnb and Vrbo the same? The answer will be no. These separate accommodation styles demonstrate their contrasting user needs.
2. Platform Reach and Selection Criteria
Choosing between Airbnb and Vrbo is similar to comparing hotel giants like Marriott and Hilton. While offering multiple advantages, Airbnb leads the sector due to its vast global coverage and a broad selection of active listings.
Airbnb: Serving over 7.7 million active vacation rental listings across more than 220 countries, it is an industry leader in the vacation rental market, with over 7.7 million active listings in more than 220 countries. Through its platform, hosting members can establish numerous listings within one property, serving travelers seeking affordable accommodation and those seeking space for multiple guests.
Vrbo: When considering properties, Vrbo features more than 2 million listings in 190 countries. While its inventory is small, the exclusive accommodations available through this platform suit families searching for vacation homes and travelers who want off-market rentals.
If you’re wondering, can you list on Vrbo and Airbnb, the answer is yes; you can create properties on both Vrbo and Airbnb simultaneously. Most property owners list their accommodations across both platforms to increase property listing visibility.
While Vrbo host fees vs. Airbnb fees may differ, Airbnb typically charges more bookings since it connects to more users.
Guests will find wider property choices on Airbnb, yet Vrbo matches travelers interested in family-centric housing options.
3. Search Functionality: A Balance Between Aesthetics and Filters
Search tools available through Airbnb and Vrbo provide beneficial features while maintaining easy accessibility; however, the platforms offer unique benefits for users.
Your search experience can benefit from selecting the platform that matches your style preferences between functionality or pleasing design.
Airbnb: Through its neat interface, Airbnb presents a visual map of property costs, location highlights, and nearby attractions. Travelers who appreciate interactive interfaces and stylish design elements will benefit most from this platform format.
Vrbo: While Vrbo’s map interface may appear slightly outdated, it provides better search capability tools than its competitors, like the pet-friendly search filter by Vrbo, which remains easy to understand and utilize, making the search process more effective for customers.
If you’re wondering why do people use Vrbo instead of Airbnb, one reason is its functional search features, which focus on functionality above all else. Regarding visual appeal, Airbnb’s navigation beats Vrbo’s, but Vrbo provides better advanced filtering tools.
4. Airbnb vs. Vrbo: Booking Process
Booking through Airbnb and Vrbo is like choosing between Expedia and Booking.com; both are the best travel planning apps and help you plan your trip, but they operate under slightly different systems.
The booking systems between Airbnb and Vrbo also connect travelers to hosts but operate through divergent processes that influence guest experiences.
Airbnb: Bookings for travelers happen exclusively through the Airbnb service, apart from the main platform. Bookers on Airbnb use the system to make price offers and messaging requests to property hosts.
Before deciding on your accommodation request, hosts will examine your profile and previous ratings and review your request details.
The instant booking option enables hosts to provide quick reservation confirmations, making these properties appealing to people who seek immediate booking convenience.
Vrbo: Clients follow the same booking process, which primarily addresses family vacation needs. Properties operating under Vrbo enable instant booking, but the feature remains less popular than Airbnb’s.
For those wondering is Vrbo better than Airbnb for families or which is safer, Airbnb or Vrbo, both systems protect users by collecting host reviews and providing secure financial management. Airbnb and Vrbo maintain equivalent reliability levels since Airbnb provides an instant book option, whereas Vrbo targets family vacation bookings.
5. Airbnb vs. Vrbo: Pricing and Fees
Which is cheaper, Airbnb or Vrbo? Pricing comparisons between Airbnb and Vrbo can be challenging since their service fees should be evaluated as a main consideration factor.
Airbnb: Charges a service fee of up to 14.2% of the booking subtotal. Hosts receive their applied service fees back if they cancel the booking when free cancellations are allowed or if the owner offers a comprehensive refund.
Vrbo: Vrbo charges 8% in service fees, including 5% for services and 3% for payment processing. These low fees enable Vrbo to operate as a financially advantageous platform for travelers and hosts.
For those wondering why is Vrbo cheaper than Airbnb, the lower service fees are a key reason. While Airbnb’s more extensive reach might justify its higher costs, Vrbo’s affordability makes it an excellent choice for budget-conscious travelers and hosts.
6. Long-Stay Discounts: Savings for Extended Vacations
Airbnb and Vrbo offer discounts for prolonged stays to accommodate remote workers, digital nomads, and people making more extended travel arrangements. Individual hosts set these discounts, which substantially decrease customers’ total costs.
Does Vrbo offer discounts? Yes, and so does Airbnb. Comparing properties will help travelers determine which option provides the most affordable long-term stays.
If you’re deciding what is cheaper, Vrbo or Airbnb for long stays? You can maximize your budget through extended vacation bookings, whether you choose Vrbo or Airbnb because these platforms offer equally affordable deals.
These platforms present attractive discounts for long vacations while keeping costs low for travelers who focus on their budget.
7. Vrbo vs. Airbnb Cancellation Policy
Learning about cancellation policies on AirBnb and Vrbo is essential for booking any vacation rental. Both platforms have different degrees of flexibility, but the refund rules, the host’s chosen policy, and the date of the guest’s cancellation clearly define everything.
Airbnb: On Airbnb, hosts can select one of several predefined cancellation policies, which vary from Flexible to Strict. Airbnb guests discover more choices in cancellation options during booking, so they receive full refunds if they cancel before defined timeline periods.
The visual display on this platform includes a colored timeline system to explain each policy structure. The multiple cancellation policy choices on Airbnb make it suitable for people who want travel plans that can be adjusted at short notice.
Vrbo: In the United States, Vrbo provides its users with four cancellation policy options.
Relaxed: The hotel will refund all money if bookings get canceled at least 14 days before check-in, but if guests cancel between 7–14 days before check-in, their refund will be 50% of the total booking amount.
Moderate: The payment must be wholly refunded when guests cancel their booking at least 30 days before their check-in date, and they receive a partial refund of 50% when they cancel between 14 and 30 days before their stay.
Firm: The full refund is accessible if you cancel at least 60 days before check-in, while you receive a 50% reimbursement for delays between 30 to 60 days before the check-in date.
Strict: Cancellations made 60 days before check-in result in a full refund, yet any post-cancellation requests will be denied any refund amount.
Vrbo allows hosts to provide refunds beyond its pre-established criteria through its custom refund policy.
How is Vrbo better than Airbnb regarding cancellations, or how does Vrbo differ from Airbnb regarding refunds? Airbnb generally tends to be more flexible, whereas Vrbo is more structured and transparent about its policies.
For guests who want more flexible cancellation policies, Airbnb should usually be the safer choice, but Vrbo’s custom refund options can sometimes be beneficial to guests, depending on the host.
8. Vrbo vs. Airbnb: Safety Measures
Selecting to rent an Airbnb or Vrbo comes with different safety considerations compared to hotels. With hotels, there is some measure of standardization around cleanliness, security, and emergency assistance, whereas vacation rentals tend to differ on the host and property.
This leads to some serious concerns where safety is concerned, such as:
Do the pictures represent the current condition of the property?
Is the property in a good neighborhood?
Did the past guests have good reviews about cleanliness and security?
Is the host responsive and trustworthy?
What happens if you arrive and the property is not as described?
If something is wrong with your hotel room, you can change it without a problem. However, in the case of Airbnb or Vrbo, you rely on your host and the platform’s policies.
They are both set up with some safety measures but differ in dealing with emergencies, refunds, and guest protection.
Airbnb: Airbnb provides a few safety features to protect guests and hosts. The platform offers host reviews, identity verification, and in-app messaging to ensure secure communication.
Airbnb also checks the background of some hosts, and there is a property review system where guests can review the host’s past experiences before booking.
Airbnb includes AirCover, a free protection plan that covers guest assistance, host cancellations, and safety issues with every reservation.
Airbnb will provide emergency support, alternative accommodations, or refunds based on the situation if a property is misrepresented or unsafe.
Vrbo: The company functions by establishing strong safety measures to protect guests through its protection policies.
The Property Description Guarantee from Vrbo verifies that rental listings represent the information advertised, preventing deceptive imagery or details.
Vrbo’s protection policies include payment protection, which secures payment processing, and emergency booking assistance, which assists guests in finding alternative accommodations when bookings fail.
Vrbo’s 24/7 customer support is ready to assist guests with problems requiring immediate attention at any time.
9. Vrbo vs. Airbnb: Housekeeping charges
Vacation rental guests must pay a single cleaning fee to Airbnb or Vrbo, which the platform’s hosts establish independently.
The cleaning fee included in each reservation payment enables property maintenance from one guest’s departure to another arrival.
The amount hosts charge for cleaning varies based on the property dimensions, location, and offered features.
Airbnb: The cleaning fees on Airbnb platforms usually range between $50 and $80, but they remain approximately the same.
The specific cleaning fee varies based on each listing, but many properties set higher fees specifically for bigger homes.
Customers must know that Airbnb hides cleaning costs from search results since this information affects the advertised property prices.
The platform shows all required fees through its new display option as part of a single total price. The system displays complete costs to guests before bookings but must be toggled on when searching for properties.
Vrbo: Most Vrbo vacation rentals charge around $156 for cleaning services in the US. However, the cleaning fees on Vrbo match Airbnb’s fees because they depend on the dimensions of the property, the location, and the number of bedrooms it contains.
Vrbo features a transparent total price display that has provided this capability to guests for many years.
The Vrbo system reveals listing prices except for taxes directly to users without requiring guest opt-in.
Guests can easily compare prices on Vrbo through its built-in total price display feature that lets users set price filters for their search results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Airbnb vs. Vrbo. Which is safer?
Safety-wise, Airbnb and Vrbo are typically secure due to measures such as verified profiles, guest reviews, and secure payment channels.
No platform is inherently safer than another, as safety depends on the hosts, location, and individual property. As always, travelers must check all reviews, communicate with the host, and adhere to safety practices as per the websites.
Vrbo vs Airbnb vs HomeAway: What’s the Difference?
Vrbo and HomeAway were nearly two sides of the same coin (before HomeAway was eliminated from the Expedia Group), but their core difference from Airbnb is in their target audience.
Vrbo (once known as HomeAway) caters to large family-oriented vacation homes designed for more extended stays.
At the same time, Airbnb is a more diffuse set of options with listings, including everything from private rooms to boutique hotels and unique stays such as tiny homes or treehouses.
Thus, if you’re seeking a home for a more private and spacious family retreat, then Vrbo or HomeAway usually works best, but if you prefer more flexible booking options and unique stays, Airbnb might be the ideal choice.
Are Airbnb and Vrbo owned by the same company?
No, the vacation rental market consists of dominant platforms, such as Airbnb and Vrbo, which maintain independent corporate management systems. The companies Airbnb and Vrbo function independently and exclusively under their corporate structure.
The independent ownership of Airbnb exists through shareholders who include both venture capital firms and its founding co-founders. Expedia Group owns the rental platform Vrbo and maintains ownership of the additional major travel brands Hotels.com and Travelocity.
Why do people use Vrbo instead of Airbnb?
A preferred choice of Vrbo is the optimal solution for travelers who prefer a fully private vacation home instead of shared spaces like Airbnb.
The main focus of Vrbo is providing listings of complete houses that draw families and larger travel groups looking for regular vacation home accommodations.
In contrast, room rentals, shared room options, and one-of-a-kind lodging choices characterize Airbnb’s offerings, although these alternatives usually trade away personal space.
What is the difference between Airbnb and Vrbo?
Vacation rentals are available through Airbnb and Vrbo, but the sites operate with distinct standards for properties alongside different rules for guests and bookings.
Vrbo specializes in entire vacation home rentals that best fit families and groups, yet Airbnb offers all types, from private rooms to boutique hotels to short-term unique rentals.
Airbnb charges its clients higher service fees than Vrbo, affecting guest price comparison decisions.
What are the differences between Vrbo vs. Airbnb fees for hosts?
Airbnb and Vrbo charge hosts fees for listings, but their fee structures differ. In the case of Airbnb, hosts bear the full fee (usually around 15%), or the costs are split between hosts and guests (3% paid by hosts and a guest service charge).
Vrbo gives an option of hosting either on a pay-per-booking basis (8% total: 5% service fee, 3% payment processing fee) or an annual subscription fee (about $499 annually), which favors high-volume hosts by waiving per-booking service fees altogether.
Depending on the host’s business model, property type, and preferred fee structure, either framework would suit the host.
Which Vacation Rental Platform Should You Choose, Airbnb or Vrbo?
When deciding between Airbnb vs. Vrbo, the best choice depends on what you’re looking for in a vacation. Vrbo would be the better option for families and larger groups interested in renting an entire vacation home for some privacy.
However, equally important, Airbnb has more options for shared spaces, boutique hotels, and so on, which would better cater to the needs of solo travelers or short-term trips.
Both allow for secure bookings, offer flexible cancellation policies, and employ different fee structures; thus, comparing listings on both sites before making a reservation is wise.
Whether you want a cute private place or a complete luxury mansion, knowing the difference between Airbnb and Vrbo will help you find the most fitting stay for your next journey.
