Top 8 Airbnb Competitors and Alternatives for Hosts

Have you ever wondered which Airbnb alternatives there are and why you should consider listing your property on sites other than Airbnb? Airbnb is undoubtedly a vacation rental giant, perhaps even the most popular with a market share of almost 20% of the whole vacation rental industry, according to Invezz. With Airbnb’s year-on-year growth, it’s safe to say that this percentage is only going to rise in the years to come.

However, listing your vacation rentals on vacation rental websites is a smart way to ensure business growth and help you present your vacation rental space to a larger pool of renters. In turn, it will result in an increase in your occupancy rate and profits. Differentiating your listings also keeps you from relying too much on Airbnb, a company that has seen its fair share of complaints, and even lawsuits, from hosts.

While it sounds like a great idea, finding a new platform to advertise your property on might be another challenge. With such a variety of options, it can be difficult to decide which alternative to Airbnb to use. Check out these Airbnb competitors and learn about the key features to secure your place within the short-term rental market.

1. HomeAway

HomeAway has been dominating the vacation rental industry for many years now and is one of the most famous Airbnb competitors. You have probably come across it on Google as it can be seen among the top search results for booking sites. There are more than 2 million listings on HomeAway and the platform operates in 190 countries. It was founded in 2005 and became part of the Expedia Group in 2015.

The main difference is the type of properties offered on HomeAway. Unlike Airbnb where hosts may offer shared spaces, HomeAway allows only private vacation homes.

Key Features:

• It caters to an older audience who values comfort and is ready to pay more;
• HomeAway charges $499 for an annual subscription or 5% per booking + 3% credit card processing fee;
• Guests are required to sign a rental agreement and pay 10 – 50% upfront to book their rental;
• Cancelations depend on the rental agreement;
• Security deposit is optional;
• The “free-to-list” option is available with no upfront charge (commission is 10% per booking). However, keep in mind that HomeAway rankings favor listings with paid subscriptions.

2. Vrbo

Another great alternative to Airbnb is Vrbo, which stands for Vacation Rental By Owner. Airbnb and Vrbo are quite similar, but like HomeAway, Vrbo offers only private homes and apartments, not just a room.

In 2006, Vrbo was acquired by HomeAway, and as of 2015, the Expedia Group acquired HomeAway, and, thus, Vrbo as well. If you list your property on Vrbo, it will automatically be listed on HomeAway.

Key Features:

• Only privates homes are listed;
• Vrbo charges $499 for an annual subscription or 5% per booking + 3% credit card processing fee;
• Cancelation and payment policies vary by property;
• There are also both paid and “free-to-list” options. The advantage is given to paid ones and they are usually more visible on the site;
• Hosts cannot delete any reviews (both positive and unflattering).

3. Booking.com

Booking.com is ahead of the curve with its guest-friendly, easy-to-navigate user interface and instantly bookable option. This makes it a favorite among inquiring guests. These features mean that it may increase your occupancy rate as more guests will opt for making reservations through the Booking.com website due to its simplified booking process.

Booking.com offers over 27 million listings and covers more than 130,000 destinations in 227 countries.

Key Features:

• Booking.com charges a 15% host fee on completed bookings, upon guest arrival. If guests cancel or don’t show up, no fee will be charged;
• Option to upgrade to Preferred Member service;
• More traveler-friendly because of its flexible cancelation options;
• No booking fees for users;
• Check-in process of a hotel – quick and simple;
• Advanced search and filtering system. It shows guests the results based on exactly what they are looking for. This is useful for hosts to promote their property to the exact audience.

5. Expedia

Expedia is another big player in the vacation rental industry and yet not often the first vacation rental platform that comes to guests’ minds when they are looking for vacation rentals. Thus, it is often overlooked by many hosts. Listing your property on Expedia can help you get ahead of the competition as many hosts don’t have it on their radar.

When you list a property on Expedia, your listing will also appear on other leading online travel sites like Hotels.com, Travelocity, Orbitz, Wotif, etc.

Key Features:

• Owners pay a commission of 15% of the total amount per booking;
• Last-minute bookings available;
• Localized sites in 33 countries around the world;
• Car rentals, flights, and accommodation are all in one place. It makes Expedia perfect for guests who don’t want to spend a lot of their time researching the best deals.

6. TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor’s most prominent feature is providing feedback from the travel community. This is the number one reason why guests use it as a vacation rental marketplace. It was founded in 2000 and has a massive number of reviews that have been collected over the years. TripAdvisor is a trusted source of information for many travelers.

With TripAdvisor, your property listing will be automatically translated to 26 languages and appear on 26 TripAdvisor sites. This will help you to expand your reach and attract more international travelers to book your rental properties.

Once listed on TripAdvisor, your listing will automatically appear on FlipKey as well.

Key Features:

• TripAdvisor charges a 3% host fee per booking. This commission is based on the host’s total rent, including any required and optional fees specified for the property;
• Many reviews for accommodations, attractions, and restaurants collected over the years;
• Offers car rentals, best deals on flights, and accommodation, all in one place, making it a favorite among tourists. It is helpful in planning their whole trip and finding the best place to stay;
• It was founded in 2000. With such a history, it is a place with the best recommendations and is a trusted platform among travelers.

7. Homestay

Homestay is another search engine well-placed in the vacation rental market. What makes this Airbnb competitor stand out is that it focuses exclusively on vacation rentals where the host is present.

Here you can rent out private rooms, a shared room, or a bed at prices that are more suited for small budgets. It’s a great opportunity for property owners who are just starting out and have an extra room to rent.

Key Features:

• A small host service fee (3% of deposit/minimum charge $1);
• Great platform for hosts who are just starting their business;
• Attracts more students and younger people. Promoting on Homestay will make your rental visible if your goal is to attract those in need of affordable accommodation.

8. HomeToGo

HomeToGo is a vacation rental search engine that allows users to search and compare over 18 million vacation rental listings from other vacation rental sites, including the aforementioned Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, and more.

It has a wider range of listings because it aggregates listings from multiple platforms. This means that users can find unique and diverse rental options on HomeToGo that may not be available on Airbnb.

Key Features

• Wish list your favorite properties
• Last-minute deals sent via email with discounts of up to 75%
• Dedicated customer support team that is available 24/7

Conclusion

To establish a successful vacation rental business and draw more attention to your property, you might want to consider using the aforementioned Airbnb competitors. Promoting your listing across various rental websites will help you attract more guests, and increase your occupancy rate and profits.

iGMS offers integration with some of the most prominent Airbnb competitors to make your job a lot easier. You can use our software to manage multiple properties listed across various rental platforms.

• Manage reservations from Airbnb and its competitor platforms with the advanced iGMS channel manager and control everything from one dashboard.
• Automate operations such as messaging, pricing, and guest reviews management.
• Be in full control of task management and cleaning by automating team operations.