Airbnb vs Vrbo for Hosts: Fees, Payouts and a $1,100 Booking

Airbnb and Vrbo both help hosts attract bookings, but they cater to different travelers and property types. This comparison breaks down the key differences in fees, audiences, features, and earning potential to help you choose the right platform.

Airbnb takes any kind of space, from a shared room to a whole home; Vrbo takes whole homes only. On the same $1,100 booking, a host on Airbnb's 15.5% single fee keeps $929.50 and a host on Vrbo's 12% commission keeps $968. Whole-home hosts can list on both if one calendar controls availability.

Last reviewed 13 November 2026 by Rustam Timkanov, iGMS

iGMS, a vacation rental PMS and channel manager, publishes this comparison for hosts.

Key takeaways

• Vrbo lists whole properties only. Airbnb has four types of places: entire place, private room, hotel room and shared room.
• Airbnb's single fee is 15.5% for most hosts and is mandatory for hosts who use property management software. Vrbo's pay-per-booking commission is 12%.
• Both typically release the payout one business day after check-in. A bank transfer then takes 3 to 5 business days on Airbnb and usually 5 to 7 on Vrbo.
• Policies with the same name differ: Moderate means a full refund until 5 days before check-in on Airbnb and until 30 days before on Vrbo.
• If you rent a whole home, you can list on both and keep one calendar in charge.

Airbnb and Vrbo both bring bookings to a short-term rental, and for a whole home the choice does not have to be one or the other. This comparison is written for hosts. It covers what each platform accepts, what each one takes from a booking, when the money arrives and how cancellations work, and each rule links to the platform's own page.

Key Airbnb and Vrbo Differences

To help you quickly decide whether Airbnb or Vrbo will make more sense for your vacation rental, here are the main differences summarized:

That table gives the general picture. The numbers that decide a host's income are below, each from the platform's own page, read on 13 November 2026.

Airbnb vs Vrbo: General Facts and Figures

Airbnb says it was born in 2007. Its About us page counts more than 9 million active listings in over 220 countries and regions, and 5.5 million hosts.

Vrbo, part of Expedia Group, says on its host page that it has worked with hosts for 30 years and that it specializes in families and groups looking for a whole-home vacation rental.

Airbnb vs Vrbo: Property Types

Airbnb lists four types of places: an entire place, a private room, a hotel room and a shared room. A host can rent out a spare room, a whole home or a room in a bed and breakfast.

Vrbo lists whole properties only. Its listing guide says it does not list shared spaces or spare rooms, only whole properties where the guest has the entire place. So a private or shared room belongs on Airbnb, and a whole home can go on both.

Vrbo says its guests stay longer than travelers on other platforms. That is Vrbo's own description; for your property, your booking history is the better guide.

Vrbo vs Airbnb: Types of Travelers

Vrbo's host page says it specializes in families and groups looking for a whole-home vacation rental, and that its guests spend more and stay longer than travelers on other platforms. Airbnb covers a wider range of trips, because it also lists private and shared rooms.

Neither statement tells you which platform will earn more for your rental. Decide the bed setup, the minimum stay and the price from your own bookings, and compare the two channels after a season on both.

Airbnb vs Vrbo: Service Fees

No matter where you decide to list your property, there are fees to be paid by both hosts and guests. Service fees can affect your overall short-term rental revenue and the final price a guest will pay for a reservation. 

Here’s a quick breakdown of how the main fees compare across the two platforms:

The cost of listing on Airbnb

Airbnb has two fee structures for stays, a split fee and a single fee, and its fee page says it is moving all home hosts to the single fee. The single fee is already mandatory for most hosts, including hosts who use property management software.

On the split fee, most hosts pay 3% and the guest pays a service fee of 14.1% to 16.5% of the booking subtotal. The split fee is being phased out.

On the single fee, the whole fee comes out of the host's payout: most hosts pay 15.5%, and the rest typically pay 14% to 16%.

With the single fee the guest pays no separate Airbnb service fee, so the price you set is closer to the price the guest sees. Set your nightly rate with the 15.5% in mind.

The cost of listing on Vrbo

Vrbo's pay-per-booking model charges a 12% commission on the rental amount and on the fees you charge the traveler, such as cleaning or pet fees. It is not charged on taxes, refundable deposits or Vrbo's own traveler service fee.

When Vrbo processes the payment, there is no separate payment processing fee on top of the 12%. If you use your own payment processor, you pay its fees on top. In some regions, including parts of Europe, Australia and New Zealand, the rate on Vrbo's Professional Plan can reach 15%.

The same $1,100 booking on both

The same $1,100 booking shows the difference in dollars. Take five nights at $200 and a $100 cleaning fee: 5 × $200 + $100 = $1,100, and both platforms charge their fee on that amount. This is an example with stated inputs, not a real reservation.

On the single fee, Vrbo leaves $38.50 more on this booking ($968.00 − $929.50). The split-fee row is not a like-for-like comparison, because there the guest pays Airbnb a separate service fee on top. Taxes, refunds and your own costs are left out, so put your own rates into the table before you decide.

When does the payout reach your bank?

The payout is released on a similar schedule on both platforms, and the bank transfer is slower on Vrbo. Airbnb's payout guide says the money is typically released within 1 business day after check-in and that a bank transfer takes 3 to 5 business days. Vrbo's payout page says payouts are typically disbursed one business day after check-in and usually reach the bank within five to seven business days.

Two exceptions are worth knowing. A new Vrbo partner whose first booking is less than 30 days away is typically paid 30 days after the guest's payment. For a stay of 28 nights or longer, Airbnb pays in monthly installments.

Vrbo vs Airbnb: Cancellation Policy

Airbnb and Vrbo both let the host choose a cancellation policy, and policies with the same name do not mean the same refund.

Airbnb's standard policies for stays under 28 nights are:

• Flexible: full refund until 24 hours before check-in
• Moderate: full refund until 5 days before check-in
• Limited: full refund until 14 days before check-in, 50% from 7 to 14 days
• Firm: full refund until 30 days before check-in, 50% from 7 to 30 days
• Strict, Super strict 30 days and Super strict 60 days: by invitation from Airbnb only

Every standard Airbnb policy also has a 24-hour cancellation period: a guest can cancel for a full refund within 24 hours of confirmation, if the booking was confirmed at least 7 days before check-in.

Vrbo has seven options, and you choose one for each listing:

• Day-before: full refund until 24 hours before check-in
• Lenient: full refund until 5 days before check-in
• Relaxed: full refund until 14 days before check-in, 50% from 7 to 14 days
• Moderate: full refund until 30 days before check-in, 50% from 14 to 30 days
• Firm: full refund until 60 days before check-in, 50% from 30 to 60 days
• Strict: full refund until 60 days before check-in, nothing after
• No refund

So Moderate gives the guest a full refund until 5 days before check-in on Airbnb and until 30 days before on Vrbo. If you list on both, choose each policy by its deadline, not by its name. Vrbo also lets you set a seasonal policy for chosen check-in dates.

On Vrbo, a host who cancels a guest's booking pays for it: the payout page says a cancellation fee is deducted from your payout.

Vrbo vs Airbnb: Booking Process

Both platforms have instant booking, where a guest books without waiting for the host to approve a request.

On Vrbo, Instant Booking also decides how far your listing travels. Its host page says a listing with Instant Booking turned on can be distributed across Expedia Group's travel brands and its partner network at no extra cost.

Vrbo vs Airbnb: Customer Support

Airbnb and Vrbo each run their own support and their own process for disputes, and we found no published figures that would let a host compare them fairly. Airbnb says its service fee helps cover 24/7 customer support.

Before your first booking on either platform, find where to report a problem with a stay and how a refund is requested, so that you are not learning the process during a dispute.

Vrbo vs Airbnb: Reviews

Reviews matter on both platforms, and on both the host and the guest review each other.

On Airbnb, both sides have 14 days after checkout to submit a review, and reviews are posted once both are in or when the 14 days end. Guests rate the stay with stars and can rate:

• The accuracy of the listing description
• Cleanliness
• Communication
• Location
• Check-in
• Value for money

On Vrbo, hosts rate guests too: its host page says 97% of guests are rated 5 stars by hosts.

Vrbo vs Airbnb: Running Both Calendars

Running both platforms comes down to the calendar. Each one can import the other's calendar by an iCal link, and Airbnb says an imported calendar updates every 3 hours, so a booking on one site does not close the dates on the other at once.

For the setup, follow our guide to listing on Airbnb and Vrbo and the calendar-sync steps. Vrbo's listing guide says the same thing to hosts who are on both sites: use calendar sync to prevent double bookings.

What Is the Best Vacation Rental Site to Use as a Host?

The best platform for a host depends first on the space. A private or shared room goes on Airbnb. A whole home can go on both, and then the question is fees, cancellation terms and how well you can keep two calendars in step.

Listing a whole home on both puts it in front of two audiences. It does not promise more bookings, and it adds work: two sets of rules, two inboxes and one calendar that must stay right.

iGMS is a vacation rental PMS and channel manager that connects Airbnb and Vrbo by API, so a booking on one closes the dates on the other, and messages from both arrive in one inbox. For five homes, PRO costs $99 a month on monthly billing (5 × $19.80, as of November 2026), and a home listed on two channels counts as one property when its listings are grouped. The trial lasts 14 days and needs no credit card. One limit: iGMS does not change what Airbnb or Vrbo charge you.

FAQs

What are the downsides of listing on Airbnb?

The main cost of Airbnb for a host is the fee: 15.5% for most hosts on the single fee, which is mandatory for hosts who use property management software. Airbnb also has more listings to stand out from, more than 9 million by its own count.

What are the downsides of listing on Vrbo?

Vrbo accepts whole properties only, so a room cannot be listed. A payout usually takes 5 to 7 business days to reach the bank after it is sent, against 3 to 5 for an Airbnb bank transfer. Its cancellation policies also work differently from Airbnb's policies of the same name, so check each deadline.

Is Airbnb or Vrbo better for families or large groups?

Vrbo says it specializes in families and groups looking for a whole-home rental, and it lists whole properties only. A whole home on Airbnb can serve the same guests, so a host with a large house has a reason to be on both.

Is Vrbo cheaper than Airbnb for hosts?

On the published rates, Vrbo costs most hosts less: its commission is 12%, and Airbnb's single fee is 15.5% for most hosts. On a $1,100 booking that is $132 against $170.50. Hosts who are still on Airbnb's 3% split fee pay less, and that structure is being phased out.

Can I list the same property on Airbnb and Vrbo?

A whole home can be listed on both at the same time. Keep the dates closed while you connect the two calendars, check that existing bookings appear on both, then open bookings.

Sources and dates

We read each platform's own pages on 13 November 2026. iGMS publishes this comparison and sells channel-management software; we have not run a booking experiment between the two platforms. The $1,100 booking is an example with stated inputs.

• Airbnb: types of places, service fees, payouts, cancellation policies, reviews, calendar sync and About us
• Vrbo: listing guide, pay-per-booking fees, payouts, cancellation policies and the host page
• iGMS pricing, read 13 November 2026