The 14 Top Vacation Rental Sites for Hosts in 2026

As a host, listing your property on the best vacation rental sites to maximize audience reach is vital. Whether you are a host, or guest looking for the perfect rental, here's why these 14 vacation rental sites are trusted and used by travelers worldwide.

Key Takeaways

• Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com are the most popular and widely used vacation rental sites.
• Metasearch engines like HomeToGo give your listings additional exposure.
• Hosts can also list on niche websites. For instance, Plum Guide and Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy are great for high-end properties, while Homestay is great for renting out private rooms.

Airbnb is one of the most recognizable names in vacation rental platforms, even with travel regulation updates. But do you know that a handful of other big players like Expedia and Google Vacation Rentals?

However, many platforms will refer users to third-party booking sites like Vrbo and Booking.com instead of managing the rental transactions. If you're wondering which vacation rental sites suit your needs best, we've researched the following 14 sites to list your property, reach the right audience and make money.

How to Choose the Right Vacation Rental Site

When choosing a vacation rental site, think about your goals. For exposure, established online travel agencies such as Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com offer travel-planning guests the most ideas for exploration, so they drive most bookings.

Alternatives and smaller websites can make sense too for hosts to explore, diversify income and maximize their bookings. It depends on the type of property and the types of guests you want to attract. Sometimes it also depends on geographical location. Some websites are popular in Europe, such as Interhome, while others, such as Agoda, are popular in the Asia Pacific region.

14 Best Vacation Rental Sites for Hosts

1. Airbnb

Airbnb has the largest vacation rental host community. As one of the largest rental companies, Airbnb offers over 9 million listings in more than 150,000 cities and towns across 220+ regions and countries around the world.

Guests have a lot of options to choose from on the Airbnb rental site: private and shared rooms, unique stays, or vacation homes. It is business- and family-friendly and offers unique accommodations and amenities in the world's top vacation destinations.

Despite being an established platform, Airbnb is still growing, with its most recent first-quarter revenue grew 18 percent year-over-year to $2.7 billion.

For hosts, there is no fee to list a property. However, hosts do pay a service fee per booking. There are two different fee structures for stays: a split fee and a host-only fee.

Depending on where your property is based, you will either pay a single fee of 14-16%, or if you split with guests, the guest will pay a fee from 14.1% to 16.5% while you pay up to 3% (or 4% in Brazil and Mexico). Hosts can then opt to charge a cleaning fee, a security deposit, and extra guest fees.

Airbnb Top Features for Vacation Rentals:

• Offers a $1 million Host Guarantee insurance policy and damage protection with Airbnb AirCover.
• No fee to create a rental listing.
• The host service fee is 3-16% per booking (depending also on your location).

2. Vrbo

Previously known as VRBO (vacation rental by owner). Vrbo is part of the Expedia Group and specializes in providing vacation rentals worldwide, but the majority of listings are in the United States, the UK, and Canada. This makes it an excellent option for hosts who own or manage vacation rentals in the USA. It’s also one of the most popular rental listing sites in the world.

To rent a property on Vrbo hosts, you either pay per booking or an annual subscription. A pay-per-booking option is the default option, where a host pays a 5% commission with a few service fees and a 3% credit card charge per booking.

Annual subscription to Vrbo costs $699. However, Vrbo is phasing out its pay-per-subscription pricing model. Since August 28, 2025, new hosts and new listings have no longer been able to sign up for this option.

However, existing Vrbo partners who already have at least one property on the PPS model can still renew their subscriptions automatically or convert eligible listings from the pay-per-booking model to PPS.

Vrbo has merged with other booking websites, such as HomeAway, which is now under the Vrbo brand.

Top Features for Vacation Rentals:

• Only private apartments and houses can be listed.
• A pay-per-booking option is the default fee structure for new hosts.
• Attracts family travelers, and travelers to US destinations.
• Guests are to pay a service fee of up to 12% per booking or sometimes higher. There can be additional fees such as a pet fee, cleaning fee, or other fees.

Although Vrbo has a lot in common with Airbnb, there are some major differences to consider. While you can list different types of properties on Airbnb (including shared rooms, cabins, beach houses, and treehouses), Vrbo only allows hosts to list private spaces. If you have a spare room to rent, keep in mind that you can’t advertise it on Vrbo.

Another difference is the type of audience Vrbo caters to. Since only private home rentals are allowed on Vrbo, it offers the perfect vacation rental properties for older audiences who travel with a family and are looking for kid-friendly spaces.

3. Booking.com

Booking.com boasts over 31 million listings, including over 4,4 million homes, apartments, and other unique, non-hotel stays. And with over 500 million monthly visits, this is a powerhouse platform for renting a vacation home.

The site was originally known as a hotel booking site, only listing hotel rooms. In recent years, they have entered the vacation rental game with a bang as the number of short-term rentals listed on Booking.com has grown significantly.

Booking.com offers its own payment system through “Payments by Booking.com,” but hosts can also collect payments directly from guests. As a result, Booking.com charges hosts around 15% commission on each booking. The costs are deducted from your account by direct debit.

If a guest cancels a reservation, Booking.com doesn’t charge any fees. However, a guest can receive a bill from a hotel or another property that they have booked.

Top Features for Vacation Rentals:

• You can list your property for free;
• Hosts are to pay a 15% service fee per booking;
• Hosts can choose between Instant Booking (confirmed immediately) and Request to Book (requires host approval within 24 hours)
• Guests don’t have to pay any extra commission or booking fee when making a reservation.

4. Expedia

Expedia is one of the largest online travel shopping platforms offering secure booking options for accommodation, air tickets, car rentals, cruise ships, and vacation packages.

It offers a variety of accommodation types in addition to vacation rentals such as hotels, villas, motels, guest houses and vacation homes. Users looking for vacation rentals specifically can filter their search results based on the “sort by” functionality, to save time and effort.

You don’t list a vacation rental directly on Expedia.com. You list it on Vrbo (a part of Expedia Group), which automatically syndicates your listing to Expedia.com and other Expedia Group sites.

Top Features for Vacation Rentals:

• Just by having a Vrbo account, your property can automatically be listed on Expedia.
• Expedia is a trusted, world-renowned OTA that attracts millions of visitors a year.
• Guests use Expedia to plan their getaways from start to finish. They are likely to book a rental property while purchasing air tickets and car rentals. Your listing has an even greater chance of being seen by the right people on Expedia.

5. HomeToGo

HomeToGo is one of the most popular holiday rental search engines for finding rentals listed across different platforms, such as Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com.

Hosts can also list their properties directly on HomeToGo by choosing one of its subscription plans, and creating a listing. Once listed, properties will appear not only on HomeToGo but also across its partner brands, such as Tripping, Casamundo, and CaseVacanza.it, helping hosts reach a larger audience of travelers.

Hosts, by making their listings available on the HomeToGo platform and other platforms owned by HomeToGo increase their visibility and booking potential.

Top Features for Vacation Rentals:

• A metasearch engine and a booking platform.
• With HomeToGo listing, you will also appear on Tripping, Casamundo, and CaseVacanza.it.
• HomeToGo does not conclude any booking contract with guests, so the actual booking agreement and payment responsibility are handled directly between the guest and the host, or on a third-party website.

When picking a short-term rental platform, it’s crucial to consider the tools and support it offers hosts. While platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo offer basic features, you could benefit from dedicated management software like iGMS to streamline their operations.

With iGMS, hosts automate tasks like:

• guest communication,
• cleaning scheduling,
• and pricing optimization.

By integrating it with your chosen holiday rental platforms, you centralize everything, enhancing the experience for both you and your guests.

6. Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy

Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy is a premium vacation rental platform introduced by Marriott International in 2019, designed for upscale homes and villas in sought-after destinations and major cities worldwide.

To list on Homes&Villas, you must go through a vetted professional property management company. Marriott only works with approved management partners that meet their quality and service standards, and not with individual homeowners.

To list on the platform, hosts must have a portfolio of at least 20 properties (varies by region) that meet requirements.

Top Features for Vacation Rentals:

• Hosts gain access to Marriott Bonvoy's Loyal Customer Base, reaching millions of potential guests who are part of the Marriott loyalty program.
• The platform is ideal for high-end properties such as villas, mansions, and unique luxury homes.
• Marriott provides premium services, including a property management team to assist with guest communication and booking, and a streamlined reservation system.
• Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy works only with property management companies.

7. Houfy

Houfy is a direct-booking vacation rental marketplace that connects travelers directly with property owners. It helps hosts avoid the service and booking fees that platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo commonly charge.

Instead of charging commissions on bookings, Houfy uses a subscription-based model with free and paid listing plans. The company also charges a one-time $5.99 host verification fee, after which hosts can list unlimited properties.

The platform gives hosts more flexibility and control over their business, and hosts appreciate the platform’s low-cost structure and direct-booking approach. They offer HoufyProtect insurance that includes up to $20,000 in damage coverage for a nominal fee of $5 per night, which is added to the booking cost.

On the downside, the website attracts less traffic than major OTAs, meaning hosts may need to actively market their properties to generate bookings.

Top Features for Vacation Rentals:

• Houfy uses a subscription-based model with free and paid listing plans. The paid plan starts at $7.99 per listing per month.
• The platform gives hosts more flexibility and control over their business.
• They also offer HoufyProtect insurance.
• Instant payments to Stripe/Square.

8. Homestay.com

Homestay.com offers vacation rentals and private room rentals in over 170 countries. With more than 63,000 rooms available, Homestay.com has served more than 170,000 guests since 2013.

Homestay.com differs from traditional short-term rental platforms because guests stay in a host’s home while the host is living there. No vacant properties are offered. Guests usually book a private room and interact directly with local hosts who can provide guidance and local recommendations.

Guests pay a booking fee to Homestay.com to confirm the reservation, while the remaining accommodation cost is paid directly to the host upon arrival. If you wish to take payment before arrival, you must add this to your profile so that the guest is aware before they make a booking.

As for fees, guests pay 16% booking fee on the price of their stay. If a host offers additional services, such as laundry or cleaning, he/she should discuss cleaning fees and the price with guests before they decide to book.

Top Features for a Perfect Vacation Rental:

• Specializes in private rooms/solo traveler accommodations
• They have the option to set seasonal or customer rates for peak season, or specific dates.
• Ideal for hosts who want to socialize with guests in their home and help them get around.

9. OneFineStay

OneFineStay is a one of the top vacation rental sites, backed by the Accor hotel chain. The site currently offers around 3,000 high-end rental home listings in popular locations, such as London, Florence, Rome, Paris, Los Angeles, etc.

To list a property on OneFineStay, a host should send an application. The OneFineStay team will review it and decide if the property is a good match. If it is, OneFineStay will offer a full-service property management solution.

OneFineStay operates on an income-sharing model. Hosting income depends on many factors, such as the size, design, and location of the property. In addition to managing your property, OneFineStay promotes it through its network of rental sites and marketing channels. This allows you to extend your reach to a wider audience of travelers on the lookout for luxury stays.

Top Features for Vacation Rentals:

• Luxury properties only;
• Full-service management for property owners.
• Fees depend on the property size, design, location, and the number of days a host is willing to rent out his/her accommodation.
• No additional reservation fees charged.

10. Interhome

Interhome has provided vacation rentals since 1965 and this is one of the oldest short-term rental websites. The vacation property rental platform currently offers over 40,000 holiday homes and apartment rentals in 20+ countries, mostly in Europe.

Fees depend on the country, region, and type of services provided by the Interhome team. Hosts can opt for hiring professional property managers. However, you may also manage your property yourself.

Top Features for Vacation Rentals:

• Personal in-resort service from local Interhome offices.
• Full-service property management for hosts.
• No booking fees for guests.
• Large European distribution network.

11. Agoda

Agoda, a prominent global online travel agency, focuses on vacation rentals as part of its broader accommodation offerings. The platform serves travelers across over 200 countries and regions, with availability in more than 40 languages.

Agoda’s strong presence in Asia-Pacific markets is complemented by a broad selection of vacation homes, making it a key player for international travelers.

Hosts can list properties through Agoda, supporting both short-term and long-term stays, with a the platform charging a commission rate of between 15 to 20% per booking.

Keep in mind that Agoda often aggregates listings from other platforms, such as Booking.com and Expedia, cross-listing properties to maximize visibility.

Top Features for Vacation Rentals:

• A broad international reach, especially strong in Asia-Pacific.
• Multiple language options to cater to a global audience.
• Competitive commission rates and tools to manage listings.

12. Google Vacation Rentals

Google Vacation Rentals will expose your space to a large number of travelers searching for accommodations directly on Google if you work with one of its approved partners. Listings will appear in Google Search, Google Maps, and Google Travel results, and you won't pay fees for reservations.

To list on Google Vacation Rentals, you need two things. First, you need an approved GVR partner. iGMS is one of them. With iGMS as your property management system and channel manager, your property will appear on Google Vacation Rentals.

Second, you need a direct booking website. iGMS will help you create one quickly using predefined templates, after which your property can be listed on Google automatically.

Top Features for Vacation Rentals:

• Google Vacation Rentals charges no fees.
• Great exposure for your direct booking website.
• The process of listing on GVR is done through one of its approved partners, such as iGMS.

13. Stay (Staywithstay.com)

Staywithstay.com, or simply Stay, is a fee-free, direct-booking vacation rental marketplace co-founded by Scott McGillivray. It is designed to connect travelers directly with professional property managers and owners.

Stay is positioned as a simpler, more direct alternative to traditional OTAs, emphasizing transparency, lower costs for guests, and better margins for property managers.

The platform does not charge booking fees, and it is completely free for guests to use. Instead, hosts pay an annual subscription starting at $159 per property per year.

This is still a small niche platform, but the company claims to have over 50,000 registered users and exclusive access to Scott McGillivray’s HGTV fans through social media and TV exposure.

Top Features for Vacation Rentals:

• Stay is advertised as a no-middleman platform as they take no fees from guests.
• For hosts, an annual subscription starting at $159 per property/year.
• Scott McGillivray’s personal brand can give access to HGTV fans via social media and TV exposure.

14. Plum Guide

Plum Guide is known for its highly selective and rigorous vetting process, ensuring that only the highest quality vacation rentals are featured on its platform as luxury properties.

Listings are available in over 30 countries globally, and the platform’s appeal lies in its promise of design, comfort, and function. Hosts can apply to have their properties listed on Plum Guide, but they must undergo a thorough evaluation process.

Plum Guide offers a commission rate of between 15 and 18%, depending on the type of listing. The platform appeals to travelers looking for premium, verified properties for their next property.

Top Features for Vacation Rentals:

• Strict quality standards with a comprehensive vetting process.
• Curated selection of premium properties.
• A focus on high-end design and comfort.

Conclusion: Which Are the Best Short-Term Rental Sites?

Finding the best vacation rental site where you can list or book a property might be a challenge. There are plenty of options for hosts and guests to choose from.

If you are a host in search of a platform on which to list a property, start with your goals, and identify your target audience. This way, you’ll be able to shape your offer and select the most suitable place to list your rental.

If you want to maximize your earnings, a good idea is to list your rental on several top short-term rental sites. And you can use iGMS to manage multiple channels. Our channel manager will sync all your calendars, including Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com and your direct booking website.