Vacation rental is way more beneficial than hotel rooms. The reasons are simple: it is affordable, offers more amenities, and many properties are available.
The key is to select the right platform to get the maximum out of vacation/short-term rental. This applies to travalers, families, and everyone looking for a place to stay.
Currently, two popular choices are Airbnb and Vrbo. Both let you find great places to stay, from small cabins to fancy villas.
But which one is more affordable, better, and convenient to use? Which platform should the host use to get more bookings? Is Vrbo or Airbnb better for guests?
We have explained everything in this guide. We have compared both platforms for different aspects: listings, pricing, fees, cancellation policy, customer service, and many other aspects.
What should you do? Simply read this guide and learn all the differences!
Vrbo Vs Airbnb — Differences at a Glance
Feature | Airbnb | Vrbo |
Founded | 2008 | 1995 |
Parent Company | Airbnb | Expedia |
Types of Rentals | Only entire homes or apartments | Entire homes, shared spaces, and private rooms |
Best For | Families, large groups | Solo travelers, couples |
Rental Options | Houses, apartments, cabins, beach houses, condos | Houses, apartments, unique stays (treehouses, yurts, tiny homes), boutique hotels |
Shared Spaces | No shared spaces | Yes, offers shared and private spaces |
Unique Stays | Many unique options | Rarely available |
Number of Listings | 8 million listings | 2 million listings |
Global Reach | 220+ countries and regions | 190 countries |
Fees for Guests | 14% to 16% | 6% to 15% |
Fees for Hosts | 3% | 14% to 16% |
Insurance for Hosts | $3 million in host damage protection (Aircover) & $1 million in liability insurance | $1 million liability insurance for hosts. |
Cancellation Policies | Flexible | Stricter |
Booking Process | Instant book or request to book. | Instant book or request to book |
Reviews | Within 14 days of stay | Within 1 year of stay |
Loyalty Program | Airbnb Guest Rewards | Expedia Group’s One Key Reward |
What Sets Airbnb Apart?
Airbnb was started in 2007 by Joe Gebbia, Brian Chesky, and Nathan Blecharczyk to rent out mattresses in their San Francisco apartment.
Things are different now. Once rented mattresses, Airbnb now has 8 million active listings across 220 countries and regions that anyone can rent.
This number is huge compared to Vrbo’s 2 million listings in 190 countries.
Airbnb is even the most renowned platform for short-term rental users.
According to the U.S. Short-Term Rental Report 2021, 78% of the short-rental users are aware of Airbnb, while only 50% named Vrbo in the same spectrum.
However, these numbers can be different now. Why? Because Vrbo has focused a lot on “push for more brand recognition” in recent years.
What is Unique About Vrbo?
Vrbo has fewer listings, but it started way before Airbnb in 1995.
The name Vrbo explains literally what the company does. It stands for “Vacation Rental by Owner” which means homeowners can rent out their property for short-term vacations.
HomeAway acquired Vrbo in 2006, and then again acquired by Expedia Holding Group, Inc in 2015. VRBO rebranded in 2019 to ‘Vrbo’ to make it simple, memorable, and unique.
The focus of the brand is to offer fully functioning homes where families and friends can live fully and enjoy every moment together.
While Airbnb allows renting a room or shared property, Vrbo is more about renting a full property for full privacy. No need to share your space with the host.
Vrbo also shows the total price (including all fees) by default for clear decision-making.
Airbnb Vs Vrbo: Key Differences
Up to this point, you must be aware of the basics of Vrbo and Airbnb. It is time to dig deeper and compare the two based on these aspects:
User Interface
Winner: Vrbo
Let us start with the most obvious comparison: user interface.
Both Airbnb and Vrbo websites look almost the same at first glance. Users can search for places, select dates to stay, and add the number of travelers to find available results.
As you can see, there isn’t much difference in the result preview of both platforms as well. Both pinpoint the locations of the available properties along with their prices.
However, Vrbo offers a lot of smart filters to let users sort the search results.
For example, guests can filter properties based on their star ratings, pet allowed, popularity, etc. The platform even lets compare different properties to better select a suitable one.
Overall, Vrbo makes it a lot easier for guests to filter properties as per their criterio.
Number of Listings
Winner: Airbnb
Both Airbnb and Vrbo have a big inventory of vacation rentals. For example, houses, villas, condos, cabins, lake houses, and much more.
Airbnb has 8 million active listings, while Vrbo has 2 million worldwide (as mentioned earlier).
Therefore, Airbnb becomes an obvious winner in terms of the number of listings.
And even if we consider the main focus of both platforms, Airbnb wins here as well. How?
Vrbo’s focus is entire properties only, while Airbnb offers entire properties, shared properties, private rooms, and shared rooms.
So, whether a guest is looking for one room in a shared house or an entire home, they all can use Airbnb. On the other hand, Vrbo is only for users who need a whole property.
Privacy-Focused Accommodations
Winner: Vrbo
When it comes to privacy, Vrbo is the clear winner.
The primary focus of Vrbo is to rent out entire places, whether a home, condo, apartment, cabin or simply a place to stay for a night.
Vrbo offers a more private, home-away-from-home experience. This means if you’re a family or a group of travelers looking for a place to stay, Vrbo will suit you.
On the other hand, Airbnb is more about letting someone stay in any available space.
It can be a shared property, private room, or shared room. Although there are chances of getting some level of privacy, it is not guaranteed with Airbnb.
Airbnb is perfect for one or two guests.
Prices and Fees
Winner: Tie
Comparison prices on the two services are difficult to compare as easy property is unique.
However, Vrbo tends to be more affordable (for guests) than Airbnb in terms of renting prices.
Vrbo does not have a lot of listings (compared to Airbnb) or many reviews. Therefore, they often charge less from the guests to attract and retain them.
The result? Vrbo has slightly better listing prices than Airbnb (but it is not guaranteed). You can often find the same listings on Vrbo for a lesser price than on Airbnb.
However, keep in mind that listing prices on Vrbo don’t include cleaning fees initially.
Unlike Airbnb, which includes cleaning fees set by the host in the overall listing price, Vrbo excludes it. Vrbo only includes it when hosts click the “Book Now” button.
Consider the cleaning fee when deciding between the prices on both platforms.
Remember, while fees on Vrbo can be affordable for guests, the case isn’t the same for hosts. Hosts pay a hefty cut of 14% to 16% on the listed prices, which is only 3% on Airbnb.
Cancellation Policy
Winner: Tie
Both Vrbo and Airbnb let hosts set any cancellation policies.
Airbnb offers hosts 8 cancellation categories to select from:
Policy Type | Notice Period | Refund Terms |
Flexible | 24 hours | Full refund if cancelled 24+ hours before booking |
Moderate | 5 days | Full refund if cancelled 5+ days before booking |
Strict | 14 days | 50% refund if cancelled 14+ days before No refund within 14 days |
Firm | 30 days | Full refund: 30+ days before 50% refund: 7-30 days before |
Firm long-term | 30 days | Full refund if cancelled 30+ days before First month non-refundable if less |
Long-term | 30 days | First month non-refundable 30-day notice period required |
Super strict 30 | 30 days | 50% refund if cancelled 30 days before No refund after |
Super strict 60 | 60 days | 50% refund if cancelled 60 days before No refund after |
Do you want to read about each in detail? Read this article by Airbnb.
The same goes for Vrbo; it offers 5 types of cancellation policies hosts can set on their listings.
Policy Type | Notice Period | Refund Terms |
Relaxed | 14 days | Full refund if cancelled 14+ days before check-in 50% refund if cancelled between 7 and 14 days before check-in |
Moderate | 30 days | Full refund if cancelled 30+ days before check-in 50% refund if cancelled between 14 and 30 days before check-in |
Firm | 60 days | Full refund if cancelled 60+ days before check-in 50% refund if cancelled between 30 and 60 days before check-in |
Strict | 60 days | Full refund if cancelled 60+ days before check-in No refund if cancelled less than 60 days before check-in |
No Refund | N/A | No refund if cancelled |
NOTE: Vrbo also lets hosts create “custom” policies. This means hosts can set any cancellation rules, i.e., 50% of total rent + fees or 50% of first payment.
So, which platform is more flexible? Well, both.
The cancellation policies can vary from host to host and property to property. The flexibility depends on the host and which policies they are using.
Still, Airbnb has an edge in how these policies are explained, implemented, and represented.
For example, Airbnb’s cancellation policies are pre-defined in all types. But, hosts can select customer policies for Vrbo. While this is a good thing for hosts, it can confuse guests.
Customer Service
Winner: Vrbo
Airbnb started almost 12 years after Vrbo but grew way bigger. It turned out to have an immense amount of growth in a relatively short amount of time.
However, such a quick growth made it difficult for Airbnb to keep up with its growing number of customers and their queries.
The result of this is that many people had trouble reaching customer service. There are even tons of complaints about slow or unhelpful support.
Vrbo, on the other hand, has a good reputation for its customer support.
They operate with a direct support line, which helps guests, resolves their queries, supports property owners, resolves the issues of hosts, and does much more.
Reviews
Winner: Airbnb
Airbnb puts a time limit of 14 days for both guests and hosts to leave reviews for each other. This time limit is 1 year for both hosts and guests on Vrbo.
The benefit of the Airbnb review system is that the hosts/guests can review each other when everything regarding their experiences is fresh in their minds.
On the other hand, when both parties take more time to review each other, there is a higher chance of forgetting actual experiences and memories. And leaving a review that might not be what they actually experienced in the first place.
However, a 1-year reviewing span is helpful for those guests who travel often. They can share their review with the guest anytime, per their tight schedule.
Still, Airbnb wins for its more accuracy-focused reviewing system.
Winner for Hosts? Airbnb
Airbnb isn’t targeted only to families (like Vrbo) but to everyone.
Whether it is a solo traveler, a couple, a group of friends, even a family, or anyone else, they all have some listings on Airbnb to match their needs and requirements.
This is a huge advantage for hosts. They can list all types of properties, such as entire homes, shared apartments, individual rooms, private rooms, and much more on the platform. And they are gonna get guests on all types of their listings.
Vrbo limits them to only listing whole properties, whether homes or apartments.
Airbnb also charges only 3% from the guests, much less than Vrbo’s 14-16% host feed.
The most interesting part? Airbnb offers AirCover (free insurance) that covers up to $3 million in damage to the host’s property caused by guests and/or their pets.
If you don’t yet own a property but want to rent a vacation, you can start Airbnb rental arbitrage on the platform without any prohibition.
Based on all the factors, Airbnb is a clear winner for hosts.
Winner for Guests? Both Airbnb and Vrbo
When it comes to Airbnb vs Vrbo for guests, it is a clear “Tie” scenario.
Both platforms charge quite similar fees from the guests; Airbnb charges 14% to 16%, and the number is 6% to 15% for Vrbo.
While Airbnb has more listings (with a margin of millions), Vrbo is more focused on providing guests with a home-like, private experience.
They both have different kinds of target guests.
Airbnb operates more into renting shared spaces to solo travelers or couples. Vrbo is best for families or groups of friends who want privacy.
Overall, both platforms have their own unique pros and cons for guests.
Conclusion — Which Wins?
We have done a detailed Vrbo vs Airbnb discussion so far.
While we saw Airbnb clearly winning in terms of total listings, Vrbo was able to win clearly in terms of privacy focus and customer service.
Overall win? It is Airbnb (in most aspects).
Its listings include entire properties (like Vrbo) as well as shared rooms, houses, and much more in one spot. It covers not only Vrbo’s targeted audience (families, group travelers) but also solo renters, couplers, and groups of any size.
Airbnb stands out for its versatility and suitability for everyone.
FAQs - Airbnb VS VRBO
Do Airbnb Costs More than Vrbo?
Yes, Airbnb can cost more for guests than hosts due to its higher service fees. It also includes all the extra fees (such as cleaning) in the listing prices, which makes it seem pricier.
Should I List My Property on Both Airbnb and Vrbo?
Yes, of course. However, keep in mind that Vrbo allows only listing entire properties, but this is not a condition for Airbnb. So, if your property fulfills this condition, it is good to be listed on the bot platforms.
How Much Does Vrbo Charge Hosts/Property Owners?
Vrbo charge a 5% commission on the rental amount (and any extra) and a 3% payment processing fee. If a host/property owner gets an Annual Subscription, the one-time fee is $499/year; there is no commission on each booking.
How to Improve Airbnb and Vrbo Listings?
Use high-quality photos, write better descriptions, set competitive pricing, respond quickly, and collect good reviews. You can even work with an external listing optimization team, such as DOSbnb, to get maximum bookings.
