If you’re a vacation rental owner looking to boost bookings and increase your revenue, one of the first questions that usually comes up is: Should I list on Airbnb or Vrbo? It’s a smart question. After all, these two platforms dominate the short-term rental space and each comes with its own strengths.
But here’s the thing: it’s not always about choosing one over the other. In many cases, the best strategy might just be… both.
Let’s dive into the key differences between Airbnb and Vrbo so you can decide what’s best for your property, or discover why you might not have to choose at all.
Airbnb vs. Vrbo: What Sets Them Apart
Airbnb has built a name for itself with its eclectic range of listings. Think shared spaces, tiny homes, and even off-grid treehouses. It’s become the go-to for younger travelers, budget-conscious adventurers, and digital nomads seeking one-of-a-kind experiences. With its modern app design, easy booking process, and global reach, it’s no surprise Airbnb has captured a massive user base.
Vrbo (short for Vacation Rentals by Owner), on the other hand, focuses exclusively on whole-home rentals. It’s a favorite for families, large groups, and travelers who value space, privacy, and often a more traditional vacation experience. The platform tends to attract those planning longer, higher-end stays: think full kitchens, backyards, and plenty of room to stretch out.
Who Gets More Eyes on Listings?
Airbnb leads the charge when it comes to sheer volume. Currently with over 150 million users and more than 7 million listings worldwide, it offers tremendous visibility. Vrbo sees fewer users, around 48 million monthly, and has approximately 2 million listings, but it makes up for it in other ways, including added exposure through the Expedia Group.
In general, Airbnb tends to generate more short, frequent stays, while Vrbo often brings in guests who stay longer and spend more per night. So it’s not just about traffic; it’s about the type of traffic.
Understanding Your Guests
The platforms attract different audiences, which can impact the kind of guest experience you’re offering.
Airbnb travelers are often solo explorers, couples, or remote workers looking for convenience, character, and affordability. They’re drawn to charm and personality, maybe even a little quirk. On the other hand, Vrbo guests typically include families and larger groups who are seeking space and comfort. They’re often planning more traditional vacations and may prioritize things like multiple bedrooms, outdoor areas, and a quiet place to unwind.
Understanding who your rental is best suited for can help you decide where it belongs, or reinforce the idea that it deserves a place on both platforms.
How the Fees Stack Up
Airbnb charges professional hosts a service fee of about 15.5% per booking, while guests cover the cleaning fees. It’s straightforward and widely accepted.
Vrbo offers two payment models: an 8% fee per booking or a flat annual subscription (around $599). For properties that book frequently, the flat fee can lead to savings over time. It’s a flexible setup, especially for owners with in-demand homes.
What’s the Booking Experience Like?
Both platforms aim to make the booking process seamless, but in slightly different ways.
Airbnb is known for its polished interface, instant booking feature, and a Superhost program that rewards top-performing hosts. That said, it also comes with more detailed guest expectations, including thorough cleaning requirements and sometimes lengthy house rules.
Vrbo tends to offer a simpler, more transparent experience, especially for guests. There are fewer surprise fees at checkout, and hosts often find the platform less demanding in terms of guest expectations and pre-arrival prep.
Direct Bookings for Vacation Rentals: Why They Matter
While Airbnb and Vrbo get most of the attention, they’re not the only path to a booked calendar. Direct bookings for vacation rentals, meaning reservations made straight through a property’s own website rather than through a third-party marketplace, are one of the most overlooked ways for short-term rental owners to increase revenue and lower booking fees.
Benefits of a Direct Booking Website
Lower vacation rental booking fees. There’s no marketplace commission eating into every reservation. What you charge is what you keep, minus standard payment processing costs.
Stronger guest relationships and repeat bookings. Guests who book direct are typically repeat visitors or referrals. Owning that relationship, along with the guest’s contact information, means you can market directly to them for future stays and boost repeat booking rates.
Full control over pricing and policies. A direct booking site lets you set your own cancellation policies, house rules, and nightly rates without being bound to a specific platform’s structure or fee model.
A stronger, more credible rental brand. A dedicated vacation rental website gives your property (or portfolio of properties) a professional presence that builds trust and credibility beyond a single Airbnb or Vrbo listing page.
How to Drive Traffic to a Direct Booking Site
A booking website with no visitors doesn’t generate reservations, so direct bookings only work as part of a broader vacation rental marketing strategy. The strongest approaches combine:
- A well-built, mobile-friendly booking website optimized for search engines
- Email marketing campaigns to past and returning guests
- A presence on Airbnb, Vrbo, and other major platforms to drive initial discovery
At GoodNight Stay, our direct booking websites consistently rank among our top-performing channels because we drive targeted traffic to them while guests are already searching for a place to stay.
Which Platform Is Best for Your Rental, and What Makes Owners the Most Money?
Choosing between Airbnb and Vrbo really depends on your property. If you’re offering a cozy, affordable, or unique space, something with a bit of personality that’s perfect for quick stays, Airbnb might be your best bet. If your property is a family-friendly home with plenty of space, ideal for groups or extended vacations, Vrbo may attract more of your target guests.
But here’s the truth: you don’t actually have to pick just one, and picking the “right” platform isn’t really what drives the highest returns anyway. There’s no single platform or booking channel that guarantees the most income for every vacation rental. The owners who make the most money from short-term rentals tend to succeed because of how they combine a few key strategies:
Top Strategies for Maximizing Vacation Rental Income
Multi-channel listing exposure. Listing across Airbnb, Vrbo, and other major booking sites, rather than picking just one, puts your property in front of more potential guests and reduces the risk of empty nights.
Dynamic, demand-based pricing. Nightly rates that adjust with demand, seasonality, and local events consistently outperform a flat rate set once and left alone, and are one of the most effective vacation rental revenue management strategies available.
A mix of platform and direct bookings. Relying solely on Airbnb or Vrbo means paying a commission on every single reservation. Building a direct booking channel alongside those platforms lowers your average cost per booking and increases what you actually keep.
Guest experience and 5-star reviews. Strong reviews and repeat guests drive more bookings at higher nightly rates over time, regardless of which platform brought the guest in the first place.
Professional photography and listing optimization. High-quality photos, accurate listing descriptions, and thoughtful staging consistently correlate with higher booking rates and better nightly pricing across every platform.
In short, the vacation rental owners who make the most money aren’t necessarily on the “better” platform. They’re the ones treating their rental like a business: diversifying where bookings come from, using smart pricing strategies, and investing in the guest experience.
At GoodNight Stay, we take the guesswork out of all of this by doing it for you. When you partner with us, your property is automatically listed not just on Airbnb and Vrbo, but on 350+ top booking sites, including Booking.com, Expedia, and Homes & Villas by Marriott. And our own direct booking website is one of our top-performing platforms: in Q1 of 2025, 10% of all bookings we received came through our website, ranking just behind Airbnb (57%) and Vrbo (20%).
List With GoodNight Stay
Want to increase your bookings, improve your nightly rate, and save yourself the time and stress of managing it all? Partner with us and let our experts take your vacation rental to the next level. Reach out today and see how we can help grow your rental business—no matter which platform you thought was the right one.
