If you’re one of the travelers contributing to the nine trillion dollar industry every year, you know how much fun it can be to go to new places and experience unique adventures.
However, boutique hotels can be pricey, and economy accommodations aren’t always up to standard. Luckily, there are many new options for travelers. This means you can rent your property to make extra income!
With so many rental sites available, you may not know which one is best to list your property. If you’re unsure what to choose when it comes to Vrbo vs Airbnb, keep reading to learn the differences to help you find which is best for your home.
Target Audience
In recent years, Airbnb has skyrocketed in popularity. However, Vrbo has been an established company for much longer. Both of these impact their target audience for renters.
Airbnb has become synonymous with younger travelers looking for accommodations on vacations or spontaneous trips. Whether staying domestic or traveling internationally, young adults have found this site simple to use.
Typically, Airbnb’s are alternative to hotels for smaller groups of travelers who are looking to experience the area around them.
On the other hand, Vrbo is an established company, having been around for decades. This means it’s more familiar for an older crowd of adults who have been using it for much longer.
Because of its age, Vrbo is often associated with older, larger groups of vacationers. When considering the pros and cons of Vrbo, take into account that many families and friend groups will use this platform to book holidays.
Types of Spaces
One of the significant differences you’ll need to consider when choosing Vrbo or Airbnb to list your property is what kind of space it is.
Vrbo has strict policies about the type of property you can rent out. Vrbo does not allow homeowners to rent shared spaces. This means you cannot rent out a single room to a guest or multiple rooms to different groups.
Vrbo’s platform guarantees that renters will have access to the whole property as opposed to sharing the space with the homeowner or other guests.
Airbnb, on the other hand, does allow these listings. However, it requires any shared space to be clearly stated on the listing to ensure guests are aware of their situation. Many single travelers will choose this option as it is usually more affordable.
In this instance, the platform you choose depends wholly on what kind of rental you’d like to list. If you’re posting a room or shared space, you would have to go with Airbnb, as Vrbo does not allow this option.
Cancellation Policies
Both Airbnb and Vrbo have options for hosts when it comes to protecting them from cancellations and damages.
Airbnb has fewer options than Vrbo when it comes to the cancellation policy that hosts can choose. In most instances, guests can only cancel their Airbnb stay a minimum of 48 hours in advance. This makes Airbnb for hosts a safe choice as you’ll still get paid for a cancellation.
However, Vrbo gives hosts the option to go with a more relaxed policy if they choose. This option allows guests to cancel fourteen days in advance with a full refund, and if canceled seven days before the start of the booking, the guest will forfeit fifty percent of the price to the owner.
Nonetheless, Vrbo does have stricter policies if that’s what you’re looking for. This includes no refunds for any reason or no refunds if canceled after sixty days before the start of the stay is scheduled.
Reviews
Another essential factor that can make or break your listings is reviews.
Both platforms allow guests to leave reviews, with the only difference being the timeframe. Post-stay, Airbnb guests have two weeks to leave a review, while Vrbo allows guests a year after their rental time to post their thoughts.
One of the main benefits of Vrbo for hosts is that you can respond to a guest’s review. This response will be visible to other users, allowing them to see your perspective on the comments left by renters.
If you’re listing on Vrbo, you can hire a company to help manage your listing. This includes responding to customer reviews to ensure your property is well received. You can discover more here about the benefits of a management company.
Cleaning and Damages
When it comes to ensuring your property is clean and free from damage after a stay, both sites help protect the host’s home or property, but their policies differ.
Both sites will include the option for a host to charge a pre-determined cleaning fee. Many Vrbo hosts choose to skip this fee as they worry it will make their listing too expensive and opt to clean themselves.
Airbnb hosts often set a cleaning fee regardless, as many of their ratings revolve around the cleanliness of the property. This is one of the considerations to think about when weighing the pros and cons of Airbnb over Vrbo.
In terms of protecting your space from damage, Vrbo sets a predetermined amount that guests agree to pay. You can also have your renters sign a legal document indicating they agree to the terms.
Airbnb will foot the cost of damage caused by guests, up to one million dollars. However, hosts can still opt to set a security deposit.
Weigh the Options: Vrbo vs Airbnb
When it comes to choosing a platform to list your property on, you may have one preference over the other depending on your familiarity with the site, as well as any policies you feel more comfortable with.
However, listing your property on as many sites as possible can help you get the best exposure.
If you found this guide to Vrbo vs Airbnb informative, you’ll want to check out the rest of our website. You’ll find more business and travel tips and tricks to help you make the most of your life.
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