What Fees Does Vrbo Charge – So you’re finally ready to host your vacation rental. But which booking site should you list on? Which is better to host, Airbnb or Vrbo? And what if you advertise on both of them?
In this blog post, we will give you an overview of all the important differences between Airbnb and Vrbo.
What Fees Does Vrbo Charge
Next, we’ll look at ways to advertise on both Airbnb and Vrbo at the same time.
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Before we get into the differences between Airbnb and Vrbo, let’s take a quick overview of each company.
Founded in 2008, Airbnb became a publicly traded company with an IPO in early December 2020. It has more than 7 million listings in 220 countries and territories worldwide.
Vrbo was founded in 1995. Originally known as Vacations by Owner, the company is now part of the Expedia Group. It has two million listings in 190 countries worldwide.
Although Vrbo has been around for much longer than Airbnb, the one-time startup has become extremely popular. This is reflected in the amount of traffic each website receives on a monthly basis.
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According to SimilarWeb, Airbnb.com had nearly 54 million visits in November 2020. In contrast, Vrbo.com alone had more than 27 million.
Even though Airbnb has more than three times the number of listings than Vrbo and attracts twice as many visits per month, that doesn’t mean it’s a good choice for every host.
Whether you decide to list on Airbnb or Vrbo (or both!) depends on a range of other factors. Let’s see them!
Whichever booking site you choose to list your property on, once you start getting bookings, you will have to pay a commission fee.
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Online travel agencies (OTAs) such as Airbnb and Vrbo charge a host service fee that is usually a percentage of the total booking. Knowing how much OTA fees cost is important because you should factor it into your pricing strategy.
Vrbo owner fees start at 8% for listings in the pay per booking model. They include a 5% service fee (calculated from the total amount of the booking, including additional fees such as pet fees), and a 3% payment processing fee (calculated from the total payment amount you receive from the guest, including fees extra, taxes, and security deposits).
Vrbo owner fees may vary slightly depending on the amount paid for the reservation. Generally, the higher the total amount of the reservation, the lower the percentage of the Vrbo listing fee.
Airbnb has two different fee structures. Currently, most hosts have the option to choose what they want to apply to their list:
Vrbo Vs. Airbnb: Which Is Best For Travelers?
Each of these options has its own advantages, which we discuss in depth in our blog post on Airbnb host fees.
The cancellation policy you choose to offer your guests has a direct impact on your business. For example, choosing a generous cancellation policy can help you attract more bookings and grow your business. At the same time, you may lose income if a guest cancels at the last minute and no one else books your property on the cancellation dates.
That’s why it’s important to know the cancellation policies offered by different channels, and choose the one that works for your business.
Both Airbnb and Vrbo have a wide range of cancellation policies. However, Vrbo allows hosts to choose strict options, including a no-return policy under any circumstances.
Airbnb Vs Vrbo: The Key Hosting Differences
While neither Airbnb nor Vrbo is an exclusive site aimed at a specific type of traveler, there are some differences in the demographics they attract.
Since its launch, Airbnb has targeted young, adventurous travelers looking for budget-friendly accommodation options. It mainly targets guests who want an authentic travel experience in urban destinations.
However, over the years, Airbnb has evolved – and so has its customer base. Guests booking on Airbnb are no longer budget-conscious millennial guests, seeking an immersive “live like a local” stay. His audience is very diverse.
For example, Airbnb now attracts business travelers who want to book entire apartments rather than hotel rooms for short or extended stays. And, the company has its own luxury collection called Airbnb Luxe that caters to more discerning travelers.
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While a large portion of Airbnb’s audience prefers vacation rentals because they are cheaper than hotels, guests who book on Vrbo do not consider cost to be a major factor in their decisions.
Thanks to its large portfolio of entire homes in popular tourist destinations, Vrbo is very popular with families and large groups traveling together. Their audience also includes older and more affluent travelers looking to book traditional vacation rentals such as cabins or cottages in rural destinations.
When Airbnb was founded, part of its mission was to allow people to make a little extra money by renting out rooms inside their homes. To this day, Airbnb is not only for professional property managers with multiple listings, but also for hosts who view their vacation rental business as a side hustle by renting out rooms or vacation homes when they are not in use.
Unlike Airbnb, Vrbo does not allow hosts to advertise shared spaces of any kind. Since the target group is mainly families and groups, it focuses on entire holiday homes.
All The Vrbo Service Fees You Should Know About
If you want to rent a room in your house with a shared bathroom, kitchen and living space, Vrbo is not the listing site for you.
Both Airbnb and Vrbo use reviews to help guests find the perfect rental. And, getting good reviews for a host on both platforms is extremely important, as they help their listing rank higher and attract more bookings.
Vrbo gives guests and hosts a full year to submit their reviews. However, once one party submits their review, the other party has 14 days to write their review. Vrbo will keep these reviews confidential until both parties submit them or 14 days have passed.
Vrbo does not display traveler ratings publicly: Property owners and managers can only see reviews from travelers who interact with them.
Vrbo Common Issues & Questions
On Airbnb, guests and hosts have 14 days after checkout to write a review. Airbnb only publishes these reviews after both parties have written theirs or after 14 days have passed.
Next to reviews, Airbnb encourages guests to leave star ratings on a variety of factors. These include:
Now that you know the main differences between Airbnb and Vrbo, you might be wondering which platform might work best for your business.
In fact, many hosts find it extremely profitable to list on both Airbnb and Vrbo, even if they only have one or two listings. Why? Because the more exposure you can get, the better.
Difference Between Airbnb And Vrbo: Which Vacation Rental Site Is Best For You?
As we mentioned, Airbnb and Vrbo target different audiences and reach different traveler demographics. A guest searching on Airbnb may not be searching on Vrbo, and vice versa.
So, if you want to maximize your business and increase your bookings, you should be listed on both channels.
Multi-channel distribution of your vacation rental is not as difficult, time consuming or expensive as you might think. Here’s a quick overview of how to do it:
If you want to advertise your listing on both Airbnb and Vrbo, your first option is to sync your channel calendars.
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It is important to ensure that your availability is always up to date on both channels as otherwise you risk double bookings.
A double booking is when two guests book your rental for the same period in two different ways. It can be a hassle to deal with, and you can lose money in cancellation fees.
However, you can reduce your chances of getting a double booking by linking your Airbnb and Vrbo calendars. For this, you need to export your Airbnb calendar in iCal format and import it into Vrbo. Next, you need to export your Vrbo calendar and import it into Airbnb.
This way, you have established a two-way link that will allow you to update your calendars when you receive a booking.
Main Differences Between Vrbo Vs. Airbnb
Although this is a simple solution that is easy to set up, it is not optimal. iCal connections may be slow and it may take several hours to update your calendars. In the meantime, you are still at risk of overbooking.
The best way to advertise on multiple channels without worrying about double bookings is to use the Airbnb Channel Manager.
Channel managers are software solutions that integrate directly with booking sites, allowing them to instantly update your calendar and availability across multiple channels.
Host tools, for example, Airbnb and Vrbo, have direct API connections. When you add your Airbnb and Vrbo accounts to hosting tools, the platform allows you to integrate your calendars and keep them in sync instantly. This way, guests will always see your exact availability, no matter which channel they are searching. Plus, you can see all your bookings in a handy multi-calendar!
Vrbo Fees For Owners In 2021
Intuitive, easy-to-use and budget-friendly vacation rental software like Host Tools is a lifesaver for hosts who want to save time and prevent double bookings while enjoying the benefits of advertising across multiple channels. Try it now for free!
Airbnb and Vrbo are good options for hosts looking to advertise their listings to millions.
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