LOOKING FOR AN AIRBNB ALTERNATIVE? 6 OPTIONS FOR YOUR SHORT-TERM RENTAL
Are you looking for an Airbnb alternative for listing your short-term rental?
When you own a short-term rental, it's all about getting the bookings. You can set your price competitively
to make a profit, but it doesn't do any good if you no one books.
The good news for rental owners is there are plenty of alternatives with a wide reach to find plenty of
travelers to book.
Each alternative short-term rental platform has slight differences in the fees and how you book. Check
into the details of each option before choosing to make sure it's cost-effective and suitable for your type
of rental.
Here are six Airbnb alternatives for you to consider.
1. Homestay
Unlike other short-term rental platforms that focus on vacation rentals, Homestay only offers hosted
experiences. That means it only works if you're renting a property where your guests stay in your home
with you.
Your level of involvement with your guests is up to you. The listing is for a room within your home, but that
doesn't mean you have to be at home for the entire stay.
The basic expectation is for hosts to welcome guests and help them get acquainted with the property.
Some hosts cook for guests and interact with them throughout the stay, but that's not required.
Homestay opened in 2013. It's smaller than other booking sites with only 33,000 rooms for rent in 160
countries. The smaller size is due to the specific type of listings it provides.
Listings are free on Homestay. The guests pay fees when they book, then they pay you for the rate you
charge when they arrive. You have the choice of how you request that your guests pay.
You have the option to require a deposit of up to 25% at the time of the booking. If you choose this option,
Homestay charges a 3% fee to cover the transaction fees.
You can list your room for rent on a nightly, weekly, or monthly basis. You have full control over the rates.
2. VRBO
VRBO has been around longer than Airbnb, opening in 1995 . It has listings from 190 countries. Expedia
Groupo owns VRBO, which gives your properties lots of exposure.
VRBO accepts all types of rentals, including cabins, condos, and houses. Unlike other platforms, which
deal with hosted experiences, VRBO focuses only on vacation rental properties.
You have full control over the rules you set for your renters as well as your pricing and dates you have
available.
To list your rental, you have two options. You can pay an annual fee, or you can pay a per-booking fee.
If you don't rent your property out very often or have a low price per night, you may save money by paying
the booking fee for each rental. For higher-priced units that you rent out frequently, you may save money
paying the annual fee.
3. HomeAway
HomeAway is also owned by Expedia Group. It opened in 2005 and operated independently at that time. It
acquired VRBO and several other companies before Expedia Group acquired it in 2015.
HomeAway operates similarly to VRBO, but HomeAway tends to do more rentals in other parts of the
world, including Europe and Australia.
It's no surprise that the listing structure is the same as VRBO. You can pay the yearly subscription to get
free listings or pay a fee for each booking.
4. TurnKey Vacation Rentals
TurnKey Vacation Rentals is a little different than most platforms in that it's a full-service vacation rental
property management company. Instead of just providing a way for you to list your vacation rental, it
manages every aspect of the rental process.
This platform isn't ideal for all property types. It's best for higher-end rental properties. It also focuses on
the most desirable locations, so you may not be a good match if your property is in a less desirable area.
The company installs many smart home features, including digital door locks, wireless internet routers,
and in-home tablets. It also handles taking photos, writing a listing, marketing your rental, and
coordinating professional housekeeping services. TurnKey markets the properties it manages on over 50
different travel websites.
TurnKey charges a commission to cover the property management fees. The rates can vary depending on
the area, but they average 35% . That rate is much higher than other platforms, but you don't have to do
anything with your rental since TurnKey handles it all.
You also have the option to use your rental anytime you want. You're not obligated to have it available all
the time, although TurnKey asks that you have it available year-round.
5. FlipKey
TripAdvisor operates FlipKey, so it has a big name behind it to help promote your listing. TripAdvisor
boasts over 390 million unique monthly visitors on average. It started in 2007 and has over 830,000
listings.
You can list your property for free on FlipKey. You'll pay 3% of the total for each booking.
Guests will contact you through the site to book your rental. You decide if you want to accept the booking
or not. This gives you more control over your bookings, but it also makes more work for you since you'll
have to respond to the guests and keep track of your bookings.
FlipKey accepts all types of properties, from whole houses to private rooms. Guests can find you when
they search on any TripAdvisor platform, which helps you reach more potential guests.
6. Booking.com
Booking.com is well-known for being a hotel rental site, but it also lists homes and apartments available
as short-term rentals.
Listing your rental on Booking.com is free. You'll pay a commission each time someone books your
rental.
The site actively markets the listed rentals. It also provides guest reviews, 24/7 support, and other tools
for property owners.
Like other sites, you choose your rules, pricing, and available dates. You can decide whether or not to
charge guests a cancellation fee.
Booking.com currently doesn't accept payments from renters. You'll collect payment when your guests
arrive.
Find Your Airbnb Alternative
Which Airbnb alternative most appeals to you? Understanding the little quirks of each option helps you
choose the most profitable listing option for your rental properties. Consider these six platforms and
other options to maximize your income potential.
Check out the rest of our blog for more information on owning and managing your short-term rentals