Vrbo vs. Airbnb – Detailed Comparison

Quick Verdict

Both Vrbo and Airbnb provide similar services for vacation rentals, but they differ in their fee structures and property type focus. Vrbo leans towards whole home rentals and has a higher potential service fee for guests. Airbnb offers more varied accommodation types and provides hosts with options for service fee structures. Both platforms emphasize accurate listings and responsive hosts.

Both platforms offer a wide variety of property types, but Vrbo specializes more in entire homes, while Airbnb includes more options for shared or private rooms.
Both platforms allow hosts to set their own cleaning fees, but Vrbo provides an average cleaning fee amount for the US ($156).
Airbnb has a more complex service fee structure, offering both split-fee and host-only options, while Vrbo charges guests a service fee that can be up to 20% of the booking subtotal.
Both platforms offer a range of cancellation policies, allowing hosts to choose the one that best suits their needs.
Accurate property information, including location and amenities, is crucial for both platforms to avoid negative reviews.
Both platforms emphasize the importance of host responsiveness, with an expectation of responding to inquiries within 24 hours.

Key features – Side-by-Side

Attribute	Vrbo	Airbnb
Property Types	Houses, apartments, condos, cabins, boats, yachts, castles, mills	Shared rooms, private rooms, hotel rooms, entire places, private islands
Cleaning Fees	Set by hosts, average in US is $156	One-time fee set by the host
Service Fees	Up to 20% of the booking subtotal	Split-fee: Hosts ~3%, Guests up to 14.2%. Host-only: ~15% of booking subtotal
Cancellation Policies	No Refund, Strict, Firm, Moderate, Relaxed	Flexible, Moderate, Firm, Strict, Super Strict 30 Days, Super Strict 60 Days
Location Accuracy	Hosts must provide accurate location details; imprecise info leads to negative reviews	Detailed property description, high-quality photos, and accurate amenities lists are crucial
Host Responsiveness	Expected to respond to inquiries within 24 hours	Expected to respond to messages within 24 hours
Amenities	Wi-Fi, parking, family-friendly options	Pool, Wifi, kitchen, free parking, hot tub, air conditioning/heating, washer/dryer, self check-in, TV/cable, fireplace, essential items

Pros and Cons

Vrbo

Pros:

Wide variety of property types available
Hosts can set their own cleaning fees
Multiple cancellation policy options for hosts
Platform encourages host responsiveness for better search rankings

Cons:

Service fees can be as high as 20% of the booking subtotal
Inaccurate property location can lead to negative reviews
Inaccurate property descriptions can lead to poor reviews

Airbnb

Pros:

No notable advantages reported.

Cons:

No major disadvantages reported.

User Experiences and Feedback

Vrbo

What Users Love

No highlights reported.

Common Complaints

Imprecise information about property location is a top cause of negative traveler sentiment.
Inaccurate information can lead to poor reviews, which directly impacts visibility on the platform.

Value Perception

No value feedback reported.

Airbnb

What Users Love

Complimenting the host on their communication skills, friendliness, helpfulness, and problem-solving skills will provide valuable information for other guests.
Guests expect your place to have essentials for a comfortable stay.
A well-stocked kitchen will allow guests to prepare their own meals.
Having verified photos can help you earn trust from guests and lead to you getting great reviews.

Common Complaints

If anything unexpected comes up during your stay, message your host to discuss a solution first. You have 72 hours to report any issue to your host or to Airbnb from the time of discovery.

Value Perception

No value feedback reported.

Vrbo vs. Airbnb – Detailed Comparison

Quick Verdict

Key features – Side-by-Side

Overall Comparison

Pros and Cons

Vrbo

Airbnb

User Experiences and Feedback

Vrbo

Airbnb