When traveling, one often gets homesick, but what if I told you there is a way to avoid this situation? Instead of situating yourself at a hotel or inn, you can choose to stay at a house available for rent. There are even companies specially made for this purpose. Two popular brands within this field are Vrbo and Airbnb, but which one is better?
Vrbo and Airbnb provide a diverse filtering system that guarantees all your preferences get met. When looking at the United States, Vrbo has 729,227 hosts, while Airbnb has around 660 000 hosts. However, Airbnb has more diversity of locations than Vrbo. Airbnb also provides better clarity of prices.
Because both companies branch worldwide, it becomes difficult to determine a definitive difference between the two big names in this field. However, that is what I am here to do. We will individually look at areas that could create separate views regarding both companies. These areas include diversity, availability, service quality, and pricing.
The Values And Goals Of Vrbo And Airbnb
All companies normally showcase what they are about on their websites, and these two competitors are no different. Next, we will look and the values and goals each company hopes to achieve with its current and future products and services.
The Values And Goals Of Vrbo
Vrbo (Vacation Rentals by Owner), initially formed in 1995, prioritizes family connections as one of its primary missions, assisting every family in seeking the perfect space they require to relax, connect, and form special memories last a lifetime.
Vrbo’s website showcases its aim for perfection as they provide numerous filtering tools to ensure the perfect location for you and your family. These filters include price, preferences, and location. This system assists with staying within budget, planning, and overall enjoyment. That’s not all! They also offer flexibility with remarkable cancellation policies that make changing plans seamless.
Not only does Vrbo ensure the guest’s enjoyment, but they also make sure that the owner or manager of the residence is fully supported, offering equal protection and equal opportunities for all. Additionally, you can access mobile support 24/7, seven days a week, in almost a dozen languages provided by their amazing support assistant staff.
The Values And Goals Of Airbnb
Airbnb (Air Bed and Breakfast) has a charming story of how it came to be, and I definitively recommend you have a read of their entire journey yourself on Airbnb’s website. First, however, let us simplify their adventures.
Airbnb is surprisingly new as it only began 14 years ago. However, the two initial creators of the company, Joe Gebbia and Brian Chesky, became the first hosts of the company, opening their homes to several guests.
There was a change with the Covid-19 pandemic, but Airbnb persevered, sticking to its roots by focusing on connections and belonging. Unfortunately, the isolation caused many people to develop a sense of loneliness. Airbnb took it upon themselves to provide such people with a place that could make them feel “at home” again.
Since then, they have stuck to those roots, pushing past every obstacle with determination and creativity with each stride. The company takes great pride in showcasing that people can trust one another, bringing togetherness in every community imaginable.
Diversity Of Location Provided By Vrbo And Airbnb
Diversity of locations is crucial as they deal with diverse people daily. Everyone has personal preferences, and finding the perfect location for a group of people can be challenging. However, the global spread of residences each company provides ensures that everyone will find the perfect home for them. Let us look at the diversity of locations both Vrbo and Airbnb offer.
Diversity Of Locations Vrbo Provides
Since they first began, their influence has grown globally, propelling Vrbo to supply over 2 million vacation homes. They take great care in providing diversity and ensuring full inclusion for all families. However, when looking at the United States individually, Vrbo provides 729,227 (including 418,150 house rentals and 76,385 cabin rentals) various properties for you to rent.
The most popular destinations in the United States connected to Vrbo are:
- Pigeon Forge: 11,727 vacation rentals
- Gatlinburg: 11,316 vacation rentals
- Sevierville: 11,529 vacation rentals
- Panama City Beach: 14,450 vacation rentals
- Destin: 11,910 vacation rentals
Below are the various types of properties that Vrbo showcases on its website.
| Resorts | Condos/Apartments | Cabins |
| Cottages | Bungalows | Houses |
| Caravans | Townhouses | Studios |
| Boats | Guest Houses | Hotels |
| Barns | Farmhouses | Villas |
| Yachts | Bed & Breakfasts | Chalets |
| Castles | Country Houses | Lodges |
| Towers | Houseboats | Estates |
As you can tell, you will never have concerns about finding a place satisfying your every need. There is additional planning assistance with the numerous filters available through their website database. These filters include a specific price range (convenient for budgeting), specification of the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, amenities, house rules, accessibility, and discounts – among many more!
Diversity Of Location Airbnb Provides
Airbnb has grown incredibly to the point where they (as of March 31, 2022) provide over 4 million hosts globally! In addition, Airbnb has a unique way of showcasing the variety of properties they provide. They have formed over 50 categories of homes correlating to their style, location, and nearby activities.
These categories carry every spectrum, including beaches, winter wonderlands, forest cabins, architectural beauties, and even earth homes (bermed earth houses or underground houses). Below are all the categories available on the Airbnb website.
| Beach | Amazing Pools | Islands | Countryside | A-Frames | Artic |
| Lakefront | National Parks | Cabins | Bed & Breakfasts | Beachfront | Caves |
| Camping | Amazing Views | Castles | Chef’s Kitchen | Vineyards | Design |
| Surfing | Tiny Homes | Skiing | Historical Homes | Windmills | Luxe |
| Golfing | Earth Homes | Campers | Cycladic Homes | Containers | Farms |
| Tropical | Iconic Cities | Ryokans | Off-the-grid | Treehouses | Barns |
| Mansions | Shared Homes | Minsus | Shepherd’s Hut | Houseboats | Desert |
| Lake | Grand Pianos | Towers | Casas particulares | Ski-in/out | Domes |
Airbnb also features a filter to navigate its impressive database of locations. They offer filters such as price range (for budgeting purposes), number of bedrooms and bathrooms, property type (house, apartment, guesthouse, or hotel), amenities, accessibility, host language, and booking options.
However, when looking specifically at the United States, Airbnb provides over around 660 000 properties for you to rent. In addition, some of Airbnb’s most popular locations are in the United States, such as:
- Kissimmee, Florida
- New York City, New York
- Los Angeles, California
- Davenport, Florida
- San Diego, California
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Miami, Florida
- Panama Beach, Florida
- Austin, Texas
- Las Vegas, Nevada (15)
The Price Ranges Of Vrbo And Airbnb
It is crucial to provide the price range of rental costs as most individuals, when planning their travels, formulate a budget that is necessary to follow. Both Vrbo and Airbnb provide a filtering mechanism for price ranges, but we will also see the average price of each company.
The Price Range Of Vrbo
Vrbo enables you to look at the cheapest and most expensive rental locations, per category, with ease via their filtering tool. Vrbo showcases a vast range of property types; however, people know them to be more focused on houses, villas, hotels, and estates.
The rental price can range from $1/night to $50,000/night. Unfortunately, there is no clarity on pricing without scrolling through pages upon pages to see the average prices regarding each category.
The Price Range Of Airbnb
The average prices of Airbnb reflect a fair amount, with the lowest average being $101/night (in the state of North Dakota) and the highest average being $287/night (in Arizona). The United States has the highest average rental cost of all the countries featured with Airbnb, at $216/night. Below are the average prices, per night, in each state within the year 2021.
| State | Average Price (2021) | State | Average Price (2021) |
| Alabama | $204/night | Louisiana | $201/night |
| Ohio | $147/night | Alaska | $162/night |
| Maine | $222/night | Oklahoma | $190/night |
| Arizona | $287/night | Maryland | $186/night |
| Oregon | $181/night | Arkansas | $178/night |
| Massachusetts | $222/night | Pennsylvania | $192/night |
| California | $258/night | Michigan | $206/night |
| Rhode Island | $252/night | Colorado | $271/night |
| Minnesota | $160/night | South Carolina | $220/night |
| Connecticut | $189/night | Mississippi | $161/night |
| South Dakota | $194/night | Delaware | $246/night |
| Missouri | $172/night | Tennessee | $272/night |
| Florida | $217/night | Montana | $215/night |
| Texas | $214/night | Georgia | $188/night |
| Nebraska | $119/night | Utah | $211/night |
| Hawaii | $248/night | Nevada | $212/night |
| Vermont | $264/night | Idaho | $212/night |
| New Hampshire | $237/night | Virginia | $181/night |
| Illinois | $139/night | New Jersey | $195/night |
| Washington | $181/night | Indiana | $156/night |
| New Mexico | $180/night | West Virginia | $191/night |
| Iowa | $123/night | New York | $216/night |
| Wisconsin | $200/night | Kansas | $118/night |
| North Carolina | $193/night | Wyoming | $207/night |
| Kentucky | $164/night | North Dakota | $101/night |
Additional Features Of Vrbo And Airbnb
Vrbo and Airbnb provide simple ways of finding residence while traveling and provide additional services such as customer support, security, and inclusion. Let us look at both Vrbo and Airbnb and the extra features you will be able to access.
Features Available With Vrbo
Vrbo host a booking system known as “Book with Confidence Guarantee™,” which provides valuable prizes when booking directly through Vrbo. In addition, this benefit includes security deposits, comprehensive payment protection, and emergency rebooking assistance.
As stated previously, reviews are important as they assist other future guests on what they could expect when visiting a certain venue. Therefore, Vrbo, after your stay, sends an email both to you and the host reminding you to review your experiences.
Should you have a complication with your host, either the host being inappropriate or compromising your safety, Vrbo is there to assist you with their rebooking support. In addition, they will further investigate your report to determine if the host violated your policies during your stay.
Vrbo also enables secure communication between hosts and guests with their private messaging platform, which protects you from online threats like phishing and identity theft. In addition, you will never get requested to forward your payments directly to the host outside of Vrbo’s intricate booking and messaging servers.
Features Available With Airbnb
Aircover is comprehensive protection granted to guests free of charge with each booking. The four primary protection benefits you gain from Aircover are a booking protection guarantee, a check-in guarantee, a get-what-you-booked guarantee, and a 24-hour safety line.
Should complications arrive with the host you have booked with, and it is necessary for the host to cancel your booking within 30 days of check-in, Airbnb will find you a similar, or even better, location. If that is not possible, you will get given a refund.
Suppose at any point during your stay you discover the location to be falsely advertised (amenities missing or equipment malfunctioning). In that case, you will have the opportunity to report it within three days of your stay. You will then get assigned to a similar or better home. Should this process of action prove impossible, Airbnb will provide you with a refund.
Their 24-hour safety line ensures complete protection no matter where you stay. In addition, should you feel unsafe at any point of your visit, you will get priority access to Airbnb’s specially trained safety agents, available anytime during the day.
Quality Of Service Offered By Vrbo And Airbnb
A company of this sort’s quality of service combines location, pricing, hosting, and flexibility. However, when looking at both Vrbo and Airbnb, the ups and downs that both companies face are quite similar.
Because the homes become hosted by people not formally trained in the hosting field, reviews left by several renters become diverse and contradicting. For example, some guests have a few to no issues regarding their stays, while, on the other end, guests showcase disappointment in all fields, including customer service, location, and flexibility.
Therefore, we suggest thoroughly analyzing the reviews of potential locations as the experiences of various guests could differ. However, you will spot similarities which will give you the confirmation you need to become more confident in your choices.
Conclusion
Vrbo and Airbnb catch the attention of three types of people: ones looking for adventure, those working on a budget, or those seeking a new experience. It is a great replacement for the regular hotels or resorts promoted to tourists.
Renting out these locations also provides an easy way to experience the daily lifestyle of the local folk. Both companies also ensure the best journey possible, as they support hosts and guests every step of the way.