So, you want to start renting out your property as a vacation home. Or maybe you’ve already been renting out your property, but you want to increase your bookings. How do you boost your rental’s visibility?
One of the easiest ways to get started is to list your property on short-term rental websites.
Advertising your property on websites for vacation rentals can help you reach your target customers, fill your reservation calendar, and diversify your revenue streams. But with dozens of websites to choose from, the biggest hurdle is often choosing which to invest in.
So, we’re sharing the 13 best websites for short-term rentals to get you started, taking into account the websites’ popularity, fees, and other top features.
Don’t see the form to download the Beginner’s Guide to Vacation Rental Online Marketing? Click here.
Contents show
How to choose the best vacation rental websites
There are numerous vacation home rental websites to choose from. You’re obviously not going to list your properties on all of them, so how do you choose which to prioritize?
We recommend focusing on the following characteristics:
- Audience: Who are you trying to attract to your vacation rental? Families or young digital nomads? Budget or luxury travelers? Some short-term rental websites have specific niches that you’ll want to keep in mind to attract the right guests and ensure you meet their expectations.
- Fees: Consider fees not only in terms of what you can afford, but also the fee type. For example, if your vacation rental is only open for a couple weeks out of the year, a commission-based fee might make more sense than a flat fee. Likewise, property managers who expect numerous bookings and large earnings may want to avoid commission-based fees.
- Reach: Does the short-term rental website have enough users to keep your property booked? While niche or free sites may occasionally make sense, ensure you’re also listing on popular vacation rental websites that will give your property the reach it needs to be successful.
- Support team: When there’s a problem with your listing, getting solutions quickly will be essential to the success of your business. Make sure that whichever sites you choose have a robust support team with 24/7 availability.
Keeping these factors in mind will help ensure you choose the right short-term home rental websites for your property and goals!
Top short-term rental websites
Now, let’s take a look at some of the best vacation home rental websites for owners to list their properties on.
Airbnb
In summary:
- 150+ million users
- Two different fee structures available, a split fee and a host-only fee:
- Split-fee: hosts typically pay 3% and guests pay up to 14.2%
- Host-only fee: hosts typically pay 14-16%
- No listing fees
- Allows hosts to list private rooms as well as entire properties
- Offers $1 million in damage protection and $1 million in liability protection via Airbnb AirCover
Airbnb has come a long way since its 2007 founding in a San Francisco bedroom. It’s now one of the biggest websites for vacation home rentals in existence, is valued at over $91 billion, and boasts over 150 million users and over 4 million hosts. This company pioneered the path for short-term rental sites and continues to be a huge player in the industry.
It’s no surprise, then, that Airbnb is now the world’s top-ranked website in the accommodation and hotels category according to data from SimilarWeb. Due to its massive notoriety, it makes perfect sense to list property on Airbnb.
Want to learn more about listing your vacation rental property on Airbnb? Check out our guide!
Vrbo
In summary:
- 42 million monthly visitors to the Vrbo site
- Offers a choice between an annual or pay-per-booking subscription:
- Annual fee: $499
- Pay-per-booking fee: 3% payment processing and 5% commission fee (except for properties in Australia, New Zealand, and Japan)
- No listing fees
- Suitable for entire properties (no option to list private rooms)
Part of the umbrella company Expedia Group, Vrbo has much to offer when it comes to listing properties—its 42 million monthly users and 2+ million listings being just a few of them.
For example, Vrbo caters to families looking for the perfect vacation home, and thus tends to attract guests who spend more, book for more people, and stay for longer.
Vrbo gained its popularity by offering a wide range of entire-home accommodations instead of single rooms. As the platform has continued to boom, the variety of properties has followed suit. Now, some of their offerings include unique stays like treehouses, cabins, or houseboats.
Want to learn more about listing your vacation rental property on Vrbo? Check out our guide!
Booking.com
In summary:
- 110 million users
- Pay-per-booking commission fee of 10-25%
- No listing fees
- Ability to add promotions to increase occupancy
From a small Dutch startup to an international enterprise, Booking.com is undoubtedly one of the top websites for travelers everywhere.
Every day, guests reserve more than 1.5 million nights on the online travel agency. It’s also hugely global—the site is available in over 43 languages and offers an inventory of over 6.6 million homes, apartments, and other unique places to stay all over the world.
While Booking.com doesn’t cater solely to vacation rentals, the offerings for this section of the website are constantly growing, making it a fantastic vacation rental website for owners and managers to list on.
The search engine layout highlights internal ratings, the overall price for the vacation rental, and frequently an enticing deal or slash of the old price for a new offer. If you regularly run promotions for your vacation rental, this might be a good platform for you to promote your business and lure in new guests with incredible savings.
Want to learn more about listing your vacation rental property on Booking.com? Check out our guide!
TripAdvisor
In summary:
- 463 million users
- 3% booking fee and no listing fees
- Automatically lists your property on partner sites
- Ideal for rentals in popular tourist destinations
The travel website TripAdvisor has built its strong following based on showcasing reliable reviews on just about everything travel-related. That includes hotels, restaurants, activities, and—you guessed it—vacation rentals.
It’s no surprise that TripAdvisor has made the jump to the vacation rental industry. Their already clear fame in travel and tourism made it an easy step into the short-term rental world. Because they blend a number of vacation-related products, it’s a great platform to use for businesses in “experience-heavy” tourist destinations.
Plus, it doesn’t hurt that the site has 463 million users and more than 830,000 vacation rental properties listed on the site. Active in 50 countries, TripAdvisor automatically translates any property listings to appear on its 20+ sister sites, including FlipKey, HouseTrip, Holiday Lettings, Niumba, and Vacation Home Rentals.
Agoda
In summary:
- 45 million users in the European Union alone
- No listing or signup fees
- Per-booking commission varies by property location (typically around 15%)
- One of Asia’s leading travel tech companies
Agoda started off in Asia in 2005 and was acquired by Booking Holdings, a world leader in online travel and related services, in 2007. Agoda offers 4 million accommodations worldwide, ranging from luxury hotels and entire properties to budget hostels and private rooms.
They pride themselves on reaching a global audience with an Asian focus, so if this fits your property, consider signing up. Whether your listing is in Asia or if you mainly attract guests from Asia, this site offers you plenty of exposure.
Their biggest selling point is that they take a minimal amount of your earnings as compared to competitors. Signup is free, listing is free, and all of the onsite tools they offer are also free.
Expedia
In summary:
- 48 million users
- Pay-per-booking commission fee of 10-30%
- Hosts can implement flexible rate plans, including nonrefundable rates and last-minute deals
- Automatically lists your property on other platforms owned by Expedia Group
Expedia has been a big name in the travel industry for over two decades. A big advantage of becoming an Expedia Partner (and listing on their site) is the localized sites that are available in 33 countries worldwide.
Expedia’s award-winning app and platform allow travelers to bundle accommodation services with flights, car rentals, and activity bookings. You’ll have the chance to pull in clients who were maybe initially just looking for a flight or car rental, but stumble across your property and fall in love. A wider audience means more clients and bookings for your vacation rental business!
Want to learn more about listing your vacation rental property on Expedia? Check out our guide!
Hopper
In summary:
- #1 most downloaded travel app in the US
- No listing or commission fees
- $1M damage guarantee per booking
- 50% of Hopper users don’t book travel anywhere else!
Hopper has quickly become one of the biggest short-term rental sites in the industry, with over 80 million downloads and a significant annual booking volume. It’s also fee-free for both hosts and guests, instead building its cost into nightly rates with a dynamic markup.
The platform is also unique in that one in two Hopper users exclusively use the platform for their travel bookings. This not only provides access to a new pool of potential guests but also increases your chances of securing bookings beyond other platforms.
What’s more, Hopper provides white-glove onboarding, in which it creates and manages your listings, as well as a resolution process designed to address any issues within three days. What’s not to like?
Plum Guide
In summary:
- 114K monthly site visits
- Two different fee structures available, a split fee and a host-only fee:
- Split fee: hosts pay 3% per booking and guests pay 12%
- Host-only fee: hosts pay 16.5% per booking
- One-time joining fee of $400 per listing
- Geared toward “exceptional” homes
Like onefinestay.com, Plum Guide is also a niche site targeting higher-end homes. Although Plum Guide’s primary audience is in the UK, it claims to offer the top 1% of curated vacation rentals worldwide, with 30,000+ of the world’s most remarkable rentals.
It’s no surprise, then, that Plum Guide is known for its meticulous selection process, ensuring that only the highest-quality homes are featured on the platform.
Additionally, Plum Guide provides personalized support to hosts, including professional photography services, interior design advice, and even dedicated account managers. This level of assistance enhances the presentation of your property and contributes to a seamless hosting experience.
Want to learn more about listing your vacation rental property on Plum Guide? Check out our guide!
Home & Villas Marriott
In summary:
- 140 million+ global Marriott customers
- Customized listing fees
- Only advertises premium and luxury private homes
- Works directly with property management companies (no independent hosts)
Even the hotel industry is getting in on the vacation rental action. As renting private homes grows in popularity, other chains and hospitality companies are figuring out ways to bridge the two.
Marriott sought out this opportunity by creating Home & Villas Marriott, under the umbrella of the larger Marriott International group.
What’s so great about this listing site is the ability to monetize off what would otherwise be hotel-only traffic. Loyal customers of Marriott and the hotel industry at large now don’t have to stray, as they can book private homes with a company they’re already familiar with. Marriott even allows guests to use their Marriott points towards vacation rentals listed on their site. Bonus!
Whimstay
In summary:
- 1.2+ million unique users
- 3-5% per-booking commission fee
- Promotes last-minute bookings
- Only works with professional property managers
Whimstay has made a name for itself by offering guests savings on last-minute bookings—and increasing occupancy for hosts. As much as 75% of Whimstay’s 2023 bookings were made less than 30 days prior to check-in.
Also of note is that Whimstay only works with professional property managers to curate its accommodation offerings and provide a more consistent guest experience.
This, along with Whimstay’s commitment to providing the best deals out there, has led the platform to see 400% growth in bookings in 2023. And Whimstay expects to grow even more in 2024, so if you haven’t already, this could be a good time to list your property!
misterb&b
In summary:
- 310,000 hosts
- No listing fee
- Per-booking commission fee varies by property type and location (minimum of $12)
- Advertises LGBTQ+-friendly accommodations
Founded in Paris in 2013, misterb&b is a travel and vacation rental website that primarily provides accommodation to individuals from the LGBTQ+ community.
The idea of creating a gay-friendly niche travel website occurred to misterb&b’s founder after staying in an Airbnb in Barcelona and receiving poor treatment from his host. misterb&b is now the largest gay accommodation provider on the internet, with 310,000 hosts in over 135 countries.
There’s so much to love about this platform. misterb&b offers members a community to connect with other users on their trips, they offer vouchers and travel credits, they were featured on the famed Rupaul’s Drag Race, and a portion of their proceeds go to LGBTQ+ nonprofit organizations.
BringFido
In summary:
- More than 12 million unique site visitors since opening
- Free listings via Vrbo, Booking.com, and Expedia
- Advertises pet-friendly vacation rentals
Holidays are no longer just for a select few. Now, travelers are bringing everyone along—pets included!
If your vacation rental welcomes dogs, cats, and other furry creatures with open arms, consider listing with BringFrido.com. When guests see just how accommodating you are to all members of the family, they’ll be ready to leave a stellar review for your open hospitality.
More than just a vacation rental website, BringFido.com is a one-stop shop for all things necessary when it comes to planning dog-friendly getaways, be it restaurant searches or accommodations. Search their 500,000 pet-friendly vacation rentals by price, rating, pet policy, or region!
Glamping Hub
In summary:
- 125K+ followers on social media
- No listing fee
- 4% per-booking commission fee
- Advertises nature-based accommodations
Glamping Hub is an online booking website specializing in nature-based accommodations. Lodgers can use its curated booking platform to find the perfect nature getaway, with options ranging from treehouses to domes and tiny houses across 110 different countries.
What’s more, Glamping Hub optimizes listings for SEO, simplifies payment processing with Stripe, and integrates with Kayak to expand listings’ reach.
So, if you own or manage a glamping accommodation, listing on Glamping Hub is a great way to boost your visibility and reach your target market!
Short-term rental website FAQs
What are the best vacation rental websites?
The best website for short-term rentals depends on your specific needs as a host. Fees, property types, and even target customers vary from one site to the next.
What is the most popular vacation rental website?
The most popular vacation rental site is Airbnb. Airbnb has 150+ million users and 4+ million hosts, as well as 7+ million active listings in 100 thousand cities and towns around the world. In fact, Airbnb has become so popular that its name is now synonymous with vacation rentals.
What is the largest vacation rental website?
Airbnb is the largest vacation home rental website in the world, with 150+ million users, 4+ million hosts, and 7+ million active listings in 100 thousand cities and towns around the world.
But the very best vacation rental website might just be…yours!
Increasingly, property owners and managers are using their own websites alongside other platforms to become more independent and diversify their revenue streams. Creating your own direct booking website can also be a great way to build your brand, get more bookings, and attract guests from all over the world.
Remember that the more channels you add, the greater chance you have of keeping your reservation calendar packed—even outside of the peak months.
And lastly, whichever short-term rental websites you choose to list on, make sure to keep all your calendars synced with a channel manager!
Don’t see the form to download the Beginner’s Guide to Vacation Rental Online Marketing? Click here.
