If you’re just diving into short-term rental hosting, you may think the only platform around is Airbnb. Wrong! There are plenty of other platforms you should be looking at to list your rental on. Remember, the more places your rental is listed on, the more eyes on it. This guide will take a look at the top Airbnb alternatives you should consider when listing your property.

Host Tools provides an automated, unified calendar for short-term rental hosts, allowing you to seamlessly list on all major channels. Start your free trial today!

Vrbo

Short for Vacation Rentals by Owner, Vrbo specializes in whole-home vacation rentals and attracts a family-oriented audience. It’s one of the top Airbnb competitors out there.

• No shared spaces. Only entire properties are rented. This is a great option for large groups or families.
• Flexible fee structure for hosts and property owners.

Booking.com

Booking.com is one of the world’s largest travel platforms and goes far beyond the vacation rental industry. It offers booking opportunities for accommodations like hotels, apartment rentals, and B&Bs.

• Massive global reach with millions of users.
• Instant bookings, with a limited vetting process needed for guests.
• Particularly popular in major international cities.
• User-friendly interface for competitive pricing.

For hosts looking to attract travelers who might not typically use vacation rental services, Booking.com is a good way to break that barrier of entry for those new to short-term rentals.

Furnished Finder

Furnished Finder is ideal for hosts catering to mid- to long-term renters, such as traveling nurses or remote workers.

• A rental-centric audience seeking stays of 30 days or more.
• A one-time listing fee with no commission on bookings.

For those looking to get into long-term renting, Furnished Finder is a particularly popular option.

The Plum Guide

The Plum Guide is a luxury-focused platform that caters to discerning travelers looking for premium stays.

• The exclusivity allows for higher-paying clientele who are less likely to cancel.
• A strong guest vetting process.
• An opportunity to make a higher income because of premium prices.

If you’ve got a high-end property on your hands with cool amenities, Plum Guide may be for you.

Facebook Marketplace and social media

Social media platforms like Facebook Marketplace allow hosts to connect directly with potential guests.

Pros:

• No listing or booking fees.
• You can communicate directly with guests through Messenger.
• A freedom to manage your property independently without an intermediary.

Facebook Marketplace can be a good option for hosts who like to take a hands-on approach. However, it can be tedious for those who are more interested in automating their hosting duties.

How Host Tools can help

When you list on multiple channels, you increase your risk of double-bookings. Double bookings occur when two different guests have booked your property for the same night. A true nightmare for a host. To avoid this, you want to invest in Host Tools. Our platforms sync your reservations across all of your listings so that double-booking never happens. This means that when somebody books your home on an Airbnb alternative, it’s immediately updated on Airbnb, so another guest can’t book it.

Listing on multiple Airbnb alternatives is a smart move. As you can see, there is a whole world of other platforms out there that cater to a variety of audiences. When you put your property on more listing sites, you get more people to consider booking it. The more eyes on your home, the more likely you’re going to keep your calendar full.

Host Tools provides an automated, unified calendar for short-term rental hosts, allowing you to seamlessly list on all major channels. Start your free trial today!