If you are a long-term Vrbo user, no doubt you already know the benefits of listing on the platform. It’s a trusted site for hosts and travelers alike, with millions of unique visitors each year seeking private homes to rent.
Although Vrbo may be working well for you, it’s always wise to diversify where you list. Different types of travelers are drawn to different sites. There may be other platforms that can help you reach a wider audience, find better-fit guests, and fill stubborn gaps in your calendar.
So let’s compare the top Vrbo alternatives on the market. Discover which booking platforms are best suited to your short-term rental business based on their features, pricing structure, typical users, and more.
Why you need Vrbo alternatives
If you’re already doing well on Vrbo, you might wonder whether listing on other platforms is worth it. Here are some of the benefits you may not have considered:
- More property types: Vrbo only lets you list entire homes, preventing you from renting out rooms or attachments.
- Better fit: Alternatives might offer a booking process that fits into your operations better.
- Greater reach: Listing across multiple audiences gives you the broadest exposure, making it easier to fill your calendar.
- Extra control: As your strategy changes, you can focus on whichever channels serve your needs best.
- More resilience: If there are issues with your Vrbo account, you can fall back on other listing sites.
- More credibility: Listing on multiple channels makes your short-term rental business look more established and trustworthy.
A quick look at the top Vrbo alternatives
Here’s a quick side-by-side comparison of the main options before we dive into the details:
| Name | Unique selling point | Pricing | Locations | Top features |
| Airbnb | Unique, unconventional stays | 15.5% | 200+ countries | Superhost program
Smart pricing Analytics |
| Booking.com | Rentals, hotels, and everything in between | Varies by location | 200+ countries | Genius discounts Guest feedback Smart Flex Reservations |
| Expedia | All-in-one travel packages | Varies by location | 150+ countries | Expedia Group Distribution
Expedia Partner Central |
| Agoda | Promotions for hosts | Varies by location | 200+ countries | Promotions Growth Program Sponsored listings |
| Houfy | Commission-free payment system | One-off payment of $5.99 for basic plans or monthly subscriptions starting at $7.99 | 80+ countries | Direct payments Customizable website Widgets |
The top 5 Vrbo alternatives
Now let’s take a closer look at each of these options so you can see why they’re worth your time and effort.
1. Airbnb
Airbnb remains one of the most popular vacation rental sites in the world, with over eight million active listings. While this means there’s a lot of competition, it also gives the platform a strong community focus. Hosts often use the forums to discuss issues like how to handle the check-in process or where to find a good vacation rental management company.
Top features
- Superhost program: Airbnb awards hosts that consistently meet high standards with Superhost status, which boosts your visibility in the search engine and gives you access to priority support.
- Smart pricing: You can switch on Airbnb’s Smart Pricing tool to automatically set competitive nightly rates for your area.
- Airbnb analytics: The dashboard gives you insights into your booking trends, occupancy rates, and listing performance.
Pros
- Huge userbase
- Flexibility over property types
- Well-known among travelers
Cons
- High competition
- Demanding criteria for the Superhost program
Pricing
As of October 2025, Airbnb is using a simplified pricing model for hosts. You must pay a single fee of 15.5% on every booking (16% in Brazil) instead of having the option to split the charges with guests.
Not sure Airbnb is for you? Here’s our comparison of the top 14 Airbnb alternatives.
2. Booking.com
Booking.com caters to the same markets as Vrbo but has a broader range. Users can find home rentals, boutique hotels, and fully-fledged resorts in the same search. This makes it ideal for hosts managing properties that don’t fit into a specific category, who are struggling to attract guests on Vrbo.
Top features
- Genius program: Hosts have the option to join the Genius program and get better visibility in return for offering a discount.
- Detailed guest feedback: Booking.com requests ratings for different aspects of the stay so you can see exactly where you’re going right and wrong.
- Smart Flex Reservations: If you enrol in the program, guests can cancel at the last minute without paying a fee. Booking.com then helps you find a replacement or compensates you.
Pros
- Mix of property types
- Range of guest promotions
- Strong visibility in Europe
Cons
- Monthly invoices instead of automatic charges
- Variable commission rates
Pricing
Booking.com’s pricing varies by property type and location. They send you a monthly invoice with all your charges from the previous month instead of automatically deducting fees.
3. Expedia
Expedia differentiates itself from other Vrbo alternatives with its bundles. Guests can book your accommodation alongside flights, car rentals, and event tickets to create an all-in-one holiday. It’s perfect if your vacation home is in a tourist region where people typically visit the same sites and try the same activities.
Top features
- Expedia Group Distribution: Hosts have the option to appear on Expedia’s other booking sites, including Hotels.com and Vrbo.
- Expedia Partner Central: Everyone gets actionable insights into revenue management via the Expedia dashboard.
- Bundles: Expedia can automatically generate packages for users, including flights, car rentals, and activities, to upsell your property to more guests.
Pros
- Large network of partners
- Bundled travel options
Cons
- High professional standards
- Stronger focus on hotels
- Variable commission rates
Pricing
Unofficial sources report that Expedia takes between 15% to 25% commission per booking. However, the platform doesn’t publicly disclose its fees because they vary across locations and property types.
4. Agoda
Agoda is a great option if you want to attract more guests from the Asia Pacific. It complements Vrbo with its focus on North America and Europe. Like Vrbo, it also tends to offer entire apartments and homes over shared spaces.
Top features
- Promotions: Agoda has a range of promotion tools you can use to create custom offers and attract more guests.
- Growth program: If you’re an approved partner, you can pay to join Agoda’s Growth Program. This boosts your visibility on the platform and allows you to display a badge on your profile.
- Sponsored listings: You can bid for your listings to appear higher in the algorithm and only pay per booking to keep advertising costs low.
Pros
- Access to the Asia-Pacific vacation rental market
- A range of promotion tools
- Option for pay-per-booking listing
Cons
- Strong focus on hotels
- Variable commission rates
Pricing
Agoda’s commission rates for hosts depend on your location and payment model. There’s a choice of a fixed rate or a markup rate: Either they deduct the same percentage from every booking, or you set a nightly fee and they add their commission to it before displaying the total price to users.
5. Houfy
Houfy is one of the few listing sites to offer one-off payments and monthly subscriptions instead of taking commission. It promises no additional costs and no hidden fees. This makes it a great option for hosts looking for more predictable pricing structures.
Top features
- Direct payments: Hosts can receive payments via their Stripe or Square accounts — there’s no middleman.
- Customizable website: Houfy’s Premium subscription includes a website builder you can use to make a custom site and generate direct bookings.
- Widgets: You can create custom widgets on a range of hosted websites, including Wix, WordPress, and GoDaddy.
Pros
- No booking or service fees
- More control over payments
- Unlimited photos
Cons
- Monthly subscription costs
- Fewer countries than some alternatives
Pricing
Unlike other Vrbo alternatives, Houfy doesn’t charge any commission. They have a choice of a free basic plan with a one-time fee of $5.99 or two monthly subscriptions starting at $7.99.
Secret option 6: A direct booking website!
Investing in a direct booking website gives you more control over your vacation rental business by letting you set your own cancellation and refund policies. It also reduces how much revenue you lose to commission, credit card processing fees, and other charges.
Don’t have any coding experience? A no-code builder like Hostfully makes it easy to create a custom website with landing pages, calendars, and payment processors. There’s only minimal setup required.
And you don’t have to leave listing sites like Vrbo and Airbnb behind. You can sync everything through your PMS and take advantage of the platform’s extra reach and your website’s lower costs.
How to choose the right Vrbo alternatives?
Signing up for every Vrbo alternative might not be the right move for your vacation rental company. Some options won’t help you find the right guests, and others might not fit into your budget. Here’s what to consider:
- Budget: Think about how fees affect your earnings. For example, some platforms are aimed at more high-end properties and so charge more in commission.
- Location: Check where the platform is available. If none of your guests come from a specific region, it might not make sense to sign up for a listing site that only caters to that market.
- Property type: Many platforms specialize in specific properties, so see which ones fit your business. For instance, Airbnb offers some unique rental homes such as treehouses, yurts, and glamping sites.
- Target market: Which demographics does your business appeal to the most? Make sure your listing sites serve the same types of guests so you’re marketing to the right crowd.
- Loyalty programs: Consider which programs, like Airbnb Superhost and Vrbo Premier Host, are easiest for you to meet. They can help you boost your visibility on the platform and promote your business more easily.
- User experience: Some platforms are more complex and feature-rich than others. Make sure you have the time and resources to manage the ones you choose.
Whatever listing sites you choose, Hostfully’s channel manager makes it simple to manage them all. Our software syncs all your property and pricing data across platforms and lets you manage them in one place.
How Hostfully supports popular OTAs and direct bookings
Looking at Vrbo alternatives doesn’t have to mean you’re done with the listing platform. It’s just that diversifying your listings is one of the smartest ways to reach more potential guests and protect your business from occasional dips. By mixing sites like Airbnb, Booking.com, and Expedia with a direct booking site, you build more flexibility into your operations.
But with more platforms comes more responsibility. Don’t sign up to any more platforms until you have the support of a powerful property management system (PMS), channel manager, and website builder like Hostfully.
With our help, you can:
- Sync data across multiple properties and channels
- View multi-channel listings through a central calendar
- Automate pricing updates across OTAs and your direct booking site
- Build a custom, no-code direct booking website
- Simplify guest messaging and communication in one unified inbox
- Track property performance across channels with detailed analytics
- Share performance insights with property owners
Because wherever you list and whether or not you have a website, you need a PMS like Hostfully to bring it all together.
FAQs:
What are the best Vrbo alternatives for small vacation rental owners?
Airbnb and Houfy are the best options for small vacation rental owners. Airbnb is ideal for listing low-cost options like small apartments and shared spaces, while Houfy has low fees with basic features.
Can I get more bookings by listing on multiple platforms instead of just Vrbo?
Yes, you can get more bookings by listing on multiple platforms. But make sure you have a channel manager like Hostfully to keep property and pricing data consistent across all your sites, or you risk double-bookings.
Why should I consider a direct booking website as an alternative to Vrbo?
A direct booking site gives you more control over vacation rental management. You keep 100% of your revenue, have complete freedom over cancellation policies, and get more choice over how you market your vacation homes.
Is Hostfully a listing site or a tool to help manage listings on multiple platforms?
Hostfully is a comprehensive property management tool that helps you manage listings across multiple platforms, automate key processes, and consolidate guest communications. It’s not a listing site, but it integrates with popular OTAs like Airbnb and Vrbo through its channel manager.
