Airbnb, now a household name in the short-term rental market, has undoubtedly revolutionised how people travel. But the idea was borne out of humble beginnings with two struggling roommates trying to raise money for their rent.
Founders Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia saw an opportunity to earn extra cash during the local San Francisco Industrial Design conference. The conference notoriously attracted quite a few visitors who booked out all the hotel rooms nearby. They purchased some airbeds, set them up in their apartment, and advertised them as “Air Bed and Breakfast.”
And so the journey began to offer a more affordable alternative to hotels for travellers trying to find accommodation.
By harnessing the power of the internet to connect people who need a place to stay with those who have one, Airbnb has made it possible for anyone to be their own boss and participate in the sharing economy.
Of course, since then, Airbnb has evolved far beyond sharing a spare room. The price tag has evolved with whole private properties, luxurious private villas, and various new experiences on offer. Beyond the increased price tag, properties are often booked out long in advance, so it’s become difficult to secure suitable accommodation on a whim.
As a result, more and more travellers are looking for alternatives to Airbnb for short-term rentals. The vacation rental industry has grown significantly, with new companies like Vrbo, Booking.com, Stayz, and Flipkey offering stiff competition.
The vacation rental market now includes a variety of options such as apartments, holiday homes, luxury villas, and bungalows, providing travellers with more choices beyond Airbnb.
As a property owner, it’s worth exploring your options because if you’re listing your property on alternative booking sites, you may see a level up in your booking numbers compared to someone exclusively listing their property on Airbnb.
So, to help you navigate whether exploring your property listing options is worthwhile, here are some Airbnb alternatives Australia-based investors can utilise.
Stayz Vacation Rentals
Founded in 2001, Stayz is an Australian-based holiday rental platform with 24/7 customer support. The company offers educational materials on how to market to high-quality travellers from 190 countries.
Stayz also puts forward a wide vacation rental space, including various types of properties suitable for different needs.
In addition, Stayz provides a wide range of services for investors, including listing assistance, marketing tools, and access to a global network of travellers.
Boosting Your Short-Term Rental With Stayz
Stayz recently introduced Fast Start, an initiative to help new properties listed on their site boost demand. The program essentially boosts your listing’s visibility for 90 days. So, for investors looking to add their properties to another listing website, Fast Start may make it worth their while.
Regarding booking fees, Stayz has recently announced changes to its fee structure in favour of a commission-based fee similar to that of Airbnb. Previously, the company charged a $164 annual listing fee plus $15.90 for each night booked. Instead, it will collect a 10% commission on all bookings.
One potential downside to choosing Stayz as one of your best alternatives to Airbnb is that its calendar doesn’t integrate with other platforms. So, if you have property listings on a few different short-term rental sites, and you receive a booking on one of them, you’ll have to update your availability on Stayz manually, or look at installing some channel management software.
Booking.com Holiday Rentals
Booking.com has long been one of the best sites for online travel bookings, and that doesn’t seem to be changing any time soon.
Infact, Booking.com, along with its parent company Priceline, dominate the industry through its broad partner network. Despite Airbnb’s rapid growth, Booking.com still holds the lion’s share of the market, largely due to its massive inventory of hotels and other accommodation options, including flexible apartment rentals.
What really sets Booking.com apart from alternative sites is the fact that guests aren’t charged a credit card fee, and there’s no service fee for guests. This makes the site a simplified and more appealing option for budget-minded travellers looking for traditional alternatives to Airbnb.
For many travellers, another appeal of booking a hotel room through Booking.com is the ease of cancelling bookings. In today’s fast-paced world, it can be difficult to know when or where you’ll be next week, let alone six months from now.
That’s why the ability to cancel a hotel reservation with just a few clicks is so valuable. It allows travellers to change their plans at the last minute without incurring any penalties.
Unfortunately, for hosts, the downside to both these positives for guests is that they:
- Absorb the service fees, which are set on a commission basis and can range anywhere between 15% and 25%, depending on the property’s location and how much visibility the listing has on the site; and
- Are subject to more last-minute cancellations because the guest doesn’t necessarily incur financial commitments when making the booking.
FlipKey by TripAdvisor
FlipKey is part of TripAdvisor Vacation Rentals, offering a wide range of vacation properties. Just like Airbnb, you can find listings for vacation properties worldwide. One of the most attractive features for travellers is that they can easily compare FlipKey vacation rental listings with TripAdvisor traveller reviews from past guests, thanks to the integration between the two sites.
With this unique feature, travellers can quickly see how FlipKey rentals compare with hotels in terms of value, amenities, and location. In addition, they can read firsthand accounts of previous visitors describing what it’s like to stay in a particular property, giving them a better sense of what to expect from their trip.
For hosts, this also means that your listing is automatically linked to Tripadvisor, one of the largest review platforms in the world, potentially injecting some pretty decent exposure.
In terms of their fee structure, the site charges guests a booking fee of between 8% and 16%, depending on the listing. FlipKey property owners pay a set 3% commission-based fee on every booking made—by far the best price tag on the list.
While your fee is lower, the relatively large booking fee may deter guests, so that’s something to consider.
Consider Listing Your Property on Multiple Sites
When it comes to finding vacation rental properties, travellers have more options than ever before. In addition to traditional hotels and resorts, there are now a growing number of short-term rentals listed on sites like Airbnb, FlipKey, and Booking.com.
For hosts, listing your property on multiple sites can help you reach a wider audience, including those looking for luxury villas, and maximise your bookings.
While it may take some extra effort to list your property on multiple sites, the potential rewards are definitely worth it. By casting a wider net, you’ll have a better chance of reaching potential renters who might not find your listing on just one site. And since different travellers use different booking sites, you’ll also be able to tap into new markets that you might not otherwise reach.
| Airbnb Alternative | Key Features | Fees for Hosts |
| Stayz Vacation Rentals | – Australian-based platform founded in 2001
– Offers educational materials and marketing tools for hosts – “Fast Start” program boosts new listings for 90 days – Calendar doesn’t integrate with other platforms |
10% commission on all bookings |
| Booking.com Holiday Rentals | – Large inventory of hotels and flexible apartment rentals
– No credit card or service fees for guests – Easy cancellation for guests |
15-25% commission, depending on location and listing visibility |
| FlipKey by TripAdvisor | – Part of TripAdvisor Vacation Rentals
– Listings integrated with TripAdvisor traveller reviews – Automatic exposure on TripAdvisor |
3% commission on every booking |
Key Takeaways
As the popularity of short-term holiday rentals continues to grow, more and more investors are looking for alternative booking sites to Airbnb. While Airbnb may be the most well-known platform in this space, it is far from the only option.
In fact, there are a number of other Airbnb alternatives that offer similar services that may be a better fit for your needs as an investor. Some of the most popular alternative booking sites include VRBO/Stayz, Booking.com, and FlipKey.
These platforms offer a variety of benefits that can appeal to both owners and renters. Another key point to consider is that while paying fees and commissions to booking platforms can feel like a costly exercise, creating the perception of lost revenue, we encourage investors to think of these fees as the annual ‘marketing budget’.
If you look at it from that perspective, then consider if you had to market your property on your own, I’m sure you’ll realise, your annual ‘marketing budget’ would not go very far under your own steam.
So, if you’re considering listing your property on an alternative booking site, it’s worth exploring all of your options. By doing so, you’re likely to find a platform that better suits your needs and that can help you maximise your profits.
You might also want to consider engaging the services of a property manager to help you manage your short-term holiday accommodation.
Here at GrowHOST, our focus is on helping you, as an Airbnb host, make the most of your listings. Our property manager team understands the unique challenges of running holiday accommodation, and we’re here to help you overcome them.
