VRBO Price Increase (2024)

FAQs

Why does Vrbo charge such high fees? ›

The service fee is a percentage of the total amount of the reservation, excluding taxes and refundable fees. This fee helps cover the cost of secure transactions, product development, and 24/7 customer service. Additionally, when you pay through our site, you are eligible for the Book with Confidence Guarantee.

On average, Vrbo hosts can earn between $20,000 to $40,000 per year per property. However, top properties in high-demand areas can earn significantly more.

Contact the owner or property manager first. There may be a misunderstanding that can be resolved with them directly. However, if you're not getting the help you need, select Contact Us for help from our 24/7 customer support team. It's important you contact us within 24 hours from check-in or when the problem occurs.

Use a channel manager

The channel manager will sync and automate repetitive aspects of managing your vacation rental across platforms. This includes syncing and updating your prices across Airbnb, Vrbo and other booking channels including your direct booking website.

If you find a vacation rental you like listed on HomeAway, VRBO or Airbnb, don't immediately inquire to the owner or book it on the listing site. Instead, search our regional vacation rental listing sites, where you can email or call the owner freely, and book it without paying the Service Fee.

If you're using the pay-per-booking listing model, booking fees will apply to your listings. The booking fee consists of a 3% payment processing and 5% commission fee. Fees don't apply to Property Damage Protection or Trip Cancellation Protection (Travel Insurance).

On Vrbo, hosts who opt for the aforementioned pay-per-booking fee model can expect to pay 8% of the total payment amount (as a reminder, that's a 3% processing fee, plus a 5% commission fee). On Airbnb, there are two host fee options: 1. Split-fee: This is the most common fee structure for Airbnb hosts.

Depending on your bank's policies, the money will be available in your bank account approximately five to seven business days later. If you are a new partner and your first booking is less than 30 days away, the payout is sent to your bank account approximately 30 days after the guest's payment.

Making money on Vrbo FAQ

Yes, listing your vacation home on Vrbo is a good way to make money. Not only is it one of the most popular vacation rental sites in the world (attracting 15.9 million visitors each month), Vrbo also cross posts its properties to fellow Expedia-owned sites.

Introduction. To maintain traveler trust in our marketplace, it is essential partners uphold all confirmed bookings. If a partner cancels an accepted booking, or is responsible for the cancellation, we will charge a tiered partner fee. Additional actions, such as a temporary listing suspension, may also be imposed.

How do I get a 100% refund from Vrbo? ›

You can cancel your reservation through your guest account if you are eligible for a 100% refund. You'll receive a refund based on the cancellation policy of the property you booked. If you are not eligible for a 100% refund, you are still able to cancel the reservation from your account.

Dispute a charge

If you don't agree with the charge, you can lodge a dispute by selecting Contact Us. We'll request additional documentation from both you and the host to verify the claim.

Understand Vrbo's rate changes policy

However, they're not permitted to adjust the cost of a confirmed reservation. An increased rate on a listing only applies to future bookings.

The short answer is yes, you can negotiate your Airbnb stay. To do so, simply contact a host to ask for a discount or propose a lower price.

It could be beneficial to encourage direct bookings if you already have a website for your rental property. You would be able to avoid paying the Airbnb service fee by doing this. You should be aware, though, that this also implies that you will not be using Airbnb's administrative or customer service.

Airbnb's interface is more user-friendly and community-driven, with more flexible cancellation policies and higher booking volume than Vrbo. Vrbo offers robust property protection but generally sees fewer bookings and has a more complex platform than Airbnb.

Airbnb offers a wider variety of listings, from budget to luxury, and a more extensive user base, while Vrbo focuses on whole-home rentals. Booking fees vary across both platforms, with Airbnb typically charging under 14% and Vrbo between 6% and 15% of the subtotal.