Agoda Homes vs. Airbnb: Which Is Right for You as a Host?

Thinking about running a short-term rental to earn extra income but not sure where to list your property? The first website that comes to your mind is likely Airbnb, but there are also a lot of other popular OTA platforms, such as Agoda, which is a part of Booking Holdings.

Traditionally known for its hotel bookings, Agoda encompasses many travel services, including flights and airport transfers, and offers vacation rentals through Agoda Homes. So, which platform offers better opportunities for hosts: Agoda or Airbnb?

In this article, we'll compare Agoda Homes vs. Airbnb to provide essential information that may help you choose the platform that best suits your needs and goals.

You may also want to check our comparison of Agoda vs Booking.com to find out how these well-known brands in the hospitality industry differ.

Agoda Homes vs. Airbnb: An Overview

Here's a closer look at the critical differences between Agoda Homes and Airbnb. We compare these popular websites across categories: number of listings, global reach, types of property you can list, target audience, service fees, host protection, and payment options for hosts.

Agoda Homes vs. Airbnb: Can You List on Both?

This way, more travelers can see your short-term rental property and become your potential guests. Listing on multiple OTAs will increase your chances of getting more bookings. However, some challenges are associated with managing listings on multiple platforms.

It can take a lot of work to juggle different websites to answer guest messages, maintain a consistent pricing strategy, and update your calendars. And there's a risk of getting two bookings for the same dates.

A good solution to these problems is to use vacation rental software like Hospitable, which will help you automate 90% of your daily tasks and allow you to manage bookings on multiple channels simultaneously.

Agoda Homes vs. Airbnb: Property Types and Target Audience

Agoda is an online travel agency based in Singapore that offers a comprehensive suite of travel-related services and boasts more than 9 million users worldwide. Agoda also has over two million hotels and private properties listed.

Agoda Homes is the most popular portal for vacation rentals in Asia, and it features a wide range of single-unit accommodations worldwide. This vacation rental platform is a good option for owners with rental properties in Asia or who want to attract Asian guests—families enjoying their vacations, couples on romantic getaways, business professionals, and leisure travelers.

Unlike Airbnb, Agoda Homes allows hosts to list only entire properties, such as apartments, bungalows, villas, holiday homes, beach houses, farm stays, chalets, boats, treehouses, and many more.

Airbnb is a global marketplace connecting hosts who want to rent out their properties to earn extra income and travelers seeking personalized vacation experiences who want to live like locals. The OTA platform is popular among younger travelers—most Airbnb guests are between 25 and 34 or in their late 30s/early 40s.

Airbnb has over 7.7 million active listings in over 100,000 cities worldwide. Airbnb allows hosts to list different property types, from shared spaces to entire homes, catering to different preferences and budgets. Beyond traditional houses, apartments, and cabins, Airbnb guests can choose from an incredible range of accommodation styles, including castles, farms, treehouses, boats, yurts, RVs, and even private islands.   

Agoda Homes vs. Airbnb: Service Fees

Hosts can list their private properties on Agoda Homes for free. However, Agoda charges hosts a commission for each successful booking that ranges from 5% to 15%. The commission fee is automatically deducted from the rates the host inputs into the system.

Commission rates on Agoda Homes may vary depending on the property location, so every host needs to review and understand the specific commission rate applicable to their property. You can see applicable commission by going to Host Manage, selecting Booking & Earnings, and then View Commission.

Airbnb hosts don't have to pay to list their properties, but Airbnb charges a service fee when a booking is confirmed. With a split fee model, hosts pay a flat service fee of 3% of the booking subtotal deducted from their earnings, and guests pay a service fee of around 14%.

A host-only fee structure deducts the entire service fee from the host payout. It's typically 14–16%, although hosts with Super Strict cancellation policies may pay more.

As you can see, both platforms charge commissions for their services, so if you want to save on these fees and maximize your revenue, you should focus on building a direct booking strategy. This way, you'll become less dependent on OTAs and will be able to get repeat direct bookings.

You can easily create a beautiful direct booking website with our dedicated service, Hospitable Direct, using easy-to-customize website templates. We'll also list your STR property on Google Vacation Rentals, and travelers can discover your listing when using Google to find accommodation. You'll be able to get direct bookings without paying hefty third-party fees.

Agoda Homes vs. Airbnb: Protection for Hosts

Currently, Agoda doesn't mention offering protection insurance for hosts. If you're planning to use Agoda Homes to list your vacation rental property, you should be aware of this.

On the other hand, Airbnb offers comprehensive protection through a program called AirCover for Hosts. It includes guest identity verification, reservation screening, $3M Host damage protection, $1M Host liability insurance, and a 24-hour safety line.

Still, you should remember that although AirCover for Hosts protects you while you're hosting an Airbnb stay, it doesn't cover everything and is not a substitute for personal insurance.

Agoda Homes vs. Airbnb: How Do Hosts Get Paid for Hosting?

Hosts listing their properties on Agoda Homes can receive payment through a direct deposit to their bank account or via PayPal. You'll be requested to provide details for your bank or PayPal accounts only after your property is published on Agoda Homes.

Agoda handles safety and security, so all payout details are subject to fraud checks before approval. You'll receive your first payout within 30 days of your first guest's check-out date. As to all following payouts, you'll receive them within 24 hours of the guest's check-out.

Airbnb hosts can choose how they'd like to receive the money they earn hosting. Payout options depend on where Airbnb hosts are based and include bank account, Fast Pay, International wire,  Payoneer PrePaid Debit Mastercard, PayPal, and Western Union.

The money hosts earn is released to them about 24 hours after their guests' scheduled check-in time. The exact time when the funds arrive in your account depends on your selected payout method. When you host a stay of 28 nights or longer, Airbnb will send your earnings in monthly installments, starting about 24 hours after your guest checks in.