By The Hospitable Team
Since its launch in 2008, Airbnb has become one of the most popular travel brands in the world. The platform can boast millions of monthly visitors and a loyal customer base, so many new hosts start their business on Airbnb. But as your STR business grows, you might want to think about listing with Airbnb’s competitors to reach more travelers and increase bookings.
But which websites should you consider listing your property on? Airbnb competes with different websites, including online travel agencies like Vrbo and Booking.com and travel meta-searches like HomeToGo. In this article, we’ll compare HomeToGo vs. Airbnb and discuss their business models, features, and commissions to help you determine whether it’s a good website for you.
Still, you should remember that relying on just one platform to market your property goes against vacation rental industry best practices. Instead, you should adopt a multi-channel distribution strategy and get listed on several sites to increase your property’s visibility and get more bookings.
Managing listings on multiple websites will be easier if you opt for a comprehensive vacation rental management software with channel manager functionality like Hospitable. Our tool will allow you to automate most of your repetitive daily tasks and make your business more efficient.
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HomeToGo vs. Airbnb: How They Work
Airbnb is a global home-sharing marketplace that connects travelers looking for accommodation in a specific location and people who want to rent out extra space in their homes or entire homes. Hosts and property managers list their properties directly on the Airbnb platform, and the company earns money by charging a service fee for each booking to hosts and guests.
You may want to check out our article to learn more about how Airbnb works for hosts.
HomeToGo was built in 2014 as a vacation rental meta-search engine, listing vacation rental properties from different sources, including property management companies and OTAs (Online Travel Agencies). Today, this Berlin-based company also wants to be seen as an additional booking channel that is an alternative to popular booking platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo.
Guests can book accommodations from diverse providers, either on the providers’ external websites or directly on the HomeToGo platform. The company earns revenues similar to meta-search engines, such as Cost per Click and Cost per Lead, as well as online booking platforms (Cost per acquisition).
Hosts can also list their homes on HomeToGo Via the HomeToGo network, and they will appear on local platforms in their region. HomeToGo operates local apps and websites in 25 countries across Europe, North America, South America, Australia, and Asia-Pacific.
HomeToGo vs Airbnb: Property Types and Audience
Airbnb allows hosts to list different properties, from tiny homes to luxury villas, mansions, and even castles. It’s also known for its wide range of exclusive and quirky accommodations available in the “OMG!” category, such as treehouses, cottages, forest cabins, earthhomes, domes, yurts, windmills, and more. You can even list your boat rental or RV. Besides, Airbnb hosts are allowed to list shared spaces, such as private rooms.
Airbnb’s audience is diverse. It attracts adventurous travelers interested in authentic experiences and unique rentals where they can live like a local during their trips. It’s also popular among business travelers who prefer to stay in urban apartments instead of hotel rooms.
HomeToGo primarily focuses on traditional vacation rentals like vacation homes, condos, apartments, cabins, and beach houses, although travelers can also search for farmhouses, castles, boats, cabins, and camping sites. As a vacation rental metasearch engine, HomeToGo gives travelers a lot of choices and allows them to compare prices on listings from different websites side-by-side. This makes it a good choice for budget-conscious travelers.
No matter what type of travelers you want to target, it’s your responsibility as a host to ensure your guests have a memorable experience during their stay, and that’s impossible without effective communication. Being available to your guests 24/7 is challenging, but you can automate conversations with your guests via messages using vacation rental software like Hospitable.
Have conversations with your guests even when you sleep.
HomeToGo vs. Airbnb Service Fees
Hosts can list their properties on both websites for free, but service fees are charged for each booking.
Airbnb has two service fee structures: the split fee and the host-only fee. The split fee consists of a guest service fee of about 14% of the listing price and a host fee of 3% of the booking subtotal. With the host-only fee, hosts pay a 14-16% commission, deducted from the host payout, and guests aren’t charged any fee to book.
HomeToGo also offers two different fee structures for hosts to choose from. If you prefer the split fee, HomeToGo will charge you a 3% commission for each booking. Your guests must pay a variable fee based on HomeToGo pricing intelligence. If you choose the host-only fee, you’ll be charged a 15% commission, deducted from your payout, and your guests won’t be charged.
You can avoid expensive booking platforms’ service fees if you create your direct booking website with Hospitable Direct, and our hosting tools will allow you to save on property management and guest messaging. You’ll also be able to take advantage of our new integration and list your Hospitable direct booking website with Google Vacation Rentals to increase your online visibility. This feature is free for all hosts using Hospitable Direct.
Bottom Line
The main difference between HomeToGo and Airbnb is in their business models. Airbnb is a marketplace that serves both property owners and guests. It has its ecosystem and only allows travelers to search for rentals listed directly on its site.
HomeToGo is not only a listing site for vacation rentals but primarily a metasearch engine, pulling listings from other websites and giving property owners extra exposure. It allows guests to compare prices and find the best or cheapest offer.
You may also want to check out our blog post comparing Vrbo and Airbnb.
Booking vs. Airbnb: Which Platform Is Better for Hosts?
Not sure which OTA platform to choose to list your vacation rental home—Airbnb or Booking.com? Both platforms are popular among travelers and have millions of daily visits, so it’s better to take a closer look at both. Check this post for an in-depth comparison!
Airbnb vs. Renting: Which Option Is Better?
One of the main discussion points between real estate investors is the debate about whether you should list your property on Airbnb or choose traditional long-term renting. Which strategy is more lucrative and can generate better ROI? Let’s discuss the pros and cons of each.
Vrbo vs. Airbnb: What Is Best for Your Rental?
Airbnb and Vrbo are among the best international vacation rental platforms that have gained popularity among travelers and property owners. Choosing which one would best fit your rental property, or whether you should list it on both, could seem tricky at first. This post will help you get started.
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